Insights
How should seasonal customers change your follow-up and scheduling?
If some of your customers spend only part of the year in the Coachella Valley, their arrival and departure dates should influence your follow-up and scheduling. A customer who is away for the summer may still want service when they return.
Keep seasonal and year-round customers identifiable in your records. Then use what you know about their plans rather than applying the same reminders to everyone.
Contact customers before they need to book
For customers who return in autumn, a September or early-October message may help them plan: “Will you be back this fall? Let us know if you would like to arrange service before you arrive.” Adjust the timing to the customer's known schedule.
Make the offer specific and accurate. If access to the property is required, confirm how that will be arranged. If the requested work needs an assessment first, explain that before offering an appointment.
Discuss departure plans
Before a customer leaves, ask whether they need work completed, scheduled maintenance while away, or a reminder before returning. Record the agreed timing and contact method.
A pause in visits does not necessarily mean the customer is no longer interested. Avoid treating every inactive record as a lost customer, or sending repeated appointment messages when you know the person is away.
Make remote inquiries easy to answer
A seasonal customer may be choosing a provider before reaching the valley. Keep service areas, contact details, and booking requirements easy to find. Let them know whether an appointment can be arranged remotely and which details you need.
After a job, request feedback at a relevant time and through an appropriate channel. A prompt request can be easier for the customer to answer while the work is still fresh in their memory.
Adjust scheduling to actual demand
During a busy period, reminders, confirmations, and a maintained waitlist can help you use available appointments. Explain lead times and avoid booking work the team cannot complete.
During a quieter period, follow up on postponed work and check whether the service mix should change. These decisions should come from your booking history and capacity, not an assumption that every valley business has the same season.
What should the records include?
- Whether the customer is seasonal, year-round, or not yet known.
- Expected arrival and departure dates, where the customer has provided them.
- Preferred contact method and any request to pause messages.
- Service already agreed, including work to be done while the customer is away.
- The next action and the person responsible for it.
Review these details when a customer gets in touch. Plans change, and a reminder based on last year's dates may no longer fit.
A useful first step is to review last season's customer list and identify which records have a clear next action. That shows whether the immediate need is better information, a follow-up process, or automation to support it.