Are you the Tech that customers invite in?

What do your customers see when they look at you?

The public image of HVACR technicians is often pretty poor. Do customers greet you at the door with “The air conditioner is around back?” Or do they invite you in and make you feel welcome?

As a sixteen year old following my father around it always amazed me to watch him work. He could go from crawling under a house to service a floor furnace to crossing white carpet in an exclusive home and not leave a trace of dirt or grime. He would still have the crease in his pants. How in the world did he do that? Why would customers invite him in, offer him a cup of coffee and seem to feel so comfortable with him? Now frankly my family did not have the type of home we often worked in. We did not even have central heating or cooling. We did not associate in the same social circles as most of our customers. And yet my father was accepted into these fine homes and made to feel welcome.

Well, I eventually learned to do the same thing. This turned out not to be nearly as mysterious or difficult as I had imagined. In my book 13 Strategies of Highly Effective Techs: More Company Profit - More Personal Income I discuss some of the techniques for minimizing the mess that I have learned from my father, from my own experiences and from visiting with company owners and managers from all over the United States. This can help you win customers, earn bonuses and lead to raises and promotions.

My boss at one company where I worked as an HVACR technician posted letters from customers thanking the company for being so neat and clean on the jobs I performed or supervised. My vehicle was a mobile billboard for the company that always looked immaculate. Customers never had to clean up after me. Customers would often ask for me by name when they called in. Customers would sometimes have cookies or other treats waiting for me when I got there. On one occasion a customer made cupcakes with my name in icing on them for me. In Strategy #6 we discuss how to turn these situations into the most Customer Capital.

Now it is time for a little self examination. Get ready for work a little early and take time to really examine yourself in the mirror. What do you see? Is that person dressed professionally? Are there worn or torn places? Is the person you see well groomed? Hair neat? Shoes shined or well cleaned? Does that person smell good? Any tattoos showing? Does that person have a smile? Does that person seem like the type to be accepted in the finest homes in town? Do you see a name tag, patch or other identification? Are you carrying your paperwork in a nice portfolio or other neat carrier? If you were that customer living in a fine new home would you want the person you see in the mirror coming in to your home?

If not do something today to improve. An improvement a day and soon you will see that Highly Effective Tech looking back at you out of the mirror.

Learn more at www.LearningHVACR.com or contact mark@LearningHVACR.com