In Austin, Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, or any city in the nation you pick, there’s an automotive repair shop on nearly every block. When the competition is this tight, how can you be the most successful around? It’s easy if you hire and keep the best workers, set high ethics standards for yourself, and provide superior customer service with options like a 24-hour answering service.
Learn to Hire and Retain the Best Workers
People get attached to their auto mechanics and, if yours are always coming and going, some of your customers are likely to follow them to their new place of employment. Stop frequent turnovers by offering fair pay, along with some benefits like sick days, vacation days, health insurance, and a retirement plan. Find out what your competitors offer employees, and make sure you’re offering better. Then your great mechanics won’t be tempted to stray, potentially dragging paying customers along with them.
Develop and Promote an Ethics Statement
Customers appreciate and respect businesses who conduct themselves according to high moral standards. Develop a solid ethics statement that defines how you intend to operate. Then have the statement displayed prominently at your place of business to show that you are serious about treating people right.
Provide Stellar Customer Service throughout the Process
It’s often hard to offer great customer service in a busy automotive shop. It’s loud, dirty, and busy most of the time. Mechanics that can prove to customers that they care about their issues are on much better standing with the community. To customers, car problems mean missed work, rental car expenses, re-arranging pick-ups of children, and perhaps the delay of an expected trip. Be sensitive to their needs (even when they whine a bit) and offer options like a 24-hour answering service, so that customers can get information when it’s convenient to them.
Up your customer service with great mechanics, solid ethics, and superior customer service, and soon you will truly be the most successful shop in town.