About half a century ago, central air conditioning was taking off as the coolest thing in the neighborhood – at least in homes that were upgrading from window units. So, installers began to install. Right after that, service departments began to take care of their customers’ new systems.
Marketers see this every day – how service and installation work hand in hand to keep your foot in the door.
Service is in a sense a Customer Retention strategy. Just think – if you only installed equipment, you’d only have repeat customers every 10 to 40 years (depending on what you’re installing). Or maybe you’d never have repeat customers – unless you’re sure your customer would really say, “Yeah, we called them two decades ago. Let’s get them on the phone again.”
Service grows your business because it gets you back in the home again and again after installation. Or it gives you a chance to provide timely repairs on equipment you didn’t install, giving you the inroad to the replacement. That’s why service is profit center but also a marketing strategy.
Importantly, it’s not a static kind of business. As consumer needs evolve and change, your service to customers can evolve and change. That’s why HVAC contractors have grown the IAQ side of their business. As word reached homeowner ears about the poor quality of their indoor air, and how it could be creating dangers or exacerbating allergies and asthma, smart contractors answered their concern.
Surge protection and electrical safety inspections are the kind of services that grow electrical contractor businesses. Water heater maintenance and plumbing inspections give plumbing contractors an entry point. And Maintenance Agreements give all marketers a steady supply of service opportunities.
Are there services you can add for consumers who like convenience, safety, comfort, reliability and good value?