Summer is just around the corner and the sun won’t have mercy on anyone – whether you’re a hydrated or a dehydrated being. Given the temperature your city likes to get up to, a number of people will surely stay indoors in the coming months. As a result, all HVAC companies are racking up their strength of service. You should have your team prepared before your customers start to dial.
We have gathered some of the most useful tips to hire a qualified emergency restoration answering service. Read these sorted guidelines to keep your customers cool while running your business smoothly.
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An empathetic ear
Customers are generally not in a great mood when their air conditioning system stops working on a hot and humid day. All answering servicing companies should take that into consideration while assembling their workforce. HVAC issues are frustrating and have considerable effects on the quality of life. There are ample similar companies that send servicemen to fix ACs. To stand out from them and convey positive sentiments, calling agents at your end should answer every call with an empathetic mind. Remember that customer comfort starts with how you answer the phone. Active listening, a polite tone, and patience are some of the qualities you should look for in your employees.
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Speak the language your customer speaks
HVAC is a specialized field which is why most customers fail to state the technical terms required to convey the correct message. As a result, your employees might feel confused after a while. Considering that most customers lack the technical vocabulary, the receptionists at your emergency restoration answering service should be capable of translating the technical language into a layman’s terms.
By doing so, they’ll be able to:
- Develop methodologies to prepare technicians for service requests.
- Effectively manage customer expectations.
- Increase your business’s lead conversion rate.
- Gain the confidence of your customers.
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Organize your technical team
Being an answering service doesn’t mean your company is limited to handling customer calls. Some of the best HVAC answering services in the business do set up your technicians as well. A little extra effort can be made to set your technicians up for success. The team can:
- Gather elaborate reports of service requests and special circumstances.
- Giving the deserved priority of late-night emergency service calls.
- Organize contact data for lead acquisition.
What are the things an HVAC business expects from an answering service?
Here’s a compilation of some of the basic features of the best HVAC answering service. If any company doesn’t offer these 5 basic facilities, look for another one.
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24/7 availability
Cooling or heating problems don’t occur specifically between 9 am to 5 pm and on weekdays. Also, most customers don’t have the patience to wait for another 17 hours to call for a servicing company. Whenever an issue occurs, a customer will end up reaching for help shortly. Along with your HVAC business, the answering service should be able to provide a 24/7 service that includes overnights and weekends.
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Experienced call receptionists
The first impression sets the default mood a customer’s going to be when they’re engaging with your brand. Therefore you need to make sure your new prospects are reaching out (for the first time) to someone you trust. Make sure the calling representatives have relevant experience and are based in the same geographical region.
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Fluidity in communication
The major reason why you’re hiring a dedicated answering service is to lighten the load of daily calls. Regardless of anything, you need to be informed about who is reaching out to your company. Hence, the HVAC answering company should transfer the information their receptionists collect from the callers to you periodically. In other words, there should be no communication gap between the answering service and the HVAC company.
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Customizability
Every HVAC servicing company does business differently. Therefore, an answering service should offer customizable options. The more control a company gives you over their service, the better. This may include personalizing the scripts their virtual calling agent use when engaging with the callers. They should also accept your decision about when calls should or shouldn’t be sent directly to the service. If a company doesn’t alter its policies to your business needs, look for other options.
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A helpful support squad
As time goes by and the requirements change, you’ll want to make changes to the policies to how the calls get answered. The HVAC answering service should have an active support team so that they can help you alter the structure of the answering system at any time. The emergency restoration answering service should also be able to correct any issues in a short period of time.
