Good to Great: How to Scale With an Outsourced CFO

Customers have never had so much information at their fingertips. With a few clicks, they can learn all about your business, your past projects and your reputation in specific sectors, and form assumptions based on your reviews, social media comments and any other digital trail you’ve left behind.

 

This situation presents both risks and opportunities. Good reviews will bolster your brand, but poor ones can tarnish your reputation for years to come.

 

That’s why managing the customer experience is crucial, especially in the referral-heavy construction industry. Here are five core ways you can manage expectations and improve your customer experience.

 

1. Set Expectations

It’s hard to meet and exceed expectations if the scope of work isn’t clear. Start every project with a session dedicated to setting expectations, and ensure all parties know:

 

• The project’s scope and deliverables
• Timeline and milestones
• Project team and responsibilities
• Communication preferences/frequency
• Cost and project revision fees

As a safety net, record this information and distribute printed copies.

 

2. Anticipate Hurdles and Issues

It’s not always possible to anticipate issues, but it is possible to flag them and subsequently deal with them as soon as they surface. In business, people don’t like surprises. Therefore, being able to flag potential issues before they happen can go a long way to building up trust with your clients.

Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.   

 

3. Respond to Reviews and Social Media Complaints

Before social media, if a customer had a problem, they’d call you to work it out. Today, many people first turn to Facebook or Twitter to vent their feelings. When you receive a poor review or public complaint, don’t panic. Yes, it’s there for everyone to read, but this also presents an opportunity to demonstrate your great customer service.

 

Remain calm, use professional language and offer satisfactory solutions when addressing poor reviews or social media complaints. Monitor review sites and social media accounts regularly, so you don’t appear to be ignoring customer concerns.

 

4. Delight the Customers You’ve Already Earned

Earning new customers isn’t easy. Marketing your construction business can be pricey and time-intensive, so it makes sense to do everything you can to retain existing customers and grow your business through organic qualified referrals.

 

Friendly phone calls to check in, remembering birthdays or other important dates, or even the names and ages of your clients’ children demonstrate to a client that you care, and appreciate them for more than just their business. In the digital age we work in, it’s nice to hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line.

 

5. Improve Your Processes

Many construction business owners outsource back-office tasks such as accounting, taxation and financial strategy, allowing them to focus on the aspects of the business that only they can manage. With strong support and financial processes, your construction business can deliver the kinds of results that satisfy and exceed customer expectations.

 

To learn more about how we can assist you in managing customer experience, schedule a consultation with one of our business experts. With our construction industry expertise, we can help you reach your goals. We look forward to speaking with you.