Complaints - Home Front Success

Ban These Items on Residential Jobs!

KickStart: Don’t allow 1) sunglasses, 2) ringing cell phones and/or 3) bad attitudes inside your client’s homes! Read on…

Back in the day, I loved pulling up to a new residential customer. New people, a new job-site, and new challenges. (Say what you will, our home services industry is seldom boring!)👍

Sure, I always had a few butterflies too.🫢 Did the office give me an accurate work order? The right tools and materials? Will I be able to get to my next job on time? And most urgently- will this homeowner be a total idiot?😲

Get Pro-Active On a Homeowner’s “Buyer’s Remorse”!

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Before leaving give your residential customer a quick walk-through while explaining any possible “areas of concern”.

Your company has finished another great job… CONGRATULATIONS!👍 The client loves your crew, they’ve gracefully “flipped” their happy client’s “Thank you” and it’s time to head to the next job. Right? NO… wrong!

Instead, invest a few proactive minutes to show your customer “The good, the bad and the ugly” of how the job turned out. “The ugly, Steve?” Yep, you’ll clearly explain the “WHY” of a not-quite-perfect job. (You’ve already pre-oriented the homeowner on the “1) WHO, 2) WHAT and 3) WHEN”.) Here’s why…

Core Concepts: “Moments of Truth”

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: “A Moment of Truth is any point when your customer (or a prospect) comes into contact with your company AND subliminally forms an opinion.” Steve Toburen

I recently depressed everyone warning about the hidden “customer minefields” just waiting to explode (without warning😰) on every residential job. Doubt me?

Think how often you’ve left a home feeling great about the fantastic job you did. (And the nice wad of cash in your pocket too!)👍

Then that evening you’re shocked to get a complaining phone call, read your customer’s unhappy text or even worse- get bushwhacked with a nasty “surprise” online review!😲

Can you Use a Complaint to ‘Tune Up’ your Home Services Company?

by Steve Toburen

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…

Why you Should Thank Your Home Service Staff for Telling you ‘Bad News’!😲

by Steve Toburen

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!

3 Phrases to Win Over an Unhappy Homeowner!

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Convert an angry residential client into a Cheerleader by 1) saying “Thank you”, 2) apologizing, and 3) reassuring them. Shocked? Then read on…

You’ve started making the Immediate Quality Check Calls I recently suggested? I’m honored! (And always a bit surprised when clients actually implement what I recommend!) But wait!

UH-OH! You’ve dug up an unhappy customer.😲 However, instead of panicking I want you first to say…