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I Need New Shoes, I Broke a Shoelace!

As I speak to hundreds of dealership personnel each week I am amazed...

at how many service managers and service staff attribute lack of sales and lack of customers on the economy or on the geographical affect their city or town has experienced due to economic factors. By economic factors, I mean examples such as the large local plant/company closed or laid off employees. Since this time in history is full of reasons why a customer would not want to do business with us, it has inspired me to express my opinion as to why a customer would want to do business with us now. Two simple questions: "If you broke a shoelace today, would you go out and buy a new shoelace?" and "If the soles of your shoes were almost worn through, would you go out and buy new shoes or go and get them re-soled?"

The answers to these questions are really quite simple, of course you would buy a new shoelace and, depending upon your financial situation, you would either buy new shoes or have them re-soled. Does the economy affect your decision to get a new shoelace? Does the fact that your next-door neighbor was laid off affect your decision to buy new shoes or have them re-soled? I would agree that, in principal, more people would opt for re-soled shoes than new ones today, which only serves to increase the amount of "maintenance" being done. Ask yourself this question, "If the alternator goes in my vehicle, are you going to get it fixed?" Of course you are, you need your vehicle to get you from point A to point B. The fact that there have been layoffs in town doesn't change that fact. As a service professional, this is the time we need to step up and truly "service" our customers. They may not be in a position to buy new shoes today, but the fact of the matter is, if they don't re-sole those shoes now, they won�t even have the option later. They will be forced to buy new shoes. Properly maintaining their current vehicle helps prevent them from being in a position where they have no choice other than to buy a new one - AND THEY KNOW THIS!

Don't think for a second that the majority of customers out there aren't getting their vehicles serviced. In fact, I believe that there are probably more cars, trucks, vans and SUV's being serviced at this very moment than at any moment prior to this one. The key today, as it should be every day, is to give the customers a reason to service their vehicle with you.

Are you responsive to their calls for an appointment?
Does a customer have to wait more than 2 days to get an appointment?
Does the customer have to wait too long to be written up when they arrive for their appointment?
Do you offer each and every customer the scheduled preventative maintenance?
Do your technicians check over each and every vehicle for concerns that the customer should be aware of?
Do you competitively price your maintenance and repairs so the customer feels no reason to take it elsewhere?
Is the customer�s vehicle completed and ready when you promised them it would be?
Do you make your customers aware of concerns that they must keep an eye on, but not necessarily have taken care of today?
Do you thank the customer for choosing your service department and company?

In good times and in bad, a company that I trust, a company that is convenient, a company that values my business will get it!

Are you that company?