PHONE CALLS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR SHOP

Earlier this week, I was on the phone with my dentist trying to schedule an appointment for my next cleaning. The receptionist was polite, friendly even, but seemed distracted – it was obvious that while she was chatting with me, she was also doing something else. Maybe she was filing papers, maybe fighting the computer software to schedule my appointment, maybe even checking Facebook. I don’t know and I didn’t care, but I got the feeling that she didn’t truly care about me.

Phone Skills that can help you grow your auto repair shopThe receptionist at the dental office isn’t really that different from the service advisors who answer the phones in our shops.

The receptionist didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, but when it’s that easy to make someone feel uncared for, what does it take to get it right?

This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about that. In fact I’ve developed training courses, including Superior Service Advising and The Critical Points of Customer Contact, that explore this topic in depth.

But because it is so important, I want to offer you these 3 tips for better customer service on the phone that you can implement today:

1. Show you’re listening.

This is the most important advice I can offer. It’s okay to be busy, but never come across as irritated or put off that the customer called. Place them on hold if you need to, but come back prepared to give your full attention, answer questions, take notes, repeat back what they tell you. Show them you’re listening, show them you care, and show them they’re important.

2. Meet their needs.

Put yourself in their position – what do they need? This comes back to listening, and asking questions to show you care. Let your customers know the above-and-beyond services you offer, even if they don’t ask about it or need it now. They might the next time their car needs service.

Providing truly superior customer service means being more than an order taker. It’s all well and good if the customer asks you if you have loaner vehicles or offer free rides. What sets you apart is how you treat the customers that don’t even know to ask. In our shop, we teach our service writers to think how they’d want somebody to treat their own grandmother and to treat the customer the same way.

3. Think bigger than one phone call.

You already have their attention, so use the opportunity to put a few bugs in their ear. Do they know about your warranty? The services you offer to make their experience even easier? What makes you different from the dealership and chain stores? You can even use the opportunity to collect more information: how did they hear about your shop?  Again, it’s about becoming more than just an order taker.

 

Why phone skills can make or break your auto shop - applying customer service to the phone and front counterWhen you’re on the phone with your customers, they are your primary and most important focus. Put everything else aside, and make yourself 100% committed to them. Perfecting your phone skills is an important first step to developing the superior customer service skills to take your shop from good to great.

This only scratches the surface of phone skills, customer service, building relationships and even dealing with price shoppers.  I highly recommend these classes to learn much more:

 

Questions? Call my team at 866.826.7911.