Would you do that to your Gramma's car?
Every day we are faced with using our judgment to advise customers on what is the best way to repair and maintain their cars. Often people will say, "Would you do that to your Gramma's car?"
For me this question is redundant. If my Gramma was the type of person that was a very nervous driver and felt more confident when she knew everything was up to date. Yes, I would advise my Gramma to proceed with repairs as recommended and maintenance as suggested. Why? Because we don’t suggest things that don’t need to be done for some reason in the first place.
My Gramma would also trust my judgment on things she could safely do at a later date if she was on a budget. I would know if she was planning to keep the car she has for the next 5-7 years or if she was going to trade it in soon.
My Gramma would also trust me when I told her that a well-maintained car, that is checked over by a qualified technician, has fewer instances where she is going to be stuck on the side of the road calling a tow truck.
The point I am trying to make is that you need to “know” the person to advise them correctly. Everyone needs the complete picture. It is up to us to figure out how to best present and then plan a repair map for the customer based on their budget and present life situation. You have to be their "wingman"
So if I am going to sell service as if I was selling it to my Gramma, I would first develop a relationship with my customer so there was a foundation of trust between us. I would ask qualifying questions of my customer so I could better advise them on what to do.
Questions like:
Do you own or lease this vehicle?
How often do you trade-in your car?
Do you do any repairs on your own?
Are you a preventative maintenance person or a fix-it-as-it-breaks sort of person?
Example:
A tech delivers a list of repairs required and maintenance that is overdue on a 2013 vehicle driven by a single mother on a tight budget.
Front brakes are 2 mm $650.00
The water pump is leaking $1100.00
Coolant is 3 years overdue $185.00
Transmission fluid is due at this interval at $450.00
Battery load test is weak $300.00
Advisor: "Hey Jen, Alana from XYZ Service, do you have a few minutes to chat?"
Jen: "Yes, what is up?"
Advisor: "Perfect, I just wanted to let you know the tech is in the process of doing your oil change and inspection. He has found the vehicle is in pretty good shape, you have done a great job keeping it in good condition. The front end is tight, the rear brakes are great and the wipers and lights are all good too. He does have a couple of notes that we should start to plan for. The first thing is the front brakes are at the marker for replacement which is 2 mm. They are not metal to metal or dangerous at this point but they will not make it until the next oil change. The tech also found the water pump leaking. The battery is failing the load test as well, and there are a couple of fluids that are due for a change, those being the coolant and transmission. Everything else is up to date.
So depending on your budget this time around, if we did all this work it would be a total of $2820.00 taxes and shop supplies. If that is too much at once I would start with the battery and the water pump, which would be $1470.00 taxes and shop supplies. Those two things can cause breakdowns, and larger expenses if not done.
Jen: "Oh my gosh, I cannot afford any of this."
Advisor: "I know it feels like a lot. But the good news is because you come in regularly, we have caught these items before they give you an issue. So we have time to plan. I know it is never great hearing this type of news Jen, I totally get where you are coming from, but it is better to know what you are facing than to have the water pump or the battery fail on the side of the road and you have to pay for a $300.00 tow to the expenses as well."
Jen: "That is true. I have an $800.00 budget, what should I do?"
Advisor: "Do you own or lease this car?"
Jen: "I own."
Advisor: "Are you pretty dialed in with this car or have you been thinking of trading it in?"
Jen: "Well, I have been a good car, and it is paid off, but it is getting old though."
Advisor: "Perhaps we should get an appraisal before we make a decision? It would be better to put that 800.00 toward a new car, with no leaking water pump or worn-out brakes wouldn't it?"
Jen: "That is a great idea actually."
I then connect her with my go-to salesperson and explain the situation.
After the salesperson has gone thru the process, she either buys a new car or not. If she does, yay for everyone. Sales have some new inventory, service still gets to fix the car, and Jen has a new ride. If she does not get a new car for whatever reason...
Advisor: "I am sorry that the new car option did not work out, but now we need to come up with a plan for what we need to do over the next 6 months or so. It would be best if we could do the water pump and battery first. But the brakes will not be far behind. In your shoes, and based on your 800.00 budget, I think I would hit the pub for a martini first, then promptly replace my battery. That is the only one of these repairs that will fit in that budget."
"After that, when I put together a bit more cash, I would then do the brakes if the water pump has still not caused a serious issue. It is very difficult to choose because both are important. If we leave the water pump, I will have to teach you how to check your coolant of course, and you will need to keep an eye on the temperature gauge because if the engine overheats there can be engine damage that results in even more expense. We do not want to go there."
The plan starts to form between the customer and the advisor. They are a team.
We have used the life situation of our customer to formulate a "repair map" that fits her budget and needs. Sometimes, given the situation, some may find other avenues to get enough money to get their vehicle in good working order. But this process has gone a long way in solidifying a bond with that customer.
Can you see how much more positive this feels than someone calling, rattling off the list of needed repairs, telling them the total, and then either waiting for a response or listening to them crying on the other end of the phone?
We have softly delivered our information. With the right framing, we have to point out the good things first. Stuff that does not need repair. Then we deliver the bad news, with priorities in place and working within the budget they have.
Working with the customer is always easier than working against them. Get to know them, so you can treat them like you would treat your Grandma.
Like my content? Subscribe so you don't miss a beat!!
Message me: adviseme@goldstandardservicetraining.com
Comments