When you’re struggling with the question of how to increase business at your auto repair shop, it’s important to look for unique ways that won’t break the bank. One tool you have sitting right in front of you is your employees. After all, if it weren’t for your customers, your employees would have no job. But, if it weren’t for your employees, you would not have satisfied customers. So, why not combine the two?
Your employees are the backbone of your business, and they appreciate the opportunity to have good, steady employment. They need to know how much they mean to you, so giving them praise and rewarding them from time to time creates a greater sense of pride. This also increases the likelihood that they will actively and enthusiastically promote your business.
Provide your employees with their own business cards to hand out to family and friends, and give your employees an incentive to make referrals. Consider establishing a referral program that gives employees a small percentage of the profits from any first-time customers they bring in. This allows you to take any advertisement money you’ve budgeted and invest it in your employees instead. If you can’t afford to give them a small percentage of the profit, offer an extra paid day off or two.
Referrals should be done in a dignified manner, so as not to pressure the customer or make them feel uncomfortable. You’ll want your employees to know the proper language used to refer customers, the proper time to ask, and who the best referrals might be. If a friend of an employee is chatting about car trouble, that’s the perfect time for your employee to slip the friend a business card and tell them to call. However, you don’t want your employees pressuring people they meet in the grocery store to come in for their next service.
If you want more information on how to use employee incentives to gain new auto repair customers, or are looking for more ideas for marketing your auto repair shop, contact us today.
