Do You Educate Your Customers ??

[Mojo]

I was curious to know how much time you spend on educating your customers on your work and materials ?

I seem to spend alot of time making customers aware of the fabric I use, the thread, the different techniques I use and also why awnings and slide toppers fail. I go into explaining how to care for them and how to get them to last longer.

I think in some cases I am not only educating them but also selling them on my work. I was just wondering, since I do not know the furniture or marine end of this business is it common for you to spend time educating your customers or pointing out the differences in your work versus others or maybe the materials you use ?

As a consumer I appreciate someone taking the time to explain something to me or maybe the differences between one product and another.

Do you feel it is part of our job to explain and educate our customers ? Do you furniture and marine people do that for your customers ?

Chris

[lc]

I absolutely do !! I think when we educate them ..( not making a sales pitch as some do .)
It has our customers appreciate it more because we are educating them and not telling them some outlandish story...getting back to the salesman pitch ,how many of us have had some dweeb come in with the rehersed crap...we all pick up on it. Our customers do too.
I think in our case taking that time with our customer tells them how genuine we really believe and have real knowledge in what we do .
I get invited in for coffee ...would you do that for a saleman ...point taken I'm sure...go for it.

[timtheboatguy]

Educating the customer adds value to our service and credability to our business. I have sold more jobs by educating the customer and then backing way off, I may explain to a guy how repaing his old worn cover would be a waste of money and how a new cover would protect his invesment, then sugest that he think about it or consuslt with his wife etc. By removing any pressure he can make his own decision.

We should be a resource to our customers, someone they trust and come to for help.

[206RB]

Absolutely.
It's the first thing I do after finding out how much schooling they need.
And a better informed customer will be less likely to have a problem with spending the money it takes to have the job done properly.

[Mike]

I get invited in for coffee ...would you do that for a saleman ...point taken I'm sure...go for it.

i USUALY GET ASKED TO SIT AND HAVE A COLD ONE.
I  hate the ask the wife deal. if a customer call me out to bive a price then they say i hve to as the wife im thinking ?well she shoud be out here instead if in the house. lets get heer out here."
many time they do aske the wif then they call me back out to sign uo more time driving and gas.

[kodydog]

I was curious to know how much time you spend on educating your customers on your work and materials ?
Chris

Depends on the person. If they seem genuinely interested in what I'm saying, I'll keep going. But if I've lost them in the first 15 seconds I'll cut the conversation short. As long as they keep asking questions I keep giving advice.

And there's nothing better than someone thanking me for my time at the end of a detailed explanation.

And Mike, with me its the opposite. When I finish with the wife she'll bring in the hubby and we'll start all over. >:(  And on occasion I am asked if I want a cold one. After an 8 hour day giving estimates and doing P/U and Dels it's tempting. But I always politely refuse. Can't mix pleasure and business.  :)

[sofadoc]

Case by case basis for me. Like Kody, if I see their eyes glazing over, I cut it short.

I tend not to try to over-educate the female clientele. They're indecisive enough as it is. TMI makes their decision even more painstaking.

Guys are different. They aren't happy unless they feel like know EVERYTHING. ;D It strokes their ego when you throw a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo at them. It doesn't really have to even make sense. You can make stuff up if you want to. ;)

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Educating the customer adds value to our service and credability to our business. I have sold more jobs by educating the customer and then backing way off, I may explain to a guy how repaing his old worn cover would be a waste of money and how a new cover would protect his invesment, then sugest that he think about it or consuslt with his wife etc. By removing any pressure he can make his own decision.

We should be a resource to our customers, someone they trust and come to for help.

Well said.

[byhammerandhand]

The two largest employers (as well as a lot of other mid-sized companies) in town have a lot of engineers.  Try working with them. ;D

That said, one of my daughters has a masters in engineering and her husband has a PhD.   While taking her seven year olds on a walk through the woods, they wondered why there was a little bridge over a gulch.  Then they started to explain "the water cycle" to me.

Case by case basis for me. Like Kody, if I see their eyes glazing over, I cut it short.

I tend not to try to over-educate the female clientele. They're indecisive enough as it is. TMI makes their decision even more painstaking.

Guys are different. They aren't happy unless they feel like know EVERYTHING. ;D It strokes their ego when you throw a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo at them. It doesn't really have to even make sense. You can make stuff up if you want to. ;)

[Mike]

I was curious to know how much time you spend on educating your customers on your work and materials ?
Chris

But I always politely refuse. Can't mix pleasure and business.  :)

Me roo kody i usualy say ive still got to drive home.  Only a time or two havebi accepted but that was with a customer who was a neighbor and them im just being neighborly
Ill slend way to much time chatting with  some.

[bobbin]

I've been told I'm "good with the public".  But I genuinely like people (even though I say I don't) and it's easy for me to make small talk.  It's the "small talk" that gives you the "read" on people and draws them out, makes them feel comfortable asking questions, and sends the message that you care about your work and want to do your best for them.  I offer information and answer questions that may arise.  I am patient, thorough, follow the customer's lead when it's time "call it quits". 

I've never been afraid to say, "I don't know".  But I've learned to follow it up with:  "I'll find the answer for you and get back to you.". 

[Miami Mike]

I feel that you have too. If you offer the same thing every time they walk in and for some reason you don't get the sale and they go to another shop and they offer the same option you do but offer another fabric or another option for the job. They (your customer) just might buy from them.

Mike