With over 70% of homeowners in the U.S. starting home improvement projects since the pandemic began, home service businesses are experiencing a huge spike in demand.
However, customer touchpoints can make or break your home service company’s success in landing more appointments.
The easier it is for the new home-improvement enthusiasts to ask questions, customize their service requests, and overall have a great customer experience with you, the better it is for your profit and reputation around town.
In this post, we'll explain customer touch points and their role in marketing and customer service teams. Then, we'll wrap up with a list of touch point examples and proven techniques to use at your business.
What are Customer Touch Points?
Customer touch points are the interactions taking place during the customer's service inquiry. They also take place before, during, and after the purchase has been made. You want to curate this experience to be as positive as possible – customers won’t want to come back if there’s any part of their journey with you that causes a headache.
Simplicity in your customer interactions is key, and that’s why big businesses become so… well, big. In fact, Oberlo reports:
- Shoppers are more likely to trust businesses that are easy to contact
- Difficult checkout processes (like having to create an account first) will discourage shoppers from purchasing
- If your business doesn’t have a website, it’s difficult for anyone to learn about it
An example of a customer touchpoint is your business’s online presence. Social media is the most commonly used tool for establishing an online presence, and for businesses, it can be a powerful asset. It is well worth the investment because you can speak directly to your client base, answer questions, and respond immediately to potential customer issues.
People are more likely to contact you if they see your company has an active, personable online presence because they want someone they can emotionally invest themselves in, not just a brand.
Customer Touch Point Examples
Although this may just sound like corporate language, home service businesses depend on customer touchpoints just as much as any other business.
Touch Points for Plumbers
Shopping
- Is there more than one way to contact this business?
- Does this business have a website?
- Do they have social media where I can see other people interacting positively with them?
- What are their reviews like?
Booking
- Was it simple to schedule?
- Did they call me right away after I put in my request?
- Are there any contracts? If so, can someone help me understand it?
- Did I have to wait a while for confirmation?
Dispatch
- Are the plumbers coming at a specific time, or is it a time window?
- If I’m unsatisfied with the work done, is it easy to speak to someone?
- Do the equipment and mobile devices the plumber is using seem up to date?
- Is the plumber kind and respectful?
- How long did the job take?
Payment
- If I want more work done in the future, will I be rewarded for being a loyal customer?
- Did I receive an invoice there on the spot?
- Am I able to understand the price? Can someone help me if I don’t?
- Is there a referral program?
Touch Points for HVAC
Shopping
- Do I have to call, or can I place a scheduling request?
- Does the business have a website?
- Do they have social media where I can see other people interacting positively with them?
- What are their reviews like?
Booking
- How big of a scheduling window is it?
- Was it easy to schedule an appointment?
- Did I have to wait a while for confirmation?
Dispatch
- Did the HVAC tech arrive at a decent time?
- How long did it take for my AC to be fixed? If it took a while, did they communicate why?
- If I’m unsatisfied with the work done, is it easy to speak to someone?
- Do the equipment and mobile devices the HVAC tech is using seem up to date?
- Was the tech kind to me?
Payment
- If I want more work done in the future, will I be rewarded for being a loyal customer?
- Did I receive an invoice there on the spot?
- Am I able to understand the price? Can someone help me if I don’t?
- Is there a referral program?
Touch Points for Electricians
Shopping
- Are they easy to contact?
- Does the business have a website?
- Do they have social media where I can see other people interacting positively with them?
- What are their reviews like?
Booking
- Was it simple to schedule?
- Did they call me right away after I put in my request?
- Did I have to wait a while for confirmation?
Dispatch
- Did the electricians arrive on time?
- Do I need to provide any extra tools for them?
- If I’m unsatisfied with the work done, is it easy to speak to someone?
- Is the electrician communicative about any mistakes or delays during the job?
Payment
- If I want more work done in the future, will I be rewarded for being a loyal customer?
- Did I receive an invoice there on the spot?
- Am I able to understand the price? Can someone help me if I don’t?
- Is there a referral program?
How to Improve Your Customer Touchpoints
If you noticed, almost all of the customer touch points for home services, no matter the trade, are super similar. That’s because the client journeys are mostly the same– finding your business, booking the job, getting the job completed, and paying.
For the most part, customers aren’t sure what the difference between a bad and a good job is, so unless their wall sockets explode, you’re in the clear. But that means the way you keep your customer base growing is through…Basically, everything else.
Here are some strategies to keep the booking process painless.
Streamline Your Process
Nobody wants to request a home service online and wait 48 hours to hear back. And even if that happens, nobody wants a tech to show up at their house, look at the job, and run back home to drum up an estimate. The main focus here is waiting and how you should do all you can to eliminate as much wait time and extra steps as possible.
When customers book online and your business calls to confirm, send an email confirmation after the conversation ends. Remind your customers ahead of time with text or email notifications, so they don’t forget their own appointment.
After the job is completed, skip the paper process and have a digital signature pad ready for payment. Simplify the forms and agreements, so the customer actually understands what they’re signing. Not only will they not have to wait, but streamlining your invoicing process will guarantee quicker pay.
Communication
If it’s hard to reach you, you won’t secure the booking. Customers don’t see what your home service business is doing on the job, but they won’t care much if they aren’t walked through what’s going on.
Most people under 40 don’t like calling businesses unless absolutely necessary, they prefer online options. Businesses like Amazon take advantage of this by making their website instantaneous in service with features like the one-click buying button. Of course, you’re not an e-commerce site, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take notes on the fast simplicity of the feature.
If your business doesn’t have a website, you should absolutely make one or pay another business owner to do it for you. If you do have a website, use an e-booking service to simplify your customer’s experience in making a service request, and call back ASAP to confirm the request and date they wanted. Minimize how wide the time windows are for their service (not a single person wants a 7am - 7pm estimate.)
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to tell your customer what’s happening during the job. If a mistake happens, own up to it and let them know what you will do to fix it. If the job is going to take longer than originally anticipated, be forthcoming. The more positive the actual human interaction is between you and the customer, the more likely they’ll return for future projects.
Prioritize the Customer Experience
Home services are always in demand, especially during a global pandemic, but the difference between a good service provider and a great one is how they handle the customer experience. Improving your customer touch points is mutually beneficial and can broaden your loyal customer base to new horizons.
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