Jamie Simmons from Unitrak outlines the benefits of taking a systematic approach to your business.
Do you remember a company called HIA Security? It went from being a start up to boasting over $100 million in sales within three years. The lesson I want to draw from this is the focus they gave to their customers.
They turned the industry on its head overnight by shifting its focus from its service offering (home security systems) to a customer centric systemised approach. They became ‘security experts’ that understood the power of understanding their customer.
In the pest management business your biggest challenge isn’t your product, service or even pricing. It is understanding who your customer is and what they want.
HIA made their installers wear a uniform – neat blue work pants and shirt tucked in with a logo and name on it. They would carry a pair of slip on shoes, a drop mat, a small vacuum, cleaning rags and spray. They would take their work boots off at the front door, put a clean drop-mat down before they put a ladder down. They would vacuum the fallout from the drilling, they would wipe furniture or windows before they left. They were polite, professional and stood out from the rest.
They understood that the number one complaint people had about tradesmen coming into their homes was that they were often dirty and left a mess behind.
Then someone would call within a week asking if you were satisfied with the service and dealt with issues quickly and effectively. In six months a newsletter would arrive, in 12 months a personalised letter – the service kept them top of mind and cemented the fact that they were the experts.
Do you have a systemised approach when sending your team to do a treatment? Are you giving your client the professional service and thoughtfulness that makes them go ‘wow’? Do you have a systemised approach to ensure you are in regular contact with your clients and that you are the expert they run to instead of Google? If you aren’t you should be worried. Because your opposition is!
Ensure you have a great CRM system and collect all client information. Make sure your teams (admin and techs) are customer focused and equipped with the best systemised approach to customer satisfaction, professional delivery and outstanding service.
Do you have a set time every week or month and send warranty notices or informing clients when their next service is due? At best, you should be sending them auto email responders from your CRM, at worst you should mail them. It doesn’t stop there, who is responsible for calling them to confirm the booking? Have a well-scripted approach that everyone follows.
Send a quarterly or half yearly newsletter. Make it entertaining, make it informative, don’t sell anything here, position yourself as the expert and back it up by sending professional looking and well scripted letters.
HIA Security was not the cheapest, in fact they were one of the most expensive. But clients trusted them and were more than happy to recommend them to their friends.
Don’t look for more business until you have this system in your business. Your pot of gold is in your existing client list. Know them, understand what they are looking for. Engage a marketing coach, a professional ad writer, invest your time in building great systems that support your vision and build your business. Set yourself apart by being the expert and back it up with superior customer experience and enjoy your growth!
Jamie Simmons, Unitrak
