First impressions are everything. You have definitely heard that before, and that’s why preparation before meeting a potential client at their space is imperative.
Walk-throughs allow you to begin building a relationship with a client and build a solid foundation with them for the future. To win their business, you have to be attentive, detailed, and engaging. A walk-through is the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate to your prospective customer that you will meet all of their requirements and needs. Creating a detailed checklist to guide you during walk-throughs can ensure you are collecting the vital information to create accurate bids and an accurate scope of work for your teams. Below are three tips to improve your walk-through process and create a strong checklist.
Tip No. 1: Become an Expert Note-Taker
You should thoroughly inspect every room the client shows you. For each room you go through, record detailed notes you can refer to when it is time to create your bid. For each room, record the square footage of the area, the breakdown of the floor type (carpet, VCT, hardwood, etc.), and add notes about areas of concern. For example, if the client mentions the soap dispensers in the bathrooms always have fingerprints on them, make a note about that. Smooth out any details in regard to personal items left on desks or building security. Ask the client about any problems they are experiencing with their current contractor. Get as many details as possible in regard to high-traffic areas and focus on the client’s expectations and what they consider clean.
This is also an opportune time to upsell any additional services you provide, such as floor care or window cleaning. If your notes are organized and specific, then you can properly address them in your proposal.
Tip No. 2: Improve Your Process
Initially, this sounds like a lot of information to collect while at the same time, engaging with the customer. Walk-throughs are an art and becoming a walk-through expert takes time. However, organizing your checklist beforehand and following a standard process will get your skills up to speed much quicker.
A powerful way to improve capturing all the data is to modernize how you collect it. It is time to move away from pen and paper. Digitally capturing and organizing your walk-through notes can be performed with various mobile apps on your phone. One way to impress clients and show that you sincerely care about providing them the best service is methodically taking photos of pain points they call out and attaching notes to them on your smartphone. This makes them feel like their specific needs will be addressed. Having pictures of the client’s space assists with the proposal creation as well, since you can visually reference key areas (not to mention, it will help cut down on having to go back to the client’s space if they ask for additional services).
Tip No. 3: Assess the Impact of Innovation
New technology is having a large impact on production, time, and costs. I send new clients an optional questionnaire after my company wins a job and one of the questions asks, “Was the use of mobile software during the walk-through a factor in selecting us to service your location?” About two-thirds of the responses come back with a defiant “yes.”
Implementing technology to streamline and digitalize walk-throughs can improve sales while simultaneously making internal operations more efficient. Create a great first impression with a client while also making your daily operations easier by embracing a tech-forward approach.
