After you have successfully attracted the client, amid numerous meetings, proposals, and estimates, you have invested a lot. This customer could easily become a repeat customer or a customer who refers others, so don’t let what you have achieved fall by the wayside as the project unfolds. Try these customer service strategies to keep customers happy through all construction phases

Keep Your Customers Happy Through All Your Project’s Construction Phases: Cover the basics

To effectively manage customer relationships in the construction industry, it is crucial to have the right tools and protocols in place. These tools form the foundation for client interactions and include:

1. Contract and Communications Protocols: Adhering to the contract’s reporting and notifications requirements is essential for establishing clear communication channels with clients.

By following these protocols, you can set expectations, reduce disputes, and protect your interests.

2. Communication Channels: Utilize various communication channels such as telephone, email, messaging platforms, and your company’s website to facilitate effective and timely communication with clients.

These channels enable quick and efficient information exchange, ensuring that customer service is not compromised.

3. Project Management Software: Implement project management software that integrates seamlessly with your schedule and budget tracking systems.

This software streamlines project construction management processes, allowing for accurate and up-to-date information sharing. By using reliable and efficient software tools, you can enhance customer service and overall project performance.

By employing these basic tools and adhering to effective communication protocols, construction companies can establish strong customer relationships, minimize disputes, and deliver exceptional customer service.

Have a system

Implementing a robust customer service system is crucial for prioritizing customer satisfaction and effectively managing customer relationships in the construction industry.

Without a system in place, managing customer interactions becomes inconsistent and unreliable. Here are key elements to consider when establishing a customer service system:

1. Accurate Customer Information: Maintain a centralized database of accurate customer information that can be easily accessed to populate forms and facilitate customer communications.

This ensures that you have up-to-date contact details and relevant information at hand when interacting with clients.

2. Contact Tracing and Communication Tracking: Utilize contact tracing to track client communications based on specific topics or projects.

This allows you to maintain a comprehensive record of interactions, ensuring that you are aware of the status and history of each communication.

3. Tracking Customer Satisfaction: Monitor key aspects of customer satisfaction during the construction process.

Establish mechanisms to track events that displease customers as well as instances where your performance exceeds their expectations.

This helps identify areas for improvement and reinforces positive customer experiences.

4. Feedback Collection: Implement methods to collect customer feedback, such as periodic surveys or soliciting input during regularly scheduled meetings.

Encourage customers to provide insights and suggestions to help track issues and their resolutions. Consider using reporting tools or online survey platforms to streamline feedback collection and make it more timely.

5. Inclusive Customer Touchpoints: Ensure that your feedback system covers all customer touchpoints.

In corporate settings, interactions may occur with individuals from different departments, while homeowners often involve interactions with multiple individuals.

Gathering feedback from the entire client population provides a more accurate assessment of overall client satisfaction.

By establishing a comprehensive customer service system that incorporates accurate information management, effective communication tracking, feedback collection, and inclusive touchpoints, construction companies can enhance customer satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and foster stronger client relationships.

Define customer relationship risks

Customer relationship risks in construction refer to potential issues or challenges that can negatively impact the satisfaction, trust, and overall relationship between a construction company and its clients.

These risks can arise at different phases of a construction project and can vary depending on the project type and client’s level of construction knowledge.

By identifying and addressing these risks proactively, construction companies can mitigate or prevent them, ensuring stronger customer relationships. Here are some examples of customer relationship risks in construction:

1. Construction Disruptions: During the construction phase, activities such as increased noise, traffic, and other disturbances can irritate clients and their neighbors.

To mitigate this risk, construction companies should consider measures to reduce these irritants, communicate with clients and neighbors about the expected disruptions, and provide assistance or guidance to help them prepare for and cope with the inconveniences.

2. Closeout Concerns: As each construction phase nears its closeout, clients may become anxious about various factors.

Examples include ensuring accurate percentage completion documentation, justifying budget line items, addressing scope changes, and verifying that all third-party system checks have been successfully completed.

By proactively addressing these concerns and providing ample proof and reassurance, construction companies can instill confidence in their clients.

3. Client’s Construction Knowledge: Recognize that the level of construction knowledge and experience can vary among clients.

Homeowners who are building their first home may be more likely to misunderstand the construction process compared to corporate clients with extensive experience.

Construction companies should tailor their communication and support to meet each client’s specific needs and provide educational resources or explanations as necessary.

By anticipating and understanding these customer relationship risks at each phase of a construction project, construction companies can develop customized safeguards and strategies to address them.

This proactive approach helps foster positive customer experiences, mitigate potential complaints or misunderstandings, and strengthen the overall relationship between the construction company and its clients.

Staff training is key

Staff training plays a pivotal role in ensuring excellent customer service in construction. The interactions between your employees and clients can significantly impact the customer experience.

Instead of leaving it to chance, it is important to provide comprehensive training to your staff, emphasizing the following aspects:

1. Setting Customer Service Expectations: Clearly communicate your expectations regarding customer interactions to your employees.

Train them to be courteous, patient, and responsive when addressing customer inquiries or concerns. By setting a positive tone from the beginning, you create a customer-centric environment.

2. Energetic Communication: Train your staff to convey an accommodating and welcoming attitude through their actions and non-verbal cues.

The way your employees present themselves can influence the perception of your customer service even before any conversation takes place. Encourage a positive and approachable demeanor.

3. Accurate Information and Knowledge: Equip your team with the necessary knowledge and resources to provide accurate answers to customer inquiries.

Ensure that they are aware of where to find the most up-to-date information and how to handle different types of customer questions. This helps avoid incomplete or incorrect responses that can lead to customer service issues.

4. Response Times: Emphasize the importance of timely response to customer inquiries. While immediate or prompt responses are ideal, educate your staff on the need to manage customer expectations based on the nature of the inquiry.

Communicate when customers can expect a response and ensure that you follow through on those commitments.

Investing time and effort in staff training for customer service yields significant benefits in the long run. It Keep Your Customers Happy Through All Your Project’s Construction Phases helps maintain consistently high levels of customer satisfaction, reduces misunderstandings, and strengthens the overall customer experience. By nurturing a well-trained and customer-focused team, your construction company can differentiate itself and build lasting relationships with clients.