KickStart: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I’m guessing the late poet Maya Angelou never owned a Home Services business! But her words are the key to build a “Critical Mass” residential services company. Here’s why…
KickStart: ‘Clearly defined expectations’ are the basis for all successful relationships.(Including with your homeowner clients.)
This KickStart quote above is a one-size-fits-all principle to guide your business and just maybe… your life!💖 (After all, you have a myriad of ‘ongoing relationships’.) But today, let’s focus on molding your business relationship with each residential customer…
I know. You’re thinking, “Steve, I’m not marrying my homeowner clients! I don’t care about a ‘relationship’. Honestly? All I want is to a) do the job, b) get paid and c) get on to the next job!”
I get it but SORRY! It just doesn’t work that way!👎 To be truly successful in any Home Services business you MUST focus on each homeowner’s relationship with you AND your workers! Here’s why:
KickStart: Reduce your personal pressure by sharing the accountability (and rewards) with your employees.
24-7 PRESSURE… 365 days a year!😲 Sound familiar? If you own or manage a residential services business… very likely this is your life!
True- we all have to deal with pressure and now more than ever. But for you the pressure is non-stop with workers in the emotionally perilous residential environment! Why? Because there are so many moving parts to your Home Services business!
KickStart: Tie your new employee to your company emotionally when you ‘stage manage their hiring’.
CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve hired a great new employee! Charlie is pumped about his new career, you’re over-the-moon excited and you can’t wait till Charlie starts on Monday morning! But then…
On Friday afternoon you get the dreaded text: “Steve, I appreciate the opportunity. But I’ve decided to go a different way in my career. Best wishes and I’m very sorry to do this to you. Charlie”
AAAARGH! What happened? Who knows?🤷♂️ Charlie got a better offer, his previous job called him back to work and/or his wife made fun of his new job working for your company! (You and I both know our Home Services industry is wonderful. But come on… we don’t have the greatest public image!)😲
KickStart: Analyze WHY a complaint/problem occurred and HOW to prevent the issue from happening again.
Normally when I train on my ‘Complaint Conversion’ techniques folks assume we’ll focus on ‘Converting Complainers into Cheerleaders‘. I call this the ‘Triple C’ and it IS very important!
However, when a homeowner complains (hopefully not very often) I suggest a much more important question to ask yourself…
KickStart: Develop a STABLE company that homeowners AND your employees trust.
I can hear it now. “What’s with this ‘Triple-S’ stuff? Has Steve gone off his meds again?”🙄 Nope- Steve is just trying to save you from yourself! But don’t fret…
You’re not alone! Most Home Service business owners (including me) really are their own worst enemy!😲 However, after a lot of agony I finally developed a Home Services business that provided a…
1) Safe, 2) Sane, and 3) Stable work environment for employees. Let’s review the first two…
KickStart: Commend (and reward) employees when they share ‘bad news’ with you! Read on for the ‘why and how’…
I love surprises.🎆✨🎊🎉 Surprise gifts, surprise parties, and yep, being surprised with a kiss from Sioux!💖 (Even after 47 years I still appreciate her!) HOWEVER, in my Home Services business I had one cast iron employee rule :
NEVER, ever surprise me!
KickStart: When booking their work give your residential customer options on how you should contact them.
All of us (including you, me AND your residential clients) are more stressed (and OUT of control) than ever before!😲 This is why you must help your customers FEEL ‘in control’. (Including on their first nervous phone call inquiring about your services.)
But remember, no customer wants to completely control your work on their home. If they did, the home owner wouldn’t be calling your company. They’d just do the work themselves!