Over the past several years, customer service has gone through an unprecedented shift in countless industries–including automotive repair. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, about half of all consumers have thought deeply about what they value in life. In response, brands and businesses have worked hard to meet people where they are by kicking their customer service up a notch.
From 2020 on, one of the most notable shifts in customer service has been a heavier emphasis on using technology to provide service remotely. As the owner of an independent auto or tire shop, you may be wondering if you can take advantage of this. After all, your business model relies on people bringing cars to your business. The good news is that auto shops can stay ahead of the curve by considering these customer service trends while doing business in 2022.
Fast Service
One of the advantages of today’s digital economy is the potential for instant gratification. Consumers have grown accustomed to finding the products and services they want without waiting. To make this desire work for you, you’ll need to consider everything from your website design to your ability to respond to potential customers ASAP.
Here are a few tips to remember while making your customer service experience as efficient as possible:
- Optimize your website. In many cases, a person’s first impression of your company will come from your web presence. If you haven’t updated your shop’s website in a while, take some time to ensure it’s logically organized. Perhaps most importantly, make sure your contact info is easy to find.
- Let people schedule appointments online. Providing instant gratification isn’t always realistic in a business like auto repair. What you can do is make it as simple as possible for people to set up appointments. These days, that means delivering online scheduling services.
- Make it easy to purchase/reserve tires. Would-be buyers shouldn’t have to visit your shop in person to get started on their tire purchase. Allow them to buy or reserve tires from your website.
Environmental Impact
Sustainability is a bigger concern than ever for modern shoppers. Since 2015, consumers have expected companies to do their part in protecting the environment. And empty words won’t cut it–if you don’t put your money where your mouth is, you could actively discourage people from choosing your auto shop for their service needs.
There are quite a few steps you can take to make your shop more eco-friendly without disrupting your workflow:
- Make it easy to recycle. A simple way to reduce waste is to put potential garbage to good use. In some cases, this can be as easy as placing recycling cans next to your trash cans.
- Update your bathrooms. Have you thought about your restrooms’ role in your overall ecological footprint? If not, it’s time to make some changes. Supply cruelty-free soaps, environmentally friendly paper towels, and blow dryers to your visitors.
- Recycle old tires. You don’t have to throw away tires that aren’t fit for use. To get started, consider donating some tires to a nearby playground. In fact, some playgrounds give credit to their donors and allow you to promote it. Win-win.
- Use less paper. Paper marketing materials like flyers aren’t just less effective in the modern era–they’ll end up getting thrown away. Fight back by increasing your emphasis on digital marketing.
The Importance of Experiences
Of course, an auto shop’s products and services are still crucial to their success in 2022. But there’s something else you’ll need to focus on these days–namely, the experiences your shop can provide. Customers value experiences highly right now, and experiences can help give your business a valuable point of differentiation from the competition.
There are all sorts of ways to offer more experiences at your independent auto shop. For example, you could invite community members to your shop for workshops on simple car maintenance tasks like changing tires and checking oil. You could also reach out to the community by participating in fundraisers or speaking at local educational institutions. Whatever you opt to do, make sure to let people know about your plans by marketing them ahead of time!
Omni-Channel Support
Are you unsure what “omni-channel support” is? You’re not alone, but it’s nothing to worry about. All this means is that modern consumers prefer to have customer service that they can reach through multiple channels.
To build a solid omni-channel support strategy, think about your auto shop’s core customer base and the digital platforms they prefer. With that said, it’s generally a good idea to focus on email–even today, this is a highly reliable way to reach people online. Social media platforms and text messaging are safe bets, as well.
Keeping Up With Trends
If you’re running a small or mid-sized auto or tire shop, making these changes may sound complicated. Luckily, this process doesn’t have to be all that complex. Digital marketing platforms like BayIQ allow auto shop owners to take care of all these efforts and more from a single program.
With BayIQ, you can quickly and easily:
- Create automated email/text marketing campaigns
- Provide online appointment scheduling
- Offer a loyalty program for your valued customers
- Ask people for online reviews after their visit
- See how your marketing efforts are performing
Are you aiming to speed up your service, use more eco-friendly marketing materials, promote new experiences, or serve customers on the platforms they use? If so, BayIQ can help!
