Great service is nothing more or less than befriending our customers (treating them as we would want to be treated), doing whatever they would ask of us in keeping their car safe and reliable and going to great lengths to exceed whatever it is they expect of us. Maybe that is understanding that they are in a hurry and providing them with a loaner so they can get to work and not have to worry about how long their car will take. Maybe it is just dropping them at home. Convenience and quality are and have remained very high among customer expectations and with many among us assuming price objections instead, it is no wonder that so many of us are challenged by customer service.
Maybe it is time we stopped assuming, listen and start giving our customers what they want. A customer can go anywhere and get lousy service and reasons to not come back. Maybe we should concentrate on giving them good reasons to come back every time.
Despite the fact that a great many of us of the tire and automotive repair world believe that price is everything and that our customers don't want to hear about anything beyond what they came in for, our job as automotive professionals is to advise our customers on the service and repair items we notice while inspecting and working on their cars. There is no doubt that there are a few (very few) customers out there that do not want us looking at their car beyond what they came in for but for them and for all of our customers, a big part of our job is letting a vehicle owner know the things that will keep their vehicle safe and reliable.
The vast majority of our customers expect this and we have to develop a comprehensive formal and structured process that assures we are able to advise our customers on the condition of their car every time they come into the shop. I am sure that most of us would rather not hear about the few pounds we need to lose our doctor recommends in the midst of our physical, or the cavities our dental hygienist notices in the middle of a cleaning but their job, like our job, is to report and advise on the things they find and on the things that are due. Our profession and our expertise demand we communicate our concerns. Our customers can choose to buy or not to buy but our responsibility is very clear.
I recently had a great former client of mine who owns and operates nine beautiful, state of the art shops in and around Charlotte North Carolina, invite me down to mystery shop several of his stores.
The first store I visited on this warm and bright Carolina morning was their newest store located in Highland Creek and I would have to say that in the many times I have done this type of thing, this was by far the best service experience I have ever been a part of. The plan was for me to avoid the manager (Lauren) and time it so that one of her service advisors would assist me. As it turned out Lauren was training my intended victim and as I approached the customer service area (no counters in this state of the art facility) Lauren stepped forward to assist in getting me taken care of. This could easily have been a bad experience for both me and her service advisor but Lauren kept me well engaged while she had Mike, her service advisor, go through the various steps in getting me into the system. Great attention was given to understanding how I happened to be there, what I needed, how I used my vehicle and if I had any issues I was aware of. In the midst of this my wife and I were welcomed, introduced to any of the crew that were in our vicinity and in every way made to feel welcome and taken care of. We were directed to a customer waiting area that was big, roomy, comfortable and well equipped. Within a few minutes my vehicle was taken into the shop.
As I wandered the lot, stretching my legs after our long drive down the day before, I was approached by Chris, the technician who was working on my car, who like everyone else in that store, introduced himself to me and indicated that he wanted to show me several items he had noted in checking out my truck. Normally I am a little nervous about technicians talking to customers but Chris was both friendly and informative and at just the right moment after Chris had showed me the several items, Lauren appeared under the car and escorted me up front to go over the inspection. This whole effort never took on the touch or feel of a sale, rather it was a concerned service provider informing me of the condition of my truck and the several items I would need to address to keep it safe and reliable.
When I indicated I would not have time that day to get the work done because I had an appointment I was offered a loaner and when I expressed a preference to bring the car in later in the week, an appointment was immediately set up at my convenience. Any customer coming into this store and having the benefit of a service experience such as this, would not only leave with a good understanding of the condition of their vehicle but also with the feeling that they belonged, that they were cared for and that they were appreciated. How incredible is that!!!
I would certainly highlight the extraordinary job done by Lauren and her crew but would also compliment the efforts of all of the stores I visited. And though there were things that we probably could have done differently or better, the overall performance was very good. In every case I was greeted, in every case I was welcomed and in every case my truck was thoroughly inspected. Most importantly, in every case I was given great reasons to come back.
Ten items to remember and watch out for:
• Take the time to get to know your customers and understand what their expectations are of you
• Convenience, integrity and quality are uppermost in most customers’ minds and too often we of the automotive world present price as our greatest selling point. Find ways to be convenient for your customers, sell yourself and sell the quality you represent. Value will always outsell price.
• Develop a comprehensive vehicle inspection process that includes factory scheduled maintenance and service history
• Courtesy checks are the most effective and useful way to exceed your customers’ expectations - Do them and use them!!!
v Stop being reluctant to make maintenance recommendations - if a car needs a service or repair, recommend it and let the customer either elect to do it or not do it. Your job is to inform and recommend.
• Stop being reluctant to make recommendations on a customer's first visit - If a vehicle legitimately needs work (maintenance service or repair), make the recommendation
• Don't forget about suspension work - My truck had 108,000 miles and has the original shocks. Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) standards say that shocks and struts should be replaced at 50,000 miles
• Don't forget about the timing belt - My truck had the timing belt replaced at 100,000 as it should have been but nobody asked me about it
• Don't confuse great customer service with efficient customer service - Great customer service will have them coming back. Efficient customer service might or might not. Great customer service always makes your customers feel good about coming in. Efficient customer service doesn't make them feel anything.
• Find ways to exceed your customers’ expectations and try make every service experience something worth remembering for your customer
Are your customers receiving the kind of service you want them to and the kind of service they deserve? Maybe, maybe not. The occasional use of a mystery shopper should give you and your staff members a clear idea of what you are doing well, what you might need to work on and eventually make you much more confident in answering that question.
If you go to a restaurant and get lousy service would you go back? It doesn't matter how good the food is or how impressive the wine list, if you get lousy service the chances are very good that you will go somewhere else. What happens to your customers when they get lousy service?
