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Posted

The other day my manager, shop foreman and I got into a discussion about a long time loyal customer we had not seen in a while. We checked our records and the last time this customer had his car to us was last August. Before that he never missed an oil change service and was a customer for over 10 years. I decided to call the customer and ask him where he has been. He told me that he decided to get a new car and that the dealer gave him 2 years “FREE” maintenance. (He bought a Nissan Altima).

 

He went on to tell me all the horror stories about his visits to the dealer and that he will be back, but just can’t pass up something free. He did tell me that, they try to sell him things, and he declines every time. So, I’m thinking that when he does come to me, the car may not be in the best shape.

 

This started me thinking and I ran a report and found that there are many other customers that I have not seen in a while, probably for the same reason. Just yesterday another very good customer arrived at our service counter and told us, “I am done with the dealer, I got all the freebies from the dealer, I now need the 30k service on my Sienna, I think I need tires and brakes too, so here are my keys, call me later”

 

The lesson I learned is that I need to pay more attention to my good customers. Many people will be back once they are done with their free services, but are there others that get caught up in the habit of going to the dealer?

 

Something we all need to think about.

 

BTW: I started a "We Miss Campaign" and sent post cards and emails to all the customers that we have not seen that were regular loyal customers

Posted

Yea, I've seen the same thing at my shop Joe.

 

People will always go for a deal before loyality.

 

The other thing that is happening in my area is some of the tire shops are giving out free repairs for anything less than 100 bucks. It's a way to fill their bays up with cars. But, then I've heard that because of the work load of freebees... they had to send half the techs home because they couldn't afford to keep them on during this sales attempt.

What a joke... give away repairs for free, but send the techs home because you can't afford to have them around...even though your bays are full... go figure.

Posted

Yea, I've seen the same thing at my shop Joe.

 

People will always go for a deal before loyality.

 

The other thing that is happening in my area is some of the tire shops are giving out free repairs for anything less than 100 bucks. It's a way to fill their bays up with cars. But, then I've heard that because of the work load of freebees... they had to send half the techs home because they couldn't afford to keep them on during this sales attempt.

What a joke... give away repairs for free, but send the techs home because you can't afford to have them around...even though your bays are full... go figure.

 

Some of the promotions we have seen in this business are dumb, dumb, dumb.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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