Always stay in touch with your customers, an automotive aftermarket trainer urged shop owners.
Bryan Stasch, vice president of product and content development at the Automotive Training Institute, is a big believer in the ’10 and 2’ rule. Not the driving technique, but for contacting your customers in the morning and again in the afternoon.
“At 10 a.m., where they’re at; at 2 p.m. where they’re at,” he said during his presentation Master the Chaos — Art and Science of a Successful Service Advisor at the Midwest Auto Care Alliance’s Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in March in Kansas City. “And then when they’re finally ready; it’s finished. Just to keep them informed.”
He used an example that many shops have probably experienced. A customer, who he dubbed Mrs. Smith, said they need their vehicle by 5 p.m. But the car is still in the bay at that time. She shows up at 5:15 and is livid because her car isn’t ready. Did anyone call her to let her know it was going to be late? Or, as Stasch pulled out his phone, what about texting the customer?
“How many of you utilize this — texting? Quick information. Quick communication. And you don’t have to deal with all the pleasantries of a phone call. Pretty cool tool,” he said. “They have the ability to quickly update Mrs. Smith on progress.”
The service advisor is essential for that customer returning in the future, Stasch stressed.
“You’re also responsible to make sure that Mrs. Smith walks out of that door not feeling price tag, but feeling value of what they just spent their hard-earned money,” he said.
“When you have customers drop off a car the night before, how many of you give them the ‘It’s in good hands’ call in the morning or evening? ‘Just to let you know, I got your car, Mrs. Smith. I just want you to know it’s good hands.’”
It’s the service advisor’s job to keep the customer informed, and that extends beyond just telling them what’s going on with their vehicle. Stasch recommended keeping on top of recall information.
“Share everything you know. Everything. All the good, as well as all the areas of concern,” he said.
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Keyword: Why communication is key to building customer trust