It is fair to say that the auto repair industry is one of the most competitive. There are small garages, larger shops affiliated with local dealerships, and collision repair centers that specialize in accident repairs. Other shops focus on paint jobs and upgrades. All of these businesses are competing against each other to be the stand-outs in their specific niche of the industry.
When you want to convince drivers that they should entrust their rides to your shop, it pays to know what your competitors are doing. Here are five tips for beating your auto repair competition. Learn about your competitors, and then use that info to put these great tips into practice.
1. Personalize Your Service.
Visit competing shops. Are their bays filled? How does the staff treat the customers? Notice the personalized touches that turn customers into repeat business. For example, are there bilingual staff members? Does the shop feature a play area for toddlers that keeps the youngsters entertained? They might even do something as simple as greeting each customer by name, which can be done easily do just by looking at the service estimate.
2. Provide Value-Added Experiences With Perks.
Customers like the little extras, such as the complimentary interior vacuuming with an oil change, or a free car wash with a service appointment. When you know what your competitors offer, you can follow suit and go a step further. For example, if your competitors only offer a vacuuming with services, offer a coupon for a tire rotation with an oil change.
3. Research Complaint History and Actively Court Reviews.
Yelp is a wonderful source for getting customers’ impressions of a business. Learn what consumers say about your shop, as well as about those you are competing with. Next, find out what customers think about your business while they are still there. Comment cards right next to the register work well.
4. Provide a Competitive Pricing Structure.
Newcomers to the trade have had enormous success with package deals. If your pricing structure still consists of an a la carte setup, consider putting together packages that offer savings on a variety of services. If your prices are well above your nearest competitor’s, either drop your fees or devise a marketing strategy that persuades customers to equate your costs with better quality.
5. Invest in Industry Certifications.
Advertising is no longer enough to convince customers to visit your shop. If your competitors proudly display industry certifications, and you have nothing to show, motorists will consider you less qualified. Something as simple as a RepairPal Certification proves to drivers that you have undergone voluntary inspection and testing, which immediately builds trust.
Now that you understand the benefits of knowing your auto repair competition, contact us for additional information on how you can stand out with an industry certification.
