Tip 3. Easy way to increase bodyshop revenue. Offer
pre-sale car repair services.
Everyday
people around us decide to sell their car, and statistics says that for every
Euro (Dollar, Pound, Ruble etc) spent on minor car repair, one will get 3 Euro
(Dollar, Pound, Ruble etc) more in sales price! Good-looking, shiny, clean
vehicle will be much easier to sell, faster and at higher value. This is where
any body shop and collision repair center could add an additional service –
pre-sale repair package. As all our tips, the Tip 3 also doesn’t require costly
investments or long training; making car nice and glossy is your job anyway.
Below I put a few ideas how you can do this.
–
Car cleaning service. This is actually an optional part.
If you can’t be bothered with cleaning and washing, just ask your customer to
visit car washer before.
–
Removal of stone chips, scratches,
scuffs and dents.
Let’s face it, even a relatively new car after a few months of driving in the
modern urban jungle will acquire a few deep scratches, not to mention stone
chips, which will spot themselves very easily.
–
Professional polishing services. Car refinishing professional is
actually a vehicle dermatologist, and no one could treat paint coating better
then car painter. Make it clear to a potential car seller that general
appearance of the vehicle is perhaps the single most important selling point!
–
Alloy wheel repair. Many people neglect the look of
their vehicle’s wheel rims, but, no doubt, when car is being sold those nasty
deep scratches will be more then visible.
–
Repairing dull yellowish head lights (see our Tip
1). Some of the vehicles in the market have very “tired” head lights,
not to mention those with one head light replaced after a small crash. In just
15-20 minutes you can offer to the customer a service with incredible added
value.
–
Fixing damaged bumper. Actually I described this service
in details in our Tip
2
–
Mechanic check up. This service a collision repair
shop could offer in co-operation with his fellow mechanic, while splitting
advertising costs for the package.
–
Prepare a detailed leaflet with
“Pre-sale must-do check list”. Even if a customer for some reason will not take any service, he or she
will appreciate your advice and use your services in the future. Such a list
should have useful information. For example, advice that selling used vehicle
is much better in late spring rather then in winter (presenting car in rain and
snow is not easy). Also, state how important is to have original keys, manuals,
complete maintenance and service documentation in place.
To
conclude, I would like to share a few tips prior offering pre-sale repair
package to a customer:
- Make sure that you are not
selling repairs, which would be too costly or not worth of money in
particular case. Show that you don’t want customer wasting money. Remember
that satisfied customer will tell to 3 friends about your offer, while
unhappy one will spread bad new to at least 10 acquaintances. - Have some pictures of each
service showing “before” and “after” condition. This will help a customer
to visualize what exactly you offer. - Above mentioned service could
be offered as package or separately. Give you customer possibility to
choose.
