Business Principles to Help You Excel

As the nation’s largest HERS Provider, we often get asked by our clients how they can be successful in the green building industry. While every company is certainly unique (size, location, market demand, etc.), there are four overarching business principles that we can definitively say will increase your competitive edge. Following these four principles will not guarantee you success – but they are an essential foundation for becoming a leader in the industry.

1. Be the expert
2. Be everywhere
3. Be involved
4. Be service oriented

In our last blog article, Be Involved, we discussed the importance of being actively involved in your field to grow your network and expertise for the benefit of your clients. However, no matter how much knowledge and information you may have, it truly comes down to your ability to communicate effectively to assess and fulfill clients’ needs. Being service oriented is the pathway for you to be the first choice of your clients – not the last resort.

Business Blog #4 – Be Service Oriented

World class service is not about being a walking, talking internet search engine. You are not expected to have all the answers, all the time. We are all human – and that is where being service oriented comes in. By creating a genuine human connection and exemplifying that through proactive actions, offered services, and speed of service, you are sure to leave a positive impression on your clients.

Proactive Actions

3 Levels of Customer Service by https://www.copper.com/resources/customer-service-oriented

Being proactive, rather than reactive, allows you to solve problems before they occur. This helps both you and your clients to be more productive. When you proactively implement great customer service and business practices, you can cut down on time spent solving problems. In turn, your clients are more satisfied because you have increased your flexibility and time available to accomplish what they have hired you to do.

There are several proactive strategies that can help you to be service oriented:

• Make the first move

  Engage with clients proactively and reach out regularly. Showing initiative when communicating with clients sets a strong foundation for a long-term business relationship.

• Track customer service encounters

  Make note of conversations, including when and what was discussed, to reference when needed. This also allows for an increased level of internal communication.

• Listen

  Always welcome constructive feedback from your clients to help you improve your business. Watch for patterns in client feedback to help determine which may be more pertinent to address.

Offered Services

Being service oriented means realizing your clients’ needs, maybe even before they do! You can show your clients you are dedicated by offering services where you see a gap in the industry. By offering options that your competitors either do not or cannot offer, you set yourself apart from the rest and are certain to stand out.

Here at BER, we are continually growing in the services we offer for that exact reason. As the Pro’s Pro, we are here for you and actively assess ways to support you professionally. BER started as a HERS QA Provider, but all our other services were added as an additional service for our clients.  Now, we have grown our company to include Professional Services, QA Contractor, LEED for Homes, ENERGY STAR MRO, and Enterprise Green Communities. As an example, BER became an Enterprise Green Communities Technical Assistance Provider at the request of a professional who was overwhelmed with paperwork.

Speed of Service

Providing services for your clients with speed allows them to work with optimal productivity, thus leading to higher satisfaction. Small businesses have an advantage in this area because they can anticipate and respond to client needs faster than a large company. They are also able to quickly adapt and implement changes to deliver the best customer experience. Ensuring that all proactive actions and offered services are completed in a timely manner is a vital facet of being service oriented.

Conclusion

Being service oriented can make or break your business. Providing excellent customer service goes beyond good intentions and a smile; it is all about taking meaningful action to show your clients that they are valuable to you. While being the expert, being everywhere, and being involved are all vital pieces of the pie, being service oriented in every aspect of your business will put you a step above the competition.

BER strives to develop a close professional relationship with each of our clients from the very beginning and maintain it throughout their time with BER by quickly responding to emails and calls. We are here to support you in any way possible, whether it’s working with your schedule for annual 1% QAs or providing answers to your training, technical, and industry questions. If we don’t know the answer already, we will find the solution and get back to you as quickly as possible, so that you can continue with what you do best: providing services to your clients!

Additional Resources

For more reading on this topic, we recommend checking out these sources:
Customer Service Oriented: Definition and Characteristics by indeed.com
4 Customer Service-Oriented Examples at Copper Chronicles
Customer Orientation: Definition, Examples, and Skills from Zendesk