Workmanship
When it comes to customer service, oftentimes the customer will judge the entire experience by the final outcome, or the workmanship. Workmanship can be called the “Icing on the Cake” of the customer service process. For this reason we must focus on displaying great workmanship in each customer’s home. The fact is, the crew can work hard to develop customer retention, present a great first impression and provide excellent communication and documentation, but if their workmanship is unacceptable, the customer will not be happy with the service as a whole. By working at fine tuning the skills of our trade, we will be able to provide and show our customers great workmanship.
What is Workmanship?
By definition, workmanship is: The product or result of the labor and skill of a workman. Workmanship can also be described as how well the work is performed or executed. The work performed by the technicians has the longest lasting effect on the customer because the results of their workmanship are what they leave behind to be judged by our customers. In most situations, customers will decide to continue using a company, not based on the paperwork provided, but the overall experience in which they received. All documentation, including handouts, will not be scrutinized as thoroughly as our workmanship is.
Where does the Display of Workmanship Begin?
Many technicians may believe that the display of workmanship begins during the cleaning process in the customer’s home. Contrary to the idea of workmanship starting in the customer’s home, the true display begins with the traveling billboard (the Stanley Steemer van). The condition of the interior and exterior of the crew’s “office” will suggest to the customer what the crew’s outlook on workmanship really is. Customers will analyze the labor and skill of the technician, from the set up of the van (how presentable are the lines and hoses, etc.), the movement of the customer’s furniture, the cleaning process (how much effort and attention to detail), the finishing process (grooming the carpet) and finally, to the wrap up of the van (how the equipment is handled and stowed).
Connecting the Dots of Customer Service
The process of providing great customer service encompasses all portions of the service that we provide.
1. Customer Retention - The process of creating loyal customers. This process is directly reflected by the following: If the customer is not taken care of properly, they will not return.
2. The First Impression - The initial presentation of the crew. People oftentimes develop an opinion of someone or something, within the first 7-30 seconds. Appearance leads to perception.
3. Communication/Documentation - The process of having a thorough dialog, as well as notating all issues and concerns. When a customer feels misinformed or unaware of issues directly related to their home, the customer will be unhappy with the service provided. Documentation of the information presented to the customer validates the conversation. The lack of either can change the customer’s perception of the company in a negative way.
4. Workmanship - How well the work is executed. The customer will assess the outcome of the crew’s labor and skill after the service has been completed. From this assessment, they will combine the other portions of their experience and create an overall perception of Stanley Steemer.
The combination of all of the aspects of customer service can be used to either develop, or to stop the development, of sales and customer retention. REMEMBER: In the end the customer is always the final judge.