Back to: Powersports Fixed Operations
No matter what you think about the transaction, what the customer believes becomes the reality. In the automotive industry, service writers are “scored” on their CSI and their pay is adjusted based on the client’s returned surveys. How much more real could that be?
Why can 2 scenarios of nearly the exact same make-up have 2 distinct reactions? It is the client’s perception of how they were treated. If there is a justifiable delay in servicing a client’s machine, and you communicate that clearly to the client and show them empathy, how might they react differently than the client that can’t reach you on the phone and hasn’t heard any updates about the progress or lack thereof on their machine?
We couldn’t get this far and not look at the other obstacles of positive communication – circumstances. Empathy is a huge tool when dealing with the public. Try not to make things personal on your end, but empathize with their concerns and search for an answer. As you begin a conversation with a client, you need to discern what their expectations are. As simple as this sounds, why don’t you just ask them? Every client expects something a little different, so it’s important to establish those guidelines upfront.
If they can’t communicate what their expectations are, it’s up to you at that point to educate them on your process. Remember… it is always better to under-promise and over-deliver. If they planned on picking up their bike next Tuesday but you thought they needed it the same day, what kind of scheduling snafu would that cause your shop? If they believe something is warrantable and it isn’t – when should you have that conversation? What other needs do they have?