So we are sitting across the table from the property manager as he/she asked the typical questions…” Will my grass be mowed weekly?”, answer: “why of course,” “will my beds be weed-free?”, answer: “of course they will be, we weed continually,” “will my grass be green?”, “why, of course, we use only the best fertilizer,” and the last question asked is the most important one…” will you manage the property, or will I have to manage you?” The answer, “why of course, we will manage the property, we are a proactive company, and we strive to deliver communication in this fashion.” Now that all is said, why do properties most often transition? A common answer is ‘communication.’
‘Being different really comes through in how you communicate your performance.’
Have you ever felt that — despite your best efforts — you and a client sometimes really struggle to connect? This situation can often lead to frustration on both sides. Sometimes it is a personality issue, just not connecting personality-wise, or sometimes a difference in communication. Regardless of the reason, you must bridge the gap. Your client may know exactly what they want but has no idea what it takes to accomplish what they have even hired you to do. Have you ever lost a job simply due to a communication bridge? I think all of us have at some point on our journey.
Bridging the gap-
A successful landscape-snow business is composed of many elements – so many, in fact, that it is rare for one person to master them all. That is why your client has hired you — they are relying on the expertise of your team. While your work is familiar to them, the work process may be completely unknown to them, and as such, they may have unrealistic expectations.
Mastering this mantra will help get you further down the road; ‘Quality work is not an exception, it is a daily expectation.’
Service delivery…
Differentiating your brand from others through service delivery…is simply creating differentiated customer service experiences to stay ahead of the competition. Companies must take customer experiences to the next level. In the landscape-snow industry, like many service industries, you must create uniquely engaging experiences across the entire customer journey to maximize account retention and build a loyal following.
Proactive communication is the simplest tool available to keep customers informed, enabling us to proactively contact them rather than having to wait for them to contact us. Think about it…Great Service and Great Communication; this is the block on the foundation to build a winning organization!
Looking for a good book on the subject, suggested reading;
- The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It Paperback – by Michael E. Gerber
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