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How to make the phone ring?

GENUINE
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GENUINE Enthusiast

GENUINE

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Wondering what you all do to make the phone ring. We've been in a slump where the phone just does not ring. Do you have any tricks to jump start it again?

 

Dwayne

Gary A Community Regular

Gary A

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Do you have a means to stay in touch with customers? CRM program? Very important to keep your name in front of customers to keep them coming back. Email, text messaging online reviews are all more pieces to the puzzle of a marketing plan that must be used with today's technology. It is also very important to have people at the counter that will have the right attitude with your customers. They must give them a reason to come back.

GENUINE Enthusiast

GENUINE

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I do "have" the means of accomplishing some of these tasks, but i'm afraid i've been caught off cuard by the necessity to do them, and now find myself at a critical point. I'm working with another shop owner/motivator, great guy who is advocating the same thing exactly and had me working in that direction on a more religious basis. But something has happened in the last couple weeks where someone has just turned the switch off and freaked me out a little. But thanks for the reinforcement as to how critical it is now days to stay visible. Used to, our philosophy was, open the doors and they will come....not so much anymore.

Gary A Community Regular

Gary A

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In the beginning of August someone turned my switch off too, it happens. Now I am also scheduling the next appointment and will be proactive when those dates come to call them a week out and remind them of service due

GENUINE Enthusiast

GENUINE

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Thanks for the encouragement. Speaking for myself, I tend to get stuck in a my own world and my own daily routine...right wrong or otherwise, and having my blinders on to what might be so obvious to others. Seems so obvious NOW to work your customer base to get the phone ringing again. Had I been implementing some of the offensive strategies discussed, I may not be dealing with this now. We can't dwell on the past, but it sure can be a good teacher.

Edited by GENUINE

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    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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