Cleanfax, August 2013

diversification Staying out of trouble A safe estimate is that more than 95 percent of claims callbacks redos lawsuits and problems cleaners get into are preventable Most are due to misunderstandings and a failure CLEANFAX COM August 2013 Cleanfax 49 Say Thank You and show respect Be gracious and let customers know you appreciate the opportunity to be allowed into their homes to provide the services they need This means covering your street shoes with booties It means introducing yourself and providing a business card before entering It means asking rather than assuming things And of course always be gentle with personal belongings of theirs that you must handle Think ahead of potential problems Dont set or lean equipment hoses tools or chemicals on tables chairs or against walls Dont bang or slam things around Turn off and stay off your cell phone Be aware of noises that may startle children pets or adults and act as if your mother is watching your every move See the Staying out of trouble sidebar Say Thank You clearly and look the customer in the eye when you speak If you are dealing with a man shake his hand firmly when you thank him for his business In todays competitive marketplace it is not enough to simply do a good job or have the lowest price or even satisfy the customer You must go beyond good You must provide great customer service Every customer you deal with needs to be excited about what youve done and how professional you are Your goal is to turn every customer into a raving fan for life Tomorrow is here Everything you do is changing faster than you can keep up with Ongoing training and education is a requirement for anyone who wants to be at the top of his or her game If you dont keep up with changes in technology surfaces processes and customer expectations you will be replaced by those who do and it will happen faster than you think CF customer needs additional services they will think of you and be able to find you Leave behind a couple of business cards or a refrigerator magnet or other long term useful promotional item with your name telephone number website and e mail address on it Encourage the customer to call you with any questions or issues they have Let them know that you want them to be totally satisfied with the services you have provided and are available to help with any cleaning needs or questions they have Take the time to point out that you have written your personal cell number on the back of your business card if you are comfortable with that If you have a referral incentive or follow up discount program provide the details comes to upselling youll need to educate the consumer on how they will benefit from the added service s What are these benefits There are several It can be a cost savings because you are already in the home It could be reduced disturbance no need to make another appointment or it can be on the topic of preventive maintenance and adding years of life to floor coverings or furniture Other benefits that are strong motivators relate to maintaining a healthy indoor environment especially when children and pets are in the home Remember you are selling a service that provides an indoor environment free from trackedin soil bacteria odors pollen and dust It should be most of the time an easy sale to make Take your time When you are able to upsell a job go the extra mile to make sure the customer doesnt feel like they have been taken advantage of Spend a little time touching up the work youve done go back over surfaces again make a few extra drying passes and pay a little extra attention to the details of the job Its critical that you make sure that the customer feels like they received their moneys worth This relates not only to doing a good job but in many cases it relates to how long you were in the home When the invoice creeps up over the 400 amount slow down a bit and make sure youve given them several hours of hard work Not always today Just because you are selling today doesnt mean that the customer is buying today Some people want to think about it others need to check with someone else or they may be on a budget Your secondary goal is to do everything you can to ensure that when and if the of the cleaner to properly communicate with the customer regarding realistic expectations This type of communication should occur before the work is done Follow these simple steps and you can eliminate more than 95 percent of your problem jobs Inspect and qualify the job Be honest about what you can do and what you cant do Take before and after photos Use a small pocket camera or smartphone Ask questions Involve the customer and your supervisor if you are unsure Communicate Discuss and put specifics into writing on the work order and get a written authorization to begin the work This will help protect everyone and prevent most misunderstandings There is a famous quote that should impact how you do business What you say before you start the work is known as education What you say after the work is done is known as an excuse The more education you do the fewer excuses youll have to make Anonymous