This video is a 2024 HVACR Training Symposium session by Andy Holt "Fix Your Customer 1st, Then Fix Their System." Andy Holt specializes in customer service and has a unique approach to training through his Outdoor University program.

The most important piece of customer service advice is to approach everything from the customer's point of view. This piece of advice holds true in sales consultation and even extends to the way you answer the phone. It's important that the customer feels they've made the right choice by choosing your company, and for that reason, the beginning of each call should be deliberate, positive, and done with the end result in mind.

Andy likes to say that we're not in the HVAC business, we're in the people business. Soft skills that apply in any peoplecentric career also apply in HVAC, including timeliness and the common courtesies associated with it. Organization in the truck is also a great way to deliver services timely, and showing respect for the customer's home by being clean and orderly is also a green flag. Customers aren't tuned into the technical aspects of the work you do; they care about how you made them feel and what you did for them; taking care of customers ensures that you have a consistent income for a long time.

One of the best ways to make a good impression on your customers is to be a good listener who is eager to please them. Keeping a notepad on hand helps technicians take notes about the customer's comfort problems and shows the customer that they are being listened to. The notepad is also good for making sure technicians are thorough in their calls, and the thoroughness should also extend to our diagnostic processes. Being able to communicate our processes to the customer is also important for transparency, especially regarding pricing. When we communicate our findings, we should focus on the most critical items that affect the customer's comfort first.

Andy also discusses onboarding new technicians and setting them up to be successful with their customers (and in the company culture as well).

Buy your virtual tickets or learn more about the 5th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium24.

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