As a professional organizer, Michele Dudley spends her days helping clients take control of their environments one room – or one closet – at a time.
Whether they’re downsizing to a smaller home, moving to another office or preparing to welcome a new baby, many of Dudley’s clients come to her for assistance during times of transition.
“They’re really busy working through the things that are going on in their lives and a lot of times, organizing their physical space is something that falls by the wayside,” said Dudley, who started her company, Reyestone Organization, in 2016. “As they enter the next phase of their lives, they’re looking for a new system but they may not have the time or energy to imagine what that looks like.”
That’s where Dudley comes in. With a fresh, impartial eye, she can go into a client’s home or office and help them get rid of items they no longer need, better utilize their storage space and create processes that support better organization going forward.
While her official role is as an organizer, the personal nature of the job means she’s also equal parts therapist, friend and confidant to her clients. This gives her a unique opportunity to provide customer service that exceeds expectations and often leads to repeat business and referrals.
“My goal is to create a solution for people that makes their lives easier,” she said. “That’s what I strive for every day.”
If you’re looking for ways to improve the customer experience for your clients and provide them with outstanding service, here are a few of Dudley’s tips and suggestions:
Get to know your clients on a deeper level and let them get to know you
When you’re hired for a job, it can be tempting to dive right in and get straight to work. However, it’s important to spend time connecting with your clients so they feel more comfortable and relaxed with you. Dudley recommends instituting a thorough consultation process (first on the phone and then in person) where you can go beyond small talk and begin to gain an understanding of what motivated the client to contact you.
Conversely, it gives the clients an idea of your personality, your processes and what your working relationship will look like.
Ask good questions
In Dudley’s case, her goal is to find out what her clients’ main concerns are. “I ask, ‘what’s bugging you the most?’” she said. Once you start asking questions, let the conversion flow and listen for the deeper meaning behind the client’s words. “Someone might say she wants the paperwork piles in her home office fixed but then you tour the home and you realize you may need to come up with a solution for the influx of paper,” she said. “For example, what’s the process for mail? How does it get where it needs to go? So there’s definitely some root cause analysis that goes into my work.”
Follow up with your clients
Dudley makes a point to conduct a review with her clients a week or two after she completes a project to make sure they’re happy with the results. “I build that into my process when I’m talking to clients so they know I’m going to check on them,” she said. “A lot of times, they need to live in the space and with the new solution before they can give feedback.
If I need to return and tweak things, I’m happy to do so.” By encouraging honest communication and being willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done right, you can ensure your clients have a positive experience they can’t wait to share with their friends.
Follow up with your prospects
Dudley often hears from people who have questions about her services but aren’t quite ready to move forward yet. She always makes a note on her calendar to check in with them a month or two later to see if anything has changed with their situations. And even though some people may not be comfortable with it, she recommends going ahead and asking for the business during the follow-up conversation. “It’s OK to be direct,” she said. “And a lot of people do appreciate it.”
Provide unexpected extra value
If a client tells Dudley that he wants to discuss ideas for future projects that he wants to do on his own, she’s more than willing to offer her advice at no charge. “I want to give my clients as much information as they need so they feel ready to continue on their organizing journey whether it’s with me or not,” she said. “I always let them know that I’m here to help.”
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