How do you get your shop to stand above the crowd? With so many choices for auto repair in the industry today customers can move around from shop to shop at will. How you create “stickiness” with your customers will be the reason you stand out. Here’s the challenge though – the things that connect each customer to a particular business are as varied as customers are. Some customers what exceptional service while others want cheap prices. Some want a ride to work and someone else just wants their vehicle fixed right and fixed quickly. I don’t believe that there is a single good way to stand out from the crowd. I believe that you’ve got to present multiple ways which you stand out from the crowd. You need to address some of the major customer expectations, address them well, and be consistent.

Remember what the top customer expectations are: to be listened to, to have their concern addressed, to receive value for their money. Address each of these three expectations and you’ll make your shop stand out. Remember though that each of these expectations is more about perception than it is about what really goes on. It’s not about fooling the customer into thinking they got what they were looking for, but about creating a situation where the customer walks away feeling like they got what they had asked for. That looks different in every situation.

Some customers may feel listened to if you just fix their car right the first time they come in. Other customers only feel listened to if you take time with them, explain the process, call them every 3 hours, and serve them coffee. To really stand out as a shop you have to recognize the person you are dealing with in that moment and do your best to provide for that specific individual. Only then will you truly stand out as a repair shop.

Think about the number of good restaurants in the world. The product (food) may be awesome, but what really sets one restaurant apart from another is the quality of service. Your product (automotive repair) may be awesome, but what sets you apart is the level of service you provide.

Here’s one last thing: you have to always be getting better and better. The world is an ever evolving place. What set repair shops apart from one another last year, isn’t the same as what sets them apart today. Pay attention to what you perceive as truly great service and try to incorporate those things in your daily business. Be creative. Be the first repair shop to do something.

Be the best at what your customers perceive of as quality service and you will stand out!