by Fred Brewer | Aug 15, 2016 | Client Tips
No matter how prominent your ads are on Facebook or how stunning your website is, no one wants to do business with a service company that isn’t all that committed to serving people. So, why are you obsessing over the ROI (Return on Investment) of your social media efforts, campaigns, and Ads, and constantly checking your rankings instead of doing a little internal work?
If you want truly measurable returns that will exceed your expectations, develop true customer loyalty, and keep business steady, it’s time to focus on the service you’re providing and the value you’re *actually* offering your customers.
ROS = More Business Without Additional Marketing Costs
Sure ROI matters, but in the service world, ROS (Return on Service) is where it’s at. Why? Because it leads to more business, without a bigger investment in marketing and advertising.
Think about it: there are so many service businesses out there, and unless you’re incredibly lucky, chances are, you’re in an oversaturated market full of competitors. While marketing efforts, a big budget, strategic moves, and retention tools and techniques can help you stand out among competitors, there’s one thing (that you have total control over) that can make all the difference in the world: your service.
These days, it seems anyone can smack a sign on a truck and drive around town saying they’re the best, most qualified service provider in their local market. But not everyone has the service to back that up. When you can back up your claims and build your reputation by providing an excellent customer experience, you get some pretty fantastic returns.
Because let’s face it: word-of-mouth and referrals are still the best methods of marketing. Plus, they’re (kinda) free.
So give your customers a reason to shout your company name from the roof tops. Commit to providing the best possible service, each and every time. When you do, your customers will do a lot of marketing for you, and when they need your services again, they won’t even think to Google another company or go with a cheaper price. That’s what ROS is all about.
What Can You Do to Boost Your ROS?
Here are some ways you can really wow your customers and ensure unbeatable service and higher ROS:
#1 Go the extra mile. You know there are competitors out there that can perform the same work you’re performing. So what can you offer above and beyond that service? Take the time on each and every service call to look for ways in which you can make the customer’s experience even better. Whether that means wearing booties and laying drop cloths or taking the time to listen to the customer and really hear them, if you open your eyes, there are so many little ways to make your services memorable and remarkable.
#2 Hire service-oriented employees and make sure they’re happy. Think carefully about each new hire you bring into your company. Are they caring, friendly, understanding? If your employees don’t have a heart for service, they shouldn’t be in the service business. After all, each interaction your employees have with your customers sends out a brand message, and you want to ensure that your customers are receiving consistent and caring messages. Make sure each employee has the knowledge, heart, and scripts to send out the message you intend your customers to receive.
#3 Deliver on your word. Are you promising your customers one thing and delivering another? That’s the fastest way to send customers running. If you pride yourself on being the cleanest and most respectful chimney sweep in town, but show up to a house covered in soot, you’ve set one expectation and delivered something far different. Stand by your word! If your customers receive consistent service that meets their needs and speaks to what’s important to them, they won’t consider working with anyone else.
#4 Don’t be right. Do right. We have a saying that goes around here at Spark Marketer: “Do you want to be right or do you want to win?” Sometimes your customer is “in the wrong.” Maybe they misunderstood a recommendation your techs made and blasted your company on Yelp for no good reason. It sucks, but it’s ok. Approach that customer with a little grace and a little empathy and take the time to make it right. Educate them on why your techs recommended the work they recommended, and seek out true understanding and harmony. Let them know you’d like to make things right, and that you value their satisfaction. You may have to eat a little humble pie, but in the end, you’ll have a happier, more loyal customer. And that is a big win.
Don’t Take It Personally
So, you’ve committed yourself to providing the best value and the highest quality, but you’ve still lost out to a lower bid. Unfortunately, even though quality may mean the world to you (and it should), it may not be the most important thing to every potential customer. Don’t take it personally! If you’re providing true value, honest estimates, and the best possible service, when you get turned down, you can still walk away with pride.
That said, it’s your responsibility to educate your customers and let them know that, while there is more than one way to do something, you do things the right way. Take the time to explain to them what that looks like and why it matters. To some, like contractors focused on flipping houses as swiftly and inexpensively as possible, doing things “the right way” may not be all that important to them. Those aren’t the customers for you.
Hold yourself to higher standards, make it obvious to those that do business with you or are considering doing business with you, and keep on trucking. You’ll develop a reputation that will do a lot of your marketing for you and have you reaping big returns.
by Fred Brewer | Jun 30, 2016 | Client Tips
It’s surprising how many small business owners seem to “fall into” owning a business, with no real vision or direction – just the desire to work for themselves. While this is great motivation, it’s only going to get you halfway.
You see, being a small business owner takes a lot of quick thinking, and in those hot potato moments, you have to have the vision and foresight to make decisions that are smart for your business in the long-term, not just the short-term. And that means you have to have vision and direction.
Do you find yourself making reactive decisions without giving much thought to how those decisions will affect the future of your business? If you’re in it for the long-haul, why are you making short-sighted decisions? It’s time to nip those behaviors in the bud, and it starts with awareness.
7 Short-Sighted Decisions You May Be Making
Here are some short-sighted decisions you may be making…
#1 Sending an email blast to all customers without an up-to-date subscription list.
Email is still one of the best customer touch methods, but only if you use it sensibly. Do you keep an updated email list or are you sending out emails and campaigns to anyone and everyone you’ve ever collected an email address from? Make sure you’re sending emails to those who do business with you and want to do business with you; otherwise, you may end up being flagged as spam.
While we’re on the topic of email, be thoughtful about email frequency. Sending too many emails is a sure-fire way to frustrate customers and lead them to hit the “Unsubscribe” button –
especially if they never subscribed in the first place, they simply gave you their email address six years ago.
#2 Hiring for a quick fix.
Hiring can be a time-consuming and frustrating process, and sometimes you need someone to fill the void fast. But rushing a hire or hiring for a quick fix will only hurt you in the long run. When hiring, take your time and think about whether or not the individual is truly a good fit, not just for the job, but for the company and the culture. Hiring right may take more time and thought, but it’s well worth it and will save you tons of time and frustration in the long run.
#3 Skimping on training.
Regardless of whether you’ve hired a team with or without the experience to get the job done, you absolutely need to invest in training. So many business owners think of training as a time and money suck, but in reality, it’s just the opposite. Putting aside time and resources for staff training will ensure that your team does things the right way the first time, preventing time loss, money loss, and customer loss due to mistakes and waste.
#4 Not taking the time to write out SOPs and develop systems.
This one goes hand-in-hand with training. If you take the time to make SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for tasks that take place within your business, you won’t have to stop everything to walk someone through the process or stop and do it yourself. You’d be amazed at how much time and stress you’ll save yourself by putting these processes and documents into place.
#5 Using cheap or subpar equipment, supplies, and trucks.
Running a business takes a lot of money, no doubt, but if you want to save yourself money and stress in the long run, you’ll invest in quality equipment and supplies. Think about it, if tools are constantly breaking, your techs can’t do the work that’s being asked of them. If your trucks are constantly breaking down, you’re forking over cash for towing services, missing service calls, and disappointing customers. And whether your techs can get to the job or not, you’re paying them for their time. So invest in quality tools and vehicles – your business depends on it!
#6 Being disorganized.
If you aren’t organizing your warehouse space and trucks properly, you’re wasting a lot of time both prior to the job and on the job. Take the time to really think about your space and your trucks and organize them in a way that makes sense. Whether that means making grab bags for each type of service you provide, or simply reorganizing the layout of your trucks, it’s well worth the effort. An organized warehouse and an organized truck means less time wasted each day – and heck, it’s such a game changer that getting organized may even allow your techs to squeeze in an extra service.
#7 Responding defensively to negative reviews online.
It’s natural to be frustrated by negative reviews, but are you responding in a way that helps or hurts your business in the long run? Many business owners fire back at dissatisfied customers, which not only ruins their chances of turning that customer into a happy customer, but it also discourages potential customers who read that response from working with the company in the future.
Instead of firing back, when your business receives negative feedback, take a step back and look for anything you can learn and apply. Is there something you need to improve upon as a company? No matter what, whether the complaint is valid or not, respond professionally and take the conversation offline. Responding defensively or attacking the customer will only hurt your business.
Whether you fell into the business or you intentionally set out to start your own company, taking the time to think of your long-term goals and the steps needed to get you there will maximize your enjoyment as a business owner and your profits. So think long-term, not short-term!
by Fred Brewer | Jun 15, 2016 | Client Tips
Everyone has competition – even Google. But the amount of time and space you make for your competitors in your mind and life can be all the difference between healthy competition and unhealthy competition.
Do you find yourself feeling victimized because your competitors are getting some of the business you deserve? Are you preoccupied with what they’re doing instead of with what you’re doing? Well, if you’re focused on what everyone else is doing instead of on what you’re doing, you’ll never stand out in the big, blue sea of competitors.
Here are 4 tips to keep your focus where it belongs — on your business and the services you offer — so you can come out on top.
#1 Highlight the Things You Do Differently
In the service world, the things that make you a better choice than your competitors are not always apparent to potential customers. Perhaps you put down drop cloths and completely protect the home during the service, or require all of your employees to undergo extensive training and certification to ensure better, more thorough, more ethical services.
You know what makes you different and you know you’re the better choice. But if it’s not on your website and the customer hasn’t done business with you before, how will they know?
Highlight the things that set you apart on all of your marketing materials – from your website and brochures to your trucks and social media accounts. You don’t have to harp on it or put down your competitors, just make sure the things you do differently are laid out clearly for those searching for your services.
#2 Educate Your Customers on Why You Do Things Differently
You’ve invested time and resources into training and educating yourself and your team, but your inexperienced, uneducated competitors are still getting service calls that should be yours because they offer cheaper prices. Don’t let it make you angry and defensive.
Your customers and potential customers may simply not know the importance of certification and training or understand why you charge higher prices or do things the way you do. Take the time to educate your customers and potential customers on your website and marketing materials, and explain why you do things differently and why it matters. Most people will be willing to spend more if they know they’re getting better service from certified professionals — as long as they understand what that means for them.
#3 Ask Your Customers for Reviews & Referrals
Another way to stand out from your competition is to let your customers speak for you. More and more people are reading online reviews before choosing a service business to work with (BrightLocal says 82% of people). So make sure you’re asking your customers to review you and spread the word.
If the thought of that makes you uncomfortable, come up with a script and make it part of your service call process. Practice asking customers at the close of service, and emphasize how much you rely on and appreciate referrals, reviews, and feedback.
#4 Personalize Your Brand on Social Media
Thanks to social media, customers can get to know you and your company well before they pick up the phone. Are you using social media effectively? You know the great guys and gals that make up your company – let those searching for your services get to know them as well. If you’re doing it right, potential customers will see who you are and why you’re different, and they’ll want to call you.
Here’s the thing: You have enough to worry about without worrying about your competition. Instead of focusing on them, focus on what you do right, and never stop providing quality, customer-oriented service. With time and consistent effort, you’ll come out on top.
by Fred Brewer | May 30, 2016 | Client Tips
No one starts their own service business because they’re lazy or looking for the easy way out. No, when you made the decision to go out on your own, you knew you’d have many long, hard days ahead of you.
But even knowing that, the amount of work required can be overwhelming and downright despairing at times – especially if you lose sight of your vision, the vision that got you excited and motivated to start your own business in the first place.
Here are some tips to help keep your vision front and center and your focus sharp during the late nights and hard times…
#1 Surround Yourself With Reminders
Think back on your first break-up. Everywhere you went, everywhere you looked, you saw or heard something that reminded you of The Ex. And all that did was make it harder and harder for you to forget about him or her and move on with your life.
Well, when it comes to maintaining focus on the vision you have for your business, it helps to use this law for good. Plant things around your home and office that remind you of your vision and business-related goals and dreams, and that stir up excitement and drive within you.
For example, you could:
- Write out your 5 year goals and pin them to the wall in front of your desk.
- Write your mission statement on your bathroom mirror.
- Fill a white board with words you’d like customers to use to describe your business.
- Keep the first dollar your business brought in framed on your desk.
- Tape an appreciative letter from a customer to the dashboard of your truck.
There are so many ways to make your surroundings one giant vision board. Whether you buy into The Secret or not, having your vision and your goals written out and in plain sight, day and night, will help keep your mind focused on where you’re going, your eyes open to opportunities along the way, and your feet taking the next steps to get you there and keep you going.
#2 Stop & Celebrate the (Big & Small) Wins
One of the best ways to prevent burnout and keep your vision in view is to take the time to celebrate those times that you win, reach a goal, or take the next big step. Whether you choose to simply verbalize the win to the rest of your team, give yourself a little treat (like dinner at your favorite restaurant), or reflect on what it took to reach that goal or take that step, taking a moment to acknowledge progress is critical and can give you the energy and focus to keep going.
#3 Read & Listen
Remember, you’re not the only business owner who has struggled with the issues that keep you up at night. Make a point to find others who have faced some of the same challenges and listen to what they have to say about overcoming and carrying on. That can mean having a lunch date with a mentor, reading a leadership book, or listening to a podcast.
The point is: You aren’t alone, and your goals are attainable! Don’t lose sight of the reason you set out to do what you do. Keep your vision front and center. With focus, drive, and hard work, it will pay off!
by Fred Brewer | Apr 30, 2016 | Client Tips
As our very own Taylor Hill put it: some people are like cats, some people are like dogs. And cats and dogs have different personalities, different likes and dislikes, different ways of thinking, and different ways of handling things. But what happens when these differences lead to interoffice conflicts? As the leader of your business, what do you do when employees on your team are fighting like cats and dogs?
5 Tips for Handling Interoffice Conflict:
#1 Address each individual involved, separately and privately – Every story has two (or more) sides, and you need to have private, one-on-one discussions to get the full scope of the problem at hand. Addressing each person individually will also help to keep the conversation cool and open.
#2 Verbalize the problem & the reason it’s a problem – Even though the problem might be clear to you, when emotions are high, it can be difficult to zoom out and really pinpoint the true issue at hand. When you verbalize the problem and the reason it’s a problem, you give the gift of clarity to those involved, saving time, ensuring everyone is on the same page, and helping get to the heart of the matter faster.
#3 Avoid accusatory language – Ultimately, you want to help everyone move towards a peaceful resolution so they can continue to work together in the future, and the only way to do that is to have open communication. When accusatory language is used, the individuals involved will feel personally attacked, which isn’t conducive to openness and growth. Stay focused and clear everything out of your mind but the problem at hand. Avoid bringing past situations or issues with the individual back up as a sort of “list of grievances.” Remember, you’re here to solve this problem – and if the individual feels personally attacked, they are likely to shut down instead of working with you to resolve this issue.
#4 Listen – Pay careful attention to the wording used by the individuals. It may come out that one of the involved individuals is having trouble outside of the workplace and a comment or tone was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back. As the leader of your company, it’s important to remember that we all have a life outside of work, and sometimes outside issues can bleed into our 9-5. If you’re not listening, you could miss something crucial and overlook a key contributor to the conflict.
#5 Act fast – Whatever you do, don’t let a problem escalate by ignoring it or letting too much time pass before addressing it. Nip it in the bud! If any of the involved parties need a minute to cool off, that’s one thing – but ignoring it is not an option. As the leader of your company, you have to show your employees how you’d like to have conflict handled: quickly and cooly. Be an example.
Ok, so now that you have the tools to mediate and diffuse interoffice conflict, what you can do to prevent it altogether?
2 Tips for Preventing Interoffice Conflict:
#1 Foster a respectful company culture – One of the things we all love about being a part of the team here at Spark Marketer is the company culture. Our leaders have made it very clear to each and every one of us that, no matter what is going on, we are to respect each other, PERIOD. And we do! We have several different personality types with several different innate communication styles, and enough sarcasm to make Lewis Black look like the Pope. But another thing we aren’t lacking in is true respect and appreciation for each other. Sure, we joke around and we’re pretty laid back, but coarse jesting and passive aggressive, intentionally hurtful remarks are 100% absent from our work environment.
#2 Encourage communication – Oftentimes, interoffice conflict arises as a result of miscommunication, poor communication, or a complete lack of communication. The more you do to prevent communication breakdown, the less you’ll need to worry about office conflicts. Encourage your employees to develop systems for communicating, and to be open, direct, and polite about it. But remember, communication isn’t everyone’s strong point – be mindful of which employees might need a little push and direction, and give them a little nudge when they need it. With time, your guidance, and a little positive reinforcement when you notice them exhibiting excellent communication skills, it’ll only become more and more natural. The good news is: once your company culture is in place and your employees start working on open communication, for the most part, they should keep the peace for you.
Peace be with you!
by Fred Brewer | Mar 30, 2016 | Client Tips
The Dreaded Off-Season: The time when everything slows down. It arrives every year, and you’ve come to expect it. You can’t stop it from coming any more than the Grinch could stop Christmas from coming to Whoville, right?
But what if you were prepared for it this year? What if you decided to take action and make the most of it? What if you stopped thinking of it as a slower season and started thinking of it as a different season?
Instead of throwing up your hands because the phones aren’t ringing and there’s nothing you can do about it, dive into some of the things you can do something about. You know all of those things you’ve been meaning to do, but never seem to have time for during the busy season? Now you’ve got the time – so get focused and get to work!
Here are 5 great things to spend the slow season on for a better business and a better year…
#1 Make SOPs & Delegate
As the business owner, there’s nothing you don’t have your hands in. You may have time now, but during the busy season, you’re swamped. Now’s the time to help your future self out. Think about the things you’d like to get off of your plate and create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for these tasks.
SOPs will allow you to explain how to perform these tasks to your standards, once and for all, so you can pass these duties on to other members of your team. Once you’ve written these out, think about which team members you can delegate the tasks to. Since business is slower than usual, you’ll be able to spend more time going over the SOPs, answering any questions, and training your staff to take over some of these tasks.
#2 Train & Educate
On the topic of training, is there something your team could improve upon? Why not spend some time during the off-season investing in your team, training them, and helping them perfect their craft and add to their arsenal of skills? Even if you don’t have the resources to take your employees to an industry convention or bring an educator to your business, your team can still be learning.
Is one of your techs a master at upselling? Ask her if she’d be willing to spend some time sharing her methods, thought-processes, and techniques. Does one of your techs excel at a specific technical service? Let him share his expertise and train the rest of the team. Ultimately, you’ll have a better, more well-rounded team that delivers better services as a result.
#3 Solicit Customer Reviews
Now that you’ve got some time on your hands, why not contact customers you served in the last 6 months and ask them to write an online review for your business? Explaining how vital word-of-mouth referrals and online reviews are for your business will remind your customers just how important they are. It will also put you back at the forefront of their minds, and may even rack up some additional business for you. Cha-ching!
Psst. Tools like GatherUp can make getting reviews and feedback from customers simple and straightforward.
#4 Review Customer Feedback
Speaking of reviews, have you gone back through your negative reviews and customer feedback from last busy season? Were there any customer complaints or issues that kept popping up? Use this time to look at weak points in your service and company and think on how you can improve. This will help prevent some of that negative feedback from following you into the next season.
#5 Make Changes For Increased Productivity
Do you remember hearing your techs complain about warehouse setup and organization or flaws in procedures when getting ready for the day last busy season? Why not rethink things? Ask your techs how you can improve your space and procedures to make the start of the day easier and more productive – then make those changes. It may take some time (which you’ve got) and careful thought, but if it makes things run seamlessly, even on your busiest days, it’s well worth it.
Slow Season = Grow Season
Remember, what you do when business slows down is just as essential to your business’ success as what you do during the busy season. So don’t think of it as the “slow” season, think of it as the “grow” season – the time when you work on perfecting things so you can grow faster and be even better when those phones start ringing again.
