Trust is the most important thing when trying to bring in new customers, especially in the services industry. Customers have already heard nightmare stories about fly-by-night contractors, plumbers who never show and HVAC technicians who make the problem worse.

How can you win over customers when they view you as untrustworthy before they even use your service?

Offer them a guarantee.

Many service providers never think to offer a guarantee. They assume that services cannot be guaranteed. After all, you can’t send back bad catering or a bad haircut for repair.

When we say “guarantee,” we’re not talking about the service itself, but rather, customer satisfaction.

Take, for example, Marvel Sewer and Drain. The company offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If customers aren’t happy, it’s on them (cost-wise).

The sewer and drain company offers a six-month guarantee. If a customer’s repaired drain backs up again, they will come back out and clean it for free. That’s the kind of guarantee that gets customers on board pretty quickly.

A satisfaction guarantee does a lot for your service business.

Build Trust with Potential Customers

Customers have a hard time taking the plunge when hiring a service-based business. They don’t want to get burned.

A clear guarantee gives them more incentive to choose your service over a competitor. After all, they have nothing to lose. If they’re not happy with your services, they can get their money back and move on to the next professional on the list.

A guarantee gives the customer peace of mind that you’re going to finish the job, and you’re going to do it the right way.

Establish Authority in the Industry

Offering a satisfaction guarantee also establishes you as an authority in your industry. How? A company that provides poor quality service, doesn’t behave professionally, or has a habit of abandoning the job will not offer a guarantee of any kind.

In the customer’s eyes, only a qualified, professional company will offer a guarantee – especially an unconditional, 100% guarantee.

Keep Customers Around

Existing customers are more likely to stick around if they know that you will offer a guarantee. If they need work done in the future, they know they can count on your company to do a good job, or they will get their money back.

Think of a guarantee program as a customer loyalty program.

What Constitutes as a Good Service Guarantee?

What makes a service guarantee “good”? Is it a policy that offers 100% money-back? One that promises error-free service? It’s both, actually.

As a service provider, you should strive to offer error-free service. Quality, professional service is what boosts word of mouth marketing, the strongest form of marketing in the services business.

When customers are happy, they generally have no reason to complain.

A good service guarantee is also unconditional – no exceptions. The language should be clear and easy for the everyday person to understand.

The guarantee should also be easy to invoke and be meaningful financially. If a customer has to jump through hoops to take advantage of the guarantee, then there’s no incentive to use your service.