As a contractor, you no doubt have quite a few irons in the fire already. There's the technical side of your business, keeping your skill set and certifications up to date, and the accounting side, staying out of the red and generating profit. Both of these aspects are important. However, there's a third side that deserves your attention: building long-term relationships with your customers.
The relationship side of your company can make the difference between just staying afloat and really succeeding. And building those relationships may be easier than you think.
Our customers make our business. If we can make a genuine human connection, we can retain them long-term and expand our business.
That's the concept behind To Your Success. To Your Success creates a fun experience for the customer. They send edible treats in tumblers, tins, and the like, printed with your company's branding after you've completed a service. These gifts help contractors build relationships by showing customers how much they care.
Why is building long-term relationships so important? And how can you improve the relationship side of your business?
Derek highlighted an important truth: customer satisfaction is not enough to retain customers long-term. Customer satisfaction means nothing went wrong. That's the floor, not the ceiling. If you're hungry and you eat a less-than-spectacular sandwich for lunch, is your hunger satisfied? Yes. Did you have an amazing experience? No. Will you have the same sandwich for dinner? Not if you have other options!
When we go the extra mile for our clients, they sense that we really care for them. We build a relationship with them and earn their trust. That's how we become their go-to contractor, the person they turn to for repairs and maintenance. That's good for our business and good for homeowners, since the last thing they want is to have to shop for a trustworthy contractor next time they need a home repair.
When you build lasting relationships with people, they're easier to serve. They become more forgiving of mistakes or delays and less price sensitive. You'll earn more referrals and five-star reviews. Plus, the value you add to your service will cancel out any potential buyer's remorse. Here's the takeaway:
Think of it this way: every time you go the extra mile, you're making deposits in the customer's "bank.” Eventually, you might need to withdraw from that bank. Maybe you are running late or you don't have a needed part on your truck. Your customer will feel some disappointment. But if you've been proactive enough to build up the relationship, putting those deposits in their account, chances are you won't lose that customer over a little mistake.
You can't demand loyalty, but you can inspire it. Here are two practical ways:
Learn more about taking a relationship approach to your business, ways to "own your client's home," and how to sticker other services during a home call by listening to the full episode of TNFR Podcast.
Show Notes:
How To Your Success helps contractors build long-term client relationships. [3:24]
Why customers are the cornerstone of a contracting business. [7:16]
Genuine human connection will "wow" your customers. [9:37]
Value that trumps buyer's remorse. [15:43]
Inspiring loyalty in your customers. [16:51]
The power of gifts to improve customer satisfaction. [18:20]
Contractors are in a relationship business. [22:59]
Going above and beyond customer satisfaction. [27:18]
Wowing your customers with no-pressure sales. [31:17]
How to "own the home" where you provide service. [33:32]
Wow-factor service means being attentive. [35:52]
How leadership can help team members succeed. [37:24]
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