When was the last time you needed to call for help with a home repair? If you’re like many homeowners, you may not remember the exact date you needed to request assistance, but you’re hoping it was the last time you’ll ever need to ask for help.
Unfortunately, a lot of people may be reluctant to call HVAC companies because they don’t like the thought of having a stranger in or around their home. They also may be intimidated by what they think an HVAC repair or system replacement may cost.
If you can relate to how many homeowners feel, then you already know showing up on someone’s doorstep and hitting them with a high-dollar estimate for a repair or system replacement isn’t the best way to win their business. Instead of using a service approach when you meet with clients and prospects, you’ll enjoy more success by adopting a consultative approach.
Establish Rapport
In general, consumers don’t just want you to sell them something even if they need or want your products or services. In many instances, the relationship you establish with a prospect is just as important, if not more important, than your products or services.
To establish a relationship with a prospect, you need to create a rapport with the person before you start discussing business. You can ask how their day is going, comment on their landscaping, or tell them how much you admire their neighborhood. The goal is to show your prospect you’re not a salesperson who’s trying to get them to buy a piece of HVAC equipment or pay for a service. You want to demonstrate you’re a person just like they are — you’re just an individual who just happens to work in the HVAC industry.
Ask Questions
The most effective way to figure out a prospect’s real problem isn’t by inspecting their HVAC system. The smartest method is to ask the person about their actual needs. While the problem may be obvious — their air conditioning can’t keep their home cool enough on hot days — their needs may be different. Although a cooler house might be desirable, your prospect may need their child’s room to be at a certain temperature for the child to sleep through the night.
When you ask your prospects and clients about their true problems and needs, it gives you the chance to present a solution to the issues that are plaguing them. When you present a solution, you’re not really selling equipment and services even though both may be necessary to execute your solution. Instead, you’re taking care of a problem or satisfying a need that a prospect or client can’t handle on their own.
Create Trust
A big part of any relationship is trust, and that’s certainly true for the relationships that HVAC technicians should have with their clients and prospects. For many homeowners, how they feel about a technician or company is just as important as price when it comes to choosing an HVAC service provider. When you take the time to build rapport, ask questions, and provide solutions, you establish trust — which can turn a prospect into a customer and a customer into a repeat client.
Before you discuss numbers or the specific steps that have to be taken to repair or replace someone’s HVAC system, it’s critical to create a trusting relationship with the person. When you do this successfully, people will no longer dread having to ask you for help. Instead, they’ll welcome you into their homes whenever they need an HVAC consultation in the future.