When the work is finished and the customer has signed on the bottom line, the job is over, right? Wrong. The job is just beginning.
It's time to deploy the happy call. The term "happy call" refers to the call made by a Comfort Advisor after the job is completed to check on the customer and initiate the customer service checklist.
Happy calls should be made about two to five days after an install. Waiting this period of time is beneficial because it gives the customer the chance to try out the unit's features and benefits and come up with questions, concerns, and feelings about the unit.
At the two-to-five day mark, a Comfort Advisor should return to the home and complete the following tasks:
- Check on the customer's overall satisfaction with the product.
- Conduct an inspection of the product and installation and ensure the product was installed the way the company expects it to be done.
- Review the finer details of how the product and technology work, and address any set-up issues. Offer to answer any questions the customer may have.
- Bring a gift of appreciation to the homeowner, such as a box of cookies from a local bakery or a gift card to a nice restaurant.
- Right any wrongs while still in the homeowner's residence.
In this day-and-age, the customer is relying on word-of-mouth referrals for most of their major purchasing decisions. Using a happy call to execute the above checklist of customer service items can not only help you build the customer's confidence for a sparkling referral, but also keep them returning season after season.
Linda Rummans is a Senior Instructional Designer for HVAC Learning Solutions. Linda joined HVACLS in 2005 bringing almost seven years of experience in the HVAC industry and over 11 years of experience in adult learning and training.