Tag: Gerry Frank

You may be surprised to learn just how much financial power rests in the hands of the person who answers the phone at your auto repair shop. As a shop owner, you put a lot of time into getting that phone to ring. The first phone call from a potential customer is your best chance to make a good impression. How is your business first represented to your potential patrons?

Customers needing auto repair have a sense of urgency when they make the call to your auto shop. Transportation is both a necessity and an investment; when they call your business for service, they want to know that their vehicles will be in capable hands. How is that first communicated to your potential clients? If your answering system involves an answering machine or an uninformed receptionist, you may be losing calls and clients by the day.

You may be the best shop with the most skilled mechanics in your local area, but if that is not communicated to your clients on the initial phone call, your business will suffer. The average auto repair ticket is approximately $300. If your phone answering system causes you to lose one call per day, and you are open 5 days per week, your business loses $1500 per week! This adds up to $78,000 annually!

Having a pre-determined script for any type of call that may come into your shop is an ideal way to assure that your receptionist handles inquires in a manner that will convert the call to sales, says Gerry Frank and Keith McCrone, co-owners of Automotive Profit Pro. When this is executed properly, 75% of calls can be converted into appointments.

Customers typically call auto shops for three main reasons:
1.They have a question or problem. This customer usually calls asking if you can fix their air conditioner or if you work on specific types of cars, such as, Do you work on Hondas? They want to know that you can confidently take care of whatever problem or vehicle that they may have.
2.Calling to schedule an appointment. This may be a current customer or a new prospect and they may be calling for either routine service or an emergency. It is important to determine all of the variables of the caller and help them accordingly.
3.To get an estimate. This person is usually labeled as the price shopper. Dont underestimate this caller; more often than not this customer is looking to establish a relationship with you and your auto repair shop.

Each of these phone calls is an opportunity to set an appointment and clinch the sale. Building a relationship with your potential clients as their auto care professional is established through their ability to trust you with their auto maintenance needs.

There are two key ingredients to a successful auto repair shop; great customers and great employees. And the most important employee that you can hire is the Service Advisor. Think of the service advisor as the quarterback; your entire team and business is built around the person in this position, says Keith McCrone, co-owner of Automotive Profit Pro, a company that helps auto repair shops become profitable.

The service advisor is not the receptionist or the front desk position at your auto repair shop. Rather, they are the manager of the repair shop. They are the one responsible for selling services, making your customers feel comfortable and ensuring that your shop is profitable.

Though the service advisor should be educated in auto repair, his passion should be sales. The right service advisor will determine how many hours you work, where you vacation, the type of car you drive and the size of your home, explains Gerry Frank, co-owner of Automotive Profit Pro. If you have the right person, he or she can help your business grow quickly.

Knowing what to look for will help you choose the right person. During the interview, ask the candidate what he is currently selling each week, the amount of his average ticket and what gross profit margin he is generating at his current job. If this is in line with your business plan, then you’ve got the right candidate. If not, move on to another candidate. The more people you interview, the better you will become at finding the best employees.

Choose people who can describe the benefits of the repair to your customers, rather than the step-by-step process of how it’s done most auto customers do not want to hear the particulars and details of how to fix brakes but they do want to be sure that they are spending their money wisely on a service that is actually needed.

As the owner, you are the leader of the team and responsible for helping your employees excel. With the right motivation, you can take employees to new levels of service. This means making sure your employees are thoroughly trained and just as passionate about the customers as you are.

It is important for the service advisor to understand what works best in sales for your customers. Sales techniques are changing because the consumer is changing. You want the employee to be pumped up every day about selling your shop, and to believe that you provide the best customer experience.

That means you, as the owner, must stay on top of changing business patterns and sales techniques. Choose a service advisor who is self-driven and wants to be the tops in his field and encourage him to keep learning. Remember, having a professional Service Advisor determines how well your business will grow. The Service Advisor is a key position in any auto repair shop, and if you choose the right person, will make a lasting positive impression with your customers.