Those who are familiar with the realm of car sales can relate to this:

You drive into the car sales lot and see two or three sharply-dressed people hanging around the front door (you know them as ‘lot lizards’). They spot you rolling through the lot, checking out the inventory. Rain or shine, you know one of them will be walking up to you. They will strike up a conversation to discover what brings you to their store. Then, they’ll invite you inside to talk more about your needs or run to grab keys for the car you want to look at.

It’s step one in the sales process – the meet-and-greet. Its purpose is simple, and absolutely critical to the successful completion of a sale. It’s the foundation of the customer relationship where the salesperson begins to discover the customer’s needs and wants. Perhaps more importantly, it shows an eagerness to earn the customer’s business in a proactive, approachable manner.

On the flip side, think about coming up to the dealership and NOT being greeted in the lot. The onus is now on the customer to walk into the showroom and initiate the conversation. And even worse, if a salesperson isn’t at the door to greet the ‘up’, or looks up from their desk and back down without acknowledging the customer in the showroom, the visit is off to a rough start.

How does it look for the customer? Do they feel valued? Do they feel like you’re trying to earn their business? Probably not.

Now relate that to the service drive.

How is Your Meet-and-Greet?

A customer pulls their car into the service drive. They know they are there for vehicle maintenance or repairs, but the process is still much like the sales department. Ideally, a service advisor will walk over, greet the customer with a smile and a handshake, and begin the work order write-up. The customer immediately feels valued, and if there are any frustrations or misgivings, they quickly melt away with a prompt, friendly greeting (except for that person who always wants to be mad).

It’s Busy, I Know

I spent more than 10 years at the service desk, so I’m well aware that it’s a gong show more often than not. You’re either with a customer, making phone calls, reviewing an estimate with a tech, cashing out a different customer, or following up with CSI survey calls. You may not be available to help the customer who just pulled in and your cohorts could be tied up as well.

So what do you do? The initial reaction is to continue doing what you are doing, then deal with the new customer when you’re finished. But in the meantime, the customer is scanning the service drive for someone who can help them. They shift their weight, tap their toe, or show their growing impatience in other ways. Before long, they’re irate.

A Simple Phrase Goes a Long Way

On the sales floor, this situation would never fly. The intercom page that makes a sales manager go ape-**** is, “Available salesperson to the showroom for a customer please.” If it happens twice, heads will roll. A customer should NEVER be waiting to be addressed, even if there’s no one to help immediately.

In the service drive, the same rule should apply. Kill the customer’s impatience before it starts with a simple phrase. Say something like, “I’d love to help you, although I’ll be a few minutes yet. Would you like to wait or can one of my other associates give you a hand?”

Now you’ve just disarmed the customer. You’ve provided an indication that you value their business and their time. You’ve also given them a choice – wait for you to come available or visit another staff member. More often than not, they will choose to wait for you.

And If You Don’t…

If a customer is left to stew in frustration, their wallet closes up. When you appear not to care about their time, or if you don’t show interest or friendliness, you put a hurdle in the path of your sales. Why would a customer who doesn’t feel valued spend their money with you? Upsales and estimates will be price-shopped or flat-out refused.

Service advisors can take a page out of the sales handbook. Treat every customer as an ‘up’, paving the way to a smooth customer relationship that undoubtedly will also be profitable.