In the water damage restoration industry, we are big on checking certifications, like the IICRC WRT, ASD, AMRT, CDS, etc. So, we spend time and money on getting our technicians trained and certified so they can be considered professionals. When was the last time you had your technicians certified in customer service?

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In my role as a technical expert at Accuserve I get to see what types of complaints come in on a regular basis and it is interesting that most complaints deal with restorers not communicating & documenting properly, but also not exhibiting good customer service skills that you would think everyone should be good at, like showing up on time or cleaning up the work site, or protecting the customer's belongings, etc.

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I also hear technicians tell me the customer turned off their equipment or wouldn't let them have access to the loss location daily and my response is how well did they articulate how important it is to leave the equipment running or taking daily inspections? They are the professionals, and they need to understand how to communicate effectively with the customer to set the project up for success.

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As professionals, we MUST train our technicians on how to look, sound, and act like a professional. You only get one chance to make a first impression and if you get that wrong you may lose the customer forever! See some simple customer service tips below that all technicians should be good at and that should be topics of weekly training meetings:

1. Show up on time or at least call if running late to show punctuality is important to your company.
2. Drive a clean, well-logoed vehicle that is parked properly on the street. It is important not to leak oil or other fluids on the driveway!
3. Wear a clean, neat uniform rather than a tee shirt, shorts, and sneakers. You must look the part if you want to be considered a professiona I!
4. Always wear a photographed ID Badge while on the job. Entering someone's private home is a big deal and you must give the occupants a level of comfort that you are who you say you are.
5. Introduce yourself and all associates at the front door and show the customer your IICRC certification card showing what services you are certified in.
6. Wear shoe protectors while inside the home to show you are protecting their home. recommend asking permission to put on your shoe protectors after introducing yourself at the front door and putting down a door mat with your company's logo on it to conscientiously wipe your feet before putting on your shoe protectors .
7. Take great care of the structure & contents by placing floor protection, padding furniture, doors, etc. and using Wall Buddies to prevent your vacuum hoses from scratching corners.
8. Don't place furniture on top of other furniture and take extreme care when handling personal belongings.
9. Explain your drying plan and walk the customer through your work areas to show you separated the affected from the unaffected areas and why they need not enter the contained areas and turn off equipment.
10. Leave the work site in a clean, organized condition and take photos to prove that all trash, dust and debris were removed from the property. Explain the next steps and schedule the next DAILY inspection.

Everyone says they have great customer service, but if you look closely very few companies emphasize and train their technicians properly on how to not only provide great customer service, but how to find a way to "WOW" your customer so they can't stop talking about the great experience they had with your company!

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