For 2016, Charlie Greer will cover the steps to running superior service calls. Here is the first installment.
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Immediately after running a call, mentally review what went right and what went wrong. Think about what was said, and practice out loud presenting the same product you just did on the last call, but trying to do it better.
If you have to wait on dispatch, you can do what I did, which was take out a blank sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle, and list “What went wrong,” on one side, and “What went right” on the other.
Good salespeople are goal setters. When you know your average dollars per call and per day, you can set realistic sales goals that tend to increase over time. Accuracy counts, so keep a written sales log. Recording your numbers in your sales log one at a time as your day progresses keeps your sales goals foremost in your mind.
Keep a Sales Log
Even in these days of digital technology, I find many people are still using a good, old-fashioned printed planner. For an instructional video on how to use a printed planner to stay organized, set your sales goals, and keep track of your numbers, you can view the first video of “Tec Daddy’s Service Technician Survival School on DVD,” for free at http://youtu.be/MAtayYbOL-o.
Five months after I released that video, I received a telephone call from a man who was the service manager over 30 technicians. This company posts everyone’s sales figures on a whiteboard in the training room. He called to tell me that, at his weekly service meeting, he asked the group who was keeping a sales log in the manner I described in the video. Of his 30 techs, 15 raised their hands. He instantly noticed a pattern. The 15 guys who raised their hands also happened to have the highest sales figures.
Drive Time
Spending an average of three hours per day driving between calls is over 750 hours per year that you’ll spend behind the wheel. Include the time spent driving when you’re on your own time, we’re talking more like 1,000 hours per year. Over a
30-year period, that’s over 30,000 hours you’ll spend driving.
Just one hour of drive time per day practicing and studying salesmanship would equal a good 250 hours per year.
If you’re like most people in our business, that time is wasted listening to the radio or music, or arguing with people on your cell phone.
Drive time can and should be the most productive part of your day, if you’ll only let it happen.
Don’t do anything to irritate yourself, like listening to sports talk radio.
In terms of your earning potential, the ability to close sales is your most important ability. Strive to become the best communicator (salesperson) you can. Good salespeople are not born, they are made. The way to get good at sales is to study and practice your salesmanship. The most practical way to do that is to listen to sales training between calls.
Just one hour of drive time per day practicing and studying salesmanship would equal a good 250 hours per year. That’s a lot of sales training. Imagine how much better you’d be in just a short period of time.
Creative Visualization
About 10 minutes before your estimated time of arrival, do some creative visualization, where you turn off the audio training and, just kind of visualize:
1. The initial introduction going well.
2. The customer being cheerful, cooperative and receptive.
3. You projecting confidence, a positive level of expectation and professionalism, and making good eye contact.
4. The diagnosis going well.
5. The presentation going well.
6. The customer listening, believing you, wanting their problems resolved, and buying.
7. The work going well.
8. The paperwork, the collecting and the final summary with the customer going well.
Positive Affirmations
Program your subconscious for success by doing some “positive affirmations,” like: “I am a good technician. I am an excellent salesman. I am a good communicator. I am successful. I am positive. I am intelligent. I am confident. I project authority. I make excellent eye contact. I am good with people. I accomplish my goals. Everybody buys from me. People believe me, and find me interesting. I get along well with others. I am healthy. I enjoy my work.” . . . And things of that nature.
All that beats listening to talk radio, music, or talking on a cell phone. And, now that you’re in a healthy frame of mind, you’re ready to run the call.
CHARLIE GREER has got you covered. Get organized and log your sales in the “Official Tec Daddy Planner,” and get your sales training by listening to his “Slacker’s Guide to HVAC Sales.” For more information, call 1-800-963-HVAC (4822) or go to hvacprofitboosters.com. Email Charlie at [email protected].