Top Customer Service Issues and CustomerServ’s Call Center Expertise in the Home Services Industry

CustomerServ Excels in Home Improvement and Home Services with Value Added Call Center Solutions

For as long as owning a home has been part of the American Dream, homeowners have been passionate about fixing up their dwellings. Urban historians can trace the rise of the home improvement industry to the end of World War I, but more recent trends are shaping the fast growth of home services and home improvement businesses.

Home improvement and repair remain a significant area of household spending in the U.S. Research from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies shows that homeowners continue to invest heavily in renovations and upgrades, reflecting long-term shifts in how people live in and care for their homes. Older homeowners are modifying spaces to support aging in place, while younger buyers are purchasing older properties and taking on renovation projects themselves,  sustaining steady demand for home improvement products and services.

For more than a century, home improvement contractors relied on advertisements in the local Yellow Pages to bring in business. In the digital age, having a presence on social media, online directories and review sites is critical. Homeowners’ hiring decisions are strongly influenced by online ratings and recommendations; thus, business owners must be savvy at social media, continuously monitoring their company’s online presence and responding promptly to customers’ comments on social media and review sites. 

The rapid growth of the home services and home improvement market has created a surge in digital marketplaces that match consumers with service providers—from niche sites to subscription sites to general market sites. Big-box home improvement retailers have created their own professional services platforms, and more recently, tech giants Amazon and Google also have tossed their hats into the ring with Amazon Home Services and Google Local Services. Competition will be fierce, and businesses will need to deliver superior customer service to ensure high ratings and positive reviews.

Top Customer Service Challenges for Home Services & Home Improvement Companies

For homeowners, the on-demand economy streamlines the process of searching, comparing, pricing and hiring home services. It also sets expectations for an immediate reply; therefore, home services and improvement companies will need to respond quickly to prospects and customers across mediums. Other customer service challenges include:

• Building customer loyalty to turn a one-time service into repeat business.
• Timely follow-through on administrative functions, such as estimates, bids and proposals, filing applications for permits and inspections, work contracts, etc.
• Monitoring ratings, review sites and social media while responding quickly to inquiries and complaints.
• Developing multiple channels for communicating with prospects and customers including social media sites, text, email and phone.
• Ensuring that customer-facing staff are knowledgeable and can communicate using plain terms and jargon-free language.
• Capacity to ramp up sales and service staff during peak seasons.
• Scheduling follow-through to decrease the possibility of late or missed appointments.

CustomerServ’s Home Improvement and Home Services Business Process Outsourcers (BPOs) are Experts in “Anything Home”

CustomerServ’s clients are North America’s leading providers of home services, home improvement and commercial services. Some of North America’s iconic home service brands have selected their best call center outsourcing vendors through CustomerServ. Our expertise includes the following:

• Home improvement and appliance retailers
• Home warranty companies
• Homeowners insurance
• Residential and commercial services
• HVAC
• Home automation
• Home security
• Cleaning services
• Damage restoration
• Window treatment and replacement
• Roofing
• Home décor and remodeling
• Lawn care services
• Pest control
  
  

CustomerServ’s Home Services Call Center Outsourcing Partners Specialize in:

• Inbound, outbound, email, chat, SMS, back office and social media support
• Sales, customer service, retention, save/cancels, technical support 
• Franchise and corporate owned locations
• Real-time outbound callbacks for scheduling and sales
• Speed-to-lead from digital and web inquires
• Emergency service escalation
• Help desk and general inquiries
• Maintenance scheduling and reminders
• Contractor and dispatch support
• Warranty sales and support
• Appliance repair and replacement
• Claims management
• Installation scheduling and support
• Home safety technology