
Every customer is special
If you treat customers special, they become special customers.
For every small service, such as oil changes or changing from summers to winters, you have an opportunity to develop a new long term customer relationship.
Ensure that your team and management speak highly of every customer opportunity, don’t speak negatively about a type of job or customer as “oh that’s just an oil change”, ensure you’re highlighting the opportunity of every individual who walks through the door.
With each customer interaction your team has a chance to be a friendly face who eagerly takes care of the customer’s needs, and demonstrate that your shop is a valuable resource of information about the proper maintenance and present needs of their vehicle.
Let’s look at the basic oil change as a series of opportunities:
- Provide 3 or more levels of oil change options
- Have posters and counter cards that display the various types of oil changes and their pricing
- Ensure service writers speak to the upgraded benefits of the premium options such
- as high grade oil, for a driver with a high-mileage vehicle:
- discuss the benefits of the additives and conditions that help shore up seals, which deteriorate over time.
- The fact that a. above reduces oil consumption and leaks
- Reduction in engine wear
- as high grade oil, for a driver with a high-mileage vehicle:
- Better performance, synthetic oil
- Provides better engine lubrication, especially in temperature extremes
- Improves fuel economy and reduced engine wear
- Better performance, synthetic oil
Taking the time to sell the value of the up-graded options may be all it takes for them to upgrade to your premium service, they won’t mind paying more because they understand the value they’re getting for the increased spend.
Just as your service writers position the shop as a tire professional able to explain the features and benefits of particular tires, they should be just as dedicated to becoming an oil service professional.
When customers recognize your knowledge in this area, they’ll develop trust in your business and your shops ability to service their needs.
Recognizing the professionalism in your team, combined with a positive experience, will pave the way to a loyalty this customer will develop with your shop.
You want your shop to be the first place they call when they have an issue with their vehicle, so be memorable.
Next time a customer reaches out to your shop about an oil change, make sure you have a team of service writers eager to great them and inform them about the options and services you offer.