Sales Byte®

The Second Sales Step You Can’t Skip

Using the Home Comfort Survey is vital in creating, what you hope, is a lifetime business relationship with your new client. When this is properly done there are many benefits:

• The cautious homeowner may be assured they found a reputable person from a reputable company.
• The “multiple-bid” homeowner may decide to stop calling around for more.
• The time-sensitive homeowner may set aside more time than they otherwise would have
• All homeowners may get the important first impression that your company is different, in a good way, from others.
• Your customer will feel like they’ve been “listened to”.

My favorite appointment-setting script that sets the stage for this process: “Sure, we’ll be glad to help you. This is a big decision that impacts the entire family for many years. What our comfort advisor, Rick, will do is ask you to help him take a brief survey of your home, he’ll write down what you want to have in your new system, and he’ll be prepared to create some customized choices for you and anyone else you might want to join you. This usually takes an hour maybe more depending your questions. Rick can be there either 5 PM tomorrow night or 2 PM on Wednesday, which of those might be better for you?"

Once the time is picked, then ask, “May I send you a confirming email with some information you may find interesting, and I’ll include some of Rick’s background information as well.”

This is a nice, non-pushy way to get someone’s email address! Include a reminder that you will be asking them to survey the home and answer some questions.

Good Selling.

Other stories

Find Gold on Any Service Call

By Mark Sims

Your existing service customers offer the best opportunity to generate replacement equipment sales.  With today’s energy efficient and comfortable equipment, there is a strong and compelling story on why someone would consider replacing equipment rather than repairing it any time there is a significant repair cost on older equipment.  Our customers expect us to provide them with this information.

One of the most effective tools to communicate this is a Repair vs. Replace Cost of Ownership Analysis.  Tom teaches this method in his training seminars. Unfortunately this opportunity is too often ignored due to the difficulty of completing the analysis in a timely and professional manner.

What if your service techs could produce this customized Repair vs. Replace Cost of Ownership analysis in just a couple of minutes while completing the service estimate for the client? That is possible today as just one of the many integrated features available with TRUST PRO® online!  The tech only needs to fill in four (4) pieces of information specific to the client’s unique situation and click print.  The rest of the information is predetermined and set by you.   Will every client seriously consider replacement as an alternative?  No, but none will if not given the Choice®.

Mark Sims is President of Chameleon Management Solutions, Inc. and is the creator of TRUST PRO® online, the only fully functioning online HVAC contracting business management software.

Financing: Rates and Payments Fundamentals: 1 of 2

By David Piscitelli

Financing…if you don’t have it or don’t use it, you are missing out.  The average consumer does not have $10,000 or $20,000 available in cash to spend on home energy improvements and systems.  But that is often what it takes to get them the best system to best address their concerns and desires.  Sure, they can charge it…but with credit cards and rates being what they are the last few years, consumers are much more leery of using unsecured, revolving debt.  Education is on the rise, and people know that can get them in trouble.  So how do we help? 

We must offer better financing CHOICES.  Loans through credit unions and other lenders reflect better rates and terms on a credit score than credit card debt, and give a consumer a fixed rate and payment they can plan for.  Credit cards do not offer this in our ever-changing world.  We must be be a one-stop shop for the client to earn the right to make the sale.

When leads are slow, every opportunity is even much more critical to maximize.  The only way to give your customers a way to own and receive the benefits of what they want now is through financing.  So what financing will work best? Stay tuned.

David Piscitelli is a retail sales professional with a highly sales-oriented HVAC and home improvement contractor in the Pacific Northwest. Over 80% of his sales include financing of some form. He can be reached at david@sellingtrust.com.

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