How Modernized Auto Shop Customer Service Sells More Repair Work

Drivers typically come in with an expectation of what's wrong with their car, which can make it tricky to sell maintenance work. They might think you're trying to squeeze more money out of them, or may simply have a set budget in their mind and don’t plan on spending extra.

In reality, you're simply trying to go above and beyond and provide them with the best service possible. So how do you show that, and which tools will help you transform the way you sell maintenance?

Here’s how to build customer trust while staying true to your auto repair shop’s mission of providing optimal maintenance recommendations.

Why Selling Maintenance Work is a Challenge

According to a survey conducted by AAA, 76% of U.S. drivers said that recommending unnecessary services was the top reason they do not trust auto repair shops.

The survey also points out that ⅔ of U.S. drivers have managed to find an auto repair shop that they trust. That makes it harder for your shop to convince them to pay for an expensive yet critical repair, let alone get them to pay extra to replace filters, change oil, and refresh fluids.

Service advisors may be hesitant to sell maintenance work and only focus on the problem at hand because they don’t want to come off as pushy. And that's for good reason, as we know most customers don't view auto repair shops as a helpful service, but sometimes a pit of endless expenses.

We're here to help break that cycle, and help your shop sell even more maintenance work just by focusing on the customer experience.

Why Improving Your Shop's Customer Service Can Go a Long Way

Regular maintenance makes your customers’ lives easier and saves them money in the long run. It prevents your customers from ending up on the side of the road and prolongs their vehicles’ lifespans. But more importantly, maintenance work can be an easy win for your shop to provide a modern customer experience, with exceptional customer service.

• ​Because digital vehicle inspections make it easy to show customers what's wrong with their car, customers will trust you more. When you provide reliable insights into your customers’ vehicles, you’re their go-to car whisperer—a trustworthy person who reminds them to check stuff out on their vehicle before anything bad happens.
• ​Providing maintenance inspections helps shops sell more work, which usually means higher ROs and a more profitable repair shop. Also, because maintenance work helps your customers’ vehicles last longer, they’re less likely to buy a new car and instead keep bringing their current car back to your shop.
• ​Maintenance inspections help you queue up more work for the future. Even if they decline the maintenance work, you now have a relationship. You can track those declined jobs, and the service advisor and technician can save time figuring out what all might be wrong with the vehicle and resell that work.

Modern Shop Management System Features Help Sell More Work

Of course it's standard practice for shops to always check and note the mileage of vehicles both as they roll into the shop and when they roll out. And we recommend your shop keeps that up.

But we're here to help make great shops even better. Independent auto repair shops can leverage features like default inspections and canned jobs to create a standardized intake process for all vehicles that roll into their shop.

With default inspections, shops can build inspection templates to cover standardized checkpoints, which can include maintenance items based on the life or mileage of the vehicle.

After the car has been inspected, shops can use canned jobs to instantly generate repair orders based on the findings in your default inspection.

For example, if the car rolls in at 62k miles, and your shop checks coolant levels at every 20k miles, your technician might recommend a coolant flush and replacement. If the work is approved, that canned job for a coolant flush can be quickly added to the repair order.

Pro-tip: be sure to include a picture of how dirty the coolant is so customers can see why it should be replaced!

Improve your Shop's Customer Service with a Standardized Process

Now, different shops servicing different vehicles may have different standardized maintenance timelines. We've seen shops create a standardized template for maintenance work based on mileage that usually includes:

Every 3,000 - 7,000 Miles

• ​Replace oil and oil filters, inspect various fluid levels and wipers, check tires and lights

Every 15,000 miles

• ​Replace air filter

Every 20,000 miles

• ​Inspect battery and coolant levels

Every 30,000 miles

• ​Replace power steering fluid, inspect coolant levels, brake pads, and suspension components, check radiator hoses and HVAC system

Every 35,000 miles

• ​Inspect and replace the battery

Every 40,000 miles

• ​Replace spark plugs and wires, inspect ignition system and suspension

Every 60,000 Miles

• ​Replace brake pads and fluid, inspect radiator hoses, timing belt, HVAC system, suspension components, and tires, check coolant levels, and power steering fluid levels

Auto Repair Shops Can Sell More Starts with the Best Customer Service

Selling maintenance work can be challenging due to customers’ skepticism and reluctance to spend extra money. Selling even critical repair work is hard when people don't trust auto repair shops because of bad experiences, or horror stories.

Cars are expensive, complicated, noisy, and unintuitive to most people who drive them, the exact opposite of everything consumers look for in their products and solutions.

But that's exactly why your shop exists! To help them take care of the costly, sometimes difficult repairs so they can get back to their lives, whether that’s bringing the kids to soccer practice or getting to work on time!

That's why it's so critical for auto repair shops to focus on customer service, and offering customers an experience they can trust with a transparent inspection and sales process. One that makes the often painful, expensive process of getting their car fixed as simple, easy, and painless as possible.

👉 Ready to grow your automotive business? Book a personalized Tekmetric Demo Here

FAQ

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“If you are interested in picking up a new hobby like boating, you’ll do everything you can to learn more and more and more. Why can’t you do that with your auto repair shop?

Is it because it’s boring?

Is it because it’s not the same?

It doesn’t excite you as much as your hobby would?

If you take a second and stop to think, you’ll realize you can have any hobby in the world if you focus on your repair shop and get it to where it needs to be.

There is no waiting for the right person to walk through the door. There is no waiting for the right technician."

"It has to happen right now, today."

Tekmetric Co-CEO and Co-Founder Sunil Patel recently joined Kelsey Outram on the LIFT Your Shop Podcast to talk tech, mentorship, and transforming your auto repair business.

From medical school to law enforcement, Sunil tried his hand at a variety of fields over the years, but eventually all roads led him to founding Tekmetric with Prasanth Chilukuri in 2016.

Tekmetric quickly became the preferred shop management system in the auto repair industry.

And if you ask Sunil why, he’ll say it’s all about mindset.

If you’re a shop owner who has been feeling stuck, here are six steps you can take to shift gears.

1. Define Your Goals

“When you really set your mind to something, it subconsciously changes how you behave as a human, as a person. And you hone in on what you’re trying to accomplish and you accomplish that task.”

Here are some examples of goals you might hear people talk about in the auto repair industry:

• ​“I want to make one million dollars in revenue this year."
• ​“I would like to add another bay to the shop by the end of the year."
• ​“I want to open another location in 2023.”

What do these goals all have in common? They are specific, achievable, and easy to track.

In the same way that it’s difficult to plan a vacation without having a travel destination in mind, it’s difficult to achieve a goal if you never set one in the first place.

Knowing where you want to go is the first step toward figuring out a roadmap to get there.

2. Accept That Change is Part of the Process

“Forget about the technology and software and all that for a moment, and ask yourself this: Are you happy with where you are today running your shop? And if the answer is no, then dig deeper.”

Whether your shop is looking to switch parts suppliers or invest in a new shop management system, change can be intimidating.

Many shops experience growing pains, but keeping an open mind is essential to driving your business forward.

When it comes to starting a business, you have a lot to consider.

How are you going to make sales?

Are your operations in order?

How will you approach legal, HR, and marketing?

But it’s important to not forget about one key part to getting your business off the ground: funding.

You’ll want to be well-versed in what to look for in a potential partnership whether you’re in the startup phase, the expansion phase, or even in a plateau phase.

By better preparing now, you’ll set your company up for future success.

Recently, Prasanth shared his thoughts about different kinds of funding with Texas CEO Magazine. You can read the full piece here, or check out some of the highlights below.

Determine The Right Equity Path For Your Business

The first step for any business owner should always consist of researching and selecting the right method of funding for your company. Once you’re confident in your company’s business model, your company’s current state, and any future aspirations for your company, you’ll want to determine the right equity path that can take your company where you want it to go.

1. Venture Capital

Venture capital is a more traditional route and is optimal for new entrepreneurs. If you have an idea for a potential business venture but aren’t sure exactly what to do with it just yet, venture capital could help you secure funding so that you can bring your ideas to fruition.

With venture capital, your partner will purchase a significant portion of the company, and in turn will offer support and guidance to nurture your company’s growth

2. Growth Equity

If your company has already excelled in the starting phases and needs another boost to continue expanding, you’ll want to consider growth equity—otherwise known as “rocket fuel.” Growth equity tends to be founder-centric and offers more autonomy and room to remain true to your company’s original core values and business model.

3. Private Equity

Companies that have reached the later stages of their business’ lifecycle may opt for private equity.

This route can be a good contender for companies that are at risk of going under due to lack of profits. Private equity can give your company the boost needed to prevent it from closing up shop.

Whoever you choose to partner with will take a large portion of your company’s ownership and will make significant changes to the company. However, the private equity route tends to yield bigger checks.

What Did Tekmetric Do For Funding?

Prasanth knows how important the right funding for your company is.

Prior to 2021, Tekmetric was in the startup and the small business stage, so the initial funding from friends and family was an avenue that worked out really well at the time

After 2021, Tekmetric started to expand exponentially. Tekmetric’s Co-CEOs and Co-Founders Prasanth and Sunil Patel realized that more growth could be possible if they changed from their personal network funding to the growth equity route.

Growth equity provided funding for additional initiatives, such as marketing, product research, and hiring. In turn, Tekmetric was able to pursue the vision that Prasanth and Sunil had outlined during the company’s beginning stage.

Find The Right Partner

You’ll want to be intentional about choosing any of your partnerships as a business owner, especially when it comes to finding the right funding partnerships.

The partner you decide to go with will help determine what your business’ tone and future will be like.

As you’re determining the right partnerships for you, ask yourself 5 questions:

• ​Is the partner aligned with my business goals?
• ​Do I trust this partner with my team and my business?
• ​What will my relationship with this partner look like?
• ​How much day-to-day involvement in my company does this partner expect?
• ​Does this partner provide a reasonable amount of funding to support my goals?

No matter what equity direction you take, you’ll want to find a partnership dynamic that works for you, your business, and your team. As you’re choosing the right partner, remain transparent about any goals and expectations you have in mind for your company.

You won’t want to choose a partner solely based on numbers. The partnership will be a long-term business relationship—a marriage of sorts—and you should treat the partnership with thoughtfulness and respect.

What Did Tekmetric Do For Funding Partnerships?

At Tekmetric, Prasanth and Sunil knew whichever partner they selected to provide funding would play a significant role in the company’s future, and would have a strong impact on Tekmetric’s overall tone, goals, and growth.

At the time Prasanth and Sunil started looking for partners, Tekmetric was a well-established name throughout the auto repair industry, so they wanted a partner that would work alongside them, not just someone who would give them money and stay at a distance.

Eventually, Tekmetric found the right partner—one who is not only sensitive to the company’s needs but also the needs of Tekmetric’s customers.

Tek-Tip: Always ensure your partnerships are a two-way street.

As an auto repair shop management system, Tekmetric has long realized the importance of mutually beneficial partnerships. We’ve established partnerships along the way with companies like Mechanic Advisor and Advance Auto Parts Pro Solutions to help us better meet our customers’ needs. In fact, Tekmetric has more than 30 industry partners (and counting) to ensure the most seamless possible experience.

Want to assess your general partnerships beyond funding? Find out what you should consider as a shop owner before entering into an auto repair shop partnership here.

Remain True To Your Business Yourself

No matter the equity path you choose to go or the partnerships you choose to take, you’ll want to stay true to your business’ core values and who you are as a business owner.

Rather than cutting corners, you can opt for the best possible solutions.

Prasanth said it best: financial support and equity can be confusing, and it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and forget why you started your business in the first place. However, the right partner will make all the difference.

After all, if you are putting significant time and effort into your idea, your company, and your team, you should expect a partner who supports your continued success long into the future.

→ Check out our latest blog on 12 marketing strategies to help you bring in more customers, or learn how you can become the ultimate leader for your team

A special thanks to Texas CEO Magazine for providing space for Prasanth to share his knowledge.

An auto repair estimate template, otherwise commonly referred to as a car repair estimate template, can be a great communication tool for your shop—or it can leave your team spinning their wheels in the dirt.

While it’s easy to assume that any old auto repair estimate template will lead to a faster repair order process, unfortunately, not all templates are created equal.

The most effective templates provide a standardized framework for the estimate and repair process and lay everything out for your team and customers in a digestible format. The least effective templates cause more work for your team and eat up extra time that could (and should) be spent taking care of the customers.

A Modern Approach For Your Shop

Nowadays, there’s a whole spectrum of template options to choose from, including pen and paper forms, downloadable PDFs, and full-service shop management systems with a built-in RO program.

Finding the right fit for your shop might feel like a challenge, but the effort you put into looking for an auto repair estimate template says you care a lot about your team’s time and value their autonomy.

Upgrading your estimate process helps your team maximize its potential by giving them the power to focus on what they do best—getting customers back on the road.