Why Aren’t They Calling Me?
It’s that time of year again - spring has sprung, flowers are blooming, shrubs are budding…weeds are growing, landscaping needs doing…trees need spraying…and I’ve not heard from one of the contractors from last year - by phone or mail.
I even specifically asked the landscape guy to call me way back in the fall and come out to do an estimate for the backyard. He hasn’t even called.
Ironic isn’t it, that I’m complaining that these people aren’t calling - when I rant so much about cold sales calls. But that’s the thing - these wouldn’t be cold calls. I’ve already been a (happy) customer and the “outside stuff” always needs to be done.
Which brings me to one of the major reasons why small businesses struggle. They don’t follow up with the customers they already have.
Related Post: I’m too busy to give you a quote.
Tags: marketing, marketing troubleshooting, entrepreneur sanity check, small business marketing, customer service
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March 24th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I was just talking about this very topic yesterday (and I like martinis too!)
I was thinking that it would be an obvious and easy thing to do for the snow plow guy to a) come back to me at the start of the season and get me to sign up again (he never does), and b) put flyers in mailboxes of those houses around me saying that he clears snow for someone up the road and they’d get a 5% discount because they are nearby. Saves him money and time just by having a bunch of houses in the same neighborhood. So obvious yet I’ve never seen it done.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Great Post, as always, Mary. Yes! Yes! Yes! SO very true. I’ve always wondered about this myself. It’s even [art of my talk, “The 3 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Small Business Owners Make.”
March 24th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Laura,
Flyers! Exactly. Low-tech, high-touch and very effective if done at the right time.
Tig,
I’d add #4 Not Asking For the Business.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
(a) It’s spring in the *northern* hemisphere.
(b) Been pinching my floriade photos Mary???
http://www.stedee.id.au/gallery/Floriade/Floriade2006/
Somewhat ironically, the subbies we get to do our place (car mechanic, spider/bug spraying) will and do follow up when appropriate. Very … *convenient*!
Given how easy it is to put even low tech “reminders” into a computer, or a manual diary, I’m surprised more subbies can’t do this???
Cheers!
- Steve
March 25th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Deep down inside I suspect that these business owners aren’t about growing their companies. Even if they say the right words when asked.
Some companies are lifestyle companies. The goal is to make “enough” money to support a preferred lifestyle and so the operational disciplines like following up with existing customers don’t happen. No matter how easy or logical it would be to do so.
If revenue dips below what would support “the lifestyle” efforts might ramp up for a time to keep and grow existing customers. But it doesn’t become the agreed upon standard of performance.
I prefer to work with the hungry companies and to hire the hungry.
Thanks for getting my “rant” muscles warmed up with this post Mary!
Keep creating…your wildest dreams,
Mike
March 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Mike,
I’m sure you’re right in many cases. But, even lifestyle companies need to care about keeping customers. Otherwise, that lifestyle will degenerate into rented rooms and eating a lot of peanut butter. And forget sending the kids to college or retiring in style.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Geez, Mary, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around flowers in March! Up here the ground is still frozen.
You know, sometimes I think these contractors are just a bit scattered, especially when they are doing stuff they aren’t as comfortable with, where you use words instead of a spade or a hammer.
Then, too, they get a certain amount of business just by being on the scene doing a job — the neighbor walks past, sees the landscaper and thinks, “Hey, I need some yard work done.” A brief conversation ensues and said landscaper now has another prospect to follow up with.
Although, I suspect the market works differently in an urban area (where there’s more competition) than it does in a sleepy little village like this.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Dawn,
Even here in urbania - people do get biz from walking by (which is why I’m always amazed so many home service people never, ever post a sign, even when the job goes for weeks.)
And, we’re thrilled if the service people actually show up when they say they will. If they all only knew - they could stand way out in front of any competition - if they “simply” returned phone calls, showed up on time, and left the job site clean.