Do you lose customers when they replace their vehicles, or if you don’t quite lose them for a while, do you only see them again when something goes wrong on their new vehicles? Retaining existing customers seems to be getting more difficult with each passing year as vehicles are becoming more reliable, but with some out-of-the-box thinking, it is possible not only to retain old customers, but to gain new ones as well. This article will discuss some simple ways to boost your maintenance sales, starting with this question-
In a perfect world, we would all answer “YES” to this question because we would all feel that our customers are always getting the best possible value for their money. In most cases, this would be true, but it is equally true that sometimes, we offer our services in ways that don’t make much sense to our customers. We have all heard it before- an irate customers asking why the battery or fuel pump failed all of a sudden, and why did we not notice that something was wrong when we last worked on the vehicle, which may have been many months ago?
This is especially true of customers that don’t know much about their vehicles. These customers rely on us to both keep their vehicles running, and to keep them informed of possible or impending disasters such as battery failures, fuel pump failures, brake system failures, and all the other things that can go wrong on vehicles that we maybe see two or three times a year for routine servicing.
Of course, this writer is NOT suggesting that we should all start ripping off our customers by selling them parts and/or services they do not need, or that we should start skimping on routine services just so that we can sell a customer a major part or service later when something breaks or wears out.
Nonetheless, when last did you look at the services you offer your customers from their point of view, especially with regard to what it costs them? Take a routine major service for example; we check, or attempt to check everything- from the condition of the tyres (including the spare) and battery, to the condition of the shock absorbers and other suspension components, to the wipers, and everything else that needs checking and/or replacing.
While we might feel that we do a superior job during a prescribed service, our customers often feel that that superior job cost them too much, since as far as they were aware nothing was broken, worn out, or falling off. In these circumstances, we might explain that the rather hefty repair bill is a requirement to maintain the vehicle’s warranty, but this requirement does not apply to vehicles that are not covered by a warranty.
So with vehicles that are not in warranty, the question becomes one of how to provide the customer with services that meet his requirements without compromising his safety or our reputations, while still remaining both professional and profitable. This writer has some practical experience of this issue, once having taken control of a competing workshop with the aim of purchasing it when this writer returned it to profitability, which he in did in less than 6 months, simply by looking at the workshops’ problem(s) from the perspective of its customers.
Long story short: the workshop owner was complaining that “nobody was buying his services”, while customers generally complained that the workshop was too expensive considering the level of professionalism and service they received, that they waited too long for their vehicles, and that their concerns were usually not taken seriously by anybody in the workshop. The downward spiral was firmly established, but the challenge (and the proposed purchase price) was too interesting to pass up.
It should be noted though that this story represents an extreme example of an automotive repair shop that had been managed into a crisis situation, and while this situation admittedly does not apply to the majority of readers of this article, the basic premise remains. Once you look at the problem of how to retain your customers from their perspective, it becomes easier to increase maintenance sales by providing focused and affordable services that are designed to meet your customer’s immediate needs, as opposed to providing routine or “pre-packaged” services that merely create or generate large repair bills, which begs this question-
For the purposes of this article, we can largely ignore the routine servicing procedures that apply to factory-mandated services on vehicles that are covered by a warranty; however, the situation is different for vehicles that are not covered by factory warranties.
Since the owners of these vehicles often cannot (or always) afford, or need a full service, they often specify what they wanted done because they may be on tight budgets, or, there may be nothing else wrong with their vehicles. Of course, this does not absolve us of our responsibility to point out to our customers potentially dangerous defects that might exist on their vehicles, but do our service writers know and understand the benefits of focused, preventative maintenance procedures, so that they are able to explain these benefits to our customers?
The answers to this question may range from “No”, to “Maybe”, to “Somewhat”, to “Yes”, but if we need to increase maintenance sales to increase both our profitability and customer counts, the only answer that would make sense is “Yes”. Nonetheless, here is something to think about- does either your business model or the collective mindset of your service writers allow your customers to specify exactly what they want because they may not be able to afford more than say, a simple battery test at the moment?
It is at this point in the discussion that the task of selling preventative maintenance becomes an art form, but getting it right depends on whether or not you understand how most customers view and feel about their vehicles. To many customers, a car is simply a means of transport that gets them from point “A” to point “B” and back again, and if it can do so reliably and with the least expense, all is well in that customer’s world. To other customers, their cars represent a major capital outlay, if not a financial burden, while to still other customers, their cars serve as extensions of their personalities and as such, these customers will spend any amount of money to keep their cars in perfect condition.
Once you understand why people buy and drive the cars they do, you gain a valuable insight into how they view their interactions with workshops and mechanics, which, it must be said, is often not favourable. Nevertheless, as a result of this insight it becomes relatively easy to adapt both your business model, and your approach to customer service to provide focused maintenance services that are designed to serve the needs of each type of customer.
Adapting your approach will necessarily lead to more sales and repeat business from existing customers who already trust you, and allow you to attract new customers, all of which lead to increased sales, and therefore, increased profitability. Thus, let us look at a few examples of focused services you might want to offer, but note that each of the services listed here should be available as stand-alone procedures that are available to customers in addition to the regular service menus(s) you offer-
Battery tests
While we all check at least the state of charge of batteries during routine servicing procedures, you may want to offer a stand-alone battery test that takes into account all the factors that affect battery health. Of course, this may require you to purchase specialised battery testing equipment, but the upside is that a customer with whom you already have a good relationship is far more likely to have you carry out the test than to have it done at a battery fitment centre where he is just another walk-in customer.
Such a test could be supplemented by a comprehensive diagnostic scan of the charging system, and the implications of all fault codes (if any are found) could be explained to the customer in relation to how they could possibly or necessarily, as the case may be, affect both the expected lifetime and performance of the battery.
Tyre inspections/rotations
Such an inspection should involve removing the wheels, and physically inspecting each tyre (including the spare) for signs of damage, slow leaks, tread depth, and uneven or accelerated wear. This could be supplemented by a wheel balance check, and possibly a wheel alignment procedure if one is warranted.
Brake system inspections
Such an inspection could include removing the wheels and a physical inspection of all friction surfaces, as well as a replacement of the brake fluid if this is required. The entire brake system should also be inspected for leaks and /or damage to all brake lines and components, and brake pressures on each wheel should be taken with dedicated brake testing equipment.
This could be supplemented with a diagnostic scan of the brake system, and all fault codes (if any are found) could be explained to the customer in relation to how defects or shortcomings in the brake system could affect his safety, especially given the fact that defects in ABS brake systems could affect other safety systems; traction -, cruise -, and stability control systems come to mind.
Fuel system inspections
This could include checking the fuel pressure at various points in the fuel system, as well as a volumetric test of the injectors. Other points could include checking all fuel lines for leaks and/or damage, as well as a diagnostic scan of the EVAP system.
Cooling system inspections/coolant replacements
At a minimum, an inspection of the cooling system should include checking all hoses and drive belts for obvious signs of fluid leaks, damage, deterioration, and cracking. Moreover, this inspection should also include checking the specific gravity of the coolant and replacement of the coolant mixture if this is required. The inspection could also include a pressure-test of the cooling system to check for pinhole leaks, and a chemical test to check for the presence of hydrocarbons in the coolant.
This could be supplemented by checking the operation of electric radiator fans with a suitable scan tool, and the results explained to the customer in terms of how insufficient fan speeds and duty cycles affect the overall efficiency of the cooling system.
Exhaust system checks
This inspection could include a physical inspection of the exhaust system for leaks, and the condition of rubber hangers, mountings, and attachment points. This could be supplemented by a diagnostic scan of all exhaust system related sensors, and explaining to the customer the implications of any fault codes found in relation to fuel economy, engine performance, and emissions regulations.
There are many other examples of things such as timing belts, or systems such as the A/C that could be checked or inspected on a stand-alone basis, but the few items listed here should serve to illustrate the point that the secret to selling preventative maintenance lays in recognising that different customers have different needs. In fact, what you need to do is to make a substantive paradigm shift from the usual “This is what I offer, take it, or leave it” approach to car repair, to an approach that accomplishes two things, these things being-
Allowing customers to dictate their maintenance spend
In this writers’ experience, customers are far more likely to spend money on car repairs if they can decide what to spend it on, as opposed to us telling them what they ought to spend it on. For instance, a customer might be concerned that the battery in his vehicle is defective, but instead of going to a battery centre to have it checked out and maybe get charged for a battery he might not need, that customer would be more inclined to have you, his trusted service provider, test his battery and advise him on what corrective steps to take to resolve the issue.
Allowing you always to act in your customer’s best interest
If truth were told, none of us has the time to perform a complete and/or exhaustive inspection of all the major systems on a vehicle when we see it for a routine service, which means that in some cases, incipient problems might go undetected until the vehicle actually breaks down. Thus, while none of us would knowingly act against the best interests of our customers, offering a range of focused preventative maintenance services addresses the immediate concerns a customer might have about his vehicle.
An example of this might be a vehicle that is running marginally hot, which we may or may not notice during a routine service or other repair job. However, if your customer does notice it and has the opportunity to have only the engine cooling system inspected, it is almost certain that he would have the inspection and possible repairs performed at your establishment, instead of at a random radiator shop, which begs this question-
As mentioned elsewhere, retaining existing customers and attracting new business is not as easy as it used to be, so why would you a send loyal customer to a radiator or battery shop when you can keep his business in-house, so to speak?
Of course, not every preventative inspection will result in an actual repair job, but that is beside the point. The point is that every preventative inspection both comes at a charge to the customer, and increases your daily car count. Therefore, even if you do only a few such inspections on any given day, you will have both generated at least some revenue you would likely not have done otherwise, and you will have retained a few loyal customers you might well have lost to competing establishments.
You might argue that you are not a battery, radiator, or tyre shop, but the truth is that replacing damaged tyres, clogged radiators, or defective batteries is, or should be, a part of the core business of any car repair business. Exactly how much you would charge for say, a cooling system or tyre inspection is entirely up to you, but provided that the preventative maintenance inspections /services you offer are performed in addition to, and not in place of your core services, you are likely to see increased daily sales in a relatively short period.
However, to make this work you also need to train or retrain your service writers to market your additional or optional services effectively. The key to increasing sales is effective marketing, and one excellent way of doing this is to have at hand examples of parts that have failed, but could have been saved by a simple preventative inspection. Note though that while this method of marketing can be very effective, it can also be extremely counter-productive if service writers resort to scare tactics in an attempt to close a sale.
Customers are generally very perceptive, and are quick to spot scare tactics and/or potential swindles, so be sure to use your best judgment when it comes to advertising and marketing additional services. Simply look at what you are offering from your customer’s perspective: for instance, will it save them money over the short to medium term if they can have their wheels/tyres rotated once month? Another example; will it save a customer money over the expected lifetime of his vehicle if he has the engine coolant replaced at least once a year?
You may experience a few false starts with some of the additional services you offer, but as long as you do it in such a way that your core business does not suffer, you can’t really lose business- you can only gain new customers and retain your existing ones, which is the ultimate goal we all strive for.
Exactly what additional services you decide to offer is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that additional services have to achieve several things. They have to increase your maintenance sales and customer count, and increase revenues while providing your customers both with value for their money and tangible benefits, at the same time.
Getting the balance between these issues right might involve some trial and error, but as the old adage says, nothing ventured, nothing gained, so why not venture something?
