Service Techs: How to Build Relationships with Customers

The ability to build relationships with customers is an essential skill for a service technician. Before we get to the how-to tips, let’s review why service technicians must actively work at their customer relationships.

Why is it so important for service technicians to build relationships with customers?

When service companies intentionally build relationships with customers, everybody wins. Here’s what’s in it for you as a service technician:

• Job security. When customers know and trust you, they will ask for you by name every time they need service. You’ll become one of the most valuable employees on the team. When times get tough (like in 2020), you’ll be in the most secure position possible.
• Job satisfaction. Let’s face it, work is more enjoyable when you have good working relationships and connections with the people you serve.
• More control over job assignments. Chances are, you’ll get to work more with the customers you know and like.

How do your customers benefit from having a trusted relationship with one or more technicians who work on their equipment? They get to build a comfort level and confidence when they work with someone who knows them, their challenges, and their equipment. And they will worry less about the outcome of every service call.

Here’s how the service company benefits when you build relationships with customers:

• Repeat business from loyal customers. Most customers prefer to do business with people they know and trust to do the work to their satisfaction.
• Predictable revenue. When you have customers who keep coming back because of a trusted relationship, companies can count on their business each year and managers can use that information to plan for staffing levels and other expenses. That’s especially true when you’re doing service contract work, because you know their equipment and its history, so you can predict upcoming work.
• Opportunities to upsell and cross sell. With a loyal customer base and good working relationships, service companies can build additional revenue by taking advantage of opportunities to sell related products and services that meet their customers’ needs.

Tips to help you build relationships with customers

1. Communicate effectively

To get off on the right foot with a customer, always keep them informed. People like to know what’s going to happen and what you’re going to do for them. When they’re left to wonder, they can get annoyed and frustrated. If at all possible, start by letting them know when you’ll arrive or when you’re on the way. That information is very helpful when a customer is trying to plan their day.

When you arrive, let the customer know what you’re going to do, and if you need them to be available to answer questions or approve the work before you start. And when you’re explaining problems and solutions, refrain from using industry jargon and speak in terms the customer can understand.

Learn more: Customer Communication Tips for the HVAC Technician

2. Make a connection

Remember that every customer you meet is not only a customer but a person who deserves to be treated with respect, kindness, and good will. Start by introducing yourself. Don’t assume the customer doesn’t need to know your name! If you make a good impression, the customer can’t ask for you again if they never learned your name.

You’re there with a job to do, of course, but you can always take a few moments to make a small personal connection. Make a comment on the customer’s Yankees shirt if you’re also a fan. Admire the artwork in a home or gallery. Or express your appreciation of the wonderful aroma in a bakery or cafe.

3. Listen with empathy

Most often, you’re there because your customer has a problem. Take the time to actively listen to what’s going on. Expressing empathy for what the customer is going through helps to build relationships. And chances are, you really can sympathize because you’ve been through something similar yourself.

BONUS: Active listening also makes it more likely that you’ll pick up on details that help you solve the problem faster. 

4. Be honest

Never tell half-truths or leave out information that the customer needs to know. When you’re straightforward, while also being as helpful as possible, the customer will trust you more readily. 

If the part they need won’t be available for a month, you need to tell the truth about that so the customer can plan accordingly. Then you can help them understand the options that are available to them. 

Learn more: How to Deliver Bad News to Customers

5. Follow through on commitments

Always make sure that you follow through on any promises you make to customers. That’s how people learn they can count on you. 

If for some reason you can’t do what you promised, let the customer know in advance. If you’re stuck in traffic and won’t get there on time, call the customer, apologize, and let them know when you will be there. Don’t leave them wondering where you are.

If you made a promise that someone else must keep, then stay involved to make sure that everything goes according to plan. For example, a part might take longer to get than expected. If you check on the status, you can alert the customer if there’s going to be a delay, so they aren’t wondering why they haven’t heard from you.

Learn more: How to Manage Customer Expectations for Repair Service

6. Ask for feedback

Upon completion of every service call and every job, it pays to ask the customer how you did. That way, you find out right away if they are dissatisfied for any reason, and you can take steps to fix the problem. 

You help to build relationships with customers just by asking, because they realize that you care.

More educational resources for service technicians

If you found this article to be helpful, we have lots more articles and videos that can help you succeed in your career.  

HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.