As an electrical contractor, you must always be ready to strap on your tool pouch and take care of your clients. One of the best ways to grow your revenue is to properly prepare your business for storm season.
What happens to an electrical system when rain, wind, lightning, ice, or snow make its way to your neighborhood?
Many people experience outages due to fallen trees, lightning strikes, and downed power lines. When this happens, how do you make sure your business is top of mind when people need help? First, you should always reach out to your existing clients. At Mister Sparky, we receive 60% of all revenue from existing clients. That’s too much money to put at risk because your business is not prepared to respond. In order to receive calls and be the first choice in those “need you now” moments, you must educate your clients on the products and services you offer. I have had people tell me that they didn’t call us when their power got knocked out because they didn’t know that we did that type of electrical work. I took that to mean we needed to properly educate our clients on what we do.
Second, are your vans sufficiently stocked with the proper inventory in order to complete any emergency call? Not having the right items in your van could cost you thousands of dollars in lost revenue. I can’t tell how many times we got the job simply because we were prepared. Doing this may initially cost you time and money, but you won’t regret it in the long run.
Customers may feel under pressure during power outages, so it is important to train your techs to be sensitive to the emotions the client may be feeling. A “matter of fact” or purely technical attitude can make you an
undesirable choice for providing their needs. One simple way to show your clients you care is by listening to them and empathizing with their feelings. Most clients make choices based on their emotions and trust in a service provider.
Take a moment to review the following tips:
- Provide club memberships to ensure you have maintenance contracts with your clients. This guarantees you are at the top of their mind and easily accessible.
- Keep surge protectors, eye bolts, panels, breakers, mast pipes, meter bases, weather heads, service cable, etc., in the truck.
- Make sure your website and all company brochures state exactly what kind of electrical work you are equipped to perform.
- Train your electricians to be available and offer 24-7 service.
- Be prepared to deal with insurance adjusters and offer itemized estimates for review.
- Save contacts at the local power company on your smartphone.
- Understand all applicable local codes associated with the work you are quoting.
- Offer financing to lock in the higher revenue jobs.
Always be ready when your client calls, and remember you cannot deposit excuses in the bank.
Talbot is a licensed, master electrician in Georgia, where he was born and raised. He has been in the industry for 19 years and is currently the operations manager for Mister Sparky Atlanta, where he oversees a team of technicians. In his spare time, he plays with his kids, volunteers, and enjoys flipping houses. He can be reached at [email protected].
