You know what I absolutely despise? When I call my bank (or any business for that matter) and I get a machine on the other end of the line. Nothing makes me hang up the phone faster than when I hear “your call is important to us,” in an automated robot voice. Something about the round and round conversations with the customer service bot immediately puts a bad taste in my mouth regarding whatever company or business it is that I’m trying to reach. And I don’t think that I’m alone. 

Business Basics  

In business or trade school you’re taught about the value of hard work; the ways in which you can provide a high-quality solution to a common problem and earn a living. But then the time comes to actually turn those lessons into practice and you realize that, while your work is what people will pay you for, you won’t retain or grow your client base on skill alone.  

Sure, it might seem cheaper to use a machine or bot to handle customer inquiries, but the value of a skilled CS agent goes far beyond just answering questions. According to a study done by the University of Notre Dame, a person is 79% more likely to continue to use a service/company after speaking to a person than they would when faced with their automated counterpart. So, while the upfront savings of automation might look good, the long-term payoff in customer loyalty is where the real value lies.  

Whether it’s a client facing an urgent repair or needing advice on a major project, customers want to know that they’re speaking to someone who understands their concerns and can offer them meaningful solutions. Because I don’t care how many times the machine tells me that my call is important to them—if my toilet is overflowing, I want to talk to a Plummer, not a robot.  

70% of consumers surveyed by Acquire BPO said they’d take their business elsewhere, even after just one frustrating experience with an AI chatbot. Companies only have one shot at getting it right—underlining the importance of mapping out a strong customer service strategy.  

Solutions for the Built Environment  

Unlike traditional retail, where a single bad experience might mean a lost sale, poor customer service in contracting can have long-term consequences—bad reviews, lost referrals, and missed project opportunities. According to a 2023 BrightLocal survey, 76% of consumers “always” or “regularly” read online reviews when browsing for local businesses, and 60% of customers say they would avoid a contractor with bad reviews. 

In contrast, exceptional customer service creates trust and builds a reputation that fuels organic business growth. Let’s look at how you can make customer service a growth tool. 

1. Set Clear Expectations from the Start 

Be transparent about timelines, potential delays, and costs upfront. Provide a project roadmap and regular status updates. Tools like Buildertrend or CoConstruct can help you manage expectations and keep clients informed. 

2. Improve Communication and Responsiveness 

According to a Harvard Business Review study, companies that respond to inquiries within an hour are 7X more likely to convert leads than those that take 24 hours or more. Even if you can’t provide a full answer immediately, acknowledge the request within a few hours and give a timeframe for a full response. 

3. Turn Complaints into Opportunities 

A dissatisfied customer is not a lost customer—if you handle the situation well. Train your team to approach complaints with a problem-solving mindset and always offer a solution. 

Know Your Stuff  

When clients come to you with a problem, whether it’s an electrical emergency or a repair challenge, they’re often dealing with stress, uncertainty, or confusion. This is where high-quality customer service becomes invaluable. Empathy is the key to truly understanding your clients’ needs. Whether it’s a home that’s been without power for hours or a commercial space that needs a quick fix, your customers need to know that you understand the urgency of their situation.  

Not to be a braggy blogger or anything, but this is something that Sunco does really well (and I’m not just saying this because I used to work in their customer service department). As a leading provider of lighting solutions, Sunco doesn’t just focus on creating and selling high-quality products—they also focus on delivering high-quality customer service. 

Elliott Noll, one of Sunco’s dedicated CS agents, shared his thoughts about the importance of a well-trained and caring customer service department: 

“We get a ton of calls every day and while a good amount can be solved with some fairly simple troubleshooting, I’d say that 90% of our customers want to talk to us. They like that we ask how they’re doing. They like it when we laugh with them about a silly mistake or whatever else might be happening.” Elliott goes on to explain that even an angry customer can end the call happy after a positive interaction.  

“I had a gentleman just the other day calling because his ceiling panels were damaged during shipping. He’d spent all afternoon going in circles with a UPS automated bot that apparently didn’t do anything to help. At that point, he was livid and the first thing he said to me when I picked up the phone was ‘Thank GOD you’re a human’. 

When I asked how he was able to turn a sour situation into a pleasant exchange, Elliott said, “There is a lot of power in just saying ‘I’m really sorry to hear that’ and then following up with a valuable solution. In this case, we have processes in place to help customers who receive damaged products.” By providing a clear solution and an empathetic response, Elliott was able to showcase the value of excellent customer service. 

Provide No-Nonsense Convenience 

There’s a phrase that I think a lot of folks live by these days: “Convenience is king”. People are busier than ever, and they don’t want to waste time jumping through hoops to get their issues resolved. That’s why providing no-nonsense, straightforward customer service is so important for your business. Your clients want solutions, and they want them quickly. 

This doesn’t mean you should rush through problems or provide subpar work. It means offering efficient, seamless communication and making sure you’re available when your clients need you. This can take many forms: whether it’s having multiple channels of communication, offering flexible scheduling, or being responsive to inquiries at any hour of the day. Sunco’s Customer Service Manager, Michele Gomez, puts it like this:  

“Our job is to make life easier for our customers however we can. If that means staying on the line and walking them through some troubleshooting steps, we do it and we do it with a smile.” She goes on to explain that this practice helps to build trust with customers. “We aren’t telling them ‘oh, here are the steps, go try and figure it out on your own and give us a call back if you can’t’. We’re the experts and we need to act like it or else our customers won’t want to come back.”  

The key to no-nonsense convenience is ensuring that your clients never feel like they’re being ignored or shuffled from one person to another. When you make your services as easy as possible to access and use, you create an experience that leaves customers feeling satisfied. And that satisfaction translates to loyalty and positive word-of-mouth referrals. 

Being the Best 

You could be Mr. Electrician, the smartest and most hard working professional in your industry. But none of that really matters if you aren’t dedicated to the customer experience. High-quality service isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s an essential part of growing and maintaining your business. By utilizing these skills, you can build stronger relationships with your clients and set your business up for long-term success. Companies like Sunco show that great customer service doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to be thoughtful, responsive, and genuine.