If you glance out to the waiting room and your customer is using their laptop connected to their personal hotspot, balancing on a metal folding chair (held together by duct tape) with nothing to look at except a dirty wall and dusty outdated pamphlets tossed on the counter, you may want to re-think your tire shop in-store content.
Auto shop owners spend a lot of time and money racking their brain on how to grab the attention of consumers to drive new business. It’s easy to forget about the one place where you will always have a captive audience: the waiting room. It’s a vital aspect of implementing an effective marketing strategy and creating a positive customer experience.
We want to show you how to take advantage of this simple and cost effective way to increase shop visit revenue.
Here’s the deal—you have the power to increase revenue by simply stepping up your waiting game to the customers who are already in your store by providing useful and engaging information. Don’t pass up this unique, highly targeted chance to drive extra sales and boost your bottom line by communicating and engaging the right message to your customers waiting in your tire shop. Here’s how.
Killer Tire Shop Waiting Room Tips to Engage With Your Customers
Custom Videos in Your Tire Shop
A waiting room TV can be used for so much more than to allow your customers to zone out and stare blankly at the local news or Judge Judy rerun.
According to Spectrio, when a TV screen or digital signage is present, a customer’s wait can feel up to 33% shorter. Aside from lowering perceived wait times, an engaging video or PowerPoint can hold the customer’s attention and resonate strongly with them.
You can tailor everything that comes across digital screens to deliver the precise message that your customers want to see. These things will help to build trust between you and your customers.. Use these effective ideas to rotate on your shop’s TV:
- Customer reviews and testimonials in written or video format.
- Encourage customers to sign up for a loyalty program that gives them points/specials/discounts when they visit your shop
- Announcements like new products available in your shop
- Familiarize your customers with your staff and create a deeper connection by showing team photos, employee of the month, team member spotlights. Add photos of some of the impressive work done by your auto shop or community involvement. Put a face to the person servicing their vehicle. It helps build customer relationships and increases loyalty.
- FAQs
- Unique shop features, special services or company history facts
- Important employee milestones such as work anniversaries, birthdays or weddings
- Educate and inform customers about the scope of your services: special offers, new services, packages or gift certificates.
- Appreciation or thank you notes
- Build employee and shop credibility by showcasing certifications or licenses that hold special value in the industry
Tire Shop Content Reminders
It isn’t just about the videos. There are opportunities to place content throughout your shop and waiting room. Here are some tips to consider when implementing this with your shop:
- Remember to tie your messages to seasonal events when possible to create a sense of urgency. Use your in-store content to remind customers about checking their A/C before summer hits or winterizing their vehicle in the fall.
- Tailor the information you incorporate into your video or slideshow to your specialty or market. Is your shop in a college town? Maybe include safety tips and maintenance schedules. If you’re located somewhere where there are lots of weather changes, you may consider offering tips for driving in different weather conditions and what kind of tires or windshield wipers are helpful.
- Set up a signage form for special offers or discounts to give you a direct marketing line right to your customers
- Set up a sign-up list for promotional text messages to get your offers straight to your customers’ pocket or purse
Seize Your Golden Engagement Opportunity
Take advantage of your customer’s wait time with these subtle yet effective tactics to increase brand recall and engagement:
- Keep branded educational reading materials readily available
- Brand things like water bottles or hand sanitizer
- Ask for referrals and reviews—sometimes all you have to do is ask!
- Display posters with QR codes to get them to sign up for loyalty programs or view original shop content
Play Some Background Music
A carefully selected playlist can help your customers stay happy and chill. The absence of music can increase anxiety. Relaxing background music subconsciously releases those feel-good hormones endorphins that produce that “buzz” you get after a good workout. There are some great shared ‘waiting room’ playlists to check out on Spotify. Or here is some great ambient music to try from Meditation Relax Club.
Cross Sell and Upsell
This is a smart way to bring some additional revenue to your business. More money? What’s not to love? Simply sell more to your existing customers using digital or printed menu boards. Capture the customer’s attention with an engaging digital menu with videos and animated graphics displaying your add-on services or deals.
Don’t waste an opportunity to engage customers. Building relationships with customers guarantees the growth of your business, so engage them with a few simple actions that inspire a lifetime of loyalty. Your tire shop waiting room doesn’t have to be an inconvenience for customers—turn it into an integral component of your marketing strategy to boost your bottom line!
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!
