"Sales, Customer Service and Communication" course

This thread is dedicated exclusively for those students currently enrolled in the InterNACHI course titled, “Sales, Customer Service and Communication.”

Students of this course will learn how to better serve their clients by providing great customer service and using effective communication.

And, in keeping with InterNACHI’s commitment to Continuing Education, this course is open and free to all members, and can be taken again and again, without limit.

Students are free to pose questions and comments here and join in the conversation with other students. The thread will be monitored by the course instructor.

Contact: Director of Education, Ben Gromicko ben@internachi.org

Thank you.

1 Like

ready

Link to course?

Thanks,
Carl

I’m all in for improving communication with clients.

Starting this course. Seems it is named differently.

Customer is always first!

Hi everyone:

This course was great. It reminded me of just how powerful a first impression can be. The client’s first observations might often form a positive or negative basis pretty quickly. A simple smile and or a handshake pays off a lot and it doesn’t cost a dime!
so easy to do,
thanks
Nat

Just finished the course. Must say, I was brought up with this understanding of how to treat people. As time go by it does appear that this is becoming a last art ( what a shame ).
Cordell L. Atkins

Hello,
Decided to take the professionalism training course since you can always find ways to improve if you are open minded. I was pretty amazed at the low postings on this forum since it was started over three years ago.

I myself have a pretty lengthy background in face to face customer service. I have worked in grocery retail for over twenty years and the bulk of that time was spent in the meat department. As a manager of that department I always pushed my associates to be outgoing and helpful. It was always fun to see a young worker starting out slowly open up out of their shell. I also made sure that a good portion of their annual review was talking about customer interaction and service.

I also made it a point to interact with those customers that had that unhappy look on their face and try to lighten their day either just by communicating with them or trying to solve a problem if the had one. If a customer came to us with a problem they were basically trying to give us a second chance to fix an issue. I would always thank them for bringing something to my attention and tell them if they did not let me know of a problem then I would not know it needed to be fixed.

From the Course:

Clients know how they are treated. If they are treated well, they will use your services. If they feel they are treated poorly, they can easily take their business elsewhere. Your clients are purchasing more than your product or service. They are doing business with a company that appreciates them and treats them well. Clients will often seek out a particular company and pay more money for their product or service based upon how well they are treated. Clients who are not satisfied with your service can go somewhere else.

The goal for you in taking this course is learn how to better serve your clients by providing great customer service and using effective communication. Your clients, new and existing, will benefit from you taking this course. They will feel you treat them fairly, professionally and that you sincerely appreciate their business.

Reading & Writing Assignment

Aging in Place

Our seniors now days prefer to stay in one place now and there are more with the baby boomers becoming the age to move into retirement homes.
Inspectors have been called to many retirement homes because of the conditions our seniors live in which is very unhealthy, the standards in which our inspectors can make suggestions and or alterations for easier living and safer.
Some suggestions for making easier living for seniors that wish to live on their own first discuss it with Family members and also make sure you can afford maintenance fees and also make everything accessible for everyday living.

** Anti-Scald Valves**

Anti-scald valves caused at least 20 percent of burns, the water temperatures can cause scalding in less than 0.5 seconds.
Anti-scald valves eliminate this problem by maintaining water temperature to a safe level, even as pressures fluctuate in water supply lines. These valves look similar to ordinary shower and tub valves but are equipped with a special diaphragm or piston mechanism that balances the pressure of the hot- and cold-water inputs.

Re: Professionalism and Training
Good morning,
I thought this was a great course! This class should be required for everyone in today’s workplace. I’m truly amazed how workplace professionalism has now taken a back seat to rude snippy people who don’t appreciate a customer or a job and seem to expect the world while trying to figure out how they can put forth least amount of effort and work required.
I was recently reminded of this a few days ago when I called to make an appointment with an audiologist. The customer service rep answered the phone “hello” I immediately looked down at the number to make sure I had dialed it properly. I said “good morning, is this the Audiology office?” the rep said “yup” I chuckled to myself thinking, nice. I then explained that I needed to set up an appointment for a hearing test, the rep asked me when I would like to do this. I asked “would you have anything available this week” the customer service rep answered “are you kidding?! Its Christmas, everyone’s on vacation” I thought to myself, wow, is this really the kind of place I want to go to?
I can’t say enough about good customer service, professional standards and how they make me feel. I believe it can only make you stand out from the crowd in the best way. I will continue to practice and improve my professionalism. Thank you for giving me the tools needed to do that.

meeee

Smoke Alarm Inspection:

Smoke alarms are an inexpensive and effective way to help save lives. Nearly 2/3 of all home fire deaths are in homes that do not have working smoke alarms. Often, if there are alarms installed, either the battery is dead, or the battery has been removed due to false alarms. The best solution is to install hard wired alarms with battery back ups. You can also find systems that sound all alarms when one alarm is triggered. It is also important to note that alarms should be replaced every 10 years, or sooner if they fail a smoke test.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy:

In recent years, the popularity of solar energy has increased due to consumers interest in creating a “green enviroment”. But solar energy is not without its’ drawbacks. The first thing people discover is the cost to install a solar system. It is not uncommon to invest in tens of thousands of dollars for a system, between the solar panels and the battery banks. There is a lack of consistency in sunlight provided. The panels are typically large and can take up quite a bit of room either on a roof, or elsewhere on the property. While there are downsides to supplementing a home with solar energy, it will still become more popular, and more affordable to use the sun as an alternative source of energy.

Personal hygiene and cleanliness co-inside with reputation and respect which lead to referrals and a stronger business.

Body language along with strong verbal communication also result in stronger business relationships and referrals in the future along with satisfied customers.

Working on the professionalism for inspector certification and cant agree more. Being professional and understanding your clients needs will help maintain a successful inspection business.

Hello my name is John and I am starting this course !

Hello I just finished the course and I feel like this is great to listen to! I will defiantly be using these communication skills to better my confidence in my home inspections!

I wish there was a short version of this to listen to everyday before I go to work!
Thank you so much for a great course!

Topic 1 Carpeted Bathrooms

There are both advantages and disadvantages to carpet in bathrooms. Some advantages are slip hazards are reduced, carpet is softer and more comfortable. Some disadvantages include moisture build up or water splashes. Water build up can lead to decaying of the sub floor. Bacteria is also a common concern. Inspectors should communicate their recommendations to their clients.

Topic 2 House Numbers

Home owners should make sure their house numbers are visible from the street in the event of an emergency. In several states, municipalities and counties have implemented standards and are holding home owners accountable for the proper display of their house numbers. There may be several future adjustments that home owners may need to comply with.

reading & writing assignment: I read articles on ‘tobacco door removal’ & ‘non-conforming bedrooms’

there is some debate whether or not residual tobacco smoke in a building is cancer causing, but there is no debate that it smells bad and the stains are ugly.

depending on the level of remediation required, common household items such as vinegar, lemon peels, baking soda or coffee grounds may be enough. some research has shown that incandescent light bulbs attract tobacco smoke more than the newer modern bulbs such as LED.

Perhaps an ozone generator would prove to be the most effective remediation device. Ozone has 3 oxygen molecules and reacts on contact with other molecules such as an odour molecule. when this happens it breaks down the door molecule into it’s basic elements of hydrogen & carbon dioxide and then reverts back to oxygen. ozone should only be used by a trained professional because at levels high enough to be effective it can be lethal to humans.