Security systems can be a hard sell. It’s not that your customers don’t need better protection for their homes or businesses. It’s just that they probably wish circumstances didn’t warrant having a system installed. It’s crucial, therefore, that you help these clients feel at ease with the process through great customer service.

When your clients feel a close, personal connection with you, they’ll have an easier time accepting the fact that they need a system and be more accepting of any post installation services that you offer.

According to the American Express 2017 Customer Service Barometer, U.S. consumers are willing to spend 17% more when doing business with companies that deliver excellent service.

Based on the revenue you can make with happy clients, developing strategies to improve the quality of your company’s customer relations should be a huge part of your business agenda.

With the nature of the security sales and integration business, there are many areas where breakdowns in customer relations can occur. From sales to service, any person on your team can create a disgruntled customer if they offer poor customer service. When this happens, you may end up losing a customer altogether.

According to RightNow Technologies, up to 89% of customers are willing to switch to a competitor after they have a poor experience.

ConnectWise offers a variety of tools, like ConnectWise Manage and ConnectWise Sell, to help you hone the quality of your customer services. You’ll be able make a good first impression by generating professional looking proposals and quotes for your customers. This documentation shows that you care about the project and the people you are serving.

With ConnectWise Manage, you can manage and track your service and delivery to your clients, ultimately resulting in superior customer service.  These tools will ensure that nothing slips through the cracks, that you stay engaged with your customers every step of the way, and retain them as future references.

Beyond these resources, there are several customer service strategies you can employ today. Here are a few tips offered by ConnectWise:

Develop a Communications Protocol

Any healthy relationship is based on mutual respect. Your clients are paying for your tech expertise. Although consumers are becoming increasingly tech savvy, refrain from using terminology that only you can understand.

Instead, find middle ground where you are both able to communicate in a fashion that makes both parties feel comfortable so that you can progress naturally together on the home systems project.

Be sure everyone on your staff understands the importance of maintaining a consistent, understandable rapport with your new and existing clients.

This starts by establishing a customer communication protocol that reflects a professional, courteous image, which in turn fosters trust, loyalty and continued customer satisfaction.

It Starts With a Phone Call

It’s not just face-to-face interaction that reflects your level of customer relations. How your customers are treated via phone is equally important. No matter how or where you engage with your clients, keep these key points in mind:

• Steer clear of idle chit-chat. This will keep the relationship in the proper perspective.
• Refrain from “thinking out loud.” It may erode the perception of your competence.
• Use the mute button … often. This is the safest way to ensure your client doesn’t hear the wrong thing, like someone discussing a completely different issue in the background that doesn’t pertain to the issue at hand.
• Be proactive by remotely accessing a client’s system during your discussion. You’ll be able to service your customer with the utmost efficiency.
• Set expectations. Share with your clients pertinent information, such as timetables, installation procedures —anything that will directly impact them. The more they know, the more comfortable they will become with you and your company.

Put it in Writing

A mutual understanding of how a project will unfold and the specific responsibilities of each party from the initial planning stages will keep everyone happy — you, your clients and anyone else who may be involved.

To ensure that everyone is on the same page, put these terms in writing. A “Service Level Agreement” (SLA) not only looks professional; it gives you a way to measure and manage the user experience in a meaningful way and allows you to position yourself as a trusted advisor.

For your clients, an SLA delivers peace of mind and clarity. With this comes high client satisfaction and a better bottom line for your business.

Products & People

There is only so far your tech expertise can take you if you can’t keep your clients happy. Be sure to focus on how you and your staff interact with customers — there may be some gaps in your mode of communication that could be jeopardizing your business.

Create an environment where the people you serve mean more than products you install and you’ll reap the rewards.

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