Your appearance, attitude and timeliness all contribute to your customer’s satisfaction 

A new paint finish may be what a customer has hired you for, but the experience of having you deliver that paint job is just as likely to leave a lasting impression.

In other words, even a perfect paint job could result in a less-than-satisfied customer — and negative word-of-mouth — if, for example, your team was not on time, left some trash behind, was rude, or didn’t appear neat and professional.

So how can you ensure a customer experience that’s equal to the paint job you’ll deliver? This article will explore several ideas on making the best of your customer’s experience. And it starts with listening.

Consider their needs — not yours — from the start. Starting with your introduction to a customer or prospect, it’s critical to position yourself as a customer-focused listener. Such an approach can build trust quickly and improve your chances of landing jobs.

If a prospect mentions a concern about the project, show that you hear them. Repeat their concern to demonstrate your understanding; for example, “So your concern is ___.  Do I have that right?” Such engagement will help you further understand how best to communicate with a given customer and meet or exceed their expectations.

Appearance matters. Your customers get it — painting is hard work, and crews aren’t going to do it in nice khakis and polo shirts. That said, do your best to ensure your team appears neat and appropriately dressed, and that you don’t look like you have just stepped off a ladder if you’re meeting with a prospect. Be clean and well-dressed. Your customers will take notice.

The importance of professional optics extends to the vehicle you drive, as well. Make sure it has a clean appearance, especially if it’s a rolling billboard that carries your name and brand.

Should you talk more and write less? Effective communication is a vital part of any successful painting project, and your customer may have a preferred means of communicating. If that’s text or email, fine, but be conscious of the fact that written communication can often carry with it unintended or misinterpreted tone. It may not always be possible, but spoken communication, by phone or in-person, might be more effective for communicating matters regarding your project. Besides, studies have shown customers generally prefer to interact with a human, as directly as possible.

Respond quickly. Your customer has a question or concern? Get back to them as quickly as possible. Resolving the issue may take a longer time. But demonstrating that you view their concern as important and that you’re responsive, willing and able to do what it takes to ensure their satisfaction, will go a long way to making yours a company that is recognized for creating customer solutions.

Positive attitude is a plus. It’s a proven fact — people like positive people. If you and your team appear to enjoy the experience of working together and being in a customer’s home, the more likely the customer will enjoy the experience of having you there.

Leave nothing behind. Pack out any waste materials that you pack in, including small items such as lunch wrappers or a masking tape ball. Remember that trash removal varies widely in residences, and you don’t want to add to your customers’ burden by filling their trash receptacles.

Deliver on your promises. Scheduling changes are often the issue that can drag down the customer experience. Some snags are unavoidable; a sick team member, for example, can knock a project off schedule. Clear and frequent communication with a customer can mitigate any negative effects of failures to meet previously agreed upon scheduling. To the best of your abilities, do what you said you’re going to do, when you said you’re going to do it, and you’ll have a happy customer.

Give them something to remember you by. Presuming you have a happy customer, one final reminder of who performed the services can go a long way toward ensuring that customer turns into an advocate for future work.

That may be as simple as a card or an email, or a small gift. The takeaway for your customer will not only be a “thank-you” for their business, but a next step toward making you their contractor of choice should they need future services or have the opportunity to provide a referral.