People respond to incentives and avoid consequences. Recognizing these two ideas and incorporating them into the sales process will contribute greatly to success in automotive repair sales. A good portion of sales volume in automotive repair is earned through presentation of recommended services. Incorporating the communication of incentives and consequences realized as a result of offered services can contribute greatly to increased sales. Following are areas to which these ideas can apply:
- Recommendations – Selling recommended services that are recognized through inspections and diagnoses are an integral part of the automotive repair sales process. In this part of the sales cycle presentation can be extremely important. Understanding and communicating the benefits of each recommended service in terms of incentives and consequences will contribute greatly to success in this area.
- Upsell Items – Services that are add-ons when a specific repair is purchased can contribute to sales volume. These sales items are largely incentive based and the customer should be informed of what they will gain by making the additional purchase. The customer will make a value judgement and decide whether or not the benefit justifies the cost. So the presentation of the benefits to be recognized is critical to making the sale.
- Related Repairs – Some mechanical repairs will signal that other repairs are most likely going to be needed. Selling these related repairs is dependent on the customer understanding the reason as well as the benefit of having them done. In addition to the incentives/consequences involved in these services – they usually can be performed at a lower cost if done together with the primary item required because the beginning and end of the repair process won’t have to be performed again. So in these instances cost savings can be a strong incentive for the customer.
- Perquisites – Perks can be a valuable sales tool when used effectively. Offering items such as a free car wash, gift certificate, or vehicle pickup and delivery service for purchasing a certain level of service can incentivize customers to purchase more. As always the benefits of the incentives are what will entice customers to strive for them.
