Residential Contractors: Providing the Best Customer Service to the Elderly

Residential Contractors: Providing the Best Customer Service to the Elderly

Keith Mercurio
Contributing Writer
Nexstar Network

As we moved through this holiday season, many of us spent time with older members of our families. This might not be a regular occurrence in all our personal lives, but in the service industry, technicians need to be prepared to relate with older people year round. How can we provide the best customer service to our older customers?

Look at servicing an older customer’s home as an opportunity to connect with another human being. You might be the only visitor this person has had all week or in several weeks. Rather than looking at dealing with older customers as a burden, look at it as an opportunity to cherish the fact that you get to be a special person in that customer’s life.

Ask the person questions that will open up the reality of life in his or her home and that get to the root of his or her major concerns. Ask how long he or she has lived in the home—it may be a long time, and important information can come from asking this question, such as how engaged he or she might be in family life. Customers might be making decisions not only for themselves, but also for family.

I once had an older fellow I was working with put in a $25,000 heating system for one reason: he didn’t want his kids to have to deal with it when they took over the house. This is the kind of thing you’ll learn when you ask the right kind of questions and listen with the intent to understand. As long as you do this with an element of care, you’re going to learn amazing information about this person that’s going to guide you in your work.

When you are beginning the work, take that extra step to accommodate the person’s mobility. Do things such as taking pictures of the site if he or she cannot move into the area you’re going to be working. Tailor each visit to the customer without making preemptive assumptions.

Be aware that when you’re getting into your 70s, 80s and even 90s, many of the people who once cared for you are gone. It’s a stark reality, but be mindful of this as a service provider. I took a class a few years ago about mental health, and the number one complaint of older people was that there is nobody there to listen. They felt like they were not being heard anymore.

Cherish the position you’re in and again, take it as a chance to care about somebody. Let the person feel fulfilled. Be patient, be kind, and you’ll eliminate all other issues that may arise.

Keith Mercurio is the Director of Training for Nexstar Network, working alongside a team of trainers to develop and deliver live and online training content to 530 member companies.