Waiting area (keeping the customer happy)

[lakesidetire]

What have you found to be the most important things to have in your waiting area for your customers? As in coffee machine, reading material, wifi, drinks and the list can go on. What has been the most important at your shop?

[CAZM]

I keep a wide range of magazines for men and women. Coffee is not a real big hit here, however I do have complimentary soda for the customers and that goes over really well. I have been thinking about adding a popcorn machine, but have not decided on that yet.

[meowpox]

Coffee & wifi seem to be the most popular here...we have a lot of customers who are able to work remotely.

[ScottyP]

My buddy asked me why I don't have a coffee pot, I told him I don't want to encourage people to hang out here. I much prefer people drop their cars off. I know not everyone can so we have magazines, decent chairs and a radio, but that's it. And now that I'm a Beta dealer I've taken out half the chairs and they have to stare at a dirtbike

 

[John Pearson]

People waiting sitting by them selves off in a corner get lonely and bored. I like to put my customers right in the middle of everything next to the service desk. people are curious in nature and for my customers who they are here for the first time get to see how we operate and over hear our conversations on the phone. If the service advisers are not busy then they can make conversation with the customers. we are here to make friends that we can take care of and service their vehicles not just to fix cars.

 

We have gone 4 wheeling, snow machining, white water rafting and out to eat with our customers because we have build that relationship as a friend with them. Just remember to not let it effect your sales goals and not to give them discounts. with what we have been doing we doubled our car count in 1 year and tripled our ARO.

 

and one if them is a F16 pilot at the airforce base and I got to go for a ride BEST TIME EVER!!!!!

[xrac]

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[mspecperformance]

People waiting sitting by them selves off in a corner get lonely and bored. I like to put my customers right in the middle of everything next to the service desk. people are curious in nature and for my customers who they are here for the first time get to see how we operate and over hear our conversations on the phone. If the service advisers are not busy then they can make conversation with the customers. we are here to make friends that we can take care of and service their vehicles not just to fix cars.

 

We have gone 4 wheeling, snow machining, white water rafting and out to eat with our customers because we have build that relationship as a friend with them. Just remember to not let it effect your sales goals and not to give them discounts. with what we have been doing we doubled our car count in 1 year and tripled our ARO.

 

and one if them is a F16 pilot at the airforce base and I got to go for a ride BEST TIME EVER!!!!!

 

 

A ride in a F16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sounds like it is working for you. I am of the opposite mind. I do not like people to see our inner workings nor do I like them to linger while we are working. We are trying to be efficient and tend to their vehicle. I believe that they are a distraction as well as can misconstrue things they see and over analyze what they see.

[5 Star Auto Spa]

I wish we were in the same situation as you guys. A lot of our customers, especially the oil change / state inspection customers, wait for their vehicles at our shop. We have WiFi, TV, magazines, Espresso Bar, Self Serve Frozen Yogurt, and Deli in our waiting area.

[alfredauto]

A don't mind people waiting, but I insist they stay in the waiting area/front desk area. Nobody waits in the shop. Its not negotiable. I have a keureg, magazines, books, WiFi, and a host of interesting and unusual things to keep them busy.

 

When new customers are waiting they are a little nervous, as soon as a regular drops a check and keys on the counter they loosen up. We're in a college town so many times a new student or intern will be waiting and their professor or boss will come in for service. Instant trust!

 

That all being said, my waiting room is for tires/oil/quick stuff and waiting for a ride. I discourage waiting for any job over 1 hour book time. Nobody complains when their tires are done in 20 minutes, but if they've only been sitting there 20 minutes and we put in 2 half shafts its tough to charge book time.

[John Pearson]

A don't mind people waiting, but I insist they stay in the waiting area/front desk area. Nobody waits in the shop. Its not negotiable. I have a keureg, magazines, books, WiFi, and a host of interesting and unusual things to keep them busy.

 

When new customers are waiting they are a little nervous, as soon as a regular drops a check and keys on the counter they loosen up. We're in a college town so many times a new student or intern will be waiting and their professor or boss will come in for service. Instant trust!

 

That all being said, my waiting room is for tires/oil/quick stuff and waiting for a ride. I discourage waiting for any job over 1 hour book time. Nobody complains when their tires are done in 20 minutes, but if they've only been sitting there 20 minutes and we put in 2 half shafts its tough to charge book time.

Park it out back or move on to a different car and return it in an hour or two. The other thing that I respond with when the customer states how fast we were is that we have multiple people working on their vehicle.