What’s in it for them (the customer)?
Training and coaching of automotive service advisors is a very challenging and rewarding business. I am often amazed at the number of years we continue to work on changing the same skills and behaviors. And year after year we continue to chase dealership service customers to the independent repair facilities both during and after the warranty period. Because after all, what’s in it for them to stay?
During a service advisor selling skills class recently, one of the participants got a big “aha” during a skills practice activity: he realized that he could make the process about them (the customer) instead of about us (the dealership)! What a concept! Do you make the service experience about them or about you?
To find out, ask yourself these 10 simple questions:
- Do you do a walk-around to reduce expenses due to exterior damage? OR do you help the customer take care of their car by involving them, educating them, visually looking at the condition of their car with them?
- Do you start asking the customer questions right away about what you need to know so you can fix their car or sell them service? OR do you start by asking them if they have a few minutes to answer some questions that will better help you take care of their car?
- Do you tell them that you will need their car until 5:00 PM? OR do you ask them how long they can leave the car with you today?
- Do you write down their primary concern and then call later to up sell them on maintenance, etc.? OR do you try to identify all of their needs upfront when possible and then explain the items you will contacting them about once the technician inspects and/or diagnosis their car?
- Do you sell maintenance and wear/tear items that are needed today? OR do you explain the value of preventative maintenance and the intervals when things are most likely due so they can plan for future expenses?
- Do you put down the competition when the customer says they heard it costs less somewhere else? OR do you acknowledge their concern, empathize with them, and help them to clearly see the benefits of servicing with you?
- Do you delegate your delivery to the cashier or a stressed advisors acting as cashier? OR do your advisors make time to greet every customer and discuss the services performed in person with them?
- Do you send email blasts and service reminders to try to get customers to come back? OR do you have a follow-up system that allows you keep in touch with them and make it personal?
- Do you only work with your own customers one-on-one? OR do you make eye-contact, smile, and offer assistance to all of those customers around you?
- Does you service department appear to be chaotic and the employees stressed? OR do your employees appear calm and sincerely seem to be enjoying their jobs?
Maybe customer satisfaction and loyalty is a simple as making it about them. The benefit of making these small types of behavior changes is that the return on your investment is usually worth the time and effort put in. In other words, make it about them and increase your profitability too!