Change is inevitable, so making sure your company is on top is crucial. When looking at your business to make some financial investments, it's essential to ask yourself which department is the most important to sink money into. If your answer comes down between two key contenders - sales and service - make sure you aren't putting the cart before the horse.
The debate
Philosophy: Your technicians are the face of your company, the "front line" if you will. Without a strong, professional team of technicians interacting with your customers, all your other departments won't matter because your client-facing representatives are scaring off your customers. (No customers = no business!) Investing in your sales department is only a wise choice after you can answer this question "What can I do to improve my service team?"
Execution: Now that you are ready to invest in your service team, it's time to take action. Evaluate your technicians and schedule some training for rookies and vets alike - the more they know the more of an asset they are to your business. Schedule ride-alongs to see your technician's customer service, sales, and professional capabilities. Accompanying your techs while in the field can give you a lot of insight on what areas of customer service (and company policies) can be improved.
What do you do to improve your customer-facing teams?