Do you know your customer? When they walk into your auto shop are you able to greet them by name? Or are they just another number coming in to make your day that much more stressful?
The auto shop industry is a fast-changing, competitive industry—you already know that. But do you know what’s essential for your success and your key differentiator that sets you apart from the competition? Getting to know your customer and always serving up excellent customer service. And we’re not just talking training people to put on a fake smile. Customer service that is unmatched means really getting to know your customer, treating them the way they want to be treated.
We realize that you won’t know the name of the one-time customer, but if you’re doing your marketing right, most of your customers should be repeat customers. And the better you know these customers, the better your chances of turning your customers into loyal ones who keep coming back and referring you to others. It all boils down to being human and taking an extra step to show you care.
Nailing your auto repair marketing by getting to know your customers
Remember Your Customers’ Names
Remember the last time you had to reintroduce yourself to someone you know you’ve already met. How did you feel? If you have customers coming back to you that’s an awesome thing, right? Why not let them know that you remember their name? By remembering and saying their name, you’ll instantly put see a smile on their face. It makes them feel important and people love hearing their own names.
When they walk through your door and you say, “Hey Brad!” they’ll instantly feel all warm and fuzzy inside—like they’re coming to visit friends. Know your customer by knowing their name. It’s the best feeling when a business recognizes you as someone who has “been there before” and treats you that way. Here are 6 easy tips from Forbes to remembering names.
5 Killer Tips to Increase Shop Visit Revenue with an Improved Waiting Room
Give Them a Birthday Shout-out
Gather your customers’ important dates—birthdays, anniversaries, etc. When it’s their special day, send them a short email or even mail them a card to say congrats or happy birthday. It shows them that you care and they’ll be shocked to know that you remembered at all. This is where we can give automation the shout out it deserves. And have the ability to automate things just like this with BAYiQ. BAYiQ is a cloud-based data, marketing and rewards platform that facilitates the creation of loyal customers for life. It’s automation made easy with BAYiQ—learn more here!
Remember the Little Things
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” –Epictetus
Really want to know your customer? Listen up! Everyone is guilty of being in a conversation, getting distracted and letting your mind gloss over an important detail like the fact that your customer is getting married, going on a trip to Hawaii or just had their first baby. Try to jot down these details that you hear when your best customers are in your shop. Keep notes about their hobbies, kids, pets—anything that they’re interested. When you’re able to bring these notes up to them it shows that you’re actually paying attention to what they’re saying and you’ll connect on a more personal level. Here are some good topics to bring up that may spark some useful information the next time you chat:
- Vacations
- Friends
- Family
- Sports
- Health
- Traffic
- Local events
- Pets
There’s just no substitute for knowing your customers. When customers know you care about them, they care more about you.
Engage Your Customers & Boost Your Bottom Line With BAYiQ
See a behind-the-scene look into the BAYiQ software and results in our quick 5-minute demo. Gain a better understanding of how our programs work and how easy it is to implement in your business today and start seeing results in no time!
References: https://www.contactatonce.com/8-tips-getting-know-customers/, https://www.marketcircle.com/blog/6-little-things-that-will-make-your-customers-love-you/