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Choosing a trust-worthy technician, is a big decision for any customer. Think about it, the customer is essentially handing the keys of their car over to somebody and putting total faith in them to fix whatever problem has occurred.
Let’s consider when a person finds themselves needing a technician, there tends to be two scenarios: either they have a planned appointment, or they need an emergency repair. Whether a customer has the time to find a technician for the job, or they need one pretty urgently, the chances are, they will need a whole host of questions answered before they agree to leave their car with you. To ensure your business secures the work and continues to build a positive reputation, it’s incredibly important that your technicians are prepared to answer any questions the customer might have. After all, there are over 600,000 technicians across America, so competition for business is high.
Fortunately, the team at SnapCell is here to help you and your technician be as prepared as possible. We’ve pulled together our top five questions that we think customers might ask before handing their keys over.
1. Have you worked on my make and model of car before?
This is a pretty obvious one to start with, right? But you’d be surprised as to how many technicians neglect this important information, when providing an estimate.
When a customer is looking for a new technician, experience will always be a top priority. This means that the customer is likely to ask whether you’ve worked on vehicles either the same, or similar to theirs before, particularly if their car needs special maintenance. Remember, a lot of modern-day models require specific or specialist kits, so be sure that your technician is aware of whether these tools are on site or not and if the work can be carried out efficiently.
In fact, in this day and age, a lot of technicians are certified to work on particular make and models. If you have any certified technicians on site, it’s important that your whole team knows this, or else you could lose potential business.
Of course, it’s important to remember to always be honest with the customer. Tempting as it is to agree to any job, honesty should prioritize anything else, including the desire to get the work. If you agree to do a job that your technician team isn’t capable of doing, this could lead to the work being done incorrectly or badly. This could result in bad publicity, lack of customer return and even legal action, all of which could have been easily avoided.
2. Do you offer a free estimated price?
More often than not, it’s likely that a person’s car repair will be unexpected and probably not budgeted for. With this in mind, the customer is likely to ask if you can offer a free estimated price before committing to the work.
As a dealer, you should be able to provide an estimated price for the work, free of cost. Make sure you run through the estimate process with customers, as well as confirming whether it’s a flat rate or hourly price, to prevent them from being stung when handed the final bill.
A top tip from us, is to write the estimated cost down for the customer. While a customer will expect to be talked through the job, a confident and good technician should always offer a written and signed estimate, along with any advised work, before they proceed with the vehicle repair. The written estimate should include details of the repair, including what parts are needed, as well as labor charges. A written estimate is just as much for the benefit of the technician as it is for the customer. If the customer ever questions the work you have done and worst case, takes legal action, you’ll have a written estimate to support you. Remember, to always keep a copy of the written estimate on record at your business too, not just for the customer.
Of course, it’s really important to remember that an estimated price is just an estimate. In some cases, you, as a technician might discover a deeper problem once you are well and truly under your car’s bonnet. Our advice? Encourage the customer to be as honest and upfront as they can be when talking to you. If they give them as much information as possible, including any previous issues, then they’re ultimately more likely to get the best possible service. After all, trust works both ways.
3. Will you call me if there any unexpected repairs are needed?
Did you know that some states actually require shops to call customers if their repairs or parts will exceed a certain amount? Even if your business isn’t in one of these states, we would advise you, as a technician, to let the customer know if they’ll be notified ahead of any additional work or not. This is important when it comes to reputation management, as well as ensuring customers return and recommend you.
At SnapCell, our app supports technicians in providing the ultimate customer service. Thanks to the SnapCell Messenger feature, your technicians will be able to keep customers regularly up-to-date with the work they are doing on their car. Technicians can send texts, images and easy-to-film videos quickly to customers, before having two-way chats with them to ensure they are fully aware of repairs they are carrying out. This allows dealers to build a rapport and trust, leading to additional revenue.
A SnapCell tip for technicians, is to always make sure that run through the details of your repair. Ideally, customers will be after an easy-to-understand explanation of what work needs doing on your car and why. This will prove especially handy in the future if they need any further work done, especially if they return to your dealership.
4. Do you provide any warranty for parts and services?
Regardless of whether a technician is the best at their game or not, it doesn’t mean the parts are always going to be perfect. With this in mind, it’s likely for customers to ask technicians if they will provide written guarantees with parts, as well as labor and if so, what is the time or mile limit? Warranties vary from place to place. In fact, some repair shops might not always offer a brand-new part but instead offer a discounted replacement, if necessary. Save customers any potential stress in the future by informing them about their warranty policy. Trust us, this type of service is valued by shoppers and will definitely encourage customer retention.
Remember, if a customer has a newer car, they don’t legally have to take their vehicle to the manufacturer for routine maintenance or repairs, if they still want to be within their warranty. Make sure the customer has read the details of their policy and that you, as a technician, also have a good understanding of what services you can offer.
5. Will you provide me with a detailed invoice once the job is complete?
It’s important that customers are provided with a detailed invoice once the job is finished, complete with a detailed overview of the work done, plus any parts that have been replaced. Imagine it’s six months after the repair work has been done, a customer is driving along and suddenly notice there is a problem and it’s the same issue as before. Having a detailed invoice means that they will have proof of the previous work done and what warranty they might have. Whether they find themselves returning to the same dealership, or they’re trying a new technician, a detailed invoice will prove priceless and will make things so much simpler for all those involved.
Also, a detailed invoice will also prove handy when the customer comes to sell the car. Any prospective buyer, including dealerships who take on second-hand vehicles, will like to know what work has been done on it and in most cases, would like to see the evidence.
You might feel that being prepared to answer so many questions is unnecessary and time-consuming but it really is worth it. A good technician will have the patience to answer these questions and should be willing to help customers. Honestly, if a technician isn’t able to give the required information, then this will put customers off and could ultimately, lead to a loss in business.
Learn more about how SnapCell can help your team of technicians be at the top of their game and ultimately drive sales at your garage or dealership. As well as SnapCell Messenger, the app has a whole host of useful and user-friendly features that help increase car sales, footfall, CSI scores and ultimately, increase revenue. Arrange a free demonstration of our impressive, simple and reliable video sales tool by contacting a member of the SnapCell team today.
