Most people will consider it a blessing if they receive a reminder from you that it’s time to get their brakes checked, that they need to get that oil change or that it’s time for their 30,000-mile checkup.
Through a text-messaging tool for the repair industry that sends automated updates on a car’s repair status – including photos, repair recommendations and estimated completion time – Christian Brothers’ partnership with autotext.me offers a unique digital vehicle inspection.
“There was no waiting room,” my husband recently complained to me. He had just spent his morning off waiting at a local repair facility as his car got an oil change and had its 90,000-mile routine maintenance performed, says Kristen Criswell, editor of Shop Owner magazine.
Text messages outnumber phone calls five to one. An amazing 98% of text messages are opened. Take a guess at how many text messages are read within the first three minutes of being received … 90%!
I know you will agree with this statement: There is no greater feeling of satisfaction than having a customer choose your shop to service their vehicles. What’s even more satisfying is a customer who has been with you for multiple decades.
Auto repair shops and parts stores face a unique challenge: The majority of their customers are uncomfortable in the world of vehicle maintenance and repair. They’re intimidated. And on top of that, they’re fearful of the potential cost of fixing their car or purchasing a critical maintenance part – so emotions are running high from the get-go.
Understandably, people prefer to be treated like human beings. Sadly, most auto service businesses fail at this critical “emotion” component. With no process in place, they default to treating customers like just another job, another ticket, another vehicle in their daily car count.
How do you set the bar for high performance at your automotive business? This article covers six essential elements.
While courtesy shuttles once served as a solution, today they no longer offer the same “wow factor” for customers as they once did. Instead, savvy shop owners are beginning to follow the example of luxury car dealerships – offering customers a loaner car to use while their own vehicle is in the shop, especially in the case of overnight repairs.
Building customer trust is one of the most important factors in the growth and continued success of any shop. It is defined as “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” When we look at it, communication is at the center of this.
The way we shop and the way we consume is evolving. We live in a world where convenience is king. The automotive repair sector isn’t immune from this evolution, says Kristen Criswell, editor of Shop Owner magazine.
It is more expensive to find new customers than to keep existing ones. Here are a few tips to get your customers coming back in to your shop.
