I was taught early on that those who claim not to have “process” don’t understand that that is their process. Too many custodial supervisors and managers operate on the premise that if their phone is not ringing then everything must be OK. Unfortunately for them and their company, the customer has stopped contacting them and are instead contacting prospective vendors to replace a non-responsive service.

 

I was invited to take over a contract from a much larger, more successful Building Service Contractor in the early years of my business. It was a bank with a main office and several satellite branches in the surrounding area. The building manager gave me the paperwork including specifications, costs, etc. and had one question for me. 

 

He asked: “Do you answer your phone?” At first, I did not understand how serious the question was and how important it was that I respond correctly. I replied that we always answered our phone and that we also had a back up answering service. If I had stopped there I probably would not have gotten the contract. 

 

I then stated that I was giving him my direct mobile phone number (the old analog 3 watt units) and that he could contact me directly day or night. At that time we could usually respond in less than 30 minutes if it was an emergency. He then explained to me that the incumbent contractor took him for granted and would take days (his interpretation) before responding to a call. He hated their answering service. Be assured that I always responded promptly to his calls and we never brought the subject up again.

 

Can your customer reach you in a timely manner? 

 

Your comments and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean…

 

 

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.

 

 


posted on 5/20/2014