As an independent contractor, the quality of your customer service, etiquette, and manners when interacting with clients goes hand-in-hand with quality work as the keys to growing your customer base. Understanding the basic levels of customer service that customers expect when you or your team are in their home or business is essential to providing the highest levels of service for clients. Here are a few etiquette tips that your team should follow to ensure that your customers are left with the best possible impression of your company.
First impressions
Always be courteous and professional when working with clients. Introduce yourself when you arrive and say the name of your company. Be sure that you always wear a dress shirt or t-shirt with your company’s logo on it when visiting a customers’ home or business. Your clothing should always be clean and wrinkle-free.
If a client is rude or disrupts your ability to complete a project, just do your best to finish the work as requested and make a note of the interaction later. Be sure to file away that information for future reference in case there’s a customer complaint. If the customer leaves a negative review on social media, check out our article on The Role of Social Media for the Independent Contractor to help you handle the situation.
Smoke-free zone
Smoking while on a job site is never acceptable! Many business locations are smoke-free zones and most people would balk at the idea of a contractor smoking in their homes – with good reason. You and your team should never smoke (or use vaporizers, smokeless tobacco products, alcohol, or any other drugs) while on the job. If you must smoke, do so between calls and outside so that the smell of smoke doesn’t overwhelm the customer on your next call.
Attention!
Always keep your focus on the job at hand. Don’t take calls for another job while on another – this is a major sign of a lack of professionalism to the client you’re working with. We’ve even heard horror stories of contractors falling asleep while at a job site or in their vehicle in the parking lot. If a tough job has left you exhausted, feel free to build a nap into your break or lunch period, but never at a customer’s location.
Messy, messy
Always clean up after yourself when you’re leaving a work-site, even if you’ll be coming back the next day. Packaging, dust, debris, and equipment should be removed by you or your team and you should always wear shoe covers to avoid tracking dirt and mud into the customer’s home or business. If the last impression that a customer has of you is that they had to clean up your mess, they probably won’t be calling you again.
Keep it professional
When you’re an independent contractor, growing your customer base is always a priority. For many customers, the quality of the service you provide is as important as the outcome of the project, so set yourself apart from the rest of the pack by delivering the highest-quality service by always being professional and following proper etiquette.
The Tech-Army is always on the lookout for skilled technicians to help us expand our network of professionally trained and certified installers, engineers, and technicians. If you work in the computer, CCTV, IP security camera, AV/computer rental, or home builder industry, we want to talk to you! While there’s no cost to join, we only accept serious professionals – so only the best need apply.
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