Technician influence in product, servive and maintenance purchase is growing among cash-conscious consumers. In the first Aftermarket Business World Auto Service Franchise Product Study, respondents report that consumers take their recommendations "most of the time" and are occasionally open to other repair and maintenance suggestions.
The importance of following the regular maintenance or replacement cycles and product price and safety concerns are the most emphasized points when making product purchase recommendations to consumers, respondents report.
In addition to technician recommendations, service franchises reported newspaper coupons, national advertising campaigns and direct mail were the most effective advertising methods in boosting product sales. Quality also affected sales, being named as the most important reason consumers select the products they do for purchase.
Some franchises reported seeing an increase in consumers bringing in their own products for installation, and when this occurs, most were able to accommodate these requests.
Electronic and phone ordering are the most common methods when requesting inventory, and most franchises either stock their shops on an as-needed basis or always carry enough to cover most makes and models, respondents report.
Independent repair shops were deemed the most common competitor of these service franchises, followed by quick lube franchises and dealerships, according to the results.
View complete Auto Service Franchise Product Study results.
METHODOLOGY: The Aftermarket Business World Auto Service Franchise Product Study was fielded over the phone to auto service franchise owners and managers in our readership. Because of the limited respondent pool, survey results should be viewed as general market trend indicators, rather than statistical certainties.
