SOLUTION VS PRICE
FOR THE MECHANICS THAT SPEND THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE CUSTOMER AND THEIR PROBLEM
Sorting out a car is a grudge purchase. No one enjoys ringing a mechanic. No one enjoys maintaining their car. Organising a mechanic to maintain or fix a car is like ringing a dentist or an accountant (no offence!).
What does this mean? It means that most people are looking for a solution to their problem – not the cheapest price. Most phone calls from new customers start with “how much for…”. This is because they don’t know what else to ask. What they really mean is I have a problem – can you help me solve it.
Customer: “Can you give me a quote to repair the radiator on my 2006 Hilux?”
Mechanic: “About $500”
(Awkward pause follows)
Customer: “OK thanks I’ll call you back”
Customer: “Can you give me a quote to repair the radiator on my 2006 Hilux?”
Mechanic: “Sure. Where are you located?”
Customer: “Hornsby”
Mechanic: “Do you know the engine size? Is it a 2.7, 3.0L turbo diesel?”
Customer: “It’s a 2.7L”
Mechanic: “How do you know it’s the radiator?”
Customer: “It’s leaking green fluid and the NRMA has assessed it”
Mechanic: “OK I’ve got the parts and labour here on my system. It’s a 2.25hr job, plus the radiator and components, that’s $595. The radiator is in stock I can pick it up tomorrow. I have availability tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday. What works best for you?”
Customer: “Tomorrow after 12 would be perfect.”
Mechanic: “Great. I can be there at 1pm. I’ll just take down some of your details to book you in.”
Can you see the key difference here?
In the first example, the mechanic just gave a rough price and didn’t attempt to book the customer in. They left the ball in the customer’s court. With no other information, the customer didn’t know what to do so ended the call.
In the second example, the mechanic was able to get an exact price, understand the customer’s location and provide availability options. The mechanic provided a full solution and offered the price, plus booking times. It was an easy decision for the customer to agree to the booking. Just a few extra questions, access to proper quoting tools, and finding availability for the customer was all it took to quickly secure the job. The best bit is the price was higher.
It’s time to sit down and work out ‘your script’ when it comes to taking bookings.
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