As an auto repair shop, we receive multiple calls per day from customers looking for prices on service or repairs. While we wholeheartedly believe these questions are fair and we respect our customers for their questions, we must respect our business model that we have built and explain to the customer that a price over the phone is just not something we can do in good conscious. Sometimes customers understand, and other times they do not; and we feel it’s our duty to explain why we don’t do that and why it is not apart of our business philosophy. Instead of customers feeling frustrated, or feeling like we aren’t being helpful to them, we hope they will understand our repair process better and build a new respect towards our business model.
Quoting or pricing over the phone can be problematic for several reasons. Here’s why:
It does not convey our desired level of expertise & It does not reflect a truly professional approach
- Without a full understanding of the job’s scope, quoting over the phone increases the risk of offering an inaccurate price, which could lead to a loss for us, customer dissatisfaction, and losing trust from our customers.
- The major aspect to consider is how can we provide a price for a service or repair that we haven’t verified would fix the problem the customer is having, why provide a price for a problem we haven’t properly diagnosed? Sure, customers provide explanations, or they might have a quote from another shop but to protect our business from a liability standpoint, our ASE Certified Technicians need to be the ones to verify the other repair shop, or the customer was right in their findings.
- Providing customers with a written quote appears more professional & trustworthy, reinforcing your credibility and experience. Phone quotes might seem rushed or informal. Phone quotes often miss detailed explanations of services, costs, pictures/videos, and terms, which can make the client feel uncertain or confused.
- Verbal quotes do not usually factor in sales taxes and things of that nature that we are obligated to charge as well so that can further lead customers to be frustrated later from discrepancies and misunderstandings.
The Cost Becomes the Focus Instead of Superior Service and Customer Care. Valuable characteristics get Lost
- The problem with pricing, is that will be all the customer hears. They will miss so many important aspects of the conversation with our Service Advisors.
- The price will take precedence over learning the amazing warranty we offer, the skilled staff we have working on the vehicle, our digital inspections that provide videos & pictures to back up our findings & recommendations, the high-tech equipment we have in order to fix your vehicle, and the superior customer service you will receive from our front counter staff during the entire repair process.
- The major point for customers to keep in mind when asking for a price over the phone is that regardless of price, the cost isn’t going to change that there is a massive problem within their vehicle, and it needs to be fixed. The customer technically is already sold, they are just trying to find the lowest price, however the cheapest price is not always the best decision.
- Often when you provide someone with a price or ballpark price, they will think the price is too high or they will hold on to the lowest price they heard during your conversation which will absolutely cause frustrations down the road.
Lack of Client Commitment, Liability Issues, Hinders the Growth Process
- Providing a quote without formal documentation or without getting the customer to come into the shop to meet your counter staff and get an initial inspection will just make it easier for potential customers to price shop without serious intent, reducing the likelihood of securing the job. Which will pull your staff away from customers that have committed to your business and repair process.
- If there’s a dispute, a verbal quote offers little to no legal protection compared to a written agreement.
A written quote provides a formal record of the agreement, reducing disputes later. Phone quotes lack this traceable documentation. - While some people may think that quoting over the phone makes things easier; it has the opposite effect. Allowing service advisors to give prices over the phone without the vehicle present adds extra work to the repair process.
- Extra workload could mean – mitigating confusion on prices and price changes therefore the service advisor must have even more conversations with said customer. Difficult to earn the trust of the customer when you don’t follow a well-oiled process that your used to, and our technicians must change their repair process.
- The only way to scale your business properly is to build processes and follow them to their entirety. Simple is being able to duplicate the process at any time, and train on these procedures for all hired team members. Wahen you make an “exception” to the rule your shops team will suffer from confusion, the customer will be uneasy and less likely to come back therefore all leading to reduced efficiency and profits. Which can devalue your business in the long term.