The approach matters, too. How long do they sit outside before coming to the door? How do they introduce themselves? I appreciate a friendly introduction and a little conversation before we jump into the problem. It feels very different from someone walking in and immediately asking, “Where’s the thing at?” 

When a technician enters my home, I want them to cover their footwear and present themselves professionally. Does this person look clean? Are their hands dirty? Is the uniform dirty? These details influence trust, whether we realize it or not. 

I also appreciate thoughtful questions about where we should begin. At the same time, there’s a balance to this. Some people enjoy a lot of casual conversation, but I don't like getting too personal too quickly. 

I had a recent service visit that illustrates this perfectly. 

A technician arrived to look at an outdoor faucet that was leaking. Before we went outside, I wanted to show him the mechanical room where the shutoff was located, just in case he needed it. We had barely started walking there when he looked into another room and noticed my turntables and vinyl collection. 

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He stopped and said, “Oh, what’s that?” 

I explained that it was my music room, and instead of continuing toward the plumbing issue, he just stood there. Physically, he wasn’t even following where I was leading him. It was as if I could have left him standing in my house. He leaned his head into the room and wanted to know more about the turntables. He continued to stand there, asking questions, until I finally told him, “You’ll hear more about the turntables as soon as we talk about my plumbing.” 

He laughed. I don't think he realized what he was doing. His behavior wasn’t threatening, and I never felt concerned in that way. He simply became too comfortable, too fast, with something I wasn’t ready to talk about. And at that moment, I had a leaking fixture. I didn’t know how much it was going to cost. I didn’t know how extensive the repair would be. I didn't know whether there was damage behind the wall. The last thing I wanted to discuss was my vinyl collection. 

A technician in my house is a stranger, not my friend. We hadn’t earned that relationship yet. I didn’t like it. 

That experience gets to the heart of why soft skills matter so much. Selling is about connecting people to what they need. If I’m not connected to you, I'll never buy from you. 

I would invite people to think about a time they went to a store and left without making a purchase because they didn’t like the salesperson. Or maybe they completed the transaction, but didn’t feel good about the experience. Those situations happen because human connection matters. 

The customer wants to feel heard, honored, acknowledged, and respected. When that happens, they can feel good about whatever purchase they’re making, whether it’s something fun and discretionary or a necessary service like the ones we provide. 

That’s also why we constantly say, “Hire for character, train for skill.” 

In residential services, you’re going into people’s homes. If the homeowner doesn’t sense that you’re trustworthy, focused, and good with people, your technical ability becomes much harder to appreciate. Even if I push through an uncomfortable service visit and get the repair completed, I probably won’t call that company again. 

To get to the technical issue, you have to work with the human being first. Acknowledge your customer. Listen to them. Respect the fact that you’re a guest in their home. 

These skills matter even during an emergency. Of course, if water is gushing out or something is sparking, address the unsafe situation first. Make it safe. That’s the priority. 

But once you’ve done that, check back in with the homeowner and acknowledge where they are emotionally. Let them know what’s happening. Let them know that as soon as the situation is under control, you’d like to talk through it with them. 

I don’t want a technician to repair only the symptom, even if they’re completely capable of doing that. I want them to understand how the entire system operates, so they don’t miss something that could create another surprise in the future. 

Soft skills don’t slow down great service. They make great service possible.