Do you know what your customers expect from you and your tire shop, and are you doing everything you can to manage these expectations? In this week’s blog post, we are examining how to set, meet, and exceed customer expectations.
How to Set, Meet, and Exceed Customer Expectations
Setting Expectations for your Tire Service
Physician Brian Goldman points out in a TEDx Talk that a good batting average is .300—and that means a baseball player has to only hit the ball three out of 10 times. A player who hits the ball four out of 10 times is considered legendary. However, that’s not the case when it comes to customer service. Every interaction with a customer matters, and should be viewed as an opportunity to set realistic expectations and prevent future disappointments. The following are some dos and don’ts for managing customer expectations:
- Do place importance on having your customer’s trust
- Don’t oversell or overpromise on your products or services
- Do prioritize promptness
- Don’t make promises you can’t keep
- Do communicate when situations change
Meeting Customer Expectations Online and in Shop
Your customers are well-informed and extremely sophisticated in their shopping patterns. They have high expectations for the kind of service you are going to provide for them both in your shop and out-of-house. In order to meet these expectations, your team should be doing the following:
- Offering a seamless experience that transitions from web to social to brick and mortar
- Be consistent across all platforms and points-of-contact
- Provide accurate, up-to-date information on the products and services your shop offers
- Price your services competitively
- Hire and train knowledgeable, friendly staff who can consistently deliver excellent customer service
Going Above and Beyond to Succeed
Because your customers are so savvy, just meeting their expectations is not enough. In order to maintain their loyalty, you have to go above and beyond to deliver the “wow” factor to every customer who visits your website or comes through your doors.
How do you do this in the tire industry? Going above and beyond means that your team does everything they can to show the customer that you are on their side. Especially in an industry so notorious as the auto world, fair and supportive behavior is extremely valuable and can go a long way in exceeding customer expectations.
Whether it’s completing a job ahead of their scheduled timeline, going out of your way to order an emergency part, or accommodating a last-minute change, putting your customer first will show your clientele that you value their business -- and in the long run, this is what will set you up for success.
Our marketing communication platform, rewards program, customer portal and review management system increase satisfaction for auto shops. Read more on our Services page and schedule a demo today!
