Article Number: 3451
Appreciating Your Prospective Customers
By Tammy Brown
Do you appreciate your prospective customers? Do you show your appreciation? I have been going on estimates and installing carpet in the field for twelve years now. I can tell you, that along with professionalism and knowledge of my craft, the number one reason I gain new customers and keep existing clients, is simply because I show my appreciation for them by giving them superior customer service even before I am hired to do the installation. There are simple ways to do it, it costs you nothing, and the advantages are many.
It may sound like plain common sense and it is, but how many times over the past week have you run into someone whose job it was to take care of you and your needs and you walked away feeling less than cared about? Life happens and we are all preoccupied with our own issues. We all run into problems and naturally we feel like our own wants and needs are top priority over the rest of the world’s. Sometimes we allow our own issues to consume our thoughts and actions and we forget to make the conscious effort to appreciate our clients and prospective customers. We are all human after all.
Nevertheless, if you do not have customers, you do not have work; no work equals no money; no money equals no way to take care of your family. I appreciate being able to take care of my family, therefore, I must appreciate the opportunity that these prospects are giving me. They are giving me the chance to sell my services and gain their business. If you deliberately keep these thoughts in mind when you are dealing with prospective as well as current customers it will show and you will gain and retain more than you can handle at times.
If your clients are designers and referrals as mine are, you know that they have a lot on their plate. It is a blessing for them to be able to fax you a new prospect’s information and know for certain that you will call that customer as soon a humanly possible, introduce yourself to her and schedule an appointment at "her" convenience, then follow through by arriving on time, measuring and assessing in a professional and personable manner. Yes, I said at "her" convenience. Even if it means rearranging and adjusting your own work hours.
Remember, she is a “prospective” customer at this point and your goal is to turn her into a current customer. If the prospect found you through an advertisement or the yellow pages, it is even more important to show your appreciation for being given the opportunity to supply an estimate and gain her business. She has not been given the reassurance, by someone she already trusts, that you are the best man for the job.
Life is hectic and we are all busy. It is understandable that you cannot always answer the phone immediately upon it ringing, however, check your messages frequently and return the calls as soon as possible and always within twenty-four hours.
Do you smile when you talk to the customer over the phone? Do you simultaneously smile and extend your hand to her when she opens the door? Your attitude upon meeting the customer is critical. The power of a simple smile is quite amazing. No matter how bad your day is going it cannot show through a smile. It does not matter what is going on outside of work or what mood you are in, if you smile when you are talking, your voice cannot help but sound pleasant and cheerful. A cheerful voice will undoubtedly make the customer feel like you are happy to be talking with her.
You can be the top master in your field, know your products better than any installer in your area, or the entire country for that matter, and it will not make one bit of difference if you are not personable and you have a bad attitude. The customer will not want to deal with you, much less allow you into her home for hours on end or even days or weeks depending on the job. First impressions cannot be made twice.
There is nothing worse than sitting around waiting for someone only to watch the clock tick past the scheduled time without even a phone call. If you are running behind and you fear you may be a few minutes late, call the customer and explain to her why you are behind in your schedule and assure her that you will be there as soon as possible. Do this before you are actually late. You will be amazed at how understanding she will become once reassured she has not been forgotten. Personally, I always call my prospect about a half hour prior to our appointment and let her know that I am on the way. This puts her at ease and in a pleasant mood for my arrival.
Do you stop talking long enough to listen to the customer and address her concerns? When measuring and estimating a job, listen to the customer and be honest with her about what she should expect from you and what you expect from her. She will appreciate the time you are taking to listen to her concerns, answer her questions and give her clear, knowledgeable information. Not to mention how happy you will be when you arrive to install her flooring and the areas are completely ready for you.
Are you courteous and respectful of her home and belongings while there? Be cautious of tracking dirt or mud into her home on rainy days and remove your shoes if necessary to avoid it. Do not use your foot to shove her belongings out of the way for measuring purposes, instead, pick them up carefully and place them to the side until you are finished with the area and then carefully put them back. Do not lean on or against her furniture or walls at any time or for any reason and make sure you do not set your tape measure on her polished, black lacquer buffet. If you are wondering why, then I would not want you near any of my furniture much less moving it in and out for an installation. Believe it or not, it is little things like this that can make a huge difference to a lot of your prospects.
These are harsh economical times we are living in and it only makes sense that prospective customers are going to be quite selective with who they are willing to hand over their hard earned money to. Remember, you are not doing the customer a favor by working for them; they are doing you the favor by giving you the opportunity to do so. Everyone likes to be appreciated. By showing your appreciation to the prospect, you are also showing your appreciation to your client as well. You are making her look good by showing the prospective customer that she went to the right person and is in good hands all the way around. Show your clients and your customers that you value them and in turn, they will show their appreciation by hiring you to do the job.
Do you appreciate your prospective customers? Do you show your appreciation? I have been going on estimates and installing carpet in the field for twelve years now. I can tell you, that along with professionalism and knowledge of my craft, the number one reason I gain new customers and keep existing clients, is simply because I show my appreciation for them by giving them superior customer service even before I am hired to do the installation. There are simple ways to do it, it costs you nothing, and the advantages are many.
It may sound like plain common sense and it is, but how many times over the past week have you run into someone whose job it was to take care of you and your needs and you walked away feeling less than cared about? Life happens and we are all preoccupied with our own issues. We all run into problems and naturally we feel like our own wants and needs are top priority over the rest of the world’s. Sometimes we allow our own issues to consume our thoughts and actions and we forget to make the conscious effort to appreciate our clients and prospective customers. We are all human after all.
Nevertheless, if you do not have customers, you do not have work; no work equals no money; no money equals no way to take care of your family. I appreciate being able to take care of my family, therefore, I must appreciate the opportunity that these prospects are giving me. They are giving me the chance to sell my services and gain their business. If you deliberately keep these thoughts in mind when you are dealing with prospective as well as current customers it will show and you will gain and retain more than you can handle at times.
If your clients are designers and referrals as mine are, you know that they have a lot on their plate. It is a blessing for them to be able to fax you a new prospect’s information and know for certain that you will call that customer as soon a humanly possible, introduce yourself to her and schedule an appointment at "her" convenience, then follow through by arriving on time, measuring and assessing in a professional and personable manner. Yes, I said at "her" convenience. Even if it means rearranging and adjusting your own work hours.
Remember, she is a “prospective” customer at this point and your goal is to turn her into a current customer. If the prospect found you through an advertisement or the yellow pages, it is even more important to show your appreciation for being given the opportunity to supply an estimate and gain her business. She has not been given the reassurance, by someone she already trusts, that you are the best man for the job.
Life is hectic and we are all busy. It is understandable that you cannot always answer the phone immediately upon it ringing, however, check your messages frequently and return the calls as soon as possible and always within twenty-four hours.
Do you smile when you talk to the customer over the phone? Do you simultaneously smile and extend your hand to her when she opens the door? Your attitude upon meeting the customer is critical. The power of a simple smile is quite amazing. No matter how bad your day is going it cannot show through a smile. It does not matter what is going on outside of work or what mood you are in, if you smile when you are talking, your voice cannot help but sound pleasant and cheerful. A cheerful voice will undoubtedly make the customer feel like you are happy to be talking with her.
You can be the top master in your field, know your products better than any installer in your area, or the entire country for that matter, and it will not make one bit of difference if you are not personable and you have a bad attitude. The customer will not want to deal with you, much less allow you into her home for hours on end or even days or weeks depending on the job. First impressions cannot be made twice.
There is nothing worse than sitting around waiting for someone only to watch the clock tick past the scheduled time without even a phone call. If you are running behind and you fear you may be a few minutes late, call the customer and explain to her why you are behind in your schedule and assure her that you will be there as soon as possible. Do this before you are actually late. You will be amazed at how understanding she will become once reassured she has not been forgotten. Personally, I always call my prospect about a half hour prior to our appointment and let her know that I am on the way. This puts her at ease and in a pleasant mood for my arrival.
Do you stop talking long enough to listen to the customer and address her concerns? When measuring and estimating a job, listen to the customer and be honest with her about what she should expect from you and what you expect from her. She will appreciate the time you are taking to listen to her concerns, answer her questions and give her clear, knowledgeable information. Not to mention how happy you will be when you arrive to install her flooring and the areas are completely ready for you.
Are you courteous and respectful of her home and belongings while there? Be cautious of tracking dirt or mud into her home on rainy days and remove your shoes if necessary to avoid it. Do not use your foot to shove her belongings out of the way for measuring purposes, instead, pick them up carefully and place them to the side until you are finished with the area and then carefully put them back. Do not lean on or against her furniture or walls at any time or for any reason and make sure you do not set your tape measure on her polished, black lacquer buffet. If you are wondering why, then I would not want you near any of my furniture much less moving it in and out for an installation. Believe it or not, it is little things like this that can make a huge difference to a lot of your prospects.
These are harsh economical times we are living in and it only makes sense that prospective customers are going to be quite selective with who they are willing to hand over their hard earned money to. Remember, you are not doing the customer a favor by working for them; they are doing you the favor by giving you the opportunity to do so. Everyone likes to be appreciated. By showing your appreciation to the prospect, you are also showing your appreciation to your client as well. You are making her look good by showing the prospective customer that she went to the right person and is in good hands all the way around. Show your clients and your customers that you value them and in turn, they will show their appreciation by hiring you to do the job.
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