It’s all about relationships. Whatever the customer wants. The customer is always right.

These are among the tenets of a good service business. They’re also clichés, repeated so often they don’t always hold a lot of meaning. For many of you, these are guiding principles that underline a desire to do whatever is necessary to satisfy your customers. For the less customer-service oriented, they are empty mantras that sound good but are easily belied by any instance where a lack of patience or concern, careless work, or unreasonably high prices make the situation even more stressful for the customer.

Regardless of how routine a clogged lateral line may be for you, it can be a major disruption and significant source of stress for the average homeowner. How you approach that situation and comfort the customer — through concern, patience, quality work and reasonable pricing — can go a long way in establishing a legitimate relationship that leads to more business and a stronger reputation for years to come.

This month’s Better Business column discusses emergency service fee structures. A slow-draining tub or toilet is one thing, but a lateral line backing up into a customer’s basement ups the stakes significantly. Emergencies cause panic, stress and anxiety. When that happens, you have a greater responsibility as well as a bigger opportunity. 

The Better Business column deals mostly with the price of emergency services, but there are other — and often bigger — forces at play. There’s no question potential customers prefer to avoid premium charges for after-hours emergency work. They’re already in a tough spot, so paying extra for the work they need just adds to the difficulty of the situation. Regardless of the cost, customers in this situation have already resigned themselves to paying whatever it costs to get the work done. Once they’ve made the call to you, it’s your opportunity to make it about more than fees.

You’re not just a plumber or drain cleaner — you’re a first responder. And just like a firefighter or police officer, your job is to restore order. How you handle those situations will go a long way in building — or blocking — long-term relationships. If you respond immediately, provide assurance, maybe offer referrals to cleaning or restoration services, and (of course) solve the immediate problem with a quality fix, customers will be a lot more comfortable with whatever fee you charge because you’re offering a lot more than drain service. 

If, however, you’re slow to respond, are less than comforting, offer no additional help, and charge an exorbitant rate, you’re likely making the situation even worse. And while you may have that high-priced job on the books, it could end up costing you for years.

It really is all about relationships and doing whatever the customer needs. Sometimes you need to be aware that what the customer needs today isn’t the most profitable option for you, but it could well be the best thing for your business. 

Enjoy this month’s issue.