No, seriously, it’s not. It’s a five-letter word. And, it’s the single most important factor to your success in the automotive repair business.
“Trust me,” you say.
“Experts you can trust,” you print on your marketing materials.
“When cars need fixing, consumers trust their vehicles to us,” your Yellow Pages ads read.
I wonder, though, if your actions support your words.
Trust cannot be requested. Usually, when you have to ask someone to trust you, it’s because you have not yet earned that person’s trust.
“Trust me,” is a weak attempt to close the sale before you’ve put in the hard work required to earn the sale.
Trust may appear elusive, but only because you’re looking to build trusting relationships at the wrong times.
Trust takes years to build but only moments to lose. Most people (your customers, for instance) are slow to trust others. They start out skeptical and cautious until your prove yourself over time with your words and actions. You give someone bad advice once and suddenly they question everything you’ve ever told them. You overcharge a customer once and they forget about all the years you serviced their car at a discount.
Trust me – trust is the one thing that you need most.
Think for a minute. How easy would your business be if everything you said (or your manager said) to your customers were accepted at face value?
“Mr. Customer, your car needs a new transmission. It’s going to run you $2,500 and we’re going to do a great job,” you’d say.
“OK, great,” your customer would reply.
Or, “Mrs. Customer, I think you are going to be better off repairing this car rather than buying something new. It’s in your best interest to have us get to work right away.”
“Do it. Thanks for letting me know,” she’d reply.
Or on the phone, “Yes we do fix transmissions. You’re not going to find anybody in our metro area that does a better job. What time can you bring it in?”
“Right now,” your customer would say.
When you’re trusted, customers don’t shop around. They don’t get a second opinion. They don’t think about it. They don’t second-guess your advice.
When you’re trusted, customers send you unrequested referrals. They tell everyone how great you are. They bring their cars to you time and time again. Even for a service you may not offer.
Yes, there are other factors that can help your success. Yes, it’s true that beyond trust the customer must also have a need and perceive a value. Yes, you have to be friendly and likable and fair.
But nothing is as powerful as being trusted.
I wonder how trustworthy you are.
I wonder how trustworthy your brand is.
I wonder how trustworthy your shop is.
I wonder how trustworthy your CSM, your foreman, your builder, your R&R guy, your receptionist, your voicemail greeting, your signage, and your lobby.
I wonder how trustworthy your everything is. And so do your customers.
Trust is a feeling. A gut feeling. Take a look at the two photos below. Whom do you trust to sell you a car?
What does your CSM look like? What does your CSM sound like on the phone? Instant trust or instant bust?
OK, so you want to know how to earn and build trust?
1. Always do what you say you are going to do. Make sure everyone in your shop does the same. None of this, “Well I don’t care what the technician told you, I’m the manager and this is what’s going to happen.” Your shop must operate with one voice.
2. Always do whatever is in the best interest of your customer. Sometimes that means telling them NOT to fix their car. Sometimes that means doing a minor repair even though they’d be willing to pay for a full rebuild or reman.
3. Always give more value than your customer expects. Go the extra mile. Wash their car before you return it to them. Give them a free oil change if you’re doing a big job. Doing something unexpected and valuable shows your passion for serving others.
4. Always tell the truth. No matter what. Telling the truth means never having to remember what you said.
5. If you don’t know, say so. Then find the answer and deliver it to your customer. Don’t guess.
6. Under-promise. Over-deliver. Finish early. Charge less than you quoted. Deliver a car to someone’s home each day.
7. Always ask for a testimonial. Your prospects are much more likely to trust others than they are to trust you. Videotape your happy customers telling the world why everybody should trust you.
8. Come to work each day with the mindset that you have to prove yourself to others. This might be your 10,000th transmission job, but it’s likely your prospect’s first.
9. Be consistent. Earning trust comes from being reputable, reliable, and repeatable. Do the same thing every day. Over and over and over again. Even when you’re bored. Even when you’re feeling lazy.
10. Start small. It’s easier to build trust with many little experiences (oil changes, tire rotations, brake jobs, alignments, etc.) than with one big job because customers are more likely to take a risk with lower dollar amounts. If you’re not in general repair you’re missing a strategic advantage and opportunity. You don’t need more advertising, you need more friends.
Sound like a lot of work? Sound hard? You bet. That’s the good news. Most people (your competition, for instance) are not willing to put in the hard work. You can do it, I trust you.
Are there more ways to earn trust? Yes, definitely. And I’d like to hear about them from you. Send me your best ideas by emailing captain@etereman.com.
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