The ‘11-4’ Syndrome – What Every Service Company Should Banish to Win Customer Loyalty

‘Anytime between 11 and 4, sir’. The one thing I hate to hear when booking a service technician. Why? Well what 11-4 really means is:

• A) Miss a day of work and aggravate my boss.
• B) Ask my neighbor to help out, get stuck in awkward small chat about the weather and return the favor by mowing their lawn next Saturday afternoon.
• C) My least preferred option; go to work, miss the technician, and start all over again with the first two options.

I have suffered through all three at one point as I’m sure you have. That’s why a company that fails to commit to, and achieve, a short SLA, is a company that is pushing its customers straight to the competition.

Here are a few tips for service businesses looking to tighten their appointment windows and SLAs and keep their customers for a long, long time.

Mobile. Mobile. Mobile.

Having the field team connected to the back office and dispatchers in real-time is a sure way to deliver more reliable appointment slots. With a mobile workforce management solution, the field team can send live updates and chat in context with the office and colleagues.

Managers and dispatchers can quickly reschedule technicians and tasks based on up-to-the-second information from the field. If one technician is delayed, another technician can be located and immediately be sent in his place. The SLA is met, the customer is happy, and your service business will continue to grow.

Don’t Come Back Now, Ya Hear? 

A first-time-fix is what every service company should be aiming for.  That means you need a good scheduling solution that will automatically schedule the right person with the right skill set and the right equipment for the job.

By taking into consideration all the variables such as employee skills, preferences, location, and assets needed, service businesses can increase their first time fix rates almost overnight.  And what better way to end a service call than telling your customer “All is fixed, ma’am, no need for me to come back!”

It’s the Customer, Stupid!

In the service industry the customer is boss. Make him feel it by putting the power of appointment booking in his own hands. Online appointment booking cuts out needless waiting on the phone by allowing the customer to conveniently select and change a delivery time to suit his own schedule.

Customers can let you know how they prefer to be updated whether it is through social media channels such as Facebook, automated texts or a phone call to their mobile device.  All of these options allow the customer to be in the driver’s seat and feel more connected to the service he is receiving.

Read More: Learn how OneRoof Energy is using ClickWorkforce to enhance customer service while expanding business.