When it comes to car service or car repairs, waiting may be a necessary evil, but it doesn’t have to be a chore for customers. If you can convert the wait into an experience, your customer retention will improve. Wait as a process is perceived as just one of those inconvenient tasks customers have to go through, experience on the other hand, feels like a personalised event that caters to their needs.
“When a customer waits for an experience instead of an object, they get excited about the wait instead of dreading it” – Mandy Oaklander, Writer at the TIME Magazine.
When it comes to ‘while-you-wait servicing within an hour’ there are several things that Aftercare Centres could be doing to turn customer wait time into an experience that is both enjoyable and memorable:
Create the right atmosphere
Make the reception area beautiful and comfortable. Sounds a little bit dramatic? Not really, a few ‘home’ touches can help to put customers at ease and attract other demographics who prefer to stay clear of industrial features like fluorescent bulbs and lifeless grey tones. Comfortable furniture, soothing decor, some artwork and a few green plants will definitely help to create the right ambience for waiting customers. You may also want to consider having a small play area for kids or even a massage chair to melt away all that waiting room angst.
Distract and entertain
Use amenities to keep your customers away from fretting about the time. Engaged customers do not worry about watching the clock every few minutes, so start with the basics and provide fresh newspapers and recent magazines that will apply to different customer demographics. Free Wi-Fi with good connection and easily accessible passcode is your next check point. To top that supposed necessity, get a few USB sockets or even better, wireless chargers to help your customers continue to use their smartphones, tablets or laptops. Set up a TV with a split view to stream more than one channel at a time or invest in more than screen to appeal to more than one type of customer.
Offer complimentary snacks and beverages
Set up a proper coffee station, a fridge with cold drinks, a few healthy snacks, fruits or even fresh pastries for those early risers that get their one-hour service done before they head of to work. A mini breakfast with the opportunity to catch up on emails whilst the car is being serviced will definitely help to upsell those morning time slots and keep the customers happy.
Keep it dog friendly
We are such a huge dog loving nation, so don’t forget to provide a bowl with fresh water and a few tasty treats for those four legged friends – their owners will certainly appreciate your effort to make their pets feel cared for.
