Client and Contracting Company Benefits of Scheduled Service Plans

Last month, I had a routine Scheduled Service Call performed on my residential HVAC system.  Scheduled Service Programs may also be referred to as Annual Maintenance Programs, Club Memberships, or even Energy Saver Agreements.  But no matter the company verbiage, at the core, this type of service is a routine maintenance program.  The company that we use is the independent contracting business where my husband is a manager.  So in our household we get a dual perspective of Scheduled Service Plans.  I, as the customer, see the value of a Scheduled Service Program for the benefit of my family in regards to health, safety, and efficiency; and my husband sees the benefits of the Scheduled Service Program from the perspective of business growth and success.

The beauty of having the ability to see from these two perspectives is that it clearly demonstrates that Scheduled Service Plans work to the advantage of both the independent contracting company and their clients.  We’ll explore the benefits that Scheduled Service Plans bring to HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical businesses as well as the benefits it brings to their clients.

Benefits for an Independent Contracting Company:

–Keeps technicians busy during slower times– Performing Scheduled Service Calls during the fall and the spring of the year can be a great way to keep your team busy during these slower business times.  When the phones aren’t ringing with demand calls it is encouraging to be able to keep technicians busy by having a sturdy base of customers that need routine Scheduled Service Calls performed.  This sturdy customer base comes mostly from club membership sales. The benefit of these club memberships are reaped during slower business times when companies need to keep their team productive as well as find ways to get technicians face-to-face with customers.

–Continues to build a relationship with current client base– While Scheduled Service Calls are a means to keep your team busy and focused, they are also a way to grow your company’s relationship with current clients.  When a company builds a long-term relationship with their clients it will result in strong customer retention.  Loyal clients that are pleased with their service company are also more likely to refer the company to family and friends; which in return, creates a brand new customer market for a company to dive into!

Benefits for Clients:

–Proves the value of routine maintenance– When a service company makes a conscience effort to follow-up on their clients’ Scheduled Service Plans it proves that the company values routine maintenance.  Inconsistencies in a company’s message may arise if during a demand call a service tech or sales tech explains to a customer that regular maintenance is vital to the longevity and efficiency of the system but the company never makes an effort to set up a Scheduled Service Plan.  When a company purposefully follows up with clients on Scheduled Service Calls, it shows they “practice what they preach.” Scheduled Service Calls also allow for technicians to further explain the importance of maintenance and upkeep.  When a client understands that regular maintenance helps to increase system life expectancy and helps to lower utility payments then they can develop a greater value for routine maintenance.

–Safety– The fall and the spring of the year are perfect times to perform Scheduled Service Calls because the change in weather means possible alterations to system hardware or product integrity (especially in regions of extreme heat or cold).  Scheduled Service Calls during these times of year are ideal in the HVAC industry because they are right before the heat or air conditioning turns on thus giving the technician a chance to inspect for safety concerns in the equipment (i.e. checking for cracks in the heat exchanger before it is used).  When a technician takes one-on-one time with a customer to inspect their system and products for safety hazards then it allows the customer to feel that they are in “good hands” and that they have made the best service company choice.

When a business knows that their service is beneficial to their clients as well as beneficial to their company, it makes the process of proving the value of their products much easier.  When a service team personally values their company’s services then they can better convey the message to customers.  Scheduled Service Plans are a great example of a mutually beneficial service.  If you need to tune-up your business’s Scheduled Service Plan then allow Service Excellence Training to give you a hand.  Thank you for following our weekly posts because here at Service Excellence Training we turn learning into earning.

-Resource curated by Whitney Stewart of Service Excellence Training.