What to keep your customers happy and build referral business?
Rui Martins, executive vice president of the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre, says the key is to inspect every car that comes into the shop.
Martins recently told a mixed audience of service providers and parts distributors at the Automotive Industries Association’s annual Western Canada Automotive Service Providers Forum that inspections not only drive sales for repair shops, they’re what the customer wants and expects.
“Credible inspections is what it’s about,” he said at the Mayfield Inn and Suites in Edmonton, Alta. earlier this month. “If vehicles are properly inspected, we can count on a significant bump in overall customer satisfaction.”
Martins shared the podium during the one-day conference with management guru Donald Cooper, and automotive consultant Bill Haas. The conference, with the theme of “Raising the Bar” attracted 115 people, including about 50 service providers.
“If we’re not inspecting vehicles properly, we’re not delivering on our professional responsibility,” Martins said. “Our professional responsibility is to check the vehicle out properly and allow the client to make the decision as to whether they want to move forward with the repairs or not.”
Fewer visits from customers
The need to inspect vehicles is even more critical these days, as the number of visits customers make to their service providers continues to shrink. It used to be as many as four times a year.
“That number has been reduced to one to two times per year, and is getting closer and closer to one time a year,” he said. “That five to six minute window that we have to build trust and rapport is being shut down. It used to be about a half hour a year. And that six minutes is being rushed even more.”
He urged shop owners to establish a process for giving every vehicle a quick courtesy inspection, lasting five or six minutes, that identifies areas of mechanical concern. That’s in addition to any inspection that is specifically requested: a seasonal inspection, or a complaint-based inspection.
Courtesy inspection on every vehicle
Out of 18 cars, then, you could have as many as 36 inspections, he said.
Not only that, but the inspections should be done first so the service advisor can complete full estimates on every concern found and present it to the customer.
“If you do the inspections, a beautiful way to throw money down the toilet is to not complete an electronic estimate for the work that is found,” he said. “Sound like a lot of paperwork? This is about process, and about explaining to the client what we intend to do before we even go down this road.”
An estimate for every concern found
Martins said presenting the findings of an inspection is part of the shop’s professional responsibility… and it is what today’s consumer wants and expects. They may not choose to do all of the work immediately, but you’ve done your job in finding the concerns on their vehicle, and chances are high that they’ll return to have the work done.
“Mathematically, 70 per cent of those clients will go home, discuss budget, discuss when and where, discuss how the vehicle will be dropped off, and they will return for those repairs,” he said, adding that the confidence that is built will lead them to recommend your shop to others.
“When your clients start referring their friends and family to you, and that deferred work starts coming in your door, you’re going to have to figure out how to control it,” he said. “Quality and credible inspections done 100% of the time need to be part of the change in culture. Advisors and technicians need to understand that is what we are delivering on. Inspections is what we do.”
When the process breaks down
Martins said having processes in place makes it possible to track down internal problems and correct them. At his own shop, the follow-up to any problem was intensive.
“If there was a client issue, if something broke down, if we did something incorrect, if there was a comeback of any sort, my first question to the service advisor was where did the process break down. I want to know where we went wrong. That would be my first question. And in order to know that, that handbook needs to exist. That process has to be established.”
He said establishing processes and insisting employees follow them will probably mean losing a few staff members.
“A change in culture takes time. Sometimes changing culture means shifting some bodies out of our building, because they won’t shift culture," he explained.
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September 30, 2012 - guy uib says: “ f150 2007 problem temperature sensor ”
September 20, 2012 - GHRAPCHAK says: “ great insight keeps us on our toes ”
September 20, 2012 - caravanman says: “ I just returned from one of Rui's seminars in Halifax NS. and all I can say is, if your way of looking at vehicle repair doesn't change after going , you should get out of the business. There is so much honest money rolling out the door that it's not funny (at all). Whosdis, the possibility of hidden problems and additional expense should have been discussed with the customer before the work ever started...that's a breakdown in procedure at the front counter.Geomech, if your clients are suspicious, why? Has your shop been stealing from them or doing low quality work (sounds harsh but it is reality)...there is a reason. If you can show the client why they need this done (documented, scheduled maintenence recommended by the manufacturer) or visibly show them the deteriorated part , fluid, etc., there should be no reason for suspicion. Do yourselves the best favour you ever did and call Rui or Bob Greenwood and sign up for the BEST program...you will understand. ”
September 19, 2012 - Whosdis says: “ I fully agree with geomechs views. As well, in Ontario, we have a law that requires a shop to obtain authorization if additional repairs or parts are needed. It used to be that we repaired a clients vehicle, and they were happy to pay the bill, knowing the job was done right. Now, if you run into issues that will completely disable a vehicle, we need consent to finish the job. For example, at our shop, we currently have a truck on the hoist for a wheel bearing hub. Two of the bolts stripped upon removal. They are dealer-item-only, and they are $45 each, our cost. In order to get the truck out the door, we need those bolts. Say we call the client and they decline the purchase. Do we leave the truck in the shop on a hoist indefinitely? Conversely, say we simply add the bolts to the bill, without their authorization, we may get stuck with the bill, ourselves. Clientele isn't the same as it was 10 years ago. As far as I'm concerned, any additional job you do to a client's vehicle will be construed as a rip-off, unless the client has trusted you with their vehicle for years. ”
September 18, 2012 - geomechs says: “ I couldn't agree more in that routine (scheduled?) inspections actually do help the customer. The trouble is we're dealing with a client base that is still aware of that TV expose' on crooked repair shops a few years ago. Our clients are suspicious to start with and thus we have to 'walk on eggs' to convince them to follow scheduled vehicle/system checkups. Those (very few) who have opted for periodical inspections are reasonably happy. The rest of them, we work at and continue to fix what is broken only, and still have to endure some abuse. Unfortunately for them we have to (diplomatically) rub their noses in their ignorance. It's been an uphill battle. One thing that has helped not only our shop but others in the region is mandatory insurance inspections for vehicles over 10 years old. Those, unfortunately, we have to get ruthless with, and if they don't measure up, we park 'em. It often makes hard feelings but the roads are a trifle safer. ”
“ f150 2007 problem temperature sensor ”