Repair Shop Advice

“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.”
~ Betty Reese

“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things.”

~Bruce Barton

I was watching the history channel and it was comparing real-life archeologists to Indiana Jones.  Basically they said Indiana Jones was very accurate, especially for the time period it was representing.  They also said the snakes really are terrible; (at one site a snake that is only a foot long and blends in with the sand can be deadly.  The bite must be treated with the antidote within 25 minutes or you die!  The hospital is 30 minutes away and they won’t give them the antidote to have on hand at the site!  You learn quickly to watch out for the small snake!), tarantulas really can’t hurt you (I don’t want to find out) but the thing that bothers them the most is the mosquito.   It really is little things like mosquitoes that can bring their dig to a halt.  Each bite is like an injection of poison and many archeologists have suffered from malaria.

Something so little but it makes a huge difference!

One business owner I know realizes that first impressions are vitally important when someone calls or visits his place of business.  His receptionist’s title is, The Director of First Impressions. With a job title like that it would be hard for her to overlook the importance of her role in the company.  In most automotive service and repair shops the service advisor(s) is the first person a customer sees.  That makes you the Director of First Impressions!

What do they see when they enter the shop?  Do they see a clean, uncluttered facility?  If they are going to wait for service do they hesitate to sit on a chair because it is dirty?  Are there coffee cups, magazines and newspapers strewn around?  Does this really matter?  Yes…it is the little things.

When a customer or prospect calls do you treat them well? Do you ask questions and really listen to the answer? Are you warm, friendly, helpful with suggestions to solve their vehicle issue?  Does it really matter?  Yes…it is the little things.

Do you offer them a ride home or shuttle them elsewhere while their vehicle is being worked on?  Is that your problem?  Yes…it is the little things.

Do you offer them refreshments if they are going to wait to have service on their vehicle?  What are you, a waitress? Is that your job? Yes…it is the little things.

If a customer or prospect seems troubled by the price you quote, do you work with them on alternatives that may fit with their budget or offer to stagger the service based on priorities? Is that your problem?  Yes…it is the little things.

When a customer refuses a service you know they need, do you ask the right questions in a gentle, helpful manner until you get to the reason why they are refusing the service?  Should I really do that? Yes…it is the little things.

Why should I do that? The more you find out from customers, the more you can relay to the owner. It is always helpful to know why customers refuse service.  You can sometimes find out more about your competition this way (like if they are offering lower pricing) and address the situation.  It gives you a chance to explain why your pricing is worth it.  If the customer is comparing apples to oranges because they don’t understand what is involved in the service/repair it also gives you the opportunity to explain.  It is the little things.

Do you check out the restrooms once in a while to make sure they are neat and clean and stocked with paper products? What am I, a janitor now?  Yes…it is the little things.

Whenever you have the opportunity for training, do you take it? I’ve been doing this job for years!  How can I possibly learn more? I can probably teach classes myself! Do I really need to take more training?  Yes…it is the little things. Any additional knowledge is helpful when it comes to doing your job more efficiently with greater results.

This is just a small list of little things that matter.  And remember, just like the mosquito, people feel the small things…they can make all the difference.  Unlike the mosquito, don’t inject customers and prospects with poison…inject them with good feelings they won’t forget!  People enjoy doing business with those that make them feel good, appreciated and valued.

I know your job isn’t always easy because sadly sometimes you have to deal with difficult people.  Any job that requires customer service has its challenges.  If you need to talk about it, feel free to call me or send me an email.  We can commiserate with each other and share our experiences.

Take care!

Rhonda

Rhonda Hiltbrand

Chief Operating Officer

NWZ WORX Multimedia & WorldWide Connectors