The challenging part of securing the client is already behind you. With numerous meetings, proposals, and estimates, you have invested a great deal. This customer has the potential to become a repeat client or refer others, so don’t let your progress slip away as the project progresses. Implement these customer service strategies to maintain happy customers throughout all construction phases.
Table of contents
Construction Phases: Address the fundamentals
Effective customer relationship management in construction necessitates the use of appropriate tools for client interactions. These tools begin with the contract and communication protocols. By adhering to the reporting and notification requirements specified in the contract, you establish a solid foundation for communication. Both you and the client will benefit from having set standards to follow, reducing disputes and safeguarding your interests.
Your toolkit should encompass telephone, email, messaging, website, and project management software, along with integrations to the schedule and budget. If your tools are not accurate and up to date, your customer service will be compromised right from the start.
Establish a system
A customer service system places the customer at the forefront. Without one, your efforts to manage customer relationships will be hit-or-miss at best.
Begin by maintaining accurate customer information that can be readily accessed to populate forms and customer communications. Utilizing contact tracing to track client communications based on topics ensures you always have a record of interactions and are aware of their status.
During the construction process, there are important customer aspects that need to be monitored. For instance, you want to be aware of any incidents that displease the customer, as well as instances where your performance exceeds their expectations.
Periodic surveys can be used to gather the customer’s impressions, or you can request feedback during regularly scheduled meetings. Once clients know that you value their input, they are more likely to provide insights that help you track issues and their resolutions.
Another option is to utilize a reporting tool. By providing clients with a customer service report form that can be quickly and easily completed to provide timely feedback, or by utilizing online survey tools, you can receive feedback promptly.
Regardless of the feedback system you employ, ensure that all customer touchpoints are included. For example, when dealing with corporate clients, you and your team are likely to interact with individuals from various departments. When working with homeowners, you often engage with at least two individuals. Gathering impressions from the entire client base allows for the most accurate assessment of client satisfaction.
Construction Phases: Identify Risks in Customer Relationships
Every phase of a construction project carries potential customer service risks. By recognizing them at the project’s outset, you can either prevent or avoid causing them. Certain project types pose higher customer service risks during demolition and closeout, while others may threaten customer relationships more during the building envelope or foundation Construction Phases. Consider the triggers for customer complaints at each construction step.
As construction commences, increased noise, traffic, and other construction-related inconveniences will impact your clients and their neighbors. How can you minimize these irritations or assist people in preparing for them? As each Construction Phases nears completion, what factors might cause client anxiety? Do you possess sufficient evidence of percentage completion? Is there a budget item that requires justification? What additional reassurances can be provided to the client to demonstrate that you are meeting their updated scope changes? Have all third-party system checks met their objectives by the end?
Identifying customer service risks prior to each Construction Phases enables you to anticipate potential pain points rather than responding reactively. This is also an opportunity to incorporate tailored safeguards based on your client’s construction knowledge. A homeowner who has never built a house before is likely to have a higher risk of misunderstanding the process compared to a corporate client with extensive building experience.
Construction Phases: Staff training is crucial
The effectiveness of your customer service efforts relies on every individual who interacts with your clients. While you might hope that your curt carpenter won’t become impatient when faced with obvious questions from customers, it’s best not to take chances. When your employees comprehend your expectations for customer interactions, you establish the tone of your customer service.
Consider the implicit message conveyed by your company in the spaces between words. Do you appear accommodating or distant and secretive? The tone of your customer service can significantly impact the outcome of customer interactions long before any verbal communication takes place.
Simultaneously, every member of your team should know how to obtain the most accurate answers for various types of customer inquiries. Incomplete responses or misinformation should not exacerbate customer service issues.
Lastly, prioritize response times. Ideally, you should respond immediately or within a few hours. However, the nature of the customer’s inquiry will determine the time required to gather the necessary information for an accurate response. Inform the customer when they can expect a reply and follow through on that commitment. Enhancing your customer service requires additional time and effort, but the benefits are invaluable in the long run.
Asia Pacific Projects: Your Trusted Partner for Comprehensive Construction Management Services
At Asia Pacific Projects, we recognize that managing customer relationships in construction is crucial for the success of your projects. We provide comprehensive construction management solutions to help you cover all the bases and effectively communicate with your clients. Our services are designed to streamline your processes and create a positive experience for both you and your customers.
By adhering to the highest standards of communication and documentation, we ensure that your customer interactions start off on the right foot. Our team utilizes advanced tools and technology, including project management software, to keep your project on track and your customer service at its best. We believe that accurate and up-to-date information is vital to delivering exceptional customer service, and we make it a priority to provide you with the necessary tools for success.
Moreover, we understand the importance of having a robust customer service system in place. Our experienced professionals work closely with you to develop a tailored system that puts your customers at the forefront. We help you track customer feedback, manage expectations, and address any concerns promptly. By actively seeking customer input and implementing effective communication channels, we ensure that your customers feel heard and valued throughout the construction process.
Identifying customer service risks is essential to proactively prevent any issues that may arise during construction. Our team at Asia Pacific Projects is well-versed in recognizing and mitigating potential risks at each Construction Phases of the project. Whether it’s minimizing construction-related inconveniences or providing extra reassurances during critical milestones, we work closely with you to anticipate and address customer pain points.
Additionally, we place great importance on staff training and the role it plays in delivering exceptional customer service. Our team members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to interact with your clients professionally and courteously. We understand that every interaction counts, and we strive to set the right tone in all customer interactions, ensuring that your customers feel valued and well-supported.
With Asia Pacific Projects as your construction management partner, you can rest assured that your projects will be handled with the utmost care and attention to detail. We are committed to providing you with the highest level of customer service, enhancing your reputation and fostering long-term customer relationships.
Please send information or requests that you need to consult for Asia Pacific Projects via:
NGUYEN THI HIEU | Local Relations
Mobile phone: +84 918 331 489
Email: hieu.nguyen@appmvn.com