Sitting in a bar many years ago with Frank Blau, an industry giant, at a convention [trust me it was all about the education!], we got to talking about extended hour service.
Frank was sharing with me that 40 percent of his profitability came from his company's ability to better handle the after-hours calls than his competition. That was an eye-opener. But, it was nothing new to me. I was born into a family business that actively practiced the 24/7/365 philosophy by manning our own phones and having staff in the field to do just that. That said....Frank is king when it comes to numbers and I never sat back to realize just how right he was...until then.
I teach my clients how to extend their hours of service so that they better serve their customers on their schedule, not at the convenience of the company. It's the right thing to do. But, it's also the only smart way to squeeze all the profit you can out of your business. That's true in any economy but now it's non-negotiable.
So, if you're going to get smart and put an Extended Hours Service program into place here's how I teach my clients to kick in the extended hours' program the right way:
Question: How do you keep track of who's on and off for a rotating shift layout?
Answer: Set up a spreadsheet that has all the Techs we have and then what trades [plumbing, drain, HVAC or electrical] they can do. Then, plot it out on a monthly calendar just so you get a feel for it
Q: How many techs do I need on these shifts?
A: The number of Techs depends on how much measured call volume you have and when the calls are coming in. Note, however, one Tech is typically scheduled and working and there is one on-call Tech available if the demand requires them. Then we adjust, as our existing customers and hopefully new customers know these extended hours. Get good at handling these calls! Then, advertise the heck out of them and make the phone ring off the hook
The more trades you have on your roster the more on-call techs you will need. This is another essential reason for cross training, which is something you must commit to. It becomes a great "what's in it for me" reason for your Techs since you can then stress it as the way to have less on-call, reach a higher salary level, and attain more of a bonus. The 10- to 7 p.m. and the Saturday shifts are "Gravy Shifts." You have no competition because most everyone shuts down at 4 p.m. or doesn't work. Plus, most charge extra for Saturday. Frankly, the Techs just need to be good and your CSRs and DSRs need to be good at booking these slots and the money will flow for all
Q: Do I schedule calls for Saturday and any call that comes in that day is on-call?
A: The best companies call 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday "Same as Normal Service" and staff it with rotating shifts or overtime in the most dramatic weather if staffing rotation isn't possible.
You'll get higher sales with someone who works this shift instead of just being on-call. It also takes a dedicated CSR who fields the call in the office with the intention of booking the call. This applies to Saturday as it applies to having this position in the shop working from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Many of the best shops insist that their managers rotate handling the after-hours calls because they screen the callers and get a credit card over the phone. Plus, they have computer access remotely to make sure they book the call live. They also have far more ability to get a Tech out of bed or off the couch and into their truck than an answering service does or even a CSR
It's all about the intention to book the call, make the sale and then everyone being held accountable to that end.
Q: Where is the cutoff on taking extended hour calls, if any?
A: The techs are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and we don't stop taking more calls. We book them for their shift and when they tell us they're winding down the On-Call Tech takes over.
If the 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tech (which is a rotating shift through the company) and that Tech decides on a 5 degree night to say, "Screw it! I'm going home at 7 p.m." this will stick the On-Call Tech. Trust me...they will fix this behavior fast especially if you let them all know you're aware of it.
Remember the following to get that Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. shift up and running:
1. Being new to this shift, there needs to be better management of the dispatching and call taking areas to ensure there are sufficient calls for the 10-7 Tech and the Saturday Tech.
2. The Office Manager must make sure the office staff is trained at getting good at booking these calls and that there will be minimal complaints from them once the shift begins.
3. The Service Manager needs to meet each day when the new shifts kick in with the new 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tech and the Saturday Tech to find out how it went the day before so adjustments that are truly needed to maximize this shift are being made
4. If it is going well [that means these Techs are making good sales], talk to the 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tech and the Saturday Tech and get their feedback on how it went and then get them to stand up and "Testify" to the value of the extended hour shifts at the Weekly Tech Sales Meeting.
5. Actively solicit customer feedback to the extended coverage and absolutely get as many good testimonials as you can. Photos are also a big bonus. Unsolicited testimonials like the one below become marketing gold:
"I had water running everywhere and it was 6 PM. When I called Appleseed, I was expecting an answering machine. To my delight and great relief Al, a real live caring person, answered the phone. He reassured me that they had a Tech who was still working because they have extended hours just for things like this. To my extreme joy, Tom showed up in 30 minutes and I was once again warm and dry. Thank you Appleseed for working around the clock to help people like me in need."-Phoenix
Get busy converting these calls and put a stop to the dollars you've been throwing away!
