As an auto body repair shop owner, you'll have invested in the right tools, equipment, manpower and training to ensure that your business can provide the quality and output necessary for a healthy bottom line. The thing is, all your competitors will have done the same thing, and maybe even boast of more advanced equipment than you can muster. But as a service company, one can be a competitive auto body repair shop without needing to have the most up-to-date equipment.
Since time immemorial, customer loyalty has been gained not by fancy surroundings or slick-looking premises but by providing quality services with a personal touch. For an auto body repair shop, there are many opportunities to do this, such as:
- detailing the interior
- rotating the wheels
- washing the car
- cleaning glazed headlights
For a lot of auto body repair shops these days, there is a lot of competition in one's area of operations, and managers have to think hard about maintaining a customer service ethic that will attract and keep customers. Ask yourself what added value your collision repair shop offers in your area. Does the shop have a specialty (e.g. paint, brand specialization, value for money, fast turnaround)?
Come up with a list of things that differentiate your service from that of your competitors, and look at it from the customer's point of view. What benefits are you providing? Is there a particular hassle customers have to deal with every time they visit an auto body repair shop? Can you lessen that frustration? Are shop personnel willing and able to take that extra step to provide a positive customer experience?
With lots of collision repair shops and experienced competitors around, it may be difficult to find something that differentiates your shop from the rest. In that case, examine the way you go about your business instead of just differentiating your service. Maybe you can offer a unique guarantee, one that depends on how long the customer has been going to your shop. Or maybe provide a hotline that guarantees a response within the hour. This is specially important for people who find themselves in an accident at an unholy hour. Only the circumstances surrounding an auto body repair shop can give the shop manager the clues to how a shop can differentiate itself.
An important thing to note is that the shop must be able to consistently follow through with its differentiation commitments. Shop personnel must gladly cooperate the management's attempts to differentiate the business. Otherwise, you will just be making false promises, with would probably have a more negative effect than if you had not done anything at all.
