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If you’ve ever searched on Google for a business, you’ve probably seen their business information show up to the right of the search results.  As an example, searching for ProPainter Websites returns the box below.

This is the information in your Google My Business profile – and since so many people use Google, it serves as your online identity in many cases.  It is often the first thing people will learn about you when they type your business’s name into Google.  It has your business address, hours, and phone number, a link to your website, your Google Reviews, and a button to get directions to your business.  If someone types your name into Google, they’re probably expecting to see this information on the right side of their screen. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a Google My Business profile, they probably aren’t to going to see it.

Having a completed Google My Business (GMB) profile also makes you more likely to show up for any searches related to house painting.  When a business owner reaches out to Google and claims their Google My Business (GMB) profile, it gives Google more confidence about the information being provided for that business.  When you put business hours into your GMB, Google can tell customers if you’re closed, and they’ll know not to expect a callback right away.  When you select your business category as a Painter and not an Artist, Google will understand that you paint houses, not art.  Google wants to return useful search results, so the more confidence they have in what you do, the more likely your business is to show up in the search results.

Simply put, if you don’t have a Google My Business profile for your painting company, spending 15 minutes completing it will provide a big boost to your search results over time.  That’s why we reach out to every one of our customers and try to help them build or claim their Google My Business profile.  It’s the easiest ways to improve your online presence, and we want to make sure our customers are taking advantage of it.

Unfortunately, GMB can hurt you, too.  If you don’t reach out to Google and claim your GMB profile, anyone can add your business to GMB or make edits to the information Google has about your business.  If Google doesn’t know very much about you, they’re only too happy to take information from strangers on where you are located, what you do, how to contact you, and when you’re open.

This means someone could request an edit and change your hours to “Closed” on Tuesdays.  They could change your phone number to a competitor’s phone number.  They can even change your website to somewhere unsafe, such as a phishing or ransomware website.  All of this can do some serious damage to your business.

This is where the other important part of Google My Business comes in.  Don’t let anyone walk away with your online identity.  If an employee has your GMB login information, make sure you get that information from them.  Whenever you cancel services with a vendor who manages your GMB profile, make sure you still have access to your profile.  Losing your Google My Business login is a lot like losing your real identity; You won’t be in control of the information online about your business, and that information is likely to become less accurate over time.

There’s one other reason to keep up with this login.  If you can’t locate it but need to update something on your profile, you may have to request that Google “reset” your profile so you can gain access.  If you ever do need to do this, there’s a good chance Google will delete all of the information about the “old” business at that location.  Google wants to make sure that a person starting a new business isn’t earning credit (or blame) associated with the last business at that address.  That means that all of your business information, pictures, and even reviews – all things that help you search well – are subject to deletion, and you’ll be starting from scratch again.  If you’ve accumulated dozens of great reviews, this is a disaster you shouldn’t have to experience.

To learn about how Repair Shop Websites can help your auto shop earn more business, call us at 919-424-6121 or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com

Have you ever noticed that companies love to claim that their customer service is great?  One reason they try to do this is that they think they can get away with it.  Even Wells Fargo, who has been fined over $17 billion since 2000 for various forms of customer fraud, has a section on their website called “Serving Customers and Communities”.

Most other claims can be invalidated.  You can claim to be the cheapest until someone shows up with a cheaper quote from your competitor.  You can claim to be the fastest until a potential customer tells you that one of your competitors can start their job today. But it’s hard for a customer to point to a competitor’s quote and tell you that their customer service will be better.

Another reason businesses claim great service is that excellent customer service is what attracts the best customers.  Fifty-seven percent of people said they’d pay more for great customer service according to a 2019 study, and 73% said they’d be more likely to be a repeat customer.  Most customers also indicated they’d buy more services from an employee they found to be more friendly.

Consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers quantified the financial value of customers in 2018.   According to this study, consumers pay 16% more for great service on average.  Sixteen percent sounds like a pretty good boost, but when you consider that it might not cost anything at all to improve your service, it can become a tremendously valuable sum of money.  Many painting contractors don’t make much after accounting for their equipment and supplies, marketing costs, and the cost of quoting new jobs.  Depending on your profit margin, being able to charge 16% more may double your profit margins.

Here are a couple of ways you can improve your customer service and capture that added revenue.

• Make a great first impression – the first time most customers interact with you will be over the phone. Make sure they feel like you’re listening to them and that you’re eager to have the business.  They’ll decide in the first 15 to 30 seconds whether you’re their preferred painter or a last resort if the others fall through.
• Personalize your walkthrough – When you walk through the house to provide a quote, take the opportunity to explain to the customer any parts of the job that make it easier or more difficult. If you see any other issues they have, such as rotted wood, point those out too.  This helps them feel like you’re knowledgeable, professional, and eager to take care of your customers.

To learn how ProPainter Websites can help you grow your customer base and make those customers more profitable, call us at 919-424-6121or email us at Team_PPW@ProPainterWebsites.com.