Study your Customers

Psychology, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is this:

“The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if you, as an owner of a cleaning and/or restoration company, could understand the psychology of your customers’ minds? It might be easier to make the sale.

I’ve never met a business owner admit he didn’t understand his target demographic, although more than a few were a bit frustrated with their technicians who weren’t experts on how to greet, speak with and handle their clientele.

As you plan to grow your cleaning and/or restoration company in 2016, one way to do it effectively would be to ensure that your staff has a clear grasp on how your customers decide on a company (like yours) to use and how they purchase services.

Selling your services and getting more jobs isn’t just about marketing and advertising and the quality of work your company provides. It’s about how your customers are treated. Of course, out of necessity that is under the absolute control of your technicians and office staff who answers the telephone. Unless you are an owner/operator and you are the one interacting with your customers.

When a customer calls your company, you have a hot lead. If you land the job, you are handing over the future of that customer to your technicians. And if they are not up to the task of convincing the customer he has made the best decision, you know what happens.

So as you investigate, analyze and understand the psychology of the minds of your customers, be sure to share that information with your staff. Team meetings are a great opportunity to get everyone together and share ideas on how to treat your customers. Discussing issues one-on-one with your techs is another good way, but when your team can share ideas, banter and help each other, you have real buy-in on the goals of your company.

Make your growth in 2016 a true team effort and concentrate on providing your customers what they want: Superior customer service.

If you do that, much of your marketing will be taken care of by them. Happy, satisfied customers make the best spokespeople for your company.

Jeff Cross is the executive editor of Cleanfax and is an industry trainer and consultant. He can be reached via email at [email protected].