Having market authority in the auto repair shop is definitely one of those differentials that open doors to new businesses, guarantees customer loyalty and is fundamental for the consolidation of the company among competitors. However, this type of action won’t get off the drawing board overnight: you need to plan and invest time in improving services and training your teams. That’s why, in this article, we will help you, as well as your auto repair shop, in that process.
After all, what does it mean to have market authority in the auto repair shop?
Do you know when you think of a specific product and, almost automatically, the name of a brand paints in your head? This is market authority: a kind of recognition that your customers, suppliers and other partners develop for your business. It’s the proof that your auto repair was able to position itself in such a way that it has almost become a synonym in this area of expertise!
And, unlike what many people think, authority and visibility are completely different concepts. You don’t need to make any super investments in marketing, billboards, pamphlets and commercials in order to earn market authority in the auto repair shop. Way beyond than simply “being visible”, the automotive technician needs to “be present”, producing relevant content and bringing solutions capable of having a positive impact on the routine of customers and partners.
In addition, having an auto repair shop with such authority is positive in many ways — one of them is to be remembered by customers before your competitors. That helps increasing your chances of closing sales, performing the services in question and, of course, retaining a loyal and committed customer base!
How to build authority in the auto repair
We all agree that it’s not that simple to reach high levels of authority in a business. However, with good planning and the right strategy, it is possible to start walking this path in a more practical and assertive way! That is why we have organized some tips on everything that can be done inside the auto repair shop so it can stand out among competitors and be perceived by others as a true market reference! Check out:
1- Invest in your business relationships
Working to establish and maintain good relationships between your business and people is the first and most important step towards building market authority in the auto repair shop. First, because this is the best way to guarantee the best and most powerful type of marketing that exists: word of mouth. While customers and partners comment about your services to friends and acquaintances, the chances that you will be recommended due to these referrals are extremely high!
And such good reputation needs to be homogeneous, both among consumers and suppliers and among its neighbors and partners. With customers, it is essential to always be transparent and honest regarding budgets, problem diagnosis and repair times.
With suppliers, cordiality and commitment are attitudes that generate empathy in a natural way, not only for you, but for the auto repair shop, which will be praised. And of course, when it comes to the neighborhood and your partners, maintaining a respectful relationship is the best way to ensure good recommendations!
2- Qualify your teams
When it comes to automotive repair, there is not much of a secret: being able to offer good service will also end up depending on the technical knowledge that you and your employees have about cars.
Consequently, it is necessary to invest some money so that employees can really understand how the processes happen and, thus, perform an above average service. This is a way of getting things done quickly and keeping the business working for you.
Don’t forget that this whole issue of qualification can also take a more strategic path: if you realize there is space to explore some niche in the automotive market — SUVs, pickup trucks or vehicles of a specific brand, for example —, it is worth training your employees to attend demands like these. Thus, it will only be a matter of time until your business becomes a reference in the market.
3- Organize your auto repair shop
Still thinking about the word-of-mouth marketing that customers and partners can promote about your work, it’s also nice to keep in mind that the visual aspect is very relevant when it comes to creating a good impression. Let’s remember that the idea that the auto repair shop is a messy and poorly lit environment is in the past.
Nowadays, the more organization and illumination, the better. And that goes way beyond only making a positive impact on customers: an organized space also helps to improve the productivity of your teams!
It is also worth mentioning that the beautiful, well-lit, safe and organized environment also helps your auto repair to look good in other people’s eyes — literally! That happens because, by promoting your services in the social media, it is highly likely that the followers of your brand will be positively impacted by this entire organization, ensuring a better status to your auto repair shop. After all, if everything is tidy and well taken care of, it is probably that the service provided is also quite judicious, don’t you think?
4 – Create qualified content
It is needless to say that the best person to decide the ideal channel to promote your auto repair shop is yourself. However, if the objective is to build market authority for the shop, it is important that this communication is based on real and relevant knowledge! Regardless of betting on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or any other social network, what really makes the difference is the way you communicate and what kind of information you bring to your audience.
In this scenario, a good tip is to explore a niche in which your auto repair shop is widely specialized, always showing, in a practical way, how well you and your team have mastered that specific type of repair or application and making it clear that knowing the subject is a differential advantage that customers will only find with you!
And last (but not least), never stop seeking new content and information from reliable and renewed sources of the market. Oh, and if you or your business never had this first contact with these channels and social networks, here’s a tip to get inspired: in Rio’s Instagram account and YouTube channel, you can always find new and up-to-date content, with technical tips, for management and application, that will certainly help you explore new possibilities and conquer even more market authority in your auto repair shop!
