After working for an installation company for the past ten years, these are five things that I have found to be absolute essentials. As always, all comments welcome on this, and anything else, in the section below.
1. Run a quality showroom
As an installer, it’s your job to show off your products in the very best way possible. A stunning showroom can be one of your strongest sales tools in your armoury. And keep it clean! There’s nothing worse than a dusty showroom! Keep the products on show up to date and demonstrate as many options as possible. Choice is key.
2. Be on time, with everything!
Whether you’re just arriving for your first sit, the surveyor is carrying out his final measure or the fitters coming to carry out the works, be on time. Customer’s love it when you keep to your agreed times, they also hate it when you’re late. Simple time keeping goes a long way to securing business.
3. Presentation is key
From quotes, to attire, to cars and your premises, presentation is vital to the first impressions of any potential client. Keeping your staff, your building, your paperwork and everything clean, tidy and presentable presents a professional and trustworthy image.
4. Constant communication
One of the biggest gripes I have found from my ten years in our family installation company is when companies fail to keep in touch with clients throughout the buying process. A simple series of phone calls, letters or emails to let the customer know they are still in your thoughts goes a long way to keeping them reassured that their business is valued.
5. Quality after sales service
You’d be surprised how many installers don’t have a dedicated after sales service. Having a dedicated engineer on hand to attend to any faults or repairs during the guarantee period only serves to cement the already good relationship you should have with your customer. Remember, it’s the industry’s lack of after sales care that has been on of the reasons for our bad tag.
