I had a really interesting experience yesterday when I had my car MOT done. I had spoken to the garage previously about coaching and ways they could improve their business, so I wanted to see how the service is.
When I arrived with my car?the mechanic, who was obviously not having a good day, took my keys and after being prompted by me told me that I could pick up my car in an hour. He did ask if I wanted to wait in the waiting area (not the most welcoming of seating areas) or was I coming back.
On my return the same happy soul met me and gave me back my keys and asked for payment we had a brief chat about business which had obviously got worse since we first met. The MOT certificate had been left on my car seat with the notes of potential issues, no verbal feedback was given.
Where this garage and lots of other businesses could improve and make more is real common sense, please check you do the following:
- Take your customers details and interact with them – they could have impressed me with reminders for when my next MOT was due, they could have found out about when my car is due a service and they could have made a suggestion to how much the potential issues would cost to put right.
- Know where your customers find out about you – They have no idea which marketing, if any, made me call them up so how do they know where to focus their marketing.
- Be happy, smiling and interested in your customers – people buy people first and a smile goes a long way.
- If you are given some proven advice about how to improve your business, at least test it out.
