Repair Shop Advice

When it comes to buying goods and services, people tend to trust their own experiences more than anything else.  But what do people do when they’re looking for a new auto repair shop? Since they can’t rely on their own experiences, they’re forced to look elsewhere to gain trust.

The biggest impact on most customers in this scenario is a recommendation from someone they trust.  This is why recommendations are such a powerful way to earn more business, whether they happen in person or on social media. Unfortunately, recommendations don’t happen unless the topic of vehicle repair comes up in a conversation – and while you probably talk about vehicle repair all day, most people don’t.

Reviews are also a powerful tool to earn trust.  Unlike recommendations, people looking for a shop can see multiple reviews almost instantly.  Great reviews lead to more business, but earning reviews often requires shops to be deliberate in asking for them, because most customers don’t think to write an online review on their own.

There is one way to gain trust that doesn’t rely on any one else speaking on your behalf, however.  One of the easiest ways to gain trust is to let your customers get to know you.  Once customers learn more about you and your employees, they’re less likely to view your shop as a business than as fellow community members.

New customers aren’t going to stop by your shop for a meet and greet, however.  If you want a chance to tell customers about the people in your shop, your best opportunity to do that is on your website.

This is why we encourage our customers to add some personality to their websites, and especially on the “About Us” page.  While most pages of an auto repair website are focused heavily on improving your search rankings for all the services your shop provides, this isn’t the case for the About Us page.

The About Us page should contain:

What Your Shop Focuses On – This shouldn’t be boilerplate language about fantastic customer service or great prices.  It’s what your shop focuses on day in and day out, and what you do better than any other shops nearby.  Whatever you say your focus is, you have to deliver on it every time.

Names, Pictures and Descriptions of Staff Members – People obviously want to know about the person running the shop – that person’s values and attention to quality will impact the behavior of every employee that works for them.

But customers wonder about the person that’s actually going to be doing the work on their car, too.  How long have they been there?  Do they do good work?  Do they take pride in their work?  The About Us page is a place to help customers put a face to the names of all your staff members, detail your team’s experience and accomplishments, and give customers more confidence in the work your technicians perform.

Community Involvement – If your shop sponsors any local events, offers vehicle maintenance classes or participates in other community activities, this is a great place to put information (and pictures) about your involvement.  The more that customers see you and your shop as a member of the community instead of a company, the more comfortable they’ll feel that they’re going to get good, honest service.

Improving your About Us page (and other areas of your website) by adding pictures and personal information is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to bolster trust in your shop.  

To learn how Repair Shop Websites helps auto repairs shops across the United States and Canada earn new customers, call us at 855-394-6397 or email us at Team_RSW@RepairShopWebsites.com.