As basic as it sounds, the number one tool for positive customer service is listening. Hear your customer out — what can you do for them? Assess the situation and get to work — with a smile. That’s what white-glove service is about.

Keep these tips in mind when confronted with a flustered customer:

• Stay true to your company’s promise. Does your company promote offers like 24-hour customer service or same-day service (and do you actually commit)? Can your team service the promotions you offer?
• Common courtesy. Are your service technicians pros at keeping the basic courtesies of customer service on point? Arriving on time, being in correct uniform, and having a courteous demeanor is just the starting line for a “cool” customer experience.
• Preparation. Is your truck prepared for a multiple visit workday? Are your tools clean and working? If you have to leave a job and return with additional materials, make sure it’s worthwhile for both you and the customer by offering good customer service, understanding of your customer’s schedule and their immediate needs.

How do you offer the best service on the hottest days?

Be involved in your company, product, and most importantly — community — to become a trusted HVAC company:

Be seen

Participate in local community gatherings by entering your service vehicle into the parade. With a few employees on foot around the car (in uniform of course!) handing out business cards, incentives, or goodies, it’s definitely worth your time.

Go for a cause

Know of a local activity for a cause? Sign up as a team and volunteer. Networking will give you a chance to build customer relationships.

Be a sponsor

Get involved with a local organization or athletic group by sponsoring their cause.

• Have a big parking lot? Let groups occupy your lot for car washes and other fundraising events — you will profit in both word-of-mouth and on-site foot traffic.
• Sponsorship is inexpensive marketing — keep in mind that every sign, uniform and event is an opportunity for your logo to get some free publicity and community recognition.

Here’s how it could be the best thing you’ve ever done for your business:

1.     Encourage collaboration. Instead of performing jobs in silos, employees in an open environment are encouraged to work together to solve problems.
2.     Unify the company. The high-performance team is a unified one. They know what the common goal is, they work together to fulfill that goal everyday, and they genuinely respect each other.
3.     Improve customer experience. Imagine a world in which customers have a whole team to support them, instead of one technician with (potentially) limited resources. That’s what a collaborative team will provide.

A common theme among these advantages? Communication.

How do you think an open environment could work for HVAC companies?

Here’s how to begin that conversation with your customers:

1. Education first. Educate your clients on what tax credits can do for them. Because it’s not well-publicized anymore, many of them won’t know. Remember, your customer can’t buy if they don’t understand their options.
2. Offer a follow-up just about tax credits. Offer to follow up with your maintenance agreement customer to talk about savings options. It’s another great way to build loyalty and further educate your customers.
3. Offer specials for tax credit customers. Reward customers that pay attention to your advice — especially since the tax credits are geared toward bigger spenders who would choose solar products.

For more on qualifications on the tax credits your customers can apply for, go to energystar.gov.

I have a few tips on doing just that and I know your customers will appreciate the extra mile:

1. Consider bringing a female employee on calls.
It’s smart to ask your customer if “she” can tag along. They’ll appreciate the effort, and you’ll be glad you did. It could make the potential sale a smoother process too. (Note: Don’t assume this is what your customer wants. Ask first.)

2. Send a biography.
Let customers get to know the team they’ll be dealing with. For a simplified version of a “biography,” create videos introducing each team member and send an email the day before with his or her individual video, introducing the technician.

3. Keep customers and employees together.
One trusted face versus the whole lot of the company helps with customer comfort. Though time restrictions and company size may not allow, try to keep the customer with his or her own technician on every call.

Here’s how to shorten that critical sales conversation and avoid buyer’s remorse:

• Know your prices well: A dealer I talked to at the Lennox dealer meetings a couple of months ago showed off a proposal application on his iPad that displayed pricing as multiple choice. This made that negotiation process seamless.
• Don’t hold your breath: Price is on the customer’s mind before you walk in the door, so stop making them wait. You may be nervous about presenting the price, but most likely, it’s what the customer really wants to know before you begin discussing the other details.
• Be a problem solver, not a product seller: The end goal for yourself is to sell the product that day, but think about how much more willing customers are to buy a product that solves their problems. It also opens up conversations about what I like to call “loyalty agreements” aka maintenance agreements.

How do you make an effective sale in a short amount of time?

Getting a study group together: Getting a group together to collaborate on study efforts may be beneficial in regard to time, commitment, and experience. If you’re taking the test for the first time, some members of your group may be re-testing for renewal, making them the perfect study buddy. Dedicating time to studying at home may be a difficult task, so committing to time out of the house before or after work will give you the chance for a few hours of uninterrupted, undistracted study time.

Learn from the best: Capitalize on experience from veteran technicians. Companies should suggest tenured members of the team be appointed as company advisors to help NATE testers along the way.

Study materials: Put together a company study sheet for employees. Having some unique information will give technicians an extra resource they may need to study. Also, lean on testing centers for study assistance.

What are your most beneficial study tactics?

Walk the walk

First impressions are crucial to good business and looking professional in uniform is just one piece of the puzzle.

Clean up your company image with some new uniforms. Work shirts can become dingy and tattered after long days on the job; trade in those dull uniforms for crisp new ones. Has your company gone through a recent renovation or makeover? Update your uniforms. Try a different uniform color or change of scenery with a new logo.

A small investment in an updated look cannot only change the overall feel of the company, but your customer reputation.

Talk the talk

Sometimes the best way to stay ahead of your competition is just being you — just better.

Start with asking yourself “Are we staying true to the company’s motto and promises?” If your company promises same-day installation, or 24-hour service, make sure those actions are being executed as promised.

Begin recording call details such as wait time, friendliness of dispatchers, and willingness to assist customer complaints. Are there areas that could be improved? Go straight to the source and ask your employees how they think they are representing the company. Are they able to commit?

Following through with commitments is a great starting point for standing out above the competition.

• Portable tablets and applications: Using a tablet with a form application will allow the customer to input information quickly. The advanced technology of tablets and apps will give the customer a one-step process without the redundancy. Tablets also introduce a visual element to traditional forms. Zoom in on product features, display product highlights, and turn a 2-dimensional form into an interactive selling experience.
• Eliminate the pricing issue: Make your product sheets easy and simple for the customer to look through. A photo of the unit, a brief easy-to-read description, and a no-hassle price will reduce that “friction.” The customer will know that the product they chose was the best choice for them both financially and practically.
• Product organization: Organizing your product forms can be as easy as 1, 2, 3. Step one — group products by brand name. Step two — organize each group by product function. Step three — list products in good, better, and best rankings. 

You don’t have to have a major marketing budget to get the word out about your maintenance agreement program. Here are some simple techniques:

Customer referral program

Referral programs prolong the customer service experience after the initial sale. By rewarding the customer for referring your business, you suggest future interactions between your company and the customer. Good incentives for referrals are also a high selling point – free unit check-ups, discounted maintenance repairs and voucher discounts for new units are just a few ideas.

Attend local events

Making an appearance at a community event is just as important as being on time to a meeting or being personable on a sales call. Attending events like home and garden shows, fairs, carnivals and holiday gatherings shows potential customers you care about starting a relationship between you and them — not just a financial relationship between them and your company.

Community service

Improve the view of your company while reaching out to new customers and helping the community all at the same time? Now THAT’S multitasking at its finest and it’s as easy as getting involved with the community.

• Donate an HVAC system to a local family in need
• Respond to a natural disaster by setting up on-site customer service stations
• Partner with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to give back to the community

How does your company stay involved with the customer?