The training wheel

If a customer has a question, technicians at B&B Lawncare are trained to listen carefully and offer some advice. “We make sure they understand all of the services we offer, and we try to build up their confidence that way so they have the knowledge of everything we can do for the customer,” says Larry Bennett Jr., president of the Richmond, Indiana-based business.

During monthly training meetings, various soft skills are also emphasized. “We talk about empathizing with the customer, being respectful, checking in to see how the customer is doing,” Bennett says. “With us being a smaller operation, that’s what I try to push – giving customers our best work.”

At Guilford Garden & Lawn in Greensboro, North Carolina, a similar approach to serving customers is emphasized to technicians.

In fact, communicating with customers is so important that when a team member’s first language is not English, another technician will introduce that colleague to clients and involve him in customer interactions until a comfort level is established.

“That way, the customer is comfortable not only with me, but also with approaching technicians if there is an issue,” says Eric Campbell, lawn and yard care manager.

For the full story in our March issue, click here.