"But if I sell too much, I'll seem like a shark?" This is an excuse, or at best, a fear, so be wary. The statement is also a very common concern of Service Advisors who are trying to increase their dollars per RO. The initial reaction to a request for change, or a higher-level performance, is to provide a reason why it may not be achieved. It's a normal human reaction and one that you must coach your people through.

Memories of scandals in the newspaper, public perception of repair shops "sticking it to people", and a general lack of confidence on the part of customers regarding technical things, all work together to make some advisors feel like sharks. The only real truth is that you must be diligent in your approach to service salesmanship. For most customers, your relationship and their perception of your motives will determine the outcome of the event.

Being customer friendly doesn't mean you're soft in presenting repairs or maintenance to customers in order to achieve success. Nor do you need to be a bulldog in your approach. What you must do is build the value in what you are selling, in a manner that your customers can understand, appreciate and perceive.

Understand: Do you have advisors who don't understand what they are selling? Can you imagine the challenge of describing and selling a repair, the importance of which even you can't grasp? Service Advisors don't need high-end technical knowledge to be successful, but they must understand the basics of the product they sell in order to breed confidence on the part of their customers.

Appreciate: Your customers must be able to appreciate that your intention is the continued safe and reliable use of their vehicle. Presentation is key in this area and must have a foundation of integrity and value to be genuine. If you are selling something that you don't believe in, the customer will see this as clearly as you do. If, on the other hand, you are conveying in no uncertain terms the benefits to the customer, you and the customer will both appreciate your intentions.

Perceived Value: Binding all your work in this area together is the customer's perception that what is being done has value. Once your customer understands the need and has his/her objections explained, the customer will have both understanding and appreciation-resulting in a higher perceived value for the work. Once the value of what's been presented is established, you have done all that can be done to be an effective advisor. So don't be afraid to offer products to your customers in a way that makes them want to buy.

Remember, customers love to buy! They just don't like to be sold.