If you’ve been running a mechanical workshop for any length of time, you’ll know many customers don’t really understand their vehicles in any great depth.

That’s why they come to you – you’re the expert, the person who is going to fix their problem and get them back on the road.

That creates a huge opportunity to “wow” and impress your customers. You can really make someone’s day (and create a loyal customer) just by doing something that, for you, is very ordinary.

How do you create a “wow” moment? It’s all in the details!

Below are some examples of simple ways any workshop owner or manager can elevate their customer service but, first, let’s quickly explore what we mean when we say “wowing” customers.

Customer service expert and New York Times bestselling business author  Shep Hyken in his article “Wow is in the details” said “wow” levels of customer service and experience typically fall into our laps in the form of complaints or problems we can resolve – or isolated opportunities to just do something special. They can be “above and beyond” and over-the-top customer experiences.

So what we’re really talking about here is “amazing” our customers on a day-to-day basis.

“Amazement is the consistent and predictable above-average experience that a customer receives from a company or employee,” Shep said. “And sometimes it’s just a little above average. The key is consistency. Without that, there is no predictability, and that leads to a lack of confidence.”

Everyday ways to “wow” your customers

What does “amazing” your customers on a daily basis look like? Well, it’s a little bit more than providing free wifi and coffee in the waiting area. These days customers pretty much expect that as a minimum.

Here are some ideas you can introduce as part of your ordinary, daily service that will help create a wow factor for your customers. If you’re already doing some of these, then great – you’re on the right track:

• Detail the car after you’ve serviced it. Customers really notice and appreciate getting into a clean car, and this can be a huge point of difference between your garage and your competitor’s. At the very least, return the car cleaner than it was when it arrived
• Walk the customer to their car, or bring the car to them. Compared to giving the customer their keys and sending them out to find their car in the car park, this gesture feels like VIP service. Even just holding the door open for them makes a great impression
• Give the customer your time at drop off and collection. When you send a customer away quickly it can feel transactional, rather than like you care about them and their business. Spending 10 minutes running through the repairs and answering questions is often an excellent investment.
• Remember and use names. The sweetest sound to any person is their own name, so make an effort not just to memorise names, but use them. (Some people nickname their car, so you can even ask them for their car’s name and use that, too!)
• Insist your staff say hello. Often your team will be out in the workshop and won’t see the customer, but if they do (for example, if they’re walking through reception or the car park) then they should say a cheery hello and “how are you?” It makes a memorable and positive impression!
• Thank the customer for their business. When you farewell the customer, shake their hand and thank them for their business.

Take some time to think about what kind of detail you could introduce to enhance your customer’s experience. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, just one that makes the customer feel like they’ve received special service.