What makes a successful Automotive Workshop? Many would think the be all and end all is performing great service and repair jobs, but really that’s only 50% of the job. The other 50% is providing great customer service.
Studies show that 72% of Australian motorists feel anxiety around visiting a mechanical workshop. If your Workshop doesn’t provide a warm and welcoming customer experience, you could risk losing customers to the competition.
Here are the best strategies you can use to improve customer service at your Workshop in 2022.
Remind your customers of their booking the day before their appointment
Sure, it may seem like a no biggie, but something as small as reminding a customer of their booking can make a huge difference on whether they return or not. Let’s face it, we do tend to forget things sometimes, especially if the something was booked in months ago.
A good strategy to use to enhance your customer service is by sending an automated SMS reminder to your customer the day before their appointment. An SMS is opened 94% of the time in Australia – making it the quickest and easiest way to get into contact with your customers. Sending an automated SMS reminder, the day before a booking shows the customer that you are looking out for their best interests.
Related Article: Double Your Business in Seconds With Cut-Priced SMS Reminders.
Send your customer a calendar appointment
Once a customer has booked in for a service or repair, it’s always a good idea to send a job calendar invite with the appointment date and time, so that they can accept the booking and add it into their calendar. Sending your customer a calendar booking will significantly reduce the risk of a no-show.
Click here to learn how to make a calendar invite.
Notify your customer if you are behind schedule
There’s nothing more frustrating as a customer then showing up to a workshop and being told the car isn’t finished. It looks unprofessional and often leads to them going elsewhere next time.
We get it, everyone falls behind sometimes and that’s okay, but if you are falling behind you need to make sure your customer is notified. Send them a message letting them know of the delay and give them a rough eta of completion. It’s better for both your workshop and your customer to send a notification as soon as you know you are running behind.
Provide a photo report for your customer
Most of us aren’t car experts, we don’t know why some things may need to be repaired, but you do. Providing a simple visual and detailed explanation to your customer is a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Some customers may think you are taking advantage of them if you say something needs to be repaired. But if you have photo proof and a detailed explanation it will show you are not taking them for a ride or trying to bump up the price you are generally looking out for their best interests.
Related Article: Easyphoto Pro is the latest free app making adding photos of your vehicles and documents fast and easy.
Give your customers car a quick clean
This is rarely done by Australian mechanics… Giving your customers car a quick wash is a great way to provide exceptional customer service. Sure, it may take a little bit more time but it’s well worth it. Giving a car a wash creates a “wow factor”, Customers will see the extra effort that you put in for them – they won’t want to go anywhere else.
Related Article: What Customers look for in a Workshop.
Provide a small, unexpected gift
This one is an oldie but a goodie. It’s always exciting when you receive a small gift. You can give customers a simple company branded key ring, fridge magnet, stickers, or car scents. All options are relatively cheap and provided you are making a bulk purchase; you can pick up a good quantity for next to nothing.
As an added benefit it doubles as a cheap advertising strategy for your Workshop. Think about it, if a customer sticks a magnet on their fridge, and someone who doesn’t know about your workshop sees it, they will be more obliged to book with you on the basis a close friend has in the past.
Follow up with customers when they are due for a service
You need to do everything in your power to minimise the chances of your customer going to a competitor. A great customer service strategy your workshop can use is to follow up with your customers a few months before they are due for a service.
Final Word,
Great customer service is the key to success in the Australian Auto Repair Industry. Using the strategies mentioned above, your Workshop will go along way to providing exceptional customer service.
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About Workshop Mate
Workshop Mate by Jeal is an Australian web-based workshop management system that simplifies and automates the everyday running of a mechanical workshop.
Workshop Mate includes all everyday management features like Quotes, invoices, barcoding, parts inventory, SMS reminders, service history, job allocation and tracking, Xero/MYOB integration, and more – everything you need to run a successful mechanical workshop.
Click the button below to start your no-obligation 14-day free trial of Workshop Mate.