1. The only thing we feel we should have done was to discuss with the customer our method for repairing his tractor. We should have laid out the options of A) 30 hours of labour vs B) 5 hours of labour. But at this point, we still did not know if warranty would be approved based on the repair needed. So, yes, we should have laid the options out. But we still stand by what we did to repair it and feel strongly that we would repair another unit the same way if ever needed.
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Greetings KingsEquip,
A fair viewpoint on your part as tp what you might ave done differently. And certainly you've been good in stating your case and efforts to us readers as well as yourresponses here to your customer.
So I'd like to return the favor to you . . with respect. Over a 3 decade period I've trained many businesses regarding various communication areas from technical automation/computer to personnel and sales methods.
Your answer was good because you recognized you didn't communicate enough . . . but it also shows a classic miscue business people can make: where you place the emphasis.
In your posts from the beginning I've noticed you continually mention the quality of work and technical skill involved. Very Good communication to us. Each time when you mention your pre-repair communication with the customer could have been better . . I sense its not nearly as importnt an isdue as the technical skill.
In my professional experiences with businesses the problems of customer communication far out rank technical skills. This isn't that technical skills are not vitally important every day a business is open . . but that preparing a customer to make a decision is at least if not more important than the technical skills.
Here's why. You as a business owner/operator has confidence in your businesses skills because you've had experience in theworkers successes . . but the customer has not. And a customer without confidence is a customer nervous, uncertain, and distrusting about his asset (tractor, or other). If you can show a customer why he can feel confident and then allow him to approve the process . . you virtually completely avoid the continual uncertainty that follows as technical work progresses.
As point of an example: if you tallied up any and all of the phone calls and personal contacts with the customer since the work started (including here) . . I'd venture you would have a fair sized number of time. But with only 10% or so of that time spent developing the customer's awareness . . None of the other would have been needed AND asduming technical skills were used . . the customer would have had far less uncertainty and likely a better feeling for the future about your business as well . . and that equals future business too.
I'm not describing handholding customers. I'm describing character and confidence building in your customers.
Here's another really simple example every time a customer comes in to have their oil and filters changed:
". . . . We'll take care of it for you . . and as always because we're hunan, we double check the drain plug is on, filter is tight, and dipstick shows oil before the service person goes to the next jiob. "
Even long time customers. Why is it important? Because it shows you are thinking like a customer. The example above takes 30 seconds to express . . but customers may repeat it to their friends a dozen times.
Now I've had times where business owners or managers laughed at me until I demonstrated to them with a live customer. Every time the customer smiles. I'm not big on forms and signatures except in special work circumstances because on their own they don't build confidence for the customer - they build confidence just for the business. So if you use them , it further increases the pre-work comminication needs.
I've been laughed at too often by first time business clients about this . . and almost all if them became long time clients
Respectfully suggested.
