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We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of a four hour ETA service window and need to pop out for a few minutes. Unfortunately, that is when your assigned technician arrives for the appointment. Once they see no one is home, they try to call and drive off.
From the customer’s perspective, waiting for an appointment is frustrating at best, and at worst anxiety-inducing. Research by Localz revealed that a shocking 71% of respondents felt physical and emotional disturbance around scheduled appointments.
From a business perspective, every missed appointment results in unnecessary operational costs, not to mention reduced customer satisfaction.
“The biggest challenge for us is to ensure that the customer is there.”
Now imagine that the customer could not only track their technician’s arrival in real-time, but also have the option for two-way communication. They could share the vital information needed to make the appointment a success.
In the same vein, it’s valuable to communicate with customers once an appointment has finished. By sending an automated feedback request, your team can proactively deal with issues that arise on the day of service.
Here we’ll look at messages that end-customers have shared with their service company - either via two-way communications or post-appointment feedback. You’ll see how customer communication increases first-time access, reduces time spent at the property, and saves operational costs.
Speed up access
Two-way communications allow customers to share crucial information that speeds up access to the property or site. It’s easy to see how these messages reduce confusion and improve the experience for customers and technicians.
I'm in the back garden so won't hear the doorbell. Come through the jitty when you get here.
The back door is open so you can go round and walk in. The dog is shut out of the kitchen, so you'll be fine
Gate number is XXXX
At intercom please use password XXXXXXX
Please knock on the window as buzzer is broken
Prevent failed appointments
No-access visits come at a considerable cost to your service business. You might think that most failed appointments are inevitable - if a customer isn’t at the property, there’s nothing you can do. But the following messages show many appointments are salvageable with access to the right information.
I'm just on way out, but neighbours will let you in to my flat. Door code is XXXX
Wow, I only called in the repair this morning. I'm at local shop but will be back by 3.15 latest.
I am window visiting my grandchildren but i am only 3 mins away so I'll be back to meet you
Please don't arrive until 8am and give some time for the door to be answered in case I'm in bathroom
Please knock on door 53, I'm at neighbors house
Stuck in school traffic- PLEASE WAIT
Share vital information
Even when the customer is waiting at the appointment site, there may be important information that they need to share. Such information can speed up appointments, keep technicians safe, and prevent misunderstandings on the day of service.
Please knock then go straight in - Peggy is 99 years old expecting you, but can't get to door
I have dogs, wait for me to come to the front garden gate to let you in
Pls park behind the white car not the red one
Avoid unnecessary visits
Sometimes, day-of-service communication flags up an unnecessary appointment or a visit that has been scheduled in error. This helps to avoid wasted journeys and highlight issues in the booking system.
Hi, someone came yesterday to do the job and it's fixed now. Thank you.
Job was done last night by emergency team. No need to waste a journey today
Collect actionable feedback
It’s increasingly common to trigger an automated feedback request via SMS once a job has been completed. Customers can share their thoughts while the appointment is still top-of-mind, allowing you to identify problems before they escalate.
In cases where the job has gone to plan, a well-timed digital feedback request can remove the need for a follow-up phone call. This frees up your team to focus resources where they are really needed.
The technician left a terrible mess and the cistern is still leaking
The trade operative didn’t have the material for the job
The contractor was punctual, polite, and explained what he was doing
I was pleased to see he wore gloves and a face mask (for his protection as well as mine)
The value of customer engagement
How much money do you lose on missed field service appointments? And how many customers have been left frustrated with no easy way to share information?
With real-time visibility and communications, you can increase first-time access rates and elevate your customer experience.