5 Dimensions of Customer Service for Any Business

Dimensions of Customer Service

 

Customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can reduce rates and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can retain some of those customers, your business won't be profitable for long.


We would like to share some interesting results from a national poll regarding the five most important elements of customer service.

5 Most Important Dimensions of Customer Service

1. Reliability
a. Do what you say you're going to do.
b. Do it when you say you're going to do it.
c. Do it right the first time.

2. Responsiveness
a. Answer your calls or respond in a timely fashion. But mainly, answer your calls so I can speak to a live person.
b. Speed. Respond quickly so I feel reassured.

3. Valued
a. Make people feel as though they are your most important customer. Don't say or imply you are too busy with anything or anyone else. Make their concern your only priority.

4. Empathy
a. "I'm sorry for your experience.... So that I can help you better, would it be okay if I ask you a few questions?" The sincere use of empathy reassures people you care and puts them at ease.

5. Competency
a. Knowledge and exeperience is a necessity for any reputable business to be taken seriously.

PuroClean Professional Services
NE Ohio's "Paramedics of Property Damage
866-944-7876

Water Damage Cleanup in Cleveland & Akron, Ohio

Today’s homes are being constructed to be as energy efficient as possible. That means that they are very tight. When water enters this environment and is not dealt with correctly, the problems that may occur are almost endless: the “color” (stain) in wood furniture can cause permanent stains; carpets may need to be replaced; furnishings can be permanently damaged; damage to walls and ceilings can be permanent; and the possibility of microbial growth can become a real concern.
All of this and more can result from just a little water. A broken pipe can occur at any time and in any part of the house. When this happens on an upper level, however, the need for expediency is even more important, and a homeowner certainly wants a true restoration professional when such an event occurs.

Houses today are built in all styles and methods throughout the country. In some areas, it is common practice to place hot water heaters and air conditioning systems in attic spaces. In other parts of the country, it is common to have washers and dryers installed on the second story for the convenience of the homeowner.

It is also becoming more common to have sprinkler systems installed in the ceilings of singlefamily homes and condo units. Even plumbing lines are installed through the ceiling. Multiple family dwellings are also becoming more popular than ever before. These “newer” structural items, along with the usual plumbing from bathrooms and other water sources on upper levels indicate that a water loss from an overhead or upper level water source has the potential to present a very serious water damage claim, which could become extensive if not mitigated promptly and correctly by a restoration professional.

Upon arriving at the damaged home, it is important that the restoration professional properly evaluate the potential safety issues. The potential for electrical problems are of the utmost concern. Ceiling light fixtures are common and present a significant potential hazard from an overhead water source. A restoration professional will alert the property owner whenever a professional electrician is necessary to address this concern. Damaged drywall on the ceilings may present a danger of falling. It needs to be addressed promptly.

It is necessary to protect everyone who enters the structure. There are also, of course, the potential trip-hazards as a result of fallen debris. It is a function of the restoration professional to protect individuals in this environment.

After addressing the safety concerns, the contents and furnishings within the home need to be protected. Water coming from above can cause serious damage to upholstered furniture, electronic devices, decorative furnishings, and other personal items.

Water can cause damage in many ways, including electrical shorts, corrosion, and promoting the growth of microorganisms. The longer left untreated, the more damage will occur. Furnishings need to be protected or removed from the site. A restoration professional will remove debris from the items, move them to unaffected areas, and will ensure the safe handling of such items. If the damage is severe enough, arrangements will be made to move the items to an off-site location for appropriate cleaning and drying.

The next step is to find the path of the water. A restoration professional knows that water will find the path of least resistance through the home. It will continue to flow until it encounters a barrier to stop it. Plumbing and electrical lines are run between the levels, and these openings in the floors and wall systems allow for the flow of water, in addition to seepage through the flooring materials. When water comes to a horizontal surface, it will flow on top of the surface until it finds a way through.

With the appropriate moisture detection tools, a restoration professional will evaluate all surfaces for moisture and treat them accordingly. It will sometimes be necessary to cut open the drywall to allow for proper drying, especially if there is blown insulation inside the wall. The water must be found and removed.

Often wallpaper can be a problem. If it is vinyl wall covering, it will act as a vapor barrier and prevent moisture from evaporating from the wall and wall cavity. It may need to be removed or “perforated” to allow
for proper drying. True paper wall coverings may become permanently stained. When the glue gets wet, many types of wall coverings may release from walls.

Vinyl flooring may also pose a similar problem and necessitate removal. If the sub-floor beneath these floor coverings gets wet, there is no easy way to dry it necessitating the removal of the flooring. A restoration professional will utilize both non-penetrating meters and penetrating meters along with visual examination to locate the water. Finding where the water is becomes the most important part of the restoration process. It is necessary to dry all structural components prior to starting the rebuilding process. A restoration professional will also know that the entire job requires constant monitoring. The structural materials need to be checked at least daily to ensure that drying is taking place properly. Equipment may need to be relocated or repositioned to address specific problem areas. To avoid further damage and to ensure proper drying, a restoration professional will visit the job site daily, at a minimum, armed with moisture detection devices and will check and recheck the progress of the drying, making any necessary adjustments to the drying system in place. Water damage as a result of upper level sources poses unique problems. A restoration professional for proper drying. True paper wall coverings may become permanently stained. When the glue gets wet, many types of wall coverings may release from walls. Vinyl flooring may also pose a similar problem and necessitate removal. If the sub-floor beneath these floor coverings gets wet, there is no easy way to dry it necessitating the removal of the flooring.

A restoration professional will utilize both non-penetrating meters and penetrating meters along with visual examination to locate the water. Finding where the water is becomes the most important part of the restoration process. It is necessary to dry all structural components prior to starting the rebuilding process. A restoration professional will also know that the entire job requires constant monitoring. The structural materials need to be checked at least daily to ensure that drying is taking place properly. Equipment may need to be relocated or repositioned to address specific problem areas. To avoid further damage and to ensure proper drying, a restoration professional will visit the job site daily, at a minimum, armed with moisture detection devices and will check and recheck the progress of the drying, making any necessary adjustments to the drying system in place.
Water damage as a result of upper level sources poses unique problems. A restoration professional must become a detective. They must find the water; not just the obvious locations, but also the hidden water damage must be found. Water, if left untreated, will cause further problems. Mold can potentially become an issue. The structure must be properly dried utilizing professional meters and equipment to achieve a balanced drying system. A restoration professional will be able to find the water, dry it out, and return the property to a pre-loss condition rapidly and efficiently.

866-944-PURO (7876)


Northeast Ohio's "Paramedics of Property Damage"

PuroClean Professional Services certified as Minority Business Enterprise by Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority

PuroClean Professional Services of Northeast Ohio, a minority-owned emergency property mitigation and restoration business, has been awarded the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. CMHA, for short, owns and manages Cuyahoga County residential property along with providing low-income persons with respectful quality, safe, and affordable housing. Working closely with community partners, CMHA is a leading housing provider dedicated to increasing supply of quality affordable housing in Cuyahoga County. Their goal is to create strong communities that residents are proud to call home.


PuroClean Professional Services acknowledgement of MBE certification by the CMHA comes shortly after managing partners, Cruz and Soli, were named Male Entrepreneurs of the Year bythe Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "Being recognized as an MBE by the CMHA is an important step in allowing us to help area homeowners that experience an emergency that affects their home.” PuroClean, known as the nation's "Paramedics of Property Damage," shows up on the scene of property disasters to take the necessary steps to bring the situation under control and prevent it from becoming worse. PuroClean certified technicians provide emergency services to restore properties damaged by water, fire, smoke, mold, and biohazard events.

"It is humbling to be able to serve the community that I've lived in all my life," said Cruz. "There is so much more that we can do, being recognized by the CMHA shows us we are on the right track."

PuroClean Professional Services has been a member of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since early 2008. Since then, Cruz and Soli have made a tremendous impact on the community, working to provide jobs and services to the large Hispanic population in Northeast Ohio.

Cruz and Soli believe that continuing to form strategic partnerships with significant local businesses, like CMHA, will position PuroClean Professional Services with an enhanced level of brand awareness amongst the local community of Northeast Ohio. And, when property disaster emergencies strike, there is heightened recognition of the experts who can remedy those situations.

For more information about PuroClean Professional Services, please call 440-748-7876 or visit http://www.PuroCleanProServices.com.

About PuroClean

PuroClean is a leader in property damage restoration and has earned the trust of property owners, insurance professionals and home service providers throughout the United States and Canada since 2001. Backed by a comprehensive network of nearly 300 franchise offices and a national training and business support center, each PuroClean office responds promptly to property emergencies demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and compassion. PuroClean certified technicians are thoroughly screened, insured and trained in utilizing the latest in mitigation technology and procedures throughout the remediation process while operating under a strict code of ethics. In addition to serving the needs of property owners, PuroClean offers hundreds of continuing education classes each year to insurance professionals and property service providers nationwide. In 2008, PuroClean trained over 7,200 insurance professionals nationwide helping them earn their continuing education credits. For more information on PuroClean, please contact George Cruz at 440-748-7876 or visit www.PuroCleanProServices.com.

PuroClean and Area Roofing Companies Are Scrambling to Help Ice Damming Issues in Ohio

The number to call for your property damage emergency is 440-748-7876. You will not be the first person to use that nor the last. The last three weeks have been somewhat standard and normal in terms of snow fall that is a yearly constant for the area. However, the issues involving Ice Damming at the edge of peoples roofs and gutters have been everything but normal for the past couple of years.

Ice dams are the accumulation of ice at the eaves and valleys of roofs, and in some winters create major problems for property owners in Northeast Ohio. Insufficient attic insulation and/or attic ventilation can cause roof snow to melt and slide down to the eaves, where the roof surface is cooler and the melting snow freezes to the roof. Subsequent melting causes water to pool behind this dam and sometimes the water seeps between the shingle layers, wetting the roof deck and possibly the walls and ceilings below.

The surrounding counties of the Greater Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas saw record amounts of ice accumulation last winter and it is approaching similar numbers again this winter.
Ice Dams can cause MAJOR property damage, especially when the Damming is so strong that water starts to intrude into the house and affect ceilings, walls, and floors. If you suspect water damage to the inside of your house, you must act immediately and call a professional. Time is of the essence with how fast the ceilings and walls can undergo advanced drying techniques as well as mold prevention remedies. How fast it is treated correlates to how much it will affect your pocket book.

PuroClean has been helping property owners all over NE Ohio deal with water damage mitigation. Our technicians simply dispatch from one service call to the next and the day or night is not over until every call that day has been treated and helped. Thus, we have earned the nickname of "Northeast Ohio's Paramedics of Property Damage".

The picture above shows how they are formed and what they look like.


DON'T DELAY WHEN AN ICE DAM CAUSES WATER INTRUSTION!
Contact PuroClean Professional Services immediately if you suspect an Ice Dam has caused water damage to the interior of your property!

440-748-7876

Cleveland & Akron Homeowners Are Beginning To Deal With Damage Left By Snow

This winter storm is leaving behind a lot of damage, and homeowners across the area are only beginning to cope with it. Visions of ice hanging from roofs, tons of snow-clogged downspouts, and gutters on the ground are the scene of properties across NE Ohio.

"It's been a nightmare for a lot of people," says insurance agent Crystal Cline. Cline knows firsthand because she gets the claims that homeowners call in. "Ninety percent of them have been homeowners and a majority of them are ice forming in the gutters, and then causing leaks within the home," she said.

But the big question for most is will their homeowners insurance cover the damage? "Yes, if they have the proper policy," said Cline. "Most homeowners' policies do cover losses to the house itself." That means water damage caused by clogged gutters and frozen pipes, and even losses caused by power outages, are covered. Outside your home - repairing fences, retaining walls and removing fallen trees - depends on the language of your policy.

And don't forget, the standard policy is subject to your deductible which is usually $500. "If you have a $500 deductible, that means you have to pay the first $500 of the repair," she said. "Anything over that amount, the insurance company would pay."

The claims are only just beginning.

Agents across the NE Ohio region all share similar sentiment that a lot of claims, especially in the next week or two if there is a thaw, when everything melts is when we will all see a lot of water damage. That time is almost before us right now.

Ice dams are the accumulation of ice at the eaves and valleys of roofs, and in some winters create major problems for property owners in Northeast Ohio. Insufficient attic insulation and/or attic ventilation can cause roof snow to melt and slide down to the eaves, where the roof surface is cooler and the melting snow freezes to the roof. Subsequent melting causes water to pool behind this dam and sometimes the water seeps between the shingle layers, wetting the roof deck and possibly the walls and ceilings below. The surrounding counties of the Greater Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas saw record amounts of ice accumulation last winter and it is expected to be a prevalent issue again this winter.


If you are experiencing water intrusion from this issue, time is of the essence. DO NOT HESITATE from calling a professional company with that is preferred and has an existing relationship with insurance providers, like PuroClean Professional Services.

Even if you are unsure of the scope of the water damage, it would not hurt to call. We are available with 24-hour emergency service. If we get to the issue quick enough, we may be able to save the structure, therefore saving much more damage from occurring.

440-748-7876

Ice Damming Emergencies in Cleveland & Akron, Ohio

Ice dams are the accumulation of ice at the eaves and valleys of roofs, and in some winters create major problems for property owners in Northeast Ohio. Insufficient attic insulation and/or attic ventilation can cause roof snow to melt and slide down to the eaves, where the roof surface is cooler and the melting snow freezes to the roof. Subsequent melting causes water to pool behind this dam and sometimes the water seeps between the shingle layers, wetting the roof deck and possibly the walls and ceilings below.

The surrounding counties of the Greater Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas saw record amounts of ice accumulation last winter and it is now becoming a prevalent issue again this winter.

Ice Dams can cause major property damage. The pictures above show how they are formed and what they look like.

The illustrations show the accumulation of ice at the eaves and valley of the roof. Insufficient attic insulation and/or attic ventilation is causing the roof snow to melt and slide down to the eaves - here the roof surface is cooler and the melting snow freezes to the roof. Further melting causes water to pool behind this dam and the water then seeps between the shingle layers. The roof deck is saturated and possibly the walls and ceilings below.

The surrounding counties of the Greater Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas are seeing large amounts of ice dams this winter and it is becoming an issue that cannot be ignored.

DO NOT DELAY WHEN AN ICE DAM CAUSES WATER INTRUSTION!

440-748-7876

PUROCLEAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Northeast Ohio's "Paramedics of Property Damage"

With Frozen Pipes Thawing and Snow Melting, PuroClean and Area Plumbers Scramble to Fix Water-Related Issues

As a result of the recent, yet typical, frigid temperatures that winter brings to Northeast Ohio, many area plumbers, public service workers, and PuroClean Professional Services have been busier than normal dealing with frozen and ruptured water pipes and lines to homes and businesses.

Many calls PuroClean has received have been busted water lines to attic crawl spaces and basement areas. Some property disasters left behind over five feet of water.

Area residents have been put in a position to call their respective public service workers to come and shut off their water after problems with pipes have been discovered.

Melting snow is an annual formality facing the Northestern area of Ohio. Sometimes this can affect properties lacking the foundation support to with-hold the added amounts of water that melting brings. A lot of back-ups, leaks, etc. have been troubling many area property owners and even businesses.

If you have experienced any water-related property disaster please don't hesitate to contact a professional company. Time is of the essence with these circumstances and the longer you wait the more you jeopardize the structural integrity of your property.

PuroClean Professional Services provides 24-hour emergency property disaster services.

Call 866-944-PURO (7876)

With Frozen Pipes Thawing and Snow Melting, PuroClean and Area Plumbers Scramble to Fix Water-Related Issues

As a result of the recent, yet typical, frigid temperatures that winter brings to Northeast Ohio, many area plumbers, public service workers, and PuroClean Professional Services have been busier than normal dealing with frozen and ruptured water pipes and lines to homes and businesses.

Many calls PuroClean has received have been busted water lines to attic crawl spaces and basement areas. Some property disasters left behind over five feet of water.

Area residents have been put in a position to call their respective public service workers to come and shut off their water after problems with pipes have been discovered.

Melting snow is an annual formality facing the Northestern area of Ohio. Sometimes this can affect properties lacking the foundation support to with-hold the added amounts of water that melting brings. A lot of back-ups, leaks, etc. have been troubling many area property owners and even businesses.

If you have experienced any water-related property disaster please don't hesitate to contact a professional company. Time is of the essence with these circumstances and the longer you wait the more you jeopardize the structural integrity of your property.

PuroClean Professional Services provides 24-hour emergency property disaster services.

Call 866-944-PURO (7876)