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Why the Customer never came back!
By Bob Cooper, Elite Business Services

Most shop owners spend a small fortune in order to get the phone to ring. Then when it does, they often go to extraordinary measures in order to convert the caller into an appointment. They ask questions, they listen intently and they show genuine concern. Then when the customer shows up for the appointment the manager, or owner, typically spends time confirming the customers concerns, listening, asking additional questions and taking notes. Then as the sale progresses, and when it comes time to recommend the service, most shop owners and managers will give their customers their complete, undivided attention. All done with just one intent: To help the customer feel comfortable with their decision to purchase. Yet I have found most shops allow all their efforts and their good intentions to go up in smoke … in the final five minutes of customer contact. I call those last few minutes the “car delivery” segment of the sales cycle, and if you don’t do an exceptional job in those last few minutes, then there’s a strong probability that customer will never come back. Here’s why.

No matter how polished of a sales person you are, with most customers you’ll find their mind goes into a blur as soon as they hear the price. By the time they hang up the phone all that they usually remember is the price they heard and when their car will be done. In most cases, if you were to ask them about what they just authorized, why their car failed, or what the terms and conditions of the warranty are, you’d more than likely get a blank stare. Now I’m not suggesting most shops don't do a good job, because in most cases, they do. What I am suggesting is that in the real world we have to understand how people react to sudden and unexpected repairs, and it
’s typically as I just described. So when your customer shows up for car delivery, you have to do a whole lot more than just get some signatures and process their charge card. You have to resell the service, answer the “unasked” questions, and ultimately make them feel good about their decision. Here’s how you do it.

Do everything in your power to “schedule” the car deliveries so you won’t be trying to juggle all your “five o’clock customers” at the same time. If you can’t schedule the car delivery, then when you call the customer to tell them their car’s finished, ask them if they have a few minutes and use the time to explain step number two.

When you do your car delivery, make sure you have back up so you’re not interrupted. Start off by congratulating the customer on the service they chose. Then review the repair order with them and explain what you did and why. Next, you’ll need to explain all the benefits of the service, you’ll need to go over the warranty in detail, and you’ll need to discuss any post service responsibilities the customer now has. Break-in procedures, rechecks, adjustments, etc.

Shake their hand, tell them that you know they have choices when it comes to choosing an auto service center, and genuinely thank them for giving you the opportunity to help.

Do those 48 hr customer follow up calls.

 

In closing, if you follow these four steps I can make you this guarantee. It’ll be the best few minutes you’ll ever spend with your customer. Your warranty claim customers will be a lot more understanding, you’ll see less buyers remorse, you’ll get more repeat business and you’ll get a lot more referrals! Don’t let all your efforts go up in smoke in the last a few minutes.

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About the Author

Bob Cooper has functioned as a business developer, an owner and an operator of some of the most successful auto repair shops in the North America. Bob's company, Elite Business Services provides management consulting to the industry and offers shop management information and "Success Tools™" on his website at www.elitebusinessservices.com.

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