Driving Change at ATI Geoff Berman

Have you ever considered what it would take to create an atmosphere where once experienced I'm hooked, spoiled, and don't want to go anywhere else?  Is your customer care so thick, so profound, and so powerful that once experienced, all other business I patronize pale in comparison.  What would it mean for any business that achieves this level of service?  For many business owners this may seem difficult or even impossible to achieve.  The hardest part is wrapping your head around what it truly takes, only then, can you see and act on the how.  In today's episode Mitch and I explore this idea and the endless possibilities.

Are you making excuses for staff that underperforms?  Have you ignored unacceptable behavior or changed policy for fear of losing someone?  Well if you have you’re not alone.  Most every business owner will find themselves in this place at least once in their career if not multiple times.  The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way.  Today my friends Sarah and Stephen Konyndyk of Endurance Auto Repair tell their extremely powerful, very relatable story of when this happened to them, and lessons learned.  If you are a business leader, this podcast is a must listen for you.

Have you ever asked yourself "What does it take to create a lifetime Client for your business?  What makes them great and how do you build consistency around that?"  In this episode Mitch and I discuss how to go about this.  It may not be as difficult as you think.

Session Reflection:
- Most business owners are too busy trying to satisfy the customers wants, needs, and expectations, to actually satisfy the customers wants, needs, and expectations!
- Have you ever experienced the pain of being a customer of an auto repair shop?  Do you really understand the pain and difficulty a customer really goes through to get their vehicle to you?  Shouldn't you recognize this huge commitment being made by your customer!
- Pick one: You can do a fantastic job with the vehicle while giving mediocre service, and risk losing them, or you can give them exceptional service while doing a mediocre job with their vehicle, and they will likely forgive you.
- It's not about how many customers you make, it's how many you keep!
- You will find it's cheaper to keep them coming back.  It costs up to 10 times more to by a new customer than to keep the ones you have.
- When was the last time you asked yourself, Why do people really come to you?  What makes you stand out in their minds?  Are you their total convenience solution?
- Can you finish this sentence?  I know I'm more expensive than other shops, but...
- How do you demonstrate your love for your customers?
- No customer expects you to be perfect all the time, so how you handle things when the customer did not get what they expected, is the true measure of how much you care and your real integrity.
- Every broken vehicle is accompanied by a broken customer.  How often does this get forgotten?  Both must be addressed at every visit.
- If your in business, you should study psychology.  Build your empathy muscles!
- How do you recognize and truly show appreciation for your customers as well as your staff?
How to reach us:
Email:  podcast@autotraining.net
Website: www.autotraining.net

Are you ready for the best podcast of your life?  Today I have a very special guest who has been an Icon it the automotive industry for over five decades!  This guest has been a strong voice for so many incredible changes that have taken place in the automotive industry.  In this episode, he will be exclusively sharing some of the incredible lessons he has learned along the way.  So relax, get comfortable, and get ready to find out just who this incredible mystery guest is and the wisdom he has to share.  You’ll be glad you didn’t miss this one!

Have you noticed your vehicle visit frequency eroding in recent years?  Has COVID caused it to erode even further?  It wasn’t that long ago when most shops were seeing vehicles an average of 2½ to 3 times a year.  Now we consider ourselves lucky if we average 1½ times a year per vehicle.  Well if this sounds like your shop, you are not alone, and you're gonna love this month's podcast.  Today, shop manager Joanne Corniola and shop owner Russ Crosby share what they have done and are doing to turn their downward visit frequency spiral around.