Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/134956
Customer Service to present the class or how the program is presented. n Follow up. To truly change behavior there needs to be some type of reinforcement. This becomes a challenge with this group, as their work is done at the customer's site and it can be difficult to observe. However, that does not mean you can't periodically follow up with the customer to assess their experience. The customer will appreciate it and you will get reliable feedback on your tech. n Recognition. Everyone likes to be recognized and when you receive positive feedback on your tech, don't keep it a secret. I recall sitting in the office of the vice president of service at a large dealership when he called a tech and his manager to share with them a customer compliment about the field tech. It was a great message and that message was well received. Passing along compliments should be part of your regular activities. In developing the customer service skills of field service techs we have also found that it's important to teach them readiness for a variety of situational issues, such as what to do when a customer is upset (how to apologize and empathize), as well as what to say and not say to customers – for example, they should never remark that "we always see this problem with this machine!" And, as your company's representative at the customer's jobsite, your field tech should be taught how to recognize and act upon additional sales opportunities. All of these skills training activities do come at a price – there's the cost of the training, as well as the lost-revenue cost of your tech being away from his field service work. But consider what it costs when a tech damages a customer relationship because they were indifferent or insensitive to the customer's needs. I have heard many horror and success stories as to how the tech has impacted customer retention. Just as you would (or should) do with any departmental group of employees (sales, parts counter, etc.) you need to develop a strategy for building legendary customer service skills in your field service technicians. Your customers will appreciate it and so will your bottom line. n Barry Himmel is a senior vice president for Signature Worldwide, a Dublin, Ohio-based company offering sales and customer service training, marketing and mystery-shopping services for a variety of service-based industries. For more information, call (800) 398-0518 or visit www.signatureworldwide.com. You can also connect with Signature on Twitter @SignatureWorld and on Facebook. Ground Engaging GX_PRINT_Buckets_061512.indd 1 40_Field_Tech_feature_KP.indd 41 one Scoop at a Time woodsequipment.com 800-848-3447 6/13/12 2:09 PM June 2013 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 41 5/31/13 1:02 PM