The Indie Garage July/August article “Marketing the Benefits of Online Auto Service Booking” prompted this response from Nick Skrbic, Bittner’s Auto Service, Hamilton, Ont.

Booking online.

What does that mean to the customer? It  means , I am here, everything must stop!

The customer makes a booking online not knowing what is needed to repair car nor does the shop. The customer assumes it is a one-hour visit and they will leave with the car repaired as described “what they read on web.”

What do you say to the customer that shows up for their appointment and your bays are full due to late delivery of parts, wrong parts, unforeseen problems with repairs on vehicles in bays or employees calling in sick.

You now have upset that customer. 

They will not return and give you a bad review ONLINE.

What does the repair shop do when the customer does not show up, “Oh they forgot.” They have no financial incentive to show up!  The shop has allocated time for this vehicle; shop loses money. Also what stops individuals/competition from loading up your schedule for various reasons?

When you call the dentist, they ask you what your issues are. The dentist then allocates time for this visit. What penalty does the dentist impose on the patient for not showing up?

Why don’t you come out and say it: ‘ ONLINE’ bookings are to get vehicles into the shop and then upsetting the car owners? The software marketers are the ones making money and the shop gets the wrath of the customers.

Car repair/service is like going to the dentist, you might not want to go, you might not like to pay for visit, but you have to go and pay for repairs if you want to drive vehicle with confidence.

This is the reason why people don’t like going to have their car repaired.  We should be up-front, speak to people on the phone, develop real customer relations and not virtual.

People are real and cars are real!

Nick Skrbic
Bittner’s Auto Service
https://bittnersauto.net/