March 2022 - 8

Managing expectations
With supply chain delays and COVID keeping techs out of
your shop, honesty is key with customers.
By Amanda Silliker, Editor
ASilliker@EndeavorB2B.com
T
he global supply chain crisis
is weighing heavily on
the auto care industry. At
repair shops across the country,
small jobs like brakes and suspension
work are now taking
days to get fixed. There's been
oil filter shortages, tire shortages,
and brake rotors are currently
hit and miss. At one point, the
tire situation was so rough that
price and availability estimates
were only good for 60 minutes.
Some customers have been waiting for
months for a part to come in to fix their
vehicle, and the remaining healthy technicians
at shops are burning out from all
the long hours covering for their isolating,
COVID-positive colleagues.
While there are so many elements of
the supply chain crisis that you cannot
control, you can control how you communicate
this less-than-ideal situation
to your customers. Many of them will
be angry, frustrated, annoyed, or a host
of other emotions because their vehicle
is an essential part of their daily life. But
the good news is that most of your customers
are not living under a rock and
are well aware of the global supply chain
problems - it's one thing to read about
it in the news and another to experience
it first hand.
A good start in navigating these
bumpy waters is by fostering trust in your
customers. Be honest about how long it is
expected for a part to show up - and be
honest that that's the manufacturer's best
guess, but this is unchartered territory
for them too and it could potentially be
longer. Be empathetic. Not having a fully
functioning vehicle is a terrible thing for
many families. Tell your customers you
understand how difficult it will be while
you wait for the part to come in and be
sincere in showing you care. Listen to
them as they complain to you about how
much of an inconvenience this all is.
PTEN advisory board member Pete
Rudloff reminded me that it's smart for
a service manager or owner to remember
parts shortages aren't always because of
the part.
" Sometimes it's the parts house having
staffing issues. In that case, a shop
may need to send a porter to retrieve a
part even though normally the parts
seller delivers. Flexibility is important
on the shop side, " he said.
And make sure to follow-through.
When the part comes in, give the customer
a call right away to set up their
appointment. Do the work well (of
course) and continue to express gratitude
to the customer for waiting patiently
(even if they were not the most patient!).
As far as staffing issues go, Rudloff
said many clients understand that your
hands are tied when a staff member has a
COVID-related absence. At his shop, they
simply explain to the customers what's
going on and what the proposed timeline
is to get their car back on the road.
" In this day and age, most people will
understand that auto shops are facing
unprecedented challenges. The key to
success with people is clear communication
and setting realistic expectations, "
Rudloff said. " I kind of have to believe
that's sage advice for any client-driven
business today. "
PTEN EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD
TECHNICIANS
ERIC MOORE,
DeMary Trucks, Columbus, OH
LOU FORT,
K.A.R.S. Inc., Huntingburg, IN
SHOP OWNERS
KIM AUERNHEIMER,
Cool Springs Automotive, Brentwood, TN
TANNER BRANDT,
Autodiag Clinic, Welford, SC
PHIL FOURNIER,
Phil's Auto Clinic, Hemet, CA
JD GOAD,
Goad's Body Shop, Lexington, VA
EDWIN HAZZARD,
Southeast Mobile Tech, Goose Creek, SC
PETE RUDLOFF,
Pete's Garage Inc., Newark, DE
MICHELLE TANSEY,
Dubclinic, Santa Clara, CA
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS
JIM O'HARA,
Clore Automotive
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PTEN (Professional Tool &
Equipment News)
8 PTEN MARCH 2022 VehicleServicePros.com
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March 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2022
