Effective Post-Project Communication is Good Business
When a project ends, another phase of your relationship with your Customer begins. Keeping in touch after your work is done is a great way to create both repeat and new Customers. It’s also a good practice that can help build and maintain your reputation. Home improvement providers who fail to do this are missing a powerful Customer relationship and marketing tool.
You can reserve some of the post-project items for larger, more complex services, but it’s always a good practice to thank the Customer for thinking of you and for the opportunity to serve their needs and remind them to contact you when they need additional services.
Post-project communications do not have to be time-consuming and, if you use a Customer relationship management (CRM) program, many of the steps can be automated. Here are some basic suggestions to help you create your post-project communications plan:
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Meet with your Customer. Review the work that was done and answer any questions they may have. For small, basic services, this can be handled by the technician. For larger projects, a manager may wish to schedule a separate meeting.
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Send a Thank You Email. The basic and first step for small projects. Keep it short and simple.
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Make a Follow-Up Call. Depending on the project, this should occur a week or two after completion. It’s just a quick call to be sure all is well and to answer any questions.
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Gather Feedback with a Survey. You may wish to create and send a brief survey to each Customer. The survey should provide Customers with the opportunity to make specific comments.
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Showcase Their Project. If the project results warrant special attention, ask for permission to share "before and after" photos on social media and your website.
Your post-project communications plan does not have to be complex. Although it is important to keep in touch with Customers when the work is done, it’s also important not to inundate them with calls and emails. Just let them know you care about providing the best possible service.