In this article, Andy Savva urges garage owners to view their business from an entirely different perspective – that of the customer.
Do you dream of becoming a great business? Do you want to run a garage that’s respected in the community, by its customers and staff? You need to look at the business in a way you have never looked at it before – through the customer’s eyes. I encourage you to temporarily remove yourself as the owner in order to view your business from an alternative perspective. This is the approach I took with Brunswick Garage; I placed myself in my customer’s shoes. Take a walk from outside your premises, look at your sign: is the brand image clear and distinct? Venture through your reception: is it welcoming, bright and tidy? Do you offer a comfortable seating area with refreshments, a TV, or something to read? Are the toilets clean? It is vital to ask yourself these questions in order to view your business in a different light.
Andy Savva is a former multiple independent garage owner who boasts over 30 years’ experience in the automotive repair sector. In every issue of PMM he’ll be sharing his advice with workshop owners who want to improve their business’ bottom line, but simply don’t know how to go about it.
It is also important to take your adopted customer perspective further into the workshop. Is it dull, dirty and messy? Are the technicians’ toolboxes organised? Viewing the workshop from your new standpoint may surprise you.
First impressions
One of the fundamentals in any business, specifically in the service industry, is how you greet your customers and the first impressions you leave them with. Many in the garage industry seem to overlook the importance of making a good first impression – a disastrous mistake in my opinion.
We’ve all heard the old saying, ‘dress to impress’, for a reason. Although today’s business environment is more casual than it was 10 years ago, it is still important to dress the part. At Brunswick, we supplied all the staff with a company uniform. The last thing you want is to give off a negative impression before you even open your mouth.
When running my previous garages, I ensured that all my staff understood the importance of leaving a favourable, lasting impression on our customers. A couple of things to think about:
1) How do you and your staff answer phone calls?
2) How do you acknowledge your customers as they walk into your garage?
Answering phone calls and acknowledging customers
Start by using insight. Mystery shop your own staff; consider any “annoyances” you encounter and write them all down so you can relay these to your staff later. Also, use your experiences with other businesses, both good and bad.
Now you have the insight to train your team members to make a positive impression from the beginning of a call. For instance, the greeting and the speed that the phone is picked up can alter a customer’s experience. In many cases, if the phone rings more than three or four times, it is too long; for the caller, frustration starts to set in. On the other hand, employers who answer the phone instantly may startle the caller, so try to find a middle ground.
Consider the greeting – many people find a greeting such as “ABC Garage” too abrupt. A simple improvement could be to alter the greeting to: “Good morning/afternoon, ABC Garage, this is Andy, how may I help you?”
Speak clearly
I cannot emphasise this point enough. Be sure to communicate clearly with your customers. Few things are more irritating than not understanding what someone is saying because they garble their words. Use proper grammar when speaking and avoid slang terms. Consider the tone and speed of your voice; a moderate pace is more favourable. Try to smile whilst on the phone! The start and end of the call are the most crucial; ensure employees answering phone calls have mechanical knowledge.
The service advisor’s ethics can be a business’s greatest asset or worst enemy. Even if he or she is on the phone or dealing with another customer, it takes two to three seconds to acknowledge a new customer walking in. Eye contact and body language can make the customer aware that they’ve been noticed.
When dealing with a customer, whether on entry or exit, make an effort to literally be on their level. If they prefer to stand and talk to you, you stand. If they prefer to sit, you sit. Our preference at Brunswick Garage was to use desks rather than counters – the latter are seen as barriers between you and the customer.
Be a good listener
Being a good listener is not as difficult as most people think it is. When having a discussion with someone, make sure to let them know in a subtle manner that you are paying attention. Don’t be afraid to nod your head and chime in with the occasional “I see” or “I understand”.
If you are unsure of what the person is trying to communicate, as is often the case in the automotive environment, remember most customers are not as tech savvy as us! Be patient and attentive. Feel free to ask questions: how, what, when, why, where? Finally, do not interrupt when someone else is speaking. Interrupting someone in mid- sentence is extremely rude and will be counterproductive for your business. Proper etiquette is suggested at all times.
Regularly stepping out of your shoes and into your customer’s will allow you to fairly evaluate your business and make the changes needed to ensure success. Consistently making a strong first impression is essential to keeping existing customers and gaining new ones. Both are just as vital in the quest for your dream business.
