WOW your Customers During Commercial Renovation
A remodel can be disruptive to you and your clients, but that doesn’t mean your company can’t still be welcoming and helpful while your building undergoes tenant improvements. A commercial remodel is an opportunity to connect with customers in new ways and market your business.
Here’s how you can provide excellent service during any commercial construction project.
Plan Around the Construction Project
Before undertaking any commercial renovation, map out a timeline of each stage. Talk to your contractor and ask how long each portion of the construction should take.
If the renovation will only take a few days, it may be better to close and offer online sales or new customer service options. If the renovation will take longer or you can’t afford to close, you may need to schedule the construction around business hours to avoid disrupting business operations.
Once you have a rough idea of your construction timeline, you can make a plan for how to keep customers happy and motivated throughout the process. Think of a commercial remodel as a unique opportunity to connect to customers in new ways and market your business. The ideas below may provide inspiration.
Ramp Up your Activity Online Before the Remodel
You’ll definitely want to stay in touch with customers before, during, and after renovation. Update your mailing list (or start one) prior to a commercial remodel so that customers are aware of what you’re doing. Tell consumers about the benefits of the remodel, share construction updates as the process moves along and offer discounts on products. Make sure to provide extra ways to get in touch with customer service, especially if any standard options (such as visiting your storefront) are unavailable during the remodel. This is also a fantastic time to update your website with news and images of your beautiful new space.
Build Excitement by Keeping Customers Informed
Use a commercial remodel as an opportunity to draw in customers with exclusive sales and discounts. If part of your establishment is open throughout the construction, you may still be able to drive increased sales. If the establishment will be closed, offer a celebration event right before or after the renovation.
Be sure to set up a prominent sign with details about the remodel in the window, door or outside. Make it clear that any closures are temporary and keep the message cheery: “Please excuse the dust while we renovate” or “We’ll be back next week” is far better than “Closed for remodeling,” which may leave some customers confused about whether or not the business is permanently closed. If you have an attractive image projecting what the building will look like after construction, consider displaying it and providing information about any new features to get customers excited for reopening. Your customers want to know what is changing and will be excited if you keep them updated and informed.
Reach Out to Customers on the Phone
While this option works better for some businesses than others, personal phone calls can prepare customers for commercial renovation and help you determine their needs. Many customers will appreciate the effort, especially if it goes beyond usual customer service. Phone calls can be a great opportunity to address any customer service challenges or inconveniences and remind consumers of any upcoming opportunities.
Ensure that customers will be able to reach you by phone throughout every stage of a commercial remodel. Consider noise levels. If there is construction going on close to the phones it may be better to set up call forwarding to a new location or to a cell phone, in order to keep calls noise-free.
Keep your Customer Service on Point
Every detail of your customer service while you’re undergoing tenant improvement should reflect your brand and its values, just like during normal operations. Use commercial construction as an opportunity to show customers how much you care in new ways and drive excitement.