Why CRM for Auto Repair Shops Is the Key to Growth & Retention
As a business owner, you know there are so many details to keep track of that can make your life stressful. When you are able, you hire help. You find ways to take things off your shoulders and let someone else handle your accounting, your scheduling, and other details that aren’t necessary for you to do.
One key consideration is how you keep track of your customers. This becomes more complicated in the auto repair shop industry because many of your customers will have more than one vehicle. So you need to remember not only details about the customer and the customer’s vehicle but also the customer’s additional vehicles. You might even service commercial vehicles and have a whole fleet of matching service vehicles. The days of pen and paper to keep track of your customers or even a rolodex of contacts are over. Tracking customer interactions, service history, and follow-ups is too tricky. Can you imagine calling your entire customer base to remind them of their routine oil change? Can you imagine how much revenue you lose if you don’t remind them one way or another?Streamlining your processes while improving customer retention and revenue is a must. Customer management, communication, and operational efficiency are challenging, especially if your business has a large customer base or multi-locations. A robust CRM for auto repair shops is what you need to make your life and your business run smoothly.
The Problem: Why Traditional Customer Management Falls Short
We have all had to jot down some information on a sticky note. We have all had to punch numbers into a calculator manually. We have all had those frustrating moments when you lose that sticky note, or your numbers don’t add up.
Utilizing the power of auto shop management software will end the disconnected data. Each customer will have all the data for each vehicle in a concise, easy-to-understand database with all information available with just a few clicks of the mouse. You can set reminders for those oil changes, and while you are at it, you can ask them about their wiper blades or other upsell opportunities.
This will also give your customers an excellent experience, especially if you have multiple locations where they can go for their service needs. The automotive repair shop CRM can be accessed at each location for a seamless service experience and no frustration from your customers.
How a CRM Transforms Auto Repair Shop Operations
Having a CRM holds details about your customer and their vehicles, and guess what? It can also hold information like birthdays, anniversaries, and other tidbits you might not consider keeping track of. Your software can send out a birthday greeting! Who doesn’t like that?
Knowing that when you get a call from a repeat customer, you can quickly access their information is also handy. You have their customer history, repair notes, and appointment records right in front of you while learning why they are calling. The entire team of technicians will have access to the notes of previous repairs, even from other technicians, managers, and office staff.
The automated follow-up feature can also notify your customers about any promotions you want to run, and it is a quick way to ask for customer feedback. This is especially important to gain new customers. After all, don’t we all look at reviews before deciding on a purchase? We want to know about other people’s experiences working with someone. We get excited to work with someone with excellent customer reviews. But we also want to see how the business responds. You will get the feedback immediately, so if someone isn’t happy, you can reach out to them immediately and not let that harmful feedback damage your business.
The Business Impact: Higher Retention, More Revenue
Shops using automotive repair shop CRM tools see increased repeat business and upsell approvals. Regular contact encourages your customers to get their maintenance on time. It also encourages them to return to you versus the quick oil change shop down the road.
Real-time data automation leads to better scheduling, faster turnaround times, and higher customer satisfaction. Imagine doing an estimate and having the estimate available along all steps of the customer journey. You can input an estimate, know what parts are needed, how much time should be allocated, which technician is available for that amount of time, and have customer contact within the auto shop management software, which makes every step smoother and easier for everyone.
Choosing the Right Auto Shop Management Software
The only question that remains is which CRM to purchase. Let’s be honest; there are many great options to choose from. So, where do you begin your search?
A few considerations are finding one that is cloud-based so it will integrate with your existing shop management tools. Nothing is worse than discovering that your new software won’t be easy to set up and run. The last thing you want to do is to make a decision and immediately regret it because integration isn’t easy.
Know what features are essential to your business. For example, do you want digital vehicle inspections? Customer messaging? Reporting on activities? An all-in-one system makes it easy to contact your customers and for them to contact you. Customers also like real-time notes about the status of their repairs. You can even message them about additional repairs discovered while elbow-deep in their vehicle.
Also, remember, if you have multiple locations, you want to be able to share customer data across locations! Managing your customer relationships cannot be sustained in high-volume auto repair shops without CRM software. A CRM for auto repair shops is necessary to keep track of your customers, streamline your operations, and improve customer engagement - all leading to a boost in your revenue.
Investing in the right auto shop management software gives your business a competitive edge in today’s market.
Ready to see how a CRM can help your shop? Schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our Shop Experts today.
