The lazy, hazy days of summer have set in. It’s the time of year when everyone thinks about kicking back and relaxing — well, not quite everyone.
In the electrical service business, we move into overdrive during this busy time of year. Along with the heat comes a number of issues: overloads on marginal systems, air conditioners plugged into extension cords, hobbyist wiring for “temporary projects,” and lightning storms. Although these issues increase workload, they also bring new opportunities.
For example, as people move to their backyards to enjoy the outdoors, they are more receptive than ever for improvements in convenience, lighting, and safety. Are your techs prepared to help them out by offering them the products and services they want? Are your trucks properly stocked to fulfill these needs? You’ve waited all year for this type of demand, and you need to take advantage of it now!
Considering all of the work out there, it would make sense that average tickets should be on the rise. With more calls and more interest in our products, it should follow that you’ll see higher tickets. Right? Not so fast.
I’ll let you in on a secret. Several years ago, we noticed our average tickets were actually decreasing as we moved into this busiest time of the year. After getting over the initial shock and immediately doing a little digging, we got to the bottom of the problem.
Good electricians, as most of us know, need time to establish a relationship and build trust with a customer. Fulfilling the immediate need(s) of the customer is vital in building this trust. If all goes well, the customer will realize and appreciate the professionalism of the technician.
Many homeowners believe there is a perfect electrician out there — one who never wastes a step, has his or her tools meticulously laid out, and always puts them back in the proper spot. He or she also has a solid fix for anything and refuses to take shortcuts. The more our electrician resembles this person, the better the chance that his or her recommendations are going to be followed.
Allowing our electricians time to get the job done properly and perform their inspection and recommendations is key to their top performance. In our case, the dispatch process was at fault for rushing our electricians because of the call volume.
A dispatcher’s job, all too frequently, becomes a “clear the board” scenario (so they can relax) rather than putting the right tech on the right job. The call taker’s job is to book calls, and they frequently “squeeze in one more call” because they are feeling pressured. Everyone is doing their job, but when this is conveyed to the techs, they feel rushed, and, as in our case, they react by rushing through the call. The result was lower tickets, higher callbacks, and less satisfied customers.
As managers and owners, it’s important to have our team work together for the best result. Have your call taker adhere to the schedule when booking calls. If there’s a possibility for another call, maybe the answer is a “standby call” where the customer knows it isn’t guaranteed but you’ll let them know as soon as you can if it becomes available. Have your dispatcher show patience, don’t rush to clear the board, and don’t let the tech know how hectic it is.
The dispatcher’s job can sometimes be compared to an air traffic controller, with our electricians as the pilots. However, it is most important to maximize the electrician’s schedules. And for our electricians, communication with dispatch is key. Let the dispatcher know what the anticipated job length is and as soon as things change, convey it back to dispatch.
Having your systems in place, your team working together, and your call volume managed properly will ensure that your summer is profitable, and maybe you’ll even get to enjoy a little of those longer days yourself!
Murdy grew up in the electrical industry and holds a degree in electrical engineering. He has been in the residential electrical service industry for 30 years and has been a business owner for more than 25 years. He independently owns and operates the Mister Sparky electric franchise serving western Long Island, N.Y. He can be reached at [email protected].
