We started using call em all at the start of 2008. Like most of you, we call our customers a week prior to there scheduled service to remind them that we will be on their property and to remove any screens if that applies. We have found that our customers really like that part of the service. When we first started we would physically call everyone and no problem. However as our customer base grew calling everyone proved to be time too consuming and a pain. We currently average 55 customers per week. Call em all cost 0.30 per call and after you have created your data base it takes just minutes to launch 50 to 60 calls.
The part I like best is the prerecorded message you leave your client. Our goal was to make it a ten second commercial.
"Hi this is Noble window cleaning reminding you that your windows are to be cleaned next week. Don"t forget N.W.C. does interiors, light fixtures, ceiling fans and chandeliers, for a complete list of services please visit our website at www…"
In September we start reminding our clients to schedule early for fall gutter clean outs. Many times after the call list is launched customers will call and say “hey” can you catch my interiors while your out or clean a light fixture or clean the gutters.
Mixed emotions about that one.
What I like :
Auto-pilot, so you can keep doing other things
up-sell without being pushy .
professional approach.
what I don’t like :
Not dealing directly with the customer, so it’s kind of unpersonalized .
(personal opinion) you might be bumping up your chances to have customers to re-schedule, I used to call to remind them and every now and then you get the " I have a doctor’s app. or this and that", now I make it clear for them to write it down on their calendars, and once you’re there they most like won’t try to re-schedule, but again, is personal preference and experience
George, I call the nite before if they have screens, otherwise I just show up on monthly/bimonthly, quarterly, etc accts…I kinda like your idea of the recorded message and i love the suggestive selling you use, I’m going to steal that idea;) and put some of my other services on my answering machine, especially the fall gutter cleaning reminder
You will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
George, had to tell you- Ive already picked up an add on interior lite fixture job with an existing customer just by putting my extra services on my answering machine…she said she didnt even realize we did that too…thanks:D
I agree with some of the things you don’t like. When Call Em All was first pitched to me, my biggest concern was the reminder causing cancellations. However after nine months of using it those concerns proved to be unfounded. Sure, we get our share of cancellations and reschedules like most of us do, but nothing out of the ordinary. The reminder has in fact helped increase our sales of service.
As far as being impersonal, I agree to a point. I am old school. I would rather talk to a customer on the phone and listen to what their needs are or better yet meet them in person, shake their hand look them in the eye and again listen carefully to what they need. For example, when we first launched our web site and we would get on line estimate requests I would put them below our phone in requests. More or less treating them like second class estimates. This jurassic thought process was a mistake. I soon realized we were closing 8 out of 10 on line requests, sometimes without ever meeting or speaking to the customer. All done thru e-mail. Impersonal? yes. E-commerce at its best? yes.
George,
Thanks for the lead. Looks like a great resource!
George,
Some good information in that post. Thanks! One question…
Scenario:What if the house is huge and its an out only scheduled. Customer hears that you do all of those add ons and wants them done during the service call. You have two additional jobs that are scheduled for later that day. How do you handle it when they want it done and there is not enough time in the day to complete it because you have already filled the days slots with other work. I love to upsell when I can but my time frames are somewhat tight. Do you go back on another date? Are they ok with that or do they just say forget the additional stuff I requested?
Steve
Steve,
Our #1 up sell from the call em all is " Can you do our interiors while your here to do the outside?" 90% of the time we can do those interiors with out creating scheduling chaos. We do that by calling in extra help for that day, my niece, wife, sister all pitch in to help the company and earn some cash. There are a few jobs that do need to be rescheduled due to the scope of work. I find that those customers are almost always okay with that.
#2 up sell is “can you clean the gutters while your here?” 100% of the time we do them. Normally only takes 15 minutes and why make a second trip? These add on services can make for a longer day but usually every one is ok with it.
Thought I would bring this back out of the archives. Another member in a WCRA members only thread asked how we send out our reminders. Call em All is the way to go. I incorrectly quoted .30 cents a call in an above reply. The actual cost is .09 cents a call. It’s a great tool to have and the feed back from our clients regarding this value added feature has been 100% positive. You can create a pre recorded message and broadcast it to your scheduled clients.
any reason you chose calls over postcards (pest control model)?
Sounds it like it just says next week, vs any individual specific day or time reminders, am I correct?
good resource, thanks for sharing
George, After you mentioned them in the other post I’ve already inquired and had questions on how to set one message. You answered it here in your first post. I’m think this will save me loads of time and love the idea. Bookmarking the thread to study later.
Thanks again for sharing.
Bruce, sending postcards as a reminder would just not be feasible. We will average close to 100 residential exterior cleanings a week in peak season. Call Em All is just click and launch once your customer is in your data base. We can actually create a broadcast today and set the launch for a date in March.
Thanks Noble George,
Calling clients has become too time consuming and what I look forward to the least. Will have to look into it!
I use Robocalls, Voice Broadcasting, and Mass Notification Made Easy - DialMyCalls.com to send out messages for my snow removal accounts, so everyone knows what’s going on with the storm and what my game plan is. They are around $.10 each and even have an android app so you can send them while you’re on the road. Very handy.
Very cool idea that I am going to have to implement - plus I love the suggestive sale. Beautiful!
