Every business has one goal in mind: to find and sustain success. Easier said than done. Building a successful service business is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. And while customer wins go a long way in helping you master your craft, we’ve found the most successful service businesses (regardless of size or industry) have stayed true to this basic, yet often overlooked, principle: consistency.
Cultivating Consistency
Where exactly do customers come from? They don’t just appear out of thin air. They take countless hours of dedication to not only attract but also build a relationship with them. Moreover, though, they took consistency. Whether it’s your second time servicing a customer, or it’s your hundredth, your clients demand the same level of quality every time. It’s the predictability that no matter when your crew or service technician steps foot on the job site, they will deliver the same level of quality and professionalism. This consistency not only instills trust and can help transition one-time clients into lifelong customers, but it also increases your opportunity to sell additional relevant services to your valued customers.
Training Your Workforce
Employees are your biggest assets. And since the quality and consistency of their work directly determines how your business is perceived, it is smart to invest in your workforce. Not only should you train workers thoroughly on best practices and industry standards, but continually invest in their development. This investment gives your crews and technicians avenues for professional development and keeps them motivated to deliver exceptional service every time. Offer career advancement opportunities, reward employees for exemplary performances, and always aim to provide a proper work-life balance. Because happy employees mean consistently good services, consistently good services foster more repeat customers.
Monitoring Your Methods
What are customers saying about you? By directly using customer feedback, you gain valuable insight into what your business is doing right or where you could use some improvement. This will help ensure your crew and technicians are always working to improve the customer experience, as well as providing a constituent product that meets your standards. Employ the use of employee scorecards and customer service reports to routinely assess your team’s performance and make strategic improvements going forward. Capturing customer feedback and performing self-assessments can not only work wonders for quality assurance but can also quickly mitigate issues before customers shop the competition or cancel services.
