There is a game changing tool at your fingertips that I bet you aren’t using to its full potential. In fact, you might not be using it at all. And did I mention it’s free?

Your team is already carrying the pieces they need with them to make this work, so why not change a few procedures and get the most out of it. What am I talking about? I’m talking about free screen recording apps for your mobile devices.

Most home service technicians have long been taking pictures with their mobile phones and tablets in order to better explain a situation to a customer (or potential customer). Those pictures are also great for when you have to refer back to the job while sharing information or to keep for future reference. But with a simple free app and the push of a "button,” you can turn those pictures into so much more.

Downloadable screen recording apps capture both the pictures on your smartphone or tablet as well as the conversation that you are having with your customer and turn it all into a single saved file.

What’s so game changing about this? Here are just three significant applications.

SALES AND MARKETING

How many times have you had what felt like a very successful sales call only to have it fall apart because the other decision maker in the family didn’t understand the information being relayed to them? And why would they? The person you met with isn’t the expert — you are! How could the person be expected to relay technical information he or she may never have been previously exposed to someone who is really only worried about how much it’s going to cost?

How much time (money) is being spent on having the same conversation a second and third time just because of details being misunderstood? In this day and age, where almost everyone is comfortable receiving an email and clicking on a file, the ability to send a recorded file showing the pictures and providing your first hand explanation of the situation is an opportunity you can’t afford not to start taking advantage of.

Not only will this process provide a better way of sharing information, but it also allows your customer to access the information whenever they want instead of having to wait for you to get back to them. No more running to your truck to return a call to customer No. 1 while finishing up with customer No. 2. Or worse, while trying to follow the GPS to customer No. 3's house.

COACHING AND TRAINING

Sure you ride along with your technicians to provide training and make sure they’re doing a good job. But what you’re really seeing is how they do on their best behavior when they know the boss is watching. By making the screen recording a regular part of every sales call, your technicians will get used to it very quickly and you will be able to get a more accurate picture of how they work.

How can you get your team the coaching and training they need to be the best if you don’t know what their true challenges are?

It’s also a great way to review your own sales calls. Many times what we meant to say and what we actually said are two completely different things. While listening to yourself can be torturous at first, having a recording like this to share with a coach can help you improve in ways like nothing else will.

COVER YOUR BUTT

The truth of the matter is, while we all seem to complain about it and wish it was different, we live in a very litigious society. People are not only quick to get mad they’re even quicker to blame someone else for it.

A recording of not only the pictures, but also the conversation that outlines the work that is recommended and the work that is being agreed upon can help solve any potential “he said / she said” misunderstandings.

In the unfortunate circumstance of an insurance company trying to offload the liability for covering a claim for one reason or another,it can be comforting to know you have your details well documented.

DO IT THE RIGHT WAY

In most states, it is illegal to record someone without their knowledge. But with just a sentence or two, you can make sure you are doing this the right way.

Before getting into the “meat” of the sales call, make sure you explain to the customer that you’re going to record this piece of the conversation and send them the file so they will have it for future reference or just for their records. Almost nobody will say “no” to that when you do it as a natural part of your process.

Once you start the recording, remind them again that the conversation is being recorded with a simple, “Mrs. Smith, as I mentioned previously, this part of our conversation is being recorded, right?” And again, the almost automatic response will be a quick “yes.”

The technician should then go right into the conversation. The client will quickly become just as comfortable with the recording as your team is. This is not new in the world of customer service — it’s just a different way to apply it.

And if someone says they’re really uncomfortable being recorded, it's no big deal! Just don’t record that appointment and proceed as usual.

With the investment of just a little time spent learning about these tools, you can take some big steps forward.

Publication date: 9/12/2018

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