Being a player in the auto shop industry, you’re facing a pretty significant challenge. What we like to refer to as “The Trust Challenge”.
While you may already know there is some mistrust when it comes to auto repair shops, a 2016 AAA Survey shows the scary truth - over two-thirds of consumers don’t trust auto repair shops.
What this means is that you’re battling your customer’s fixed idea - before even given a chance to prove yourself - that your auto repair shop is going to rip them off.
The survey goes on to say that two out of three U.S. drivers don’t trust auto repair shops in general--citing overcharges, poor past experiences and recommendations for unnecessary services for their lack of trust. AAA found that one-third of drivers in the United States--that’s approximately 75 million--still haven’t found a trusted auto repair shop. This leaves customers scrambling to find a quick fix when something goes wrong and a repair is needed. Additional findings from the survey include:
- Concerns that the work will not be done correctly (49%)
- Overcharging for services (73%)
- Recommending unnecessary services (76%)
- negative past experiences (63%)
Customers come in wary, with their guard up, and you only have a few moments to try and change their mind. If customers don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you.
Because of this, it’s critical to establish trust before a prospective customer comes through your door, but also have specific processes in place to prove trustworthiness as prospects begin to engage with you.
Establish Trust BEFORE Customers Contact You
The auto repair industry is a competitive field. In fact, there are over 200,000 auto repair and maintenance establishments in the United States. So, your customers and potential customers have plenty to pick from.
The auto repair industry is a reputation-driven business, heavily based on word of mouth referrals, and being trustworthy and offering stellar experiences will help to guarantee you’re able to bring customers back for repeat business and encourage them to recommend your auto shop to their circle of friends and family.
Here are two tips to get started on establishing trust for your auto shop before customer contact you:
- Collect and use positive customer reviews - Ask for feedback from your customers and then share that positive feedback with consumers in your area. Use promotional channels like email, Facebook and mailers to get the word out.
- Create a consistent online presence - almost everyone turns to the internet to look for auto shop options near them. If your auto shop doesn’t exist online, or your site hasn’t been updated since 1980, consumers Greet these searchers with a positive online experience by maintaining an updated website, posting valuable content and
Trust-Building Processes for Your Auto Repair Shop
Your customers want your auto repair shop to do more than just fixing cars or selling tires and parts. It’s important to not only deliver an optimal customer service experience each and every time, but to do so with honesty and integrity.
Here are two processes you can implement today to build trust once the customer initiates contact with your shop:
- Create a pseudo call script - You don’t want your front desk to sound like robots, but you do want to ensure they’re providing your prospective customers with a trustworthy, positive initial experience. Ensure everyone is answering the phone in the same way and doing key things - like smiling while they talk, asking critical questions that will help streamline the customer experience, and taking notes about what the customer is looking for so that they can reference those once the customer comes in.
PRO TIP: Ask the front desk to think of examples of similar repairs you’ve done that resulted in a happy customer. For example, “Yes, we do that. As a matter of fact, we had someone in here yesterday with the same issue and we had them in and out in less than a few hours.” - Introduce the mechanic - This step goes above and beyond, but has a significant impact on trust and credibility. Meeting with a knowledgeable and helpful receptionist is important, but meeting the mechanic gives customers an increased peace of mind and a sense of importance knowing the mechanic took a minute out of their busy schedule to address the customer and their concerns.
Fight off the mistrust stereotype in the auto repair industry. Always go above and beyond to earn the trust of your customers—it will pay off big time. Trust isn’t a one-and-done scenario but instead takes time to earn, implementing these tips and processes will start you on the road to a successful shop.
Watch the Demo Now to learn how BAYiQ can help you turn your customers into loyal ones.
References: http://www.prudentialuniforms.com/blog/building-trust-and-confidence-among-auto-shop-customers/, https://blog.hirefrederick.com/h/i/248091109-3-ways-auto-repair-shops-can-increase-repeat-business, https://blog.hirefrederick.com/h/i/265779672-3-tips-on-how-auto-repair-shops-can-increase-business-when-times-are-slow, https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinharrington/2014/05/14/the-3-secrets-of-repeat-business-how-to-make-more-sales-without-finding-new-customers/#777c6ef92e13m , https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/how-can-an-automotive-shop-build-trust/article26701347/, https://www.cartalk.com/blogs/jim-motavalli/two-thirds-americans-dont-trust-auto-repair-shops, https://womenautoknow.com/get-more-auto-repair-customers/, https://www.deluxe.com/sbrc/marketing/deluxe-gives-auto-repair-shop-marketing-tuneup, http://www.christianbrothersfranchise.com/about-us/news-blog/2017/april/repeat-business-brings-in-long-term-auto-repair-/, http://www.fasttrakauto.com/blog/2013/05/31/7-keys-to-inbound-marketing-for-auto-repair-shops/, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/how-can-an-automotive-shop-build-trust/article26701347/