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Many technicians are not naturally comfortable speaking to customers. They enjoy doing their thing, seek comfort in their vehicles and are just happy to get a day’s work finished. But communicating well builds good bonding and trust with customers.
To customers, the technician who services their home or commercial account is the company. When the bill comes due for payment, customers want to feel they know it is worth the service they receive. The knowledge is fortified by not just being pest-free, but by a:
▶ Warm feeling about the technician.
▶ Feeling that the technician really cares about them.
▶ Trust that if they have a problem, it will be taken care of.
In other words, they need a strong sense of comfort.
A history lesson
Before chlordane was discovered in 1948, homes and businesses usually were treated once a week. If the technician did not show up on time, the customer would call the office, concerned about the health of that technician.
With the advent of chlordane (until it was banned in 1988), service frequency went monthly. With today’s products, quarterly service often is adequate — and often performed outdoors, with little to no contact made with the customers. Communication relies on emails and apps for payment.
Stay in touch
There are still ways to reach out and reinforce the value of your service. For example:
Did you ever send customers a little history and background about their technician? Talk about the technician’s hobbies, interests, community involvement, number of children and grandchildren, number of years on the job, special awards received and more.
Do your technicians know the following about their customers?
▶ Their names
▶ Their pets’ names
▶ Their sports teams
▶ Their hobbies
▶ Ages of children and grades in school or college
Do your technicians ask for permission from dog-owning customers to offer a treat from a box they keep in their vehicles? Happy pets equal happy customers in many cases.
How often do you give bill stuffers, door hangers or emails with useful information like:
▶ Practical tips for mosquito season
▶ How to protect straw, pumpkins and other fall décor from rodent and insect problems
▶ What your company does extra each season to protect them
Basic training
Your technicians should strive to find at least two things about each customer that require special attention. Bring up these examples at your next training meeting, and add your own:
- Many customers remember why they called you in the first place, even if it was years ago. Does the current technician know what the reason was for each account? If it was a mouse in the garage, does the technician have monitors in there to ensure it doesn’t return?
- What special precautions are you taking for customers with a pet turtle or snake?
- A neighborhood in your service area has reported cases of Lyme disease. Are there handouts technicians can leave behind for customers who could be affected? Is your team well-versed enough to answer basic questions from concerned customers, either in person at the account or on the phone to the office?
Technician’s checklist
☑ Try to remember names and details. Ensure every customer knows your name and your company name.
☑ Smile and be persistent while staying respectful.
☑ Be a great listener. Hearing it is not enough.
☑ Push your limits to sharpen your skills.
☑ Learn to communicate with and truly care about customers.
☑ Enjoy what you do.
☑ Think before treating.
☑ Practice safety.
☑ Be creative and share your creativity with your team.
☑ Work smarter, not harder.
