How Auto Repair Shops Can Bring In Even More Business

Summer is a busy time in the auto repair industry, but as the seasons change to fall and winter, fewer people tend to bring their vehicles in for repairs. This slowdown is expected in most places, though shops in colder climates may still see steady business as drivers winterize their vehicles.

While there may be fewer walk-ins, there are several ways shop owners and service writers can stimulate business and maintain a healthy sales funnel.

Looking at Your Sales Funnel

Your sales funnel provides insight into the flow of your business. Before ramping up marketing and lead generation tactics, it's important to assess what's already in the funnel. If you already have work in the shop or customers to follow up with, those jobs are the easiest to target and move through the sales process because they’re already halfway there. Focusing on the bottom of the funnel first helps identify hold-ups and makes room for new work, leading to a more efficient workflow and sales process.

Work in the Shop Waiting to Be Completed

Before seeking new business, review the current jobs already in the shop. Address any holdups to get those vehicles repaired and out the door, allowing you to collect payment. If there's a bottleneck at the bottom of your funnel, address it before bringing in new work.

Tek-Tip: Use real-time RO reporting on your shop dashboard to see a snapshot of what's happening in the shop at any moment. Look at the number of dollars in the "work not started" status. If an RO has been approved but work hasn't started, talk to your technicians to identify the holdup. If many jobs are delayed, consider hiring more help, providing coaching, or creating a more efficient process.

Customers with Estimates Waiting to Be Approved

After handling work already in the shop, the next easiest target is customers who have received an estimate but haven't approved the work. These customers may be shopping around or may have simply forgotten to follow up. A courtesy call to answer any questions about the recommended work shows you care and can help earn their business. Even if your shop isn’t the cheapest, attentive follow-up can make a difference.

Tek-Tip: Use your job board to see the status of estimates. Icons can indicate whether an estimate was sent, opened, or viewed, and how long ago. Prioritize follow-ups based on this information.

Declined Jobs & ROs Saved for Later

Further up the sales funnel are declined jobs and ROs saved for later. Many vehicle owners wait until just before a critical event to get repairs. For example, a customer may delay brake pad replacement until it's urgent. Declined jobs and ROs saved for later are opportunities to reconnect with guests. A courtesy call to remind them of needed maintenance before a critical event can bring more work in the door.

Tek-Tip: Use declined job reports and customer history to identify opportunities. Service advisors can review notes to determine why a job was declined and whether the customer might be interested in revisiting the work. Reviewing customer history can help tailor offers or incentives.

Generate New Customers with Marketing

Once you've addressed jobs in the queue and followed up with existing customers, focus on attracting new customers. Ask yourself, “Where are my target customers?” and “Where is my existing business coming from?” Track marketing sources—referrals, promotions, mailers, social media—to determine where to focus efforts. Ask new customers how they heard about you and existing customers what brought them in. Invest more in tactics that prove effective.

Tek-Tip: Use marketing source reports to gauge the effectiveness of your marketing. These reports can show total sales, new sales, repeat sales, gross profit, and close ratio by marketing source. This helps identify which channels bring in the most profit and where to focus your efforts.

Accelerating Your Shop’s Business Takes a Comprehensive Approach

Consider your entire sales funnel when trying to boost work and revenue. Marketing is important for bringing in new customers, but nurturing existing relationships is just as crucial. Keep track of job history, customer preferences, declined jobs, work in progress, and how customers hear about your business. A well-organized shop management software can make collecting and reviewing this information much easier.

FAQ

What are canned jobs?

Canned jobs are pre-saved job templates that include labor and parts associated with common repair work. Instead of recreating jobs you perform regularly, you can create as many canned jobs as needed to build estimates quickly. Just apply the right canned job and you're ready to send for approval.

Shops find canned jobs helpful for simplifying workflows, shortening the time to build and approve estimates, and offering specialized service options. Efficient processes lead to more completed work, happier customers, and increased profitability. The profit generated from saving time and closing more repair orders can even cover the cost of the platform.

Benefits of canned jobs include:

• ​Simplifying workflows for common repair orders
• ​Shortening the time to operate and move cars faster
• ​Enabling specialized service options for improved vehicle performance

In summary, a comprehensive approach—addressing current work, following up with existing customers, and targeted marketing—can help auto repair shops bring in more business during slow times.