A resource for consumers, locksmiths, and security professionals
Customer service is an extremely important facet of any business. It weighs more for companies that provide people with a product or a service. The brand of your company rests squarely on the shoulders of customer service, and bad customer service can ruin a company that has an exemplary product. Customer service extends far beyond products and it helps your customers decide whether they will want to use your services again. In addition to this, good customer service is one of the best forms of free advertising.
Customers that are satisfied with a service will, more often than not, refer you to someone else who might need the same type of assistance. In lieu of this, customers can also give you a good review, which increases the chances of another customer making use of your services. The service that you provide and the way that you provide it, speaks volumes about your business etiquette. As such, every professional locksmith should strive to provide better customer service to his or her clients. When a customer calls a locksmith, it is important to realize that they are in need of help, and the way you handle this can make or break your customer service. Here are a few tips and tricks that will help locksmiths provide much better service.
As cliché as it sounds, the customer should always take precedence over anything else, especially when they are standing right in front of you. The customer chose you as a locksmith because they trust you, and they want you to help them. There are various reasons why a customer would reach out to a locksmith, but no matter what these reasons are, the customer should be treated with the utmost respect, and their issue should be resolved professionally. One of the first things locksmiths learn in their introduction to locksmithing is the need to always act professionally with a client.
There are many locksmiths who help customers in a distracted fashion. This often leads to a subpar performance. It is important for locksmiths to be locked in while they are working. A professional locksmith should leave all distractions behind and focus solely on the job at hand. This ensures that the job is completed effectively and that the customer is satisfied. It is important for locksmiths to make the right impression on their customer, as their experience will directly impact the rating of your customer service.
As a locksmith, punctuality is a key part of your job. It is also an integral part in determining how effective your customer service is. In most lockout situations, the customer is hard pressed for time, and they are very likely agitated or even scared. In cases like this, a locksmith’s punctuality cannot be stressed enough. The customer is depending on you to be there on time to help them.
Punctuality does not only refer to the amount of time it will take a locksmith to respond to a call. It also refers to the amount of time that it takes a locksmith to finish a job. There are locksmiths who spend more than the necessary amount of time to finish jobs so that they can charge customers more. Although the customer might be vulnerable in this time of need, a professional locksmith has to look past this and provide them with the right service, the right way.
Also, in the event that you are not able to make it to a service call on time, make sure that you notify the customer ahead of time. It will show them that you have their best interests at heart and that you respect them. This will negate the chance of a customer being dissatisfied with your service simply because they spent a great deal of time waiting for you to arrive.
I know, another cliché! However, this one works. A smile truly goes a long way to set your customers at ease, and it will also impact the impression that they have of you. A pleasant attitude and a bright smile will help your customer feel more inclined to trust you. It will also make it easier for you to carry out your job. In many of these situations, customers are on edge because they have been locked out for varying reasons. Many locksmiths understand just how frustrating these situations can be, and with that knowledge, they are best suited to help put a customer at ease.
A locksmith that looks happy to do their job is going to attract a lot of customers because it gives them the impression that you are passionate and knowledgeable about what you are doing, and that you thoroughly enjoy doing it.
A huge part of customer service involves being in constant communication with the customer. This helps the service provider, in this case, the locksmith, reassure the customer that they know how to complete the task at hand. This will, in turn, put the customer at ease.
The locksmith industry has been riddled with scams for the past few years. This has led customers to become extremely wary of the locksmith they call. Simply walking the customer through the task at hand is a good way to build rapport. This will reflect positively on the customer service that you provide, and it will leave a lasting impression on your customer.
The importance of always being polite and courteous to your customers cannot be overstated. There are many customers who feel entitled to a certain decorum because they are paying for a service. And yes, some of them can be annoying. However, as a locksmith, it is important that you focus on providing the customer with excellent service, and do not dwell on how annoying they might be.
In some instances, customers may already be aggravated because of the nature of their lockout, and some might inadvertently take it out on you. A professional locksmith will handle situations like these with grace and tact as they put the job above any secondary issues. It is essential that you handle every situation professionally so that it does not reflect negatively on the service you provided.
In most cases, a customer will reach out to a locksmith because they are locked out of their car, office or home. It goes without saying that locks play a major role in security, so a customer needs to be able to trust their locksmith. It is imperative for locksmiths to provide the customer with an address, phone number, and other contact information. This will make your business more transparent. It will also let your customers know that you are always available for them. And be sure to provide the customer with an invoice after the service has been rendered. This invoice should have your contact information listed on it.
This is one thing that locksmiths and many other service providers fail to do time and time again. Once a service has been rendered, the locksmith shouldn’t just rush to get out of there. It is always best to close a job by asking the customer if there is anything else that you could help them with. This simply shows the customer that you care about their wellbeing and that you are willing to help them further if need be. Service like this leaves an indelible mark upon the minds of customers and they won’t soon forget you.
Excellent customer service isn’t just provided in the moment. One telltale sign of amazing customer service is that it doesn’t end after the customer is gone. In the case of locksmiths, this is also true. One of the best ways to make sure that a customer is completely satisfied with your service is to give them a follow-up call. This will give you the opportunity to see if they need any more help and it will also give you the chance to thank you to them for using your service. In addition to this, locksmiths can also provide their customers with tips and tricks that will help reduce the chance of a lockout in the future.
This gesture goes a long way to improving the effectiveness of your customer service. It also increases the chance of a customer remembering who you are and the stellar service that you gave them. This tip works more effectively for smaller locksmith businesses that pride themselves in knowing their customers. It will help you retain your current customer base while also helping you expand it.
Last but not least, investing in an amazing team of people is one of the best ways to help any locksmith provide quality customer service. It is hard to run a locksmith business with just one person unless it is a mobile locksmith service. There are multiple facets of the company that need to be handled by different people in order for things to run smoothly. It is important that locksmiths hire people that exemplify the basic service standards of the company. If you are a customer service oriented locksmith, but the team that surrounds you are not people-friendly, your customer service will take a big hit.
It is crucial for locksmiths to build a team around them, which will treat the customers with care and professionalism. Essentially one of the best ways to provide customer service is to ensure that there are no weak links. You have to get workers who have the characteristics of a great locksmith.
Excellent customer service rests on providing customers with proficient service, and also on treating them with respect and care. It is not always an easy task, but when it is handled properly, it can yield amazing results for businesses. There are some who do not give customer service the credence it deserves, and this harms their business. In order for your business to succeed, pay close attention to the customer’s satisfaction with your service, and learn from it. Hopefully, the steps listed above will help you get started down the right path to providing better customer service.
Category: Automotive, Commercial, Residential
