Drill 16 · 3 min
Correcting misplaced confidence
Why it matters
This moment comes when a customer is confident about something that's wrong for their house. Usually it came from a video. Most techs handle it badly in one of two ways.
" Others go along with it to avoid an argument, and the customer makes a big decision on bad information. Here's what is really going on. The customer did that research so they wouldn't get overcharged.
Sounding confident is how they protect themselves when they don't know the trade. And most of what they found is partly right. So start with what they got right.
Then correct the part that doesn't fit their house, in plain words, with a fact they can see or check, like the size of the gas line. Keep your honest recommendation. If they still want the other choice after hearing the facts, respect it.
In this drill, Devin has watched videos about tankless. Correct him respectfully.
How it sounds
Customer
Basically every video I watched said tankless pays for itself in like two years.
Tech
They're right that tankless uses less gas. That part's real. For two people, though, the savings are small, so it takes a lot longer than two years to make back the extra cost.
Customer
Okay, but it runs on my existing gas line, right?
Tech
Good question. Not this one. Your line is half an inch, sized for a tank, and tankless needs a bigger line from the meter. I can show you.
Customer
Huh. None of the videos mentioned that part.
Tech
Most don't. I'd still recommend the tank for your house. But if you want tankless, I'll price it the right way, with everything it needs.
To pass
- Say what his claim gets right before you correct it
- Correct the wrong part in plain words, with a fact about this house
- Keep the honest recommendation without mocking the video or giving in
- Treat tankless as a fair choice if he still wants it after the facts
Your customer
Devin Brooks
Online researcher, confident and often half right
Devin repeats something he learned online. Say what he got right, correct the rest with facts about his house, and keep your recommendation.
The drill picks up mid-call. Devin already knows why you are there.