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Repeat customers are the key to profitability. For automotive franchises, this is particularly important because your services are often available from many other competitors.
It is easier to sell to a previous customer than to a new one, and it’s a great deal cheaper, too. In fact, 80% of your future profits will come from 20% of the customers who have visited your shop. Given that, automotive franchises use a variety of techniques, like the nine below, to improve customer retention and build a steady flow of business.
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Make It Easy and Keep Them Close.
Send reminders of recommended mileage check-ups with your base cost right on the email or mailer. That $49 check-up, for example, saves a customer from calling around and talking to your competitors.
Take Time to Say Thank You.
The vast majority of customers who do not return say that they felt underappreciated. Take time with each person so they feel valued, and say “thank you” to each and every one. That is a pretty simple habit to foster with every employee.
Be a Trustworthy Resource.
Trusting a mechanic is tough to do for some. When an auto service provider is transparent and helpful by providing all the options, it makes a customer feel more confident that he is in the right place.
Use Personal Profiles.
Use your customer profile system to make personal notes about customers’ interests. Nothing will feel more caring than a question about how their daughter’s soccer season is going, or if they think their favorite ball team will make the playoffs.
Add a Free Service.
It doesn’t have to be costly, just valued by your clients. At one time, I regularly used a provider of lube, oil and filter changes because they vacuumed the inside of my car. Since I had little kids, this small add-on was a very valuable convenience and kept me coming back.
Stay Engaged.
Keep in touch with customers through emails or post-service survey calls to see if everything was satisfactory. Or send handwritten notes thanking them for their recent trust in your company. Even if you think those things don’t have much impact, it keeps your name in front of your customers so they remember you first when they need service.
Listen to Their Needs.
Safety is always the priority, but if a customer only wants to nurse the car along until their kid is out of college, then listen to that. They may not need the best tires or the air conditioning fixed.
Resolve Issues Fairly.
The majority of customers will return if an issue is resolved fairly. A clutch replacement of mine came with a 50,000-mile warranty on parts and labor. The part, unfortunately, is notoriously problematic and they’ve installed more than one so far, for free. But every few months, I still have to go in to have it adjusted. They do this as a courtesy every single time, and I’ve referred at least a handful of others there because I know they are fair and stand by their service promise.
Offer Packages.
The best thing I ever bought for routine maintenance was a lifetime wheel alignment from a tire store. It kept me going back every time I rotated my tires, so I used them for other services, too. They sure sold me a lot of tires over the years.
Every bit of return business helps automotive franchisees.
Keeping just 2% more of your clients can increase profit by up to 10%. So, keep ‘em coming back to your automotive franchise by offering the personal touch and connection that makes your good service worth using again and again.
Anne Daniells is a co-owner of Enterprising Solutions, a professional services firm specializing in corporate communication and financial improvement for businesses where she shares decades of corporate and entrepreneurial experience—including franchise ownership—in her writings on business culture. She has authored hundreds of articles for publications including AllBusiness.com, TweakYourBiz.com, and MSN.com. Reach out via her website for more on where corporate culture, communication, and human architecture collide.