I thought that now would be an ideal time to help and advice you on how to enhance your company image. Why now? Well, with the new year fast approaching, now is the time to start thinking about those New Year resolutions! Even the best run company can forget little things, so here are some easy to follow pointers that I feel are the most overlooked that can potentially lose you work over things that can be very easily stamped out with minimal of effort and cost. I'm not saying that these points will guarantee you work but its a nice thought to know that if a quotation or estimate you have done, and you did not win, then it was not down to anything as silly as having muddy boots!
First impressions of the electrician from a customer point of view; imagine your customer waiting for you, they only know of you via your website, or word of mouth, or advertising etc. Remember when you knock on their door, and they answer, first impressions last! Remember if you have a beard or moustache just remember to check for any egg spillages from your bacon and egg sandwich on your way to the job!
The first thing that your customer will see is you! Clean and ironed work uniform and clean footwear is a must! I don't mean to come across patronising in anyway, its just surprising how many trades people do forget these simple fundamental basics. This article is not about what you're there to do, I am simply writing about how a customer may perceive you and to help you in achieving not only a great reputation as an electrician but to help enhance you and/or your company image.
Appearance & Mannerisms
It is important to have the right Work Wear for the right job and right time of year. If you have an apprentice or someone else who works with you, it would be a good idea that you are both dressed in the same uniform.
Mannerisms are so important – please do not shout at your customers, or talk to them as you'd talk to your workmates! Think about who your customer is, and adapt your body language and speech accordingly – obvious points the elderly may be easily intimidated, if there's children, no swearing, and always be professional we all know some customers can be awkward but always maintain professionalism, its stands you and your company in great stead and gives your customer confidence and reassurance in their dealings with you.
As Claire from Fulcher Edwards Electrical Services says “I think it is very important for trades people these days to take pride in there appearance as gone are the days when people would except the 'builders bum' uniform in there home! A company uniform not only looks smart but it makes a statement about the caliber of business that a company conducts and the competence of its engineers.”
Tools and Equipment
Your tool box tells your customer everything about you – by the way it is organised, the cleanliness of the tools and their condition. So no grease! The last thing you want to do is put down a greasy hammer on a new cream carpet! Similarly watching you constantly looking for a tool spells out poor organisation on your part so simply, keep your tool box organised so you can find what you need easily. Also when using your tools, try to keep them in the area which you're currently working in as I've seen on so many sites, tradespeople leaving their tools spread all about the site which means that not only could your tools get lost and then cost you money to replace them, it looks terrible and messy to the customer as well as causing a potential hazard to your customer. I don't mean to preach as I've also lost numerous screwdrivers over the years as they've rolled under the floor and I've screwed the boards back down not realising they were there until later!
Electricians Schemes
As we are all more than aware Part P was introduced in 2005 and over the years since, there has been extensive TV and internet coverage as well as general campaigns to the home-owner. Every home-owner should now realise that most electrical works carried out in the home have to be carried out by a Part P registered electrician. There are electricians out there who are not on a scheme with a government body, obviously there are still ways around this like calling in your local building control officer who can arrange to have the works checked before signing them off. This really is a long winded way for the home-owner to have their electrics certified. Therefore, being on a government approved part p scheme would enhance your company profile and make the job much more straightforward and cheaper to the home-owner
Insurance
This may seem obvious but don't forget to arrange your public liability insurance – not only are you not able to join a government scheme without insurance but also you don't want to be in a tricky position of not being covered in the event of something unforeseen
Keep a Database of your Customers
Keep a brief description of the name and address of your customer as well as a brief description of the works carried out and when, as well as how much you charged. Obviously there are many pieces of software available for purchase that would do this job for you but my advice would be to create a simple spreadsheet again, if you have Microsoft Office or the likes, this would do this job quite adequately; though this type of software can get expensive so I would suggest using an open source free software called Open Office. It really is a 2 minute job to sit down at your computer say once a week and look at your spreadsheet to see if there is anyone you need to call.
Keeping on top of your Paperwork
Always seems never-ending doesn't it? The key is to not let it build up! You can do it yourself (or ask a willing family member for assistance!) If you find yourself always getting behind; as after all we are not accountants or bookkeepers, there are other ways of achieving organisation heaven by using a software like Amphis Software, designed for tradespeople, making things really simple and much quicker for creating quotes, Invoices, Contact Details, Customer notes. Remember organisation is the difference between winning that contract or wasting your time. I know from my own personal experience going to look at a job and quoting it is of course time consuming, and its a difficult task trying to find the time to write the quote up properly and in a timely manner for your customer. All too often it is forgotten and if you're very lucky you may receive a phone call to remind you but normally you lose the job as the customer will use someone who has got round to preparing their quote for them!
Tweet Yourself!
If you have not already I would strongly suggest to set yourself up a Twitter account and write about yourself and your services. The best way is to keep it real! Be personal and try not to “oversell” yourself. This is not anything that will directly cost you money but you must find the time to keep your tweets updated and keep an eye on your mentions and reply as often as you can. This makes your company not a faceless company, but very much real people, and most importantly, approachable! If you do not have the time to keep your twitter campaign updated then there are people who can do this for you, for a charge of course!
Keep yourself Available
This is one where most of us at some point or another let ourselves down. As we all know it can be really frustrating when you can't get hold of someone. When it comes to your customers it is always important to answer your calls. Of course this is not always possible if your crawling around in a loft! And in these instances it is a good idea to have a personal answer phone message and to call them back as soon as you can.
I hope that I've provided some useful starting points for your route back to organisation in 2011, and a way to enhance you and your company image. I would love to read your comments and hear of anything else that helps you all to keep organised
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