ACtion Magazine - March 2016 - (Page 38)

The right stuff Elvis Hoffpauir Advertiser Index Competition is ﬁerce for today's automotive service shop owner. I n his Outlook column in this issue of AC TION ™, MACS Chairman Andy Fiffick enumerates many of the elements required for today's shop owner to attract, serve and maintain a loyal clientele. It starts with the physical plant, equipment and the tools; service information for the ever-growing fleet of vehicles; well-trained, highly motivated technicians; marketing and promotion; customer amenities; the ability and willingness to foster community goodwill...the list goes on and on. In his feature article in this issue on becoming Service Ready, Bill Haas observes that "consumers expect you to have the tools, equipment and talent" to fix their vehicles (so you better make sure you do), and argues that "the (service) experience is all that matters to the vehicle owner." What makes for a better service experience? One is convenience. Another is speed of service: how soon you can make the appointment after the initial contact, and how quickly you can service or repair the vehicle and get the customer back on the road. "The advantage will go to the store that returns the vehicle to its owner in the shortest amount of time," Haas notes. ...Trust is tested when what is "Get the vehicle in the service seen online is different than bay at the appointed time. If the vehicle has not moved from where the what can be seen in person. customer parked it ten or twenty minutes past the appointment time it is a sign of disrespect. You have to respect their time. For many consumers time is as valuable as the money they will exchange with you for your services. That disregard for their time is also an indication of you don't do what you said you would do. Not the best way to start what you are hoping is a long term relationship with a client." He also cautions shop owners to "Make absolutely sure that what consumers see and hear in your marketing is exactly what they see and hear when they visit your store... Trust is tested when what is seen online is different than what can be seen in person. Don't make the mistake of misrepresenting any aspect of your company." Clearly, the standards by which a service provider is measured are many, and the bar must be set high, but customers still most often follow the word-of-mouth that leads them to the shops with proven core competency and a reputation for honesty. ❆ " 1-800-Radiator & A/C............................2 ACDelco ....................................... 17, 19 AGS Company..................................... 22 BVA Inc. ............................................. 23 Four Seasons ...................................... 40 Global Parts Distributors ..................... 31 Hella ...................................................9 Honeywell ......................................... 13 Johnson Manufacturing....................... 34 Liland ................................................ 27 MACS Worldwide Sponsors ............ 28, 32 Mahle Service Solutions ...................... 11 MEI Corporation ............................... 6, 7 Omega .............................................. 33 Ranshu .........................................center Ritchie Engineering ............................ 39 Santech ............................................. 35 Schrader ............................................ 24 Trans/Air Mfg. .................................... 37 TSI Inc./SuperCool ................................3 Tubes 'n Hoses International ............... 25 TYC Genera ........................................ 15 Universal Air Conditioner ......................5 Elvis Hoffpauir, Editor-in-Chief You can reach Elvis at elvis@macsw.org To request information from our advertisers visit www.macsw.org and click on the 38 ACTION * March 2016 ACtion Reader Reply button. Connect with MACS and the digital edition of ACtion™ http://www.macsw.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - March 2016

ACtion Magazine - March 2016
Contents
Defining 'Service Ready' Because it Matters
Motor Age Top Shops
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's Law
VIrtual View
Last Watch
Member Profile
Cooling Corner
Industry News
Association News
In Memoriam

ACtion Magazine - March 2016