Business and training
37
Five types of curious customers
Have you ever had the feeling that you are not alone on a job … you turn around and find the customer’ s entire family silently watching you? Or maybe you have done a job while simultaneously fielding a continuous stream of questions? Here are some tips to handle such situations.
By
Plumber magazine at www. plumbingzone. com
You don’ t ever want to be rude to clients, but sometimes they get a little more involved than you would like while you are trying to get your work done.
Plumbingzone. com offers this advice on how to handle five different types of customers you might encounter on the job:
The babbler This client can be very distracting, because non-stop questions and observations can make it hard for you to communicate with any crew members you may have with you. Sometimes it helps to gently, but firmly remind the homeowner that the longer a job takes, the higher the cost.
Even though most plumbers prefer a minimal amount of distractions while working, others enjoy talking to their customers. It has an upside: developing an easy rapport with a talkative customer can be used as a good PR opportunity for your business. Besides, it can be a plus when presenting the bill.
The helper There isn’ t much you can do when a homeowner offers to help except to dissuade them politely from the idea. This tends to happen most often on solo jobs, because even the most helpful customer won’ t interfere when you have one or more crew members with you. Maybe the client believes it will cut down your work time( and their bill) or maybe hovering is getting boring.
The DIYer DIYers are seldom experts at the projects they tackle, but they are usually very accomplished at research. When you come across a DIYer who has researched every step of the project, the best way to handle it is to deflect his or her attention. Tell a story or two about clients who tried their hands at DIY plumbing jobs that went bad fast. It just might help change the homeowner’ s mind about giving you the benefit of all that research.
The know-it-all Maybe the homeowner has some experience as a handyman or general contractor, or maybe it is worse: the homeowner knows nothing but thinks he or she knows everything. Knowledgeable homeowners are usually easy to deal with, but a know-it-all can significantly slow your work. Taking a firm, yet pleasant approach is key. Inform the homeowner upfront which supplies will be needed, how it will fix the problem, and how long it should take, if not interrupted. Being able to anticipate potential questions or deflect unneeded‘ advice’ allows you to nip most distractions in the bud.
While you’ re here … This type of customer usually waits until handing you the cheque for the job you just completed before asking that one dreaded question,“ While you’ re here, can you take a quick look at this?” While‘ this’ can be anything as simple as peeling bathtub caulking to a loose sink fixture, it can also turn out to be an old pipe that disintegrates the moment it is touched.
There’ s no hard and fast rule on this one. On the one hand, tightening a loose hot water handle takes 10 seconds. That alone can produce job recommendations due to your excellent customer service. On the other hand, many plumbers prefer to take that look and give the client a quote for the job— especially if it is obvious that the work will take far longer than the‘ minute or so’ estimated by the homeowner.
No two clients are alike, but how you handle them ultimately comes down to your expertise at customer service. Being able to‘ read’ and handle an assortment of clients is a skill developed over time. At the very least, every job is an opportunity to show your customers that you know what you are doing and you do it well. PA
DIYers are seldom experts at the projects they tackle, but they are usually very accomplished at research. www. plumbingafrica. co. za May 2017 Volume 23 I Number 3