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newport5

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Everything posted by newport5

  1. Re: Should we get back to the art of selling, taking care of customers, offering options and making sure we create an amazing experience? Should we get back to the art of selling? NO! Customers don’t need to be "sold." We need to sell ourselves. Google search: “nobody likes to be sold.” More soon taking care of customers: YES ! offering options? Such as? and making sure we create an amazing experience? OK. What makes for an amazing experience? I read online somewhere: “Today’s customers want an exceptional experience, one that puts you and your shop above the competition. Which means: easy scheduling, a fast turnaround, open communication, fair and transparent pricing, and repairs that are done right the first time.” To me, that is NOT an exceptional experience. That is the minimum. That is a routine experience. Thoughts?
  2. Ugh! It may not be actual overselling but it's certainly the perception of overselling. The darn (AAA) survey that said customers "feel" they were overcharged, but they don't explain how the customer decided that. I TRIED to get a copy of the AAA study but to no avail. ESPECIALLY how the actual questions were worded, which is important. And this lame idea about the HUGE value of videos of the needed repairs, the "transparency." I saw a customer's video of cracks in his differential rubber mount, "needing" replacement. but no clunking. And this was part of a $4000 estimate on a $5000 Lexus. It was from a Lexus dealer. I see this (common) stuff as the main problem with the perception of our industry, NOT the alleged unscrupulous shops, which I guess to be about 10% on the shops, if that. AND I heard (an exaggerated?) comment that 3/4 of first time customers don't come back. Jeez, I wonder why? Overselling. QUIT doing if. Suggest half of it and they'll come back. Meaning less money spent on advertising. I could go on. Sorry ...
  3. I thought the video was a bit over the top. BUT makes a good point. Having said that, I don't think we have to "sell" anything - we're not a mattress store or a used car lot who HAS to "sell." The car either needs it or it doesn't. And don't toss out 2 benefits for each service. Now you're trying to persuade and the customer feels that. We're dealing with people, not cars. If you've built up a good relationship and they trust you, I suggest you "tell" them what it needs. I'd LOVE to do a series on that. How do I do that?
  4. I'm not a fan of scheduling the next appointment because "I" don't want to schedule anything 6 months away. I GUESS if it's in their appointments, when 6 months comes around, its a nice reminder.
  5. I agree, but … I often read about “The Customer Experience,” or providing a great customer experience, or exceed customer expectations, but it stops there. I seldom read about what that means or looks like. Jt’s just “go do it.” I have my observations, but I suggest we open this up for discussion as to what that means. And I don’t like what I read recently: Easy appointments, clear explanations minus jargon, quick turnaround and the overused “fixed right the first time.” I think those are routine expectations, not great customer service.
  6. Thank you for the kind words re the reviews. 34 reviews is not many but I’m not after volume. I’d heard years ago that it’s not the (merely) satisfied customers who refer you, it’s the thrilled ones, the delighted ones. I’m interested in joining, but I need to find the correct level. I want to start coaching shop owners and service advisors on how I get approvals the fun, easy way. I know there is a “professional” level, but I don’t have my program together yet, although I’m speaking on that topic at an auto event in Maryland the end of this month. I would enjoy posting more.
  7. I don’t think customers will notice a $10 increase in the hourly rate. Unless they ask. It would just end up in the total. I seldom have a customer ask our hourly rate. If they do, the owner says: “I would LOVE to charge by the hour, then I can slow down!”
  8. Joe,

     

    You said you were going to create a new post connected to your recent post re MPI's and safety.

    My thoughts:

    Re MPI’s and the safety you mentioned. Yes, the smart technician will point out the safety issues because they figure those should be easy for even the busiest advisor to get the approval.  Same with the new advisors.

    A high percentage of service customers ask to have us check their brakes. I ask why, in case there is an issue. Most of the time there is no issue, “But, please check them.”

    If the advisor can’t sell brakes, they need a new line of work. I imagine the same goes for a swollen coolant hoses, a serpentine belt with deep grooves or tires showing thread.

    If the advisors were too busy to build rapport and create a trusting relationship with their customers, they launch into the old-school “benefits, value and safety” approach. Which, to a customer, sounds like you are trying to sell them on the repairs or maintenance versus looking out for their best interest. When they say no (big surprise) the advisor pulls out the “dealing with objections” line. When that doesn’t work, out comes line two of “dealing with objections.” Eventually the (smart) customers figure out the manipulations and search for a shop they can trust.

    But that’s ok, because the shop has a $2000 a month marketing budget for acquiring new customers; because they have to. Then when the marketing gets a potential customer to call because they are unhappy where they’re currently taking their car and ask for a quote on a radiator, the advisor has been taught not to give a quote (why?). So the advisor grills them on how it might not be the radiator so bring it in (and we’ll charge you to check it and THEN tell you it’s the radiator). And it will cost this much. But now they’re on the hook because they had to pay for the diagnosis of the problem they pretty much already knew they had. Smart customers hang up when they don’t get a quote and call other shops that will. Out of the three shops that quote a radiator, they pick the shop that’s priced in the middle.

    1. Joe Marconi

      Joe Marconi

      Wow, there is a lot of great content here! By the way, I did start another post based on your last comments in the other post, Schedule it lighter? Are the advisors swamped? But that might be for another post.

      I named that post Are Service Advisors Too Swamped These Days. You could add your content in that post, or start another one, which I feel would make a great post. 

      Thank you for your contributions too, excellent content, and we can all learn from it too!

      Joe 

       

       

      Quote

       

       

  9. To:victorb newportmotorsports.net Thu 1/4/2024 9:55 PM Regarding: I recently spoke to a shop owner who told me his techs give him pushback on performing the multipoint inspection (MPI). After a few questions, I think I revealed the REAL problem. His techs are paid Flat-Rate, and not being compensated to do the MPI. (If so, that seems simple: pay the techs. A half hour? I knew one shop that paid a full hour. How long does it take them? But I can hear the shop owner saying: But it’s more money for the techs. Yes, AND more for the shop owner) When on flat rate, every minute means earned pay. However, is it a flat rate issue or a culture and leadership problem? (pay the techs) Or the wrong employees? (Pay the techs) (OR, other possibilities. Do the techs have two racks each so they can work on another car while the estimate is written and the customer called? Or do they wait? Does the advisor write it up in a timely fashion? Are the advisors getting enough approved?) I realize that time must be compensated on that type of pay system, but what about the customer and their safety? (I think that is more the shop owner's concern, but I would think ANY tech would point out a safety issue. Having said that, I got tired of hearing safety brought up along with “benefits and value” when getting approvals, so I searched how many accidents were caused by faulty vehicles. If I remember correctly, of the 3 or 4 top-ten lists of causes of accidents I found, only one list had mechanical issues and it was 9 or 10 on the list.) And speaking of MPI’s, how does every car NOT get one? Isn’t that a shop’s job? Let the customer know about issues so they can decide to do them now or in the future? Of course, using the advice of the advisor, who’s looking out for the customer’s best interest, not their own. Or is the shop too busy to add another hour or two in the day? If not, then you have to take the time to make another appointment, write them up when they get there, put the car on the rack again, take it off again and road test it again. That sounds like 20 minutes. At only $120 an hour that’s $40. You’ll have to bill $120 to earn that $40. Schedule it lighter? Are the advisors swamped? But that might be for another post.
  10. I totally agree with that. I hadn't thought of a great relationship as (being part of) an amazing experience, but I have to agree with you !!!
  11. that sounds like a "good" experience. I don't see it as amazing. Bad communication makes for a bad experience. I think good communication makes for a good experience, but not amazing.
  12. I keep reading, with business, it’s all about the experience. And I read articles in auto trade magazines that mention a “great experience” and even read “dazzling experience. Now it’s an “amazing experience.” But nobody says what that is, would look like or how to achieve it. And could car repair be amazing? How many store or business interactions can be amazing experiences? I would think a dinner, concert, sporting event, etc. could be amazing. But spending money on your car so that it runs the same as it did a month ago seems far from “amazing.” Maybe amazing compared to other shops. Regarding going to another shop because your shop isn’t amazing, I don’t see it that way. Having said that, we work on high-end German cars and I think those people choose their repair shop carefully. They probably won’t just go to the next shop down the street because it was only a good experience. I think if the customer talks to personable people at your shop, maybe there are some smiles or laughs, gets their car fixed at a fair price in a reasonable amount of time, that’s a “good” experience. I suppose if your customers just have a “regular” car that’s not much more than transportation, and they see repair shops as a commodity, perhaps it’s easy to just go to the next shop. Thoughts?
  13. Re “I knew the value of Wait Customers.” Please elaborate. Because, of the 5 different German car repair shops I’ve worked at in my 40 years, we seldom had waiters. However, I AM in an affluent part of Southern California, Orange County. Maybe they have to get to work. One shop owner thought we lost money on a waiter because EVERYONE at the shop got involved in getting the customer in and out of the shop (instead of working on what they should be working on). Re “You need the time to inspect the vehicle and time to perform the work you want to sell.” Seems to me it takes at least a half hour to inspect the car, then search parts, write the estimate, call the customer, then an hour to get parts, then put them on. How does a customer have 3 hours to sit at a repair shop? Or, do you reschedule them. Then it takes two visits to the shop instead of one. Help me out here ….
  14. Wow! Ya, I hate the "My brother-in-law can do it for ..." Hard lesson for the customer.
  15. I apologize for the confusion. I had read it all. I wasn't blaming. We've all done it and I NEVER thought anything about that until I started brainstorming reasons for our bad rap. And polls have shown overcharging is an issue, even though they don't say HOW those customers decided that!!! As if it FELT high to them??? My point was, when that customer calls a shop that specializes in European cars and they quote a regular price, the customer jumps to the conclusion that you were overcharging. Human nature. Again, I apologize for the confusion. Victor
  16. Regarding “My strategy was to price the (European) work so high, the customer would be the person saying "no" and not me.” While that strategy makes sense to a shop owner, let me add this. I want to encourage a panel discussion at an upcoming auto conference on improving the perception of our industry. I started a list of talking points and overcharging is one of them. And that strategy looks exactly like overcharging. When the customer checks a European repair shop, they obviously decide you are overcharging. And our industry looks bad. I believe we need to fix that. For the benefit of all of us. Thoughts? Side note: we're a German car repair shop in Orange County , California and German cars are EVERYWHERE !!!
  17. I read the post to mean: start the vehicle inspection. But the only mention is tires and wiper blades. And re tires, the tires have to be pretty much turned to see enough of the tires. Unless the advisor gets on his knee to look closer. It seems like saving under 5 minutes. I DO like taking a pic of the dash for warning lights. So many customers “forget” about their check engine light. Re: “And do they begin to discuss what services are due?“ I believe THAT should be done when making the appointment. Get the current mileage when making the appointment then look at the recommendations: spark plugs, brake fluid flush, air filter, etc? Handle that THEN to get it into the quote so the tech can start on those additional things right away.
  18. 1. Is EVERYTHING written up at the initial drop off, to limit waiting for additional approvals? Such as, are you adding a line for brake rotors for approval, just in case it’s more than just pads? "If it turns out to be THIS, can I get your approval now?" 2. Is everything in writing for the technician, every time, versus a, “Hey, that car gets a …” 3. Is the technician cleaning his bay versus the lot guy, whose not producing hours? 4. Has the service advisor created a great relationship with the customer to get most things approved?
  19. hhhhmmmm ... I'm not so sure. We have (only) 32 reviews (on Yelp) and all 5's except one. I've heard nothing negative, but naturally I don't know about people who are turned off by that. If we create a great experience with a new customer, I say: "Hey, if you had a great experience, please leave a Yelp review." I've learned that if that customer doesn't have a Yelp account, that brand new review doesn't make it to the front, it ends up behind the scenes (I forget the category name). I know a guy who ASKS for 5 star reviews. He has 41 reviews, all 5-Star on Google. It works for him. He does have a lot of video reviews as well. Viewers feel as if they know him.
  20. That's funny. He probably thought he was being helpful, soothing the customer.
  21. Here's what a technician told me years ago about talking to a customer when asked about the cost of a certain repair. The tech answered like this: "I'm the "how," they are the "how much." I think the tech has to be careful when the customer asks: "How long does it take to replace it?" The tech's first thought is to simply answer the question, say one hour, because he/she's done it 10 times. But it pays one and a half or two hours. Then it puts the service advisor in a tough spot.
  22. I agree with: " Your best customers are loyal because of the value they receive from doing business with you." I arrogantly used to think I was SO good at calling customers back with the additional work needed. They said yes all the time and I thought it was me. I finally realized it was their past trusted dealings with us made everything so easy and smooth. I know they trust us with their car and their pocketbook.
  23. Trust from a long time, loyal customer is almost a given. The trick is to create that trust earlier. I believe it takes a few steps to get there. First, become a friend of your customers. I don’t mean a beer- or coffee-drinking friend, but that is not out of the question. There’s a general belief that friends don’t take advantage of friends. Find out about their kids, their interests, their vacations. That is, find out about them. It helps if you share something about you. Seek to learn something new at every phone call. Second, don’t try to sell every repair recommendation now. If you’re worried about no work, there’s probably a customer coming in tomorrow with work you recommended several months ago. This builds huge trust. It shows you’re looking out for their pocketbook (and their family) and not just yours. Next, transparency: explain everything. I like this loose template. Put in layman’s terms: here’s what’s wrong, here’s how it’s supposed to work, here’s how this will fix it. You aren’t hiding anything nor hiding behind technology or jargon. There’s more, but let’s end with: demonstrate customer commitment, integrity, quality, respect for people, teamwork, personal accountability, and the like. In addition to building the all-important trust, all this makes it much easier for them to refer new customers to you.
  24. I agree we are mostly a trust business. Yet most of the articles for service advisors re calling to get approval for additional work is to be ready with a list of benefits, value and safety. I don’t. I tell them what their car needs and why. Sometimes an explanation of how that system works. Maybe a benefit or two. Then I pause. There’s an implied request to go ahead with the work. My mental outlook is: “of course they are going to say yes. The car needs it.” It’s a bit harder for them to say no since I haven’t asked them to do anything. So there’s nothing to say no to. And yes, they trust that I am looking out for their best interest, all while making a profit. I’ve only worked at shops that specialized in German cars, especially Porsche. Only one offered a discount. And it was 10% off to new customers. Then I remember a regular customer asking: “Why are you giving discounts to new customers and not your good customers?” Ouch!
  25. So you're going to recommend the oil service while they are in there for the free tire rotation? Why not just convince/educate them on the real-world oil change schedule? And the value of inspections every 7500 miles instead of ??? miles ...
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