How to WOW Your Clients 

There's no doubt that providing great customer service is one of the best ways to set your business apart from the competition and build long-lasting relationships with clients. But what does it take to provide truly exceptional service?

Look after your existing customers

In any business, it costs money to acquire new customers. Plumbing and heating businesses are no different. In order to get new business, you have to spend money on advertising and marketing. You also have to spend time and energy cultivating relationships with potential clients. Once you've finally landed a new customer, you then have to put in the work to show them that your company is the best option for their future needs too. On the other hand, it costs far less to maintain an existing client base and can even lead to referrals and positive word-of-mouth.

Question- How much time, money and energy do you spend trying to keep your customers? There’s a good chance you don’t have an answer for that. You could probably tell me how much you have spent trying to get new ones but you’ve maybe never thought about focusing your marketing efforts on your existing ones.

It's important to remember that your existing customers are worth their weight in gold. They're the ones who have already taken the plunge and decided to do business with you. So don't take them for granted - show them how much you appreciate their business, and they'll stick with you through thick and thin.

What challenges do you face when trying to WOW your customers?


Clients aren’t happy with us

It is easy to become defensive when someone says negative things about something you have worked so hard to achieve. However, if a customer isn’t happy with you then it is vital that you find out why. It could be something as simple as a misunderstanding or a mistake on your part. Only by understanding their perspective can you hope to address the issue and turn a negative experience into a positive one.

We’re constantly firefighting

If you are finding that you spend more time-solving problems like breakdowns and leaks and less time adding real value to your existing clients maybe it’s time to review your set-up. Could you benefit from a dedicated maintenance engineer? Are the majority of your customers on maintenance plans? Preventative maintenance could mean recurring income for you and less time spent ‘fire fighting’.

We get resistance when we try to raise prices

As a plumbing and heating business owner, you know that prices for materials and labour are always going up. But when you try to raise your prices to cover these costs, you sometimes face resistance from customers. The key is to make sure that your customers see the value in what you're offering. Do they see you as a reliable and trustworthy company that provides quality service? If so, they're more likely to be willing to pay a little extra for your services. On the other hand, if they see you as just another plumbing company, they're more likely to resist any price increases. So it's important to make sure that your customers understand the value of what you're offering before you try to raise your prices.

No time to add value to clients

Make time! If you don’t have time to look after your existing customers then stop taking on new ones until you can resolve this. It's not worth sacrificing your standards and your reputation for the sake of a few extra pounds. Your customers will appreciate your commitment to quality and will be more loyal in the long run. Plus, it's always better to do a great job for a few customers than a mediocre job for many.

Technology is shaking up the plumbing and heating industry

There is so much technology out there to help a plumbing and heating business run smoothly. ServiceM8 for example seamlessly manages the whole customer journey from the first phone call to invoicing and payment. There is even a feature that tracks your location and notifies the client when you are nearby, just like an Uber taxi. This is just one example of how embracing technology can help you effortlessly deliver excellent service. Work smarter not harder!

What do your customers really want?

A sure way to WOW your clients is to give them what they want! It sounds simple, but if you can answer their questions before they have even asked then they will have faith in your company from the get-go. Speak to your ideal client. What questions have they got? Do your marketing efforts address these? What are they Googling?

  • How can I save money on energy bills?
  • What is the best heating solution for my home?
  • Do I need a new boiler?

Tip- answerthepublic.com is a fantastic tool to see what the general public are searching for online.

Make a good first impression

First impressions are important. A customer will form an immediate opinion of your company based on what they see. For a plumbing and heating business, that first impression often comes from your van. If your van is clean and sign written, it sends a message that you're a professional who takes pride in their work. Likewise, being on time and dressed in clean clothes (not your grubby overalls) shows that you're respectful of your customer's time and property. Be friendly and greet them with a smile.

Lifetime Value of a client

The lifetime value of a client is the total amount of money that they will spend with your business over the course of their lifetime.

What is the average life cycle of a client? A week, a month, a year, a decade or twenty years plus? Let’s break it down. A customer has a boiler replaced at a cost of £2,000. For the next 20 years, the same customer joins your boiler maintenance plan with an annual check-up at £100 per year (plus inflation). £2,000 has just doubled to £4,000. Multiply that by all of your boiler replacements and you’ve got yourself a very lucrative business. Not to mention all the extra jobs that pop up along the life cycle like a bathroom installation or a few new taps etc.

By understanding and applying the concepts of customer lifetime value, you can create a strategy that keeps your customers coming back for more.

Customer experience

“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

Maya Angelou


Customer Service vs Customer Experience

Customer service = reactive. The assistance provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.

Customer experience = proactive. How customers perceive their interactions with your company

In today's world, people are increasingly valuing experiences over things. That's why businesses are focused on creating positive customer experiences that will keep customers coming back. Because at the end of the day, people don't forget how you made them feel. They might forget what you said or what you did, but they'll always remember how you made them feel. So if you want to create loyal, lifetime customers, focus on giving them an experience they'll never forget.

Eight Phases of Customer Experience

  • Assess - customers deciding if they want to do business with you. They are suspicious at this stage. And filled with negativity given their experiences with their existing plumber. You need to project yourself as different from the incumbent in order to win them over.
  • Admit - admit they need you and the search is over. The customer is feeling joy that the search is over. If you fail to acknowledge this you miss the chance to strongly associate this emotional high with your service.
  • Affirm - known as buyer's remorse. They begin to doubt. If you don’t address these feelings you’ll have to work overtime to get to the feelings of joy and euphoria and excitement they felt in the admit phase.
  • Activate – Activate the new relationship in a meaningful way. During the first major post-sale interaction work towards delivering on the promises made in the assessment phase. The customer is excited to get started but somewhat anxious about whether everything will go as promised. If you don’t start things on the right foot it will be hard to overcome that first impression. If you do you’ll build momentum to carry you deep into the relationship
  • Acclimate - getting used to your way of working and your process. For the customer, it may be the first time they’ve experienced this particular way of doing things. They are at best unsure and at worst frustrated by the lack of familiarity. If you don’t properly onboard the customer and get them bought into your approach they will never be a long-standing customer. If you hold their hand along the way you can ensure a smooth transition as they embrace your approach. You must acclimate your customer to your way of doing business
  • Accomplish - when the customer achieves the result they were seeking when they decided to do business with you in the first place. When the service delivers so maybe the boiler installation is achieved or the clean-up is done and they now have a functioning heating system. If you don't deliver, your customers' emotions can range from unsatisfied to angry. If you do deliver they will be between happy and ecstatic that everything went as planned. In order for the relationship to advance, the customer must accomplish their original goal
  • Adopt - The customer takes ownership of the relationship. They proudly support your brand and firm and are thrilled to be part of your community. If you won't make them feel special and receive unique rewards, you won't have their complete loyalty
  • Advocate - customer becomes a raving fan, zealous promoter. Sing your praises far and wide. If they are motivated to promote you and you remind them to do so your business will grow in unimaginable ways. The ultimate customer is one who becomes an advocate for your firm

Three simple things

  1. Manage expectations -managing expectations is key. If you set the bar too low, customers will be disappointed when they don't get the level of service they expect. On the other hand, if you set the bar too high, you'll run into problems trying to meet those expectations. The key is to find a balance that works for both your business and your customers. Start by defining what your ideal customer experience would be. Then, take a close look at your current operations and see where there's room for improvement.
  2. Be proactive –Know your customers well and anticipate their needs. One way to be proactive is to regularly collect feedback from customers and use it to make changes. Another is to train employees on how to provide great customer service.
  3. Be there when they need you - Whether they're having trouble with a product or just have a question, they should be able to rely on you to be there for them. Make sure you're easy to reach. Provide multiple channels for customers to reach you, and make sure someone is available to answer their questions promptly. Second, keep your promises. If you say you'll do something, make sure you follow through. Customers will appreciate your reliability, and it will build trust between you and them.

Conclusion

Have you ever had a customer experience that just wowed you? Maybe the service was so exceptional that it made your day. Or perhaps the product was so amazing that you were totally blown away. Whatever the case, delivering wow-factor experiences is crucial for businesses today. And luckily, there are some easy ways to achieve this goal. By following these simple tips, you can start creating unforgettable customer experiences for your clients and drive more sales in the process. So what are you waiting for? Comments below on when you last experienced wow factor service!

If you would like advice on any of the content of this article, or any other content Together We Count has published, do not hesitate to get in touch at info@togetherwecount.co.uk

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