“Your tech didn’t show up today.”
Every pool business owner has heard that from a customer at some point. So, when it happens, how will you respond?
You’re busy all day. Whether you spend most of your time in backyards or in the office, operating a great pool service company takes lots of time and attention. You can’t be everywhere or see everything all the time, and that means hiring staff you can trust to help keep the business machine running smoothly.
But while Trust is key, it has a big brother, and that brother’s name is Verify. As the business owner or administrator, there are certain things you just have to know for sure. And beyond just knowing, you have to have proof. With many pool owners demanding greater engagement with their pool professional and the services provided, this is now more crucial than ever.
So, when a customer accuses your tech of leaving their pool unserviced, what can you do? Or the more important question – what can you prove? And how can having this information be good for you, too? Here’s why it’s absolutely critical for you to be able to prove, with rock-solid evidence, that your tech was on-site and that they did the work.
Five reasons why proof of service matters:
- Response to a customer’s accusation or complaint. While there are other benefits we’ll talk about, this one is the most obvious. Maybe they were home all day and believe they couldn’t have missed the tech’s arrival. Maybe it’s a windy day and the pool area doesn’t look like they expected it to after receiving service. Whatever the reason, if they believe they were shorted on service, a simple testimonial from you or the tech will not be enough to convince them. You need hard evidence that cannot be disputed. If you can provide that, it directly helps with the second reason, which is....
- Customer satisfaction. If you can prove that your tech was on-site, and if that proof also demonstrates the specific work they completed, this goes a long way toward building the customer’s trust in you and your company, and in the services you provide. As their trust grows, so will their satisfaction. And as an added benefit, if you can show evidence of the tech’s work on the first challenge, the customer may be less likely to make such an accusation again in the future. After all, you’ve already demonstrated that the service you provide is verifiable.
- Defense against insurance claims. When something goes wrong, a pool owner may be inclined to blame your company, assuming that it must be because the tech did something wrong or that they didn’t provide service at all. So it’s easy to then leap to the assumption that any problem with the pool is your tech’s fault. But if you can prove that your tech serviced the pool every time, and can produce details of each service provided, it can be exactly what you need to defend against any claims of your liability. Saving and storing service history will allow you to put your focus back on where it needs to be instead of wasting time and stress in long, drawn-out conflict with your customer.
- Cost of labor and quality assurance. Every dollar matters to your business. If you’re paying a tech to do a job, you want to make sure that the work was actually performed and that the tech’s performance meets your expectations. This helps ensure that both you and your customer are getting what you pay for.
- Peace of mind. As was said at the beginning, you’re busy. You can’t always be there to look over a tech’s shoulder. Having access to proof that quality work was performed as expected every time is priceless. It means you can focus on your own work or growing your business, knowing that the proof will be there whenever you or the customer require it.
Prove you were there!
Now you have the reasons why. What about the how? Since proof of tech activity is so critical, what’s the absolute best way to get it?
Skimmer to the rescue!
With Skimmer’s pool service software, you can assign work to your techs, customize their task lists, log chemical readings & dosages, and track their work as it’s completed. You can also require your techs to attach photos to each service record. Skimmer requires them to be on-site to do this – they cannot upload old photos from their device. Skimmer can also send a customized service reports to the customer when a job is finished, with photos attached. This provides proof to you and your customers that the tech was on-site to perform the work. This feature alone can significantly reduce the number of phone calls you receive and create happier, more loyal customers.
If you do happen to receive an occasional call, you can view service history with dates and photos from anywhere, whether you’re at home, in the office, or even on vacation!
Are you curious how Skimmer can help you grow your business? We’re here to answer your questions! Reach out via phone (480) 718-2158 or email support@getskimmer.com and our staff will be happy to help. Want to see Skimmer in action? View the demo.
Modernize your pool service business! Sign up today.
