Forum Discussion

lamadrina's avatar
lamadrina
Contributor 3
23 days ago
Solved

How to handle the "chatty client" without blowing your schedule

You listened, empathized, customized, delivered, impressed and built their trust.

Now you're on site with your crew and the client starts giving you a 45-minute recap of their neigbor's kids.

How do you regain control without being rude?

 

  • MTLcontractors's avatar
    MTLcontractors
    22 days ago

    Acknowledge, reconnect, refocus.

    I like to acknowledge the fact that they're comfortable sharing with me. "This isn't something I hear from every client, but that just goes to show the good relationship we have!"

    I invite them to connect in a different way. "You should hit me up on social media!"

    Finally, I bring the focus back to work. "I wish it was my day off, I could listen to you talk all day! Unfortunately, I gotta get back to work. This has been a pleasure!"

2 Replies

  • PestFreeCanada's avatar
    PestFreeCanada
    Builder 1
    22 days ago

    Oh man, this one really hits home! Sometimes I think that I am the problem! I love to chat to people and I feel like as the owner and the one taking a payment, I want to let them talk as much as they want and I will happily join in! Sometimes to a fault, but I have had many good reviews about my communication and quality of conversation.

    My apprentice now has a code word for me when he is all cleaned up, tools put away and knows we should be heading down the road.

    This is something I am working on. My first step that I noticed that I was doing is not being clear and concise with my "final comments". I was laying out every single "maybe" or "what if" scenario and often times repeating myself. Now, I am being clear, confident and concise when I do that final chat with a customer. That has already saved me a lot of time...Just as long as the client doesn't want to talk baseball... 

  • MTLcontractors's avatar
    MTLcontractors
    Jobber Ambassador
    22 days ago

    Acknowledge, reconnect, refocus.

    I like to acknowledge the fact that they're comfortable sharing with me. "This isn't something I hear from every client, but that just goes to show the good relationship we have!"

    I invite them to connect in a different way. "You should hit me up on social media!"

    Finally, I bring the focus back to work. "I wish it was my day off, I could listen to you talk all day! Unfortunately, I gotta get back to work. This has been a pleasure!"