Customer retention is often overlooked, especially by newly established businesses. Don’t be one of them. Successful businesses know for a fact that acquiring new customers is just the beginning. The real value and success lie in retaining all your customers.
Here are some customer retention best practices that you can put into action in your auto body shop.
Provide the best customer service
No surprise there! The most basic yet the best practice is to provide the highest quality customer service you can. In a Zendesk study, 72% of consumers rank customer service as one of the top reasons they remain loyal to a brand.
We consider the auto repair as a customer-centered industry with a more personal approach. With the direct business-customer relationship, it is even easier to showcase the customer service you offer.
Quality over speed
Do you have a chatbot that sends automatic replies but doesn’t really respond to your customers? Do you have an automatic email responder that redirects your customer queries to your FAQ page?
According to a research by the Gallup Group, customers that are nine times more engaged in a business evaluated their service as “courteous, willing, and helpful”.
We’re not saying that you forget promptness but remember, your clients want high quality and complete output partnered with top-notch customer service. If satisfied, these customers are more likely to come back to your shop in case they need the same or related auto service.
Offer a wide range of services
Speaking of related auto service, having a wide range of services under your belt don’t just prove expertise and skills, it also helps in customer relation.
Let your customers know about other services you offer
This increases the chances of them coming back to your website and body shop. They have already experienced how you work the first time. If they find you good enough, they’ll come back for the other services you offer as well. Why? Because they trust you.
Offer a discount or credit to return
Special offers like discounts or freebies for returning customers
These credits are a relatively small investment that can benefit you for the long run. They can serve as a magnet that attracts past customers to come back and choose you again and again and again.
Loyalty cards and VIP memberships
They give your customers a sense of importance, making them feel special. If the customers know you’ll treat them with utmost importance, they are most likely to come back.
Be social
Ask your customers to like and follow your social media pages
Getting them to leave a feedback gives you bonus points too! Social media is the best place to keep in touch with your customers even after the job is done. You gain their trust by providing superb customer service and you strengthen that trust to build a good relationship.
Send a follow-up message or email
Ask for an update regarding their auto. Any concerns or questions? Send some additional notes if you have any.
React and comment
Did they post a photo of/with their auto? That’s the perfect chance to comment!
Greet them on special occasions
Greet them on their birthdays or other holidays. Again, make them feel special.
Consistently engage with them
But don’t be too much, too annoying. Consistent engagement helps build a good relationship with your customers.
Provide engaging content
A great customer service does not stop after the job is done. You wouldn’t want to leave your customers on their own after you’re done with their auto.
Provide them with engaging and helpful content. Send them links to some “After Repair Tips” or a “How to Make Your Auto Paint Last 10x Longer Guide.” They would appreciate the effort. Plus points for you! Can’t think of engaging topics? Check out these 6 blog idea sources for your auto body shop.
Improving your customer retention rate is important in maintaining a sustainable business. It is even more important for auto body shops like you. The more loyal customers you have, the more referrals you can get and the more new customers you can retain. From there, it will be a cycle that can keep your shop thriving.