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Auto service departments might not be the most obvious spaces for excellent customer service examples. But with concerned customers hoping to avoid a steep repair bill and actually understand the problem at hand, service technicians have to be smooth communicators. Good auto service technician teams will excel when working under the hood of a sedan or truck. But they’ll also work effectively with customers to guide them through the scope of work.
Read on to learn about four customer service lessons from auto service bays that can help workers in any industry!
1. Showcase Excellent Communication Skills
Even though technicians are immersed in complex repairs, they have to be skilled at translating their work into understandable language. After all, not everyone knows what a suspension alignment means or what ADAS calibration involves. Auto service departments need to boil down complicated concepts into terms that can reassure customers.
The prospect of interacting with a customer to explain complex, discipline-specific concepts is not unique to the auto repair field, either. Medical professionals must explain how a disease impacts the human body or what a surgery will accomplish. Similarly, individuals working in finance must help clients understand the long-term implications of certain investments.
Consequently, individuals in these fields need to be excellent communicators, and they can take some cues from the diligent work of auto technicians to demystify car repairs. With the right training, employees in any field can be equipped with the tools to help make translation more effective—and customers happier.
2. Make a Quick Initial Assessment
When a car arrives for an appointment, the auto service team will start with a quick assessment of the vehicle. They’ll do a visual inspection while the customer explains the problem. Then they’ll ask follow-up questions to help focus their efforts. The service advisor may capture some extra details and provide follow-up updates as the car is serviced. What is a service advisor at a dealership? This is the individual who interfaces with the customer, acting as a liaison who keeps the customer informed. For customers, this immediate sense of attentiveness demonstrates that the service team is thorough and efficient.
Gathering initial information and making assessments early is common in other areas, too. Coaches and managers may develop and distribute a meeting agenda and designate time to each item. An IT professional may go through a checklist of questions and tests to try to pinpoint a technical issue. These early efforts to identify the most useful information or rule out potential problems can save time later and earn customer trust.
3. Provide Frequent Updates
Customers don’t want to lose access to their cars for very long. Not having a car can make getting to work or shuttling kids to school a lot harder, if not impossible. As a result, the best auto repair teams set expectations for repair timetables and stick to them. They’ll share what the necessary repairs are, whether parts are in stock, and the estimated timeframe for completion.
Other industries have to follow a similar approach in mapping out schedules. For instance, a graphic designer must provide a date by which a preliminary design is ready. A deck contractor must give an estimate for how long it will take to build a new deck. And a financial advisor should be able to project timelines for investment returns or retirement portfolio readiness.
4. Stay in Contact
Staying connected with customers is one of the best ways to build rapport and earn repeat business. Auto repair teams excel in this area. They may send reminder postcards about future routine repairs or make phone calls to check satisfaction with a service appointment. In short, they make the effort to keep customers engaged.
Industries like retail or healthcare can follow suit. Sending surveys about an online buying experience or reminding patients about upcoming screenings can be a great way to maintain a connection. Best of all, these forms of communication can show a high level of professionalism that will enhance any organization’s brand.
Make Customer Service Excellence a Priority
Team members in any industry can learn a lot from watching auto service bays. Their clear communication, commitment to follow-ups, and transparent timelines for services win customer respect. The customer journey stretches far beyond scheduling an appointment and paying a bill. Individuals in all industries must put customers first to foster long-term relationships.
