The customers you never expected

Unexpected customers can throw even the most thought-through customer service processes for a loop.

Here are a few unexpected customers you may run into and how to handle them:

The over-informed customer

The over-informed customer is someone who has done so much research that he or she may have the wrong information. While easy to identify, he or she is not one to take opposing opinions lightly.

The fix: Let them voice their research and then politely address them with the "with my experience" approach. He or she researches for two reasons: to be well informed and to not be taken advantage of. Active listening and a clear opinion will ease his or her worries.

The clingy customer

The clingy customer is the type to call multiple times within the month to fix little nuances that may or may not be actual problems. They're also fond of your personal business.

The fix: Encourage maintenance agreements (perhaps this customer will want it more often than every season). Just be sure he or she is in agreement with the increased cost of your time.

The information-poaching customer

This customer will keep you on the call for as long as they need to get information - and never actually schedule time they have to pay for.

The fix: Don't rush them, but be clear that most units cannot be fixed via phone troubleshooting. Offer enough helpful information to make the sell for why you're the best HVAC company for the job, but don't give away the farm.