Customer service can make or break a business. Even though it is said that our economy is bouncing back, the general public is still very careful with its money. If a job is not done to their satisfaction, or an issue is not dealt with to their liking, you can bet you will never see that customer again.
For example, we go to the Farmer's Market pretty regularly and usually buy a loaf of bread from a certain vendor. However, for two weeks in a row, his bread was stale and hard as a rock. We decided to stop buying from him and instead bought from a vendor a few stalls down. While the vendor a few stalls down was more expensive, his bread wasn't hard as a rock, nor did it hurt my jaw after I ate it,
That is why your field service business needs a tool to help your employees provide the best customer service possible. One of the best tools you can purchase for your company is service scheduling software.
Service scheduling software can provide a company with many ways to deliver better customer service. Some of these are:
Scheduling and Routing
Getting a customer scheduled for the correct services, and getting the technician on their property in an efficient manner is half the battle. Customers don’t always appreciate having to get a call back when they call in to schedule an appointment and they hate waiting around for a technician.
With field service software, your office staff is able to service customers effectively and efficiently. The scheduling part of field service software allows your employees to schedule quickly. No more paper shuffling or white board searching. This eliminates the time spent on the phone. If your office is no longer stuck on the phone trying to find answers for a customer, less customers go to voicemail. Going to voicemail may be one of the most frustrating things for a customer. They feel like they are not being heard, and worry they won’t receive a call back.
The routing side of the software is very beneficial for the technicians. Techs can be scheduled based on the most efficient route. This will ensure they do not have to drive half way across the city, sometimes hitting traffic, and risk running late.
Customer History
If you have ever had a customer call in with complaints or issues, the customer history feature of scheduling software will be your new best friend. Here any notes entered, both from the field and the office, can be reviewed. This can really save your butt when a customer calls in screaming and asking why a service was not performed on their property. Your office staff can quickly pull up their information and see that the tech put a note about needing an additional part to complete the job.
Customer history is not only useful when a customer is upset, it can also help to show customers you listen to them and care about their property as much as they do. By having technicians and your office staff mark down specific notes, you are able to cater to the customer. Offering an additional service they may benefit from, or indicating to shut the gate because of a dog when visiting the property are both ways to show you value the customer and their property.
I cannot tell you how many times I wish I was able to go back in to a customer’s file and see specifics about them. It would have made marketing, and connecting with the customer, a whole lot easier. To have all of the information in one spot and easily accessible means you are able to provide answers and service quickly and effectively, showing your customer support unlike any they have experienced before.
Better Field Presence
The benefits of all of the above information ties in to the field and how they serve the customer. With a complete service scheduling system, your techs should be able to access the information out in the fieldso they can see and make any special notes that are needed to be known about the customer.
Think of how much a customer appreciates a tech coming in and knowing what was done the last time your company was out on their property. The confidence of a technician along with the respect that they remembered to close the gate to keep the dog in thanks to the notes are a lot of little things that go a long way.
Customer service is key to a successful business. Not only does it show your customers and potential customers that you are a loyal and trustworthy business, it is also a business you can be truly proud of. Any Tom, Dick, or Jane can provide a service to a customer, but not any business can provide truly brag worthy, customer service.
To help better direct your field side on customer service, check out the 6 Rules for an Awesome Service Department.