Improving your customer connection is one of the ways that you can build a long-list of loyal, repeat customers. And in order to improve that, you need to find new ways you can connect.

It’s almost unutilized, but your field service technicians are the forefront opportunity grabbers in order to interact with your customers. If they manage to create a positive way to engage with the customers, they not only create dialogue but they also deliver superb customer experience.  They actually possess a wide range of opportunities and as an owner you can continuously find a way to make use of those chances.

As the ones who are directly in contact with the customer, they can deliver new ways of communicating with them. Couple with practical workforce management, productivity and efficiency shouldn’t be a problem. By empowering your technicians with the right resources and tools, you can actually reach out and create a customer connection that would benefit your business.

One of the advantages of your field service employees is that most of them are equipped with a mobile device. Either to communicate with you or with the customer, there are actually more ways they can utilize this. Acting as some sort of central point for customers, the mobile device can be their power to create better customer connection.

(Speaking of mobile solutions, here are 3 factors to consider before you get yourself an FSM software.)

Read on for 5 of our suggestions as how your field service technicians will improve your company’s business connection.

Arrival Updates and Alerts

This should be the first one that your employees need to take into account whenever they are dispatched for a project. Your business has probably encountered the following scenario. There’s an angry woman over the phone and she wants your guys to go and fix whatever needs fixing. Does that ring a bell? Then, 3 hours later, the angry woman calls you up, angrier than before, because the technician hasn’t arrived yet. With all the frustration and anger built up, no amount of freebie nor excuse can make up for the angry woman’s lost time and patience. Result? You might have just lost yourself a potential repeat customer.

That’s just one illustration of why alerts and updates are cardinal when you dispatch a team. Though it’s only one way to pacify the customers, it gives them enough time to do their own thing rather than wait by the door for the expected technician.

Upsell!

Once your team has been dispatched and they’ve reached the customer, their priority should be to listen. When they assessed the situation, they should then proceed to resolve it in the most efficient way possible. When they’re doing this, selling at any point should always be at the backseat when taking care of the problem. However, when you’re technicians have addressed the problem and have done so in an appreciable manner, there’s no harm in trying to upsell.

However, upselling shouldn’t be too aggressive. After all, they’ve just resolved an issue and are likewise not too keen on spending again. Make sure that you know these tips for a greater chance of upselling on the spot:

• Stay relevant! Make sure that whatever your technicians are upselling, it’s still close to what they are looking for. For example, if you’re customers just bought satellite TV, feel the room and don’t offer anything that’s too far to what they’ve just ordered. With that, offering some cable phone services might be out of the question. Rather, your employees can instead offer satellite TV in each room of their house. Or, if you have other products that’s directly related, it won’t hurt to try. A simple, “Did you know that we also sell…” might just be the question to trigger another purchase.
• Another sure-fire tip is to make sure that it’s easy for the customer to try to give in to the sale. Your guys can bring a brochure of your services or even better, integrate an app that would offer your services. More time spent interacting with them will lead to an improvement of customer communication no doubt.

Customer connection through surveys

Customer surveys are useful resources  for your business. However, they pose their own problems as well. But in order to make the most out of surveys, just follow the KISS methodology. Keep It Short, Stupid! In other words, it simply means that whatever doesn’t need to be asked, then don’t ask. But keep always keep in mind that you have an end goal with all your questions leading to the answers.

It’s really all about their experience, not yours. Their opinion, feedback , and insight are what matters in the service.

In the service industry, like mentioned earlier, your team will most likely carry around mobile and tablet devices. This can be a great platform to incorporate on-site surveys. At the same time your team is closing a service, they can simply ask he the customer wouldn’t mind a quick survey. But, again, keep the questions simple and short—no more than 5 questions in the survey.

Another way this can be done is to send a survey to their mobile devices immediately.

 

Deploy the right resources!

Your customers have a problem that needs to be fixed and it’s your job to fix it. At that rate, your customers don’t care what you did yesterday or what type of clients you worked with; what they only care about is if you can fix their problems. But, they will care if you deployed the wrong resources and waste their time. Always remember that field service management goes hand in hand with optimizing your resources.

Customers, aside from being always right, always want that first-time fix. They always expect that you and your team are prepared.  Although it may sound obvious to always have the right resources and parts for the job, it’s easier said than done. For most field service workers, this usually turn into a nightmare.

When your technicians get their assignments in the morning, always keep in mind that they need to restock the service vehicle.

Always say thank you

Lastly, and this shouldn’t be chalked out as obvious, one of the best parting ways for your team and the customer is to always say thank you. Being polite will not only show that you’re not just after the sale, but you also want to build the customer connection.

While a simple “Thank you” might suffice, there’s no harm in going that extra mile. Check out these awesome ways you can bid your farewell to your customers—in hopes that they’ll be your repeat customers!