The Shop Management Show, AutoLeap’s new podcast, is back to cover part two of a discussion on effective customer and shop communication strategies.
How should your shop communicate when customers address their concerns? What steps should you follow to encourage healthy team communication?
We answered these questions with the help of an industry expert.
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Recap from episode 23
In episode 23 of The Shop Management Show, I was thrilled to be joined by Cecil Bullard, CEO of the Institute for Automotive Business Excellence.
Cecil and I discussed:
- Establishing clear expectations with your customers
- Teaching communication to your team
- And much more
Let’s recap some insightful moments from the episode.
» Want to improve your shop’s customer communication? Download our free eBook.
Addressing customer concerns through communication
A customer brings in their vehicle with a strange noise. Your team completes a diagnostic inspection, and a service advisor calls them back. But instead of addressing the customer’s primary issue, they first bring up another concern and its estimated cost to repair.
See the problem here? It’s not an effective way to communicate with customers. They will feel overwhelmed by unforeseen issues and their unexpected costs. Worse, you haven’t even addressed what they brought the vehicle in for.
Cecil recommends that you always start by addressing the customer’s issue. Then, you can move to the other mechanical and diagnostic issues you found. He calls this the close and then redirect. When you get the initial “yes” on repairs for their primary concern, they’re more likely to also say “yes” to your other suggestions.
It’s a transparent way to communicate with customers that is more profitable for your business. A win-win!
Teaching your team how to communicate
You already host regular shop huddles to discuss the schedule, problems, and potential solutions. Why not bring in a communications expert for one of these meetings?
Cecil mentions that hiring one of these professionals, even for one day, is worthwhile. It’s a great resource that your entire team can benefit from.
Additionally, Cecil discusses how the communication tone you set as a shop owner will resonate among your team. Take this example. A disgruntled employee continues to communicate poorly. They have a terrible attitude, and it affects everyone.
As the shop owner, you don’t address the situation. Yet, you still expect the rest of your team to communicate well. Notice the issue?
If you don’t communicate properly and hold your team accountable, they will follow your example. Set a healthy standard for effective communication among your team and customers.
Closing thoughts
Check out this episode today for more customer communication strategies. Also, download our free eBook on mastering customer communication! It’s packed with actionable advice for your shop, featuring more expert insights from Cecil.
Subscribe to the Shop Management Show today! The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular streaming services.
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