When talking about training, the conversation often centers on technical skills. How to run an inspection camera. How to operate a jetter. How to install a liner correctly. How to diagnose a difficult blockage.
All of that obviously matters a lot. But sound technical skills only get you so far. People skills are every bit as important to master. I was reminded of this while reading Peter Morici’s new book, People Buy What They See: A Survival Guide for Every Technician Who Works in Someone’s Home. Morici also has a Better Business feature in this month’s issue explaining some of what his book focuses on.
Morici makes a point that I think many of us intuitively know but don’t always emphasize enough. Before a technician ever opens the toolbox or discusses a repair, the customer has already started deciding whether that person can be trusted.
That judgment isn’t based on technical expertise. It’s based on something more human. How technicians carry themselves. Whether they listen. Whether they seem rushed. Whether they genuinely care about solving the customer’s problem instead of simply completing another service call.
Nothing groundbreaking. Pretty straightforward stuff. But it’s remarkable when you think that a company can spend thousands of dollars sending technicians to equipment demonstrations, certification courses or manufacturer training, and yet devote very little structured time to teaching communication, empathy and relationship-building — skills that customers usually remember most.
Think about your own experiences hiring someone to work in your home. You may have a foggy recollection of the exact technical aspects of the job. But you absolutely remember whether the worker explained things clearly, treated you respectfully and made you feel comfortable with the decisions you were making. Those moments build trust.
Morici’s approach also resonated with me because it’s grounded in real-world experience. It isn’t filled with abstract theories or generic customer-service advice. Scattered throughout the book are actual stories — real interactions with customers — directly from Morici’s many years in the field. Those kinds of examples have a way of sticking with people far longer than a bullet-point presentation ever will.
All of this is worth thinking about as you develop your own training programs. Technical instruction should absolutely remain a priority, but don’t overlook opportunities to coach technicians on the softer skills that separate good companies from great ones. Talk through difficult customer conversations during team meetings. Role-play challenging situations. Share stories of service calls that went exceptionally well — and those that didn’t — and discuss why. Sometimes the most valuable lessons don’t involve a pipe or a drain at all.
And if you’re looking for a resource to help spark those conversations, I think Morici’s book is a worthwhile place to start. Not because it promises a magic sales script, but because it focuses on something much more fundamental: helping technicians understand the people they’re serving.
At the end of the day, customers don’t only remember whether you fixed the problem. They remember how you made them feel while you were doing it. And in an industry built on repeat business, referrals and reputation, that’s a skill just as important to train on as the latest equipment coming out of the back of the service truck.
Enjoy this month’s issue.
Continue reading for free
