KURT: While we on the service side like to point the finger at the sales and marketing side, we know it’s a necessity for growth and sustaining our jobs. In addition, sales are a key part of any good organization on all levels. We need to continue to sell services, whether it’s cross-selling customers or continuing to sell the ongoing need for our service.
Pest management is a sales-driven industry where, if you don’t have the constant sales mentality, you’ll end up not retaining customers. That’s why selling and marketing the importance of our services are such key aspects to what we do on a daily basis. Having a good mix of the sales/marketing and service/operations focus on all levels throughout a company will help lead an organization to success.
ERIC: Kurt is right in admitting sales and marketing are important. At the end of the day, though, service and operations are also extremely important. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to deliver on what we promised the customer during the sales presentation.
The service department is also the most crucial part of retaining customers. The sales-and-marketing department is tasked with bringing in new customers, but we wouldn’t grow as a company if we couldn’t retain those customers. Through their expertise and customer service skills, the service department also assists with future sales.
One of the best marketing tools we have is word-of-mouth referrals. We receive a lot of those because our technicians do such a great job. It makes the sales process easy when a potential customer calls in and says, “My neighbor uses you guys and just loves your technician, Tony. Will he be my technician, too?”
KURT: As you can see, any good organization needs a healthy balance of sales and marketing along with the operations and service to support each other. Without a healthy balance of both sides — and the open communication between the sides — the wheels would fall off the cart. The customer would become embroiled in the tension between the departments. This is an easy way for customers to be lost or even overlooked.
We must work together as a team. When we’re able to do that, we’re able to be a successful operation where everyone is working toward the same goal of success.
ERIC: That’s why it’s crucial for the sales department to set up reasonable expectations and make a smooth transition to the service department. The sales team communicating with the service department about what was said to the customer, as well as what they saw, is important so we’re all on the same page when it comes to what the customer said on the phone. It’s important we work together in making this well-oiled machine — our business — run smoothly.
Well, PMP readers, this is a first: The brothers finally agreed on something! But rest assured that in 2016, they’ll be back to battling it out for your vote.
The Scherzingers are tired of discussing sales vs. service, but they still enjoy their battles. What topics would you like to see them debate in 2016? Send us your ideas at PMPEditor@northcoastmedia.net.
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