10 Tips for Offering Better Customer Service Over the Phone

Here’s something you might not know: Your customers expect they’ll have a lousy experience with you. 
Not because you’ve done anything wrong (I hope), but because the home services industry, as a whole, has a bad reputation for showing up late, being discourteous, making a mess, and ripping people off.

There’s good news in that, friends. The bar is so low it doesn’t take a whole, whole lot of effort to smash people’s expectations. 

And one of the easiest and most effective ways to up your customer service game costs exactly zero dollars: Get better at answering the phone.

I’ll say more about that in a sec, but first…

How Much Does Customer Service Really Matter?

Unless you live in the tiniest of tiny towns, you have competitors right around the corner. Chances are they do the exact same work you do for nearly the same amount of money. That means you don’t have a ton of chances to differentiate yourself from those other shops, so you have to take advantage of every opportunity you have.

Your most significant opportunity to set yourself apart from the other guys is through customer service.

The way you treat people—from your phone manners to the quality of your team to your follow-up—leaves an impression on people. And if you want your new customers to be loyal customers who recruit other loyal customers for you, you’ve gotta do whatever you can to leave a good impression.

Not sure it’s that big of a deal? Check out these numbers:

• 80% of people say they care as much about their experience with a company as they do their products and services.
• 78% of people have backed out of a purchase because of bad customer service.
• 68% of people will pay more for services from a brand known for good customer service.
• Improving your customer retention rate by just 5% can net you up to 95% more profit.
• 94% of poeple will recommend a company with “very good” customer service.

How to Make That First Phone Call Count

Too often, home services businesses think customer service begins when their techs ring a customer’s doorbell. But it actually begins with that very first phone call.

How your customer service reps (CSRs) answer the phone sets the tone for the rest of your interactions with a customer. The person on the other end of the phone is likely already having a really, really bad day. Kind, patient CSRs bring out the best in folks; gruff, rushed CSRs add more frustation. 

Frustrated customers go elsewhere. (But first they leave a 1-star Google review.)

Here are some tips to get off on the right foot.

#1 “You had me at hello…”

Decide exactly how you want your CSRs to answer the phone, and stick to it. 

Try this formula: friendly greeting + CSR name + name of your shop + question.

• Good morning! This is Sam at HVAC pros. How may I help you?
• Thanks for calling Franklin Plumbing! This is Jess. What can I do for you today?

Yes, these scripts take longer to say than grumbling out, “HVAC Pros.” But people do business with people, so you want your CSRs to be friendly, approachable ones.

Pro tip: Answer the phone on the second or third ring. The first ring feels abrupt, and after three rings, people begin to doubt you can help them. 

#2 Acknowledge the problem.

Your customer will probably launch right into, “My toilet won’t stop running” or “My *#%! AC furnace on me again.” You’ll be tempted to skip straight into, “Let me see when we can get someone out there.” Don’t do that. 

Instead, try this formula: empathy + restate the problem + reassurance

• Oh no! It’s so frustrating when toilets act up! We can get you fixed right up.
• Oh geez. It’s like furnaces wait until the coldest day of the year to quit, don’t they? It’s the worst! We can help get your home feeling comfortable again.

Note: If your customer calls with a potentially life-threatening or home-destroying problem, be helpful immediately. 

• I heard you say you smell natural gas. That’s a potentially dangerous situation. Take your family across the street and call the gas company when you get there. I’ll text you that number right now. Don’t go back into your home until they say it’s safe. When you have the all clear, please call me back to let me know everything’s OK.
• It sounds like you have a burst pipe in your basement. Have you turned off the main water line? No? Do you know where it is? No? OK, let me guide you to a couple of places to look. Once your water’s shut off, we can talk about next steps.

#3 Gather intel.

Now that you have a baseline understanding of the problem your customer is experiencing, it’s time to go a little deeper. 

Provide your CSRs with a checklist of information you want them to gather. Get enough details so you can send the right tech with the right equipment and supplies.

• May I have your name, please? Is it OK if I call you [first name]? 
• Is this the best number to reach you in case we’re disconnected?
• May I have your address?
• When did you first notice the problem?
• How long has it been going on?
• Has this ever happened before?
• Is your furnace gas or electric?
• How old is your home? Is this the original equipment?
• Do you happen to know when you last had the system serviced? It’s OK if you don’t. (This phrasing is important! Asking, “When was your system last serviced?” puts your customer on the defensive.)

Take the time to think through how these calls typically play out, and create a flow chart of questions for your CSRs to follow. For example, if someone responds they have a gas water heater, are there follow-up questions you’d want them to ask? 

#4 Call out the elephant in the room.

At this point, your customer is very likely wondering how much this stupid home repair is going to set them back. So call out the elephant in the room. 

This will look different depending on your business model, but here’s a formula to try: empathy + cost + permission.

• I know you might be concerned about the cost of repairs. I’d like to send out a technician to get a good look at what’s happening so we can offer an accurate estimate. The fee to send him out is $75. If you have us do the repair, we’ll apply that service fee to your invoice. Does that sound OK?
• I know it’s no fun to have surprises like this. I’m so sorry you’re in this situation! Our technician will be able to assess the situation, and provide you option up-front before we begin any work. You'll be in total control.

#5 Set the appointment.

Assuming the customer’s ready for a tech to come out, schedule the appointment.

The formula here is simple: confidence + suggest + ask.

• Our best tech for your job can come out this afternoon at 1 pm or tomorrow morning at 8 am. Would either of those work for you?
• Pat is basically the garbage disposal wizard around here, and she can come out this afternoon if that works for you. Or would tomorrow be better?

Note: Do NOT start with “Is there a day or time that’s typically best for you?” There is no “typically best” when it comes to an interruption like a home services need. Plus, if you ask the customer what’s best for them and you don’t have a tech available at that time, you’ve already disappointed them.

#6 Tell them what happens next.

Your customer is already anxious about what’s happening in their home or business. Don’t make them more anxious by leaving them guessing about your process. Just tell them.

Here’s the formula: confirmation + arrival information.

• OK, Ms. Smith. I have Pat scheduled to take a look at your disposal tomorrow between 8 and 9 am. She’ll call when she’s on the way so you know exactly when to expect her. 
• Dan, Josh is looking forward to seeing you this afternoon after 2 pm to get your furnace taken care of. He’ll call when he’s about 15 minutes out. 

#7 Optional: Offer your maintenance plan.

If the caller doesn’t seem rushed, consider offering your maintenance program. It might sound something like:

• Many of our current customers have joined our seasonal maintenance program. We’ll come out twice a year to inspect your system and get ahead of any potential problems. Maintenance program members get free preventive maintenance, free service calls, like the one we’ve scheduled for you today, and 15% off any repairs. Would you like to go ahead and set that up today? 

#8 Talk about the money.

No one loves to be surprised by an invoice at the end of a service call, so let your customers know what to expect. The trick is when you mention money- don't answer the phone with "This is Bob, we have a $49 dispatch fee". Instead, only after you've built the value in the service call and you've empathized with your customer will you mention a price.

Your formula is: review fee + payment options.

• As I mentioned, your service call fee is $75. After Pat knows what’s happening with your disposal, she’ll recommend a solution and let you know how much it’ll cost. If you decide to have Pat complete the repair, she’ll apply the $75 to your total bill. She’ll invoice you at the end of her service call, and you can pay with check or credit card. 
• Thanks for joining our maintenance program. As I mentioned, your service call today is free, and you’ll receive 15% off any repairs you choose to make. Josh will make sure you understand all the charges and answer questions before he begins work. When he’s finished, you can pay him with a check or credit card.

#9 Say thank you and goodbye.

How you end your call is as important as how you begin it! No matter how long you’ve been on the phone, make sure your voice is still cheerful and patient.

To end your call: Ask for questions + confirm appointment + friendy goodbye.

•  Do you have any questions for me? No? OK, great. Pat will see you tomorrow morning between 8 and 9 am to work on that garbage disposal. Thanks for calling Franklin Plumbing and enjoy your day. G’bye!
• Can I address any questions or concerns? No? OK! Josh will see you this afternoon after 2 pm to get that furnace working again. It was so nice to talk you today. Thanks for calling HVAC Pros. Take care.

For Your Marketing to Work, You’ve Gotta be Marketable

Before you spend a dime on Google Ads for plumbers or websites for HVAC shops, be sure you’re running the best home services company in town. Then I’d love to talk about how to use digital marketing to help grow your shop and your revenue.