AutoFix AdvisorCast

Michael Doherty [00:00:00]:
This is the Autofix Advisor Cast powered by WorldPac. Hey Service Advisor Nation. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Autofix Advisor Cast with your host, Michael Dougherty. Hopefully everyone is doing well, staying healthy and enjoying being in the automotive world. So Today's episode, episode actually 55. Very proud of that. Little over a year and just throwing it out there. Today will be my last episode doing the Auto Fix Advisor Cast.

Michael Doherty [00:00:47]:
I am saddened by this, but I just had to make a decision and I have to focus on some other key things that I'm doing in my career to and I love doing this, but I would love to pass the baton to somebody else who can add value and share their insights and teaching style for the Autofix Advisor cast. So if you're out there, if you're listening and you would like to take on the Autofix Advisor Cast and continue the tradition of Service Advisor Nation, I would implore you to reach out to Chris at Autofix and his email is going to be ch r I s@autofixsos.com again, Chris c h r I s@autofix sos.com and I'm sure he'd love to talk to you about passing the or having the baton passed to you to be the next host of the Audfix Advisor Cast. So without further ado, episode 55 truly from the top and bottom of my heart, Service Advisor Nation. Love you. And this episode we're going to talk about a couple things, but first off the bat, I would love to talk about the evolution of the customer's experience or evolution of customer expectations. Why today's customers really expect, you know, what do they expect from an independent automotive shop and why has that changed? So customers now expect Amazon, like convenience, Ritz Carlton level service and Chick Fil a warmth from all their local repair shops. Right. And you know, technology, social proof and instant gratification have shifted what normal looks like.

Michael Doherty [00:02:47]:
And when we say normal, we're talking about customer experience. So many expectations are realistic if systems and communication are strong. But some are pie in the sky expectations like, you know, instant turnaround or dirt cheap pricing. Right? And great quote by Simon Sinek. He says people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. So again, we're talking about the evolution of the customer's expectations in the automotive industry. And you know, how can we be prepared for that as service advisors, right? So the best shops don't chase every expectation. They define what excellence looks like and then they Deliver it consistently.

Michael Doherty [00:03:45]:
And you know, I guess I'll say it like this. A customer expects same day service from, you know, a major repair. And that's unrealistic instead of over promising. You know, advisors could say, well you, you know, we'll have an accurate timeline for you within the next hour. I'll keep you updated every step of the way. I mean, that's clarity and professionalism and it also builds trust. But again, you know, if you've got a customer that's in for, say an oil service, brake service, maybe, you know, a Mercedes A service, B service, filters, fluids, whatnot, even if it's not a European vehicle, right? I mean, service still takes a while. But you do that digital vehicle inspection, your service advisor writes up that estimate, really thinks about how they're going to present it right to that client, and then say the client ends up purchasing some large jobs, right? Oil pan, gasket repair, valve cover, gasket repair, rear main seal, rear differential, reseal suspension work, really any of those things or all of those things.

Michael Doherty [00:04:58]:
And you know, I think everybody's so used to again, that instant gratification where people that aren't in the shop, right? The customers, they forget that this is physical labor and things really take time. So explaining to that, explaining that to them as they're authorizing repairs right at the end of them authorizing their pairs. Hey, Mr. And Mrs. Jones, thank you very much for your authorizations. We're going to get parts ordered and get things started this afternoon. However, I just want to be realistic with you. This is, you know, roughly two or three days worth of work.

Michael Doherty [00:05:33]:
So are you comfortable being in the loaner car that you're in for the time being or if they don't have a loaner car currently and you have one available, it'd be a great time to transition them into one or maybe even renting them a vehicle. You know, I mean, that's a thought process too. Think about it. I mean, all those things I just listed, that could easily be 5, $6,000 worth of work that someone's just authorized and for you to put them in a rental car, even if it's $100 a day, right. For $300 versus them saying I need a vehicle and I'm unable to do that, I'm just going to have to come pick up my vehicle, right? So again, you want to help them, but you want to help the shop as well. So think about that. You know, are you prepared to alleviate their transportation concerns? Right. But again, just delivering realistic expectations and there's nothing wrong with that.

Michael Doherty [00:06:22]:
You're not seeing. If someone says, you know, can you. I've had people say before, you know, can I? That sounds great. I'd like to approve the work. When can I come pick it up? Today. And my mind's kind of blown, you know, and I gotta think. They don't speak car. I need to educate them.

Michael Doherty [00:06:36]:
I need to let them know that this is going to be a couple days worth of work. And what am I going to say to them about that? But again, be honest about it, be realistic about it. And again, keep in mind, if this is their primary source of transportation, be prepared to offer them something to use. Again, whether it's you've got pre authorization for management or if you've got the authorization to rent them a car, get them into a loaner, if you have one, shuttle service, whatever it takes. But again, just remember they need that vehicle back. So if you can alleviate that concern, chances are they're likely to leave the vehicle with you and do the work. Right. But again, talking about realistic expectations and, and also realistic versus unrealistic, where do we draw that line? How do we recognize when a customer's expectation is fair versus when it's unrealistic? And for us on the service advisor side, it's not about saying no to the client.

Michael Doherty [00:07:34]:
It's about setting healthy boundaries to protect both the customer's trust and our shop's integrity. Unrealistic expectations often come from past bad experiences that that client has had with another shop. Misinformation, again, that that client has likely had with another shop, or lack of communication, which again, is likely from that client having a bad experience at another shop and us kind of being. Right. A new, fresh perspective. Right. The 20. The 22nd century service advisor.

Michael Doherty [00:08:09]:
Right? Yeah, I'm saying that the 22nd century service advisor. How do we. How do we instill all those boundaries but without being dickish to the client? Right. Again, explaining it to them in a manner that they're going to understand, but delivering. Right. Transparency. Delivering, you know, finding out what were those bad experiences? It's okay to ask, you know, if somebody says, you know, they're a new client, how'd you hear about us? Oh, I had my car in our shop down the street and I don't want to go there anymore. Okay, well, you know what happened, and believe me, they'll be happy to tell you.

Michael Doherty [00:08:43]:
And if you think that's manageable and you can promise to them that you're not going to have that experience with you, then by all means, let them get it off their chest. Reassure them. Right? But again, you know, setting healthy boundaries and communication above all. Also Service Advisors. The 22nd century, right? Service advisor must also bridge the gap with empathy, education and transparency. So again, the empathy part, right, we're going, you know, we're in the fall months, I think people start, you still use their AC here and there for various things. But you know, if you get a phone call next month, right. November, late November, early December.

Michael Doherty [00:09:23]:
Hey, my heat's not working in my car. You know, that's, that's a no good, right? Excuse me. Build some empathy there. Let them know. Yeah, it doesn't sound good. You know, let's, let's look at the schedule. Let's see what we can get you in. How long has it been happening for? Right? Ask some questions while you're looking through the schedule.

Michael Doherty [00:09:39]:
How long has that been happening for? Hey, I can, you know, if you can drop it off today, you know, I can get you into a vehicle again if you have a loaner or do you have someone that can pick you up. But let's, you know, let's get it checked out, let's see what's going on. We want you to have heat, right? The empathy part, the education side of it, right. Is really important as well. And again, the transparency side of it. So all those things allow us to again, as service advisors, to set healthy boundaries. And William Shakespeare has a great quote, expectation is the root of all heartache. So again, right.

Michael Doherty [00:10:11]:
Be realistic with the expectations. So again, you know, top tier service advisors, you know, we're not yes people, we're truth tellers with tact. Right? So I'll say that again, you know, we're not yes people, we are truth tellers with tactics and also great. You know, another real world of example, say a client experiences, you know, in the summertime, they come in, their AC is not working, you do an AC repair, say you do an evac and ultimately determine that it's going to need a compressor, right? So you do a compressor, you give that great warranty that your shop gives on it and say a couple months later the AC stops working and that client calls up and says or expects that their AC is going to be under warranty because you fixed it a couple months ago. Right? So again, the expectation, right. How do we let the client know that there's multiple things that control that system, both mechanical and electrical and yeah, by all means, if we determine it's the compressor, you know, we're going to take care of that for you, Mr. Mrs. Jones.

Michael Doherty [00:11:17]:
However, it is possible it may not be the compressor. It may be another AC component, again, mechanical or electrical. But we're going to stand behind our warranty. If we determine it's a compressor, we're going to take care of it. If it's determined it's not the compressor, then we'll have that conversation and figure out what next steps are going to be. But by all means, let's get you in. Let's get that figured out. Right? You know, I've had that conversation a lot over the years.

Michael Doherty [00:11:45]:
Not just with ac, but anything. Right. I mean, somebody comes in, you do a repair, you know, say they came in for oil leak, right. And then a year later they call you up and say, hey, I'm seeing oil on the floor again. I want to bring this in because I had you guys do my oil pan gasket and you know, I know it's going to be under warranty and you know, let them know, hey, great, you know, let's get it, let's get it in, let's get it checked out. But we need to assess the vehicle before we make that determination that it's a warranty. There are other things that could be leaking. Right.

Michael Doherty [00:12:15]:
There's more than one thing on your engine that could be leaking oil. But again, having that genuine and transparent conversation with them, setting the expectation up front, again, letting them know, we're going to back you, our warranty, we're going to take care of it if we determine that is what it is. But also, Mr. Customer, Mrs. Customer, be prepared that it may not be that and it may be something else, but let's check it out. Right. Also, you know, delivering a top tier experience every time. Right.

Michael Doherty [00:12:45]:
How to create a wow experience that turns new customers into raving fans. Right. Key points for that. The best experience feels personal and not procedural. So again, really, the focus on the customer, not on. Right. The bill, the estimate. Right.

Michael Doherty [00:13:03]:
Really educating them during the process and giving them that great experience. Also, customers remember how you made them feel. Not the price that they paid. Exactly. Make it less transactional. Focus on empathy, anticipation and proactive communication. Absolutely. Customer drops their car off, say at 9am for a service, brake, service, whatever.

Michael Doherty [00:13:29]:
Paint the picture up front. Hey, Mr. And Mrs. Jones, thanks for dropping off. We do have a couple vehicles in the shop at this time. I'll look to have an update for you sometime, probably between 1 and 2pm this afternoon. What is your preferred communication method? Do you want me to call you? Do you want me to email you. Do you want me to text you again? It's going to be coming sometime between 1 and 2pm this afternoon and they're going to tell you which communication method they prefer and by all means use that method.

Michael Doherty [00:13:57]:
And after you've updated them, if it's done by that time, great. If not, let them know that you're in the process of working on it or your, you know, a percentage of maybe of the way through you're waiting on parts, whatever it may be, but by all means update them. And if it's not going to be ready, let them know the next time that they can expect an update from you and use that same, you know, use that same communication method again. Text, phone, email, whatever it may be, but keep them updated. Right. Proactive communication. Far too many times I've heard from clients over the years when they're ready to leave a shop to search for a new shop, the number one concern is lack of communication. I dropped my car off at 8am, I heard nothing all day.

Michael Doherty [00:14:43]:
I called at 5 and it wasn't ready. Or I showed up at 4:30 and it wasn't ready. Is that the client's fault? No, not at all. That's the shop's fault for not communicating with them. And again, you know, I can't say any more simpler. Right. Without the customer, we don't have a business. So always, always the right thing to do is update the customer.

Michael Doherty [00:15:04]:
Again. Theoretically, even if there's no update to give, you still update them. Let them know something. Right. So they're not just sitting there wondering what's going on. Again, paint that clear picture. When they drop off the vehicle, if it's a night drop and they don't drop off in person, right when you open and you've got that night drop, make some time, give them a call. Hey Mr.

Michael Doherty [00:15:29]:
And Mrs. Jones, I just want to confirm I got your night drop, I got the key, we're getting the car checked in. I'll look to have an update for you sometime between 1 and 2 this afternoon and we'll go from there. Again, let them know something. It's imperative. Right. So many places just fail on that and I don't know why, it just bugs me. But it's really easy to do.

Michael Doherty [00:15:51]:
And again, that's proactive communication. So great quote by Maya Angelou. Customers may forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel. Right, so takeaway here. Every call, every handoff, every update, it's a chance to create emotional confidence in your Shop and with the customer and you know, real world, real, real world example. Real world example. Real world example. Say that three times after competing a big repair, the advisor calls, you know, two days later, hey, Mr.

Michael Doherty [00:16:27]:
And Mrs. Jones, I just want to make sure that your, you know, Toyota Tundra is running perfectly since the transmission service that we performed, everything, you know, shifting smoothly, you know, that 30 second call says you care. It keeps customers coming back, right? They don't feel like they're just another number, right? The follow up, again, you know, the transaction doesn't end. Customer service doesn't end when they pick up their car and they've paid for their bill. Again, it just really feel that that's the case, right? Customer service doesn't end when they pick up their car and pay for the bill. We got to keep going, we got to keep engaging with them. We got to keep in front of them, reminding them that we're here, that we care about them, that we're thanking them for their business, right? That's, that's what we do. That's what we do.

Michael Doherty [00:17:13]:
Building and maintaining client relationships and consistency. Consistency is king, right? Delivering top tier service once doesn't make you great. Delivering it every time does. And consistency comes from systems, not luck. Checklists, daily habits and training routines create repeatable excellence. The customer should get the same outstanding experience no matter who answers the phone. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, make sure whoever's answering the phone is qualified to answer that phone because I've talked about it before. Service Advisor nation.

Michael Doherty [00:17:58]:
When that phone rings, especially if it's a new prospect, new client, your shop is being interviewed. That is a make it or break it phone call. You want to make sure that the right people are answering the phones. Imperative, imperative. And great quote by Aristotle. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit, right? And the real magic happens when excellence becomes autopilot. So say a shop creates a customer care standard, right? A checklist for every service, a warm greeting, an estimated timeline, an update call.

Michael Doherty [00:18:42]:
I think you follow up and say every advisor uses it, right? And customers rave about how professional and predictable their experience is. Again, it's systems put in place that make these things happen. And yeah, it doesn't all have to be scripted. Put your own personal spin on it. I don't expect everybody out there to do the same thing in the form of how they communicate. But the essentials, right, the essentials are really what makes it happen. And also when we're communicating with our clients. The power of pace.

Michael Doherty [00:19:15]:
Speaking slower equals building trust. Why? Slowing down your speech creates clarity, confidence and connection. Rapid speech often signals nervousness or uncertainty. And I agree with that to a point. I grew up upstate New York. No judgment, please. Snow country. And you know, in that area, just New York, man, people talk fast.

Michael Doherty [00:19:44]:
Since I've been in the south for a large portion of my life and I love it here, you know, I have slowed down. But when I'm passionate about something, especially when I'm speaking about something, I do talk fast. But I'm still talking with confidence and I'm still talking with connection. Right. But again, slowing down allows customers to process information and feel that you're in control. Right. Silence and pauses can be power tools when used intentionally. And great quote.

Michael Doherty [00:20:16]:
The quieter you become, the more you can hear. Absolutely. So speaking with composure shows confidence, confidence creates trust, and trust closes sales. So a real world example. Instead of saying, it's $1,285 for the full break job and we can have it done today, do you want to do it or not? The advisor would slow down and say, hey, Mr. Mrs. Jones, here's what we found. Your front brakes are worn down past the safe limits.

Michael Doherty [00:20:47]:
They're worn down to 2 millimeters of life left that complete repair pads, rotor sensors. You're looking around $1,285 plus taxes. And we can have it finished later this afternoon, right? Same info, better delivery, more clarity, more trust. Again, communication is key. And last but not least, the advisor Mindset. Right? Define, deliver and dominate the mindset shift that separates order takers from trusted professionals. Ladies and gentlemen, service of Azure Nation. Customers don't expect perfection.

Michael Doherty [00:21:30]:
They expect presence, effort, care, and advisors who communicate clearly and confidently set the tone for the entire shop. Your next conversation with a client can rewrite a client's entire perspective or perception of your business. And great quote by Les Brown. It's not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that defines you. I love that. It's not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that defines you. The best advisors are part communicator, part psychologist, and part leader and service of AS Our Nation Challenge for you this week. Focus on slowing down your conversations, right? Clarifying expectations and creating consistency in every customer interaction.

Michael Doherty [00:22:27]:
Remember, excellence isn't luck. It's leadership through repetition. And a great ending quote by Jim Rohn. Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. I love that. Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Again, from the bottom and top of my heart. Service Advisor Nation thank you so much for letting me be the host of the Autofix Advisor cast for 55 episodes.

Michael Doherty [00:22:57]:
And again, I would love to pass the baton to someone else that is willing to take on the Autofix Advisor cast. Bring great points of conversation, tact, teaching style, and again, if you're ready to have that baton passed to you, please feel free to reach out to Chris@Autofix again. His email is going to be Chris chrisautofixos.com also super duper. Special thanks to Braxton who does the production for this podcast. Just awesome gentleman. Happy to know him. Looking forward to seeing both him and Chris from Autofix at upcoming industry events and Service Advisor Nation. I look forward to returning at some point in time to the Autofix Advisor Cast.

Michael Doherty [00:23:45]:
But again, thank you for having me in your listening ears for 50 for 55 episodes. And take care, stay healthy and go get it. Do your thing. Love y'. All. All right, take it easy. Hey, thanks for listening to the Autofix Advisor Cast. If you're ready to take your shop to the next level, check out our sponsor WorldPAC and the WorldPAC Training Institute WTI.

Michael Doherty [00:24:10]:
Big thanks to them for their sponsorship. Follow the podcast on social media for more insights and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Oh, and tell your friends we want to help the industry grow, grow and help advisors love their jobs again. See you on the next Autofix Advisor Cast.