With passion for their vehicles running so deep, your customers’ expectations for a pleasant vehicle repair experience may run as high as having their vehicles fixed expertly and efficiently, especially among your female customers.
Weighing in on this topic is Frank Scandura, owner of Frank’s Mercedes Service, with locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. His multi-bay locations specialize in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Jaguar and VW service and repair, with an emphasis on driveability. (Scandura also recently joined the ImportCar editorial advisory board.)
His affluent customer base, comprised mainly of female customers, is very discriminating when it comes to vehicle service and very particular about the way they are treated.
With the shop’s mission statement always top of mind, Scandura and his team take customer and vehicle care very seriously.
The shop also promotes it Golden Wrench Service™ Commitment — “Our commitment to you to provide timely and consistent automotive services with integrity, quality and value. We ensure that each and every customer experiences the highest standard of customer assistance and satisfaction. You drive the best and you should expect the best service,” recites Scandura.
Hopefully, you will find some golden nuggets of information in Scandura’s additional customer service-related comments provided in this brief Q&A.
What are some of the expectations of your female customers?
“They expect us to be professional, knowledgeable, patient and honest. We have learned over the years our female customers like to make informed decisions. They will ask questions to get the information they need before making a purchase decision.
“An example would be if we tell a male customer that his car has a worn-out ball joint that needs to be replaced, he will say something like ‘OK, I will do it next time.’ If we tell a female customer her car has a worn-out ball joint, she will ask: ‘What’s a ball joint? What will happen if I don’t replace it? How much will it cost? When can it be done?’ Neither party really knows what a ball joint is, but the female customer just asked enough questions to make an informed decision.”
How do you make female customers feel welcome and earn their trust that you are taking great care of their vehicles?
“The shop is clean and the technicians are clean-cut. There’s a comfortable place to sit when the service order is taken. (I could never understand high counters where customers were forced to stand.) We make sure to keep our car count manageable enough to be able to spend time with the client, listening to his/her concerns and even test-driving the car, if necessary, to verify what may be going on. When we make service recommendations, we back them up with the manufacturer’s recommendations in the owner’s manual. Believe it or not, some people do read them and have an idea what to expect. We take the time to answer all of their questions. Our female clients like to know they are being heard.”
