Garage Owner Safeguards Customer Pipeline
Future generation of vehicle owners will only book online
An independent garage in Surrey has spoken about how important it is for garage businesses to prepare for the customer of the future.
Pepe Mongiovi, joint owner of PD Vehicle Services in Hackbridge, says that despite many of his customers being within the older age range, most of the vehicles on his ramps being ICE, and the garage having large regular commercial contracts, they are still geared up for the next generation’s needs and expectations.
He said: “It’s not even really the next generation. It’s happening now, just not on the scale it will be in a few years’ time.
“For example, customers now want to book in their vehicle online, often out of hours, and for it to be as easy as ordering a takeaway. They also want to know they can bring their new EV to you and maintain the ease and trust of coming to a garage they know.
“That’s why, despite having eleven incredibly busy ramps, we don’t take the work for granted or think things won’t ever change. They will, it’s inevitable.
“We got ahead of the game and asked Garage Services Online to create a top performing website that attracts the work we want most, showcases our Bosch Garage status and allows customers to contact us 24/7 or book in with our Bosch Car Service online system. It also reassures our commercial contract customers including Thames Water and Virgin, that we’re professional and that customer service comes first.
“We then invested in our technicians, getting them trained to Level 4, the highest qualification there is for EV work. So, even though our ramps are packed with what you might call traditional work, we’re future-proofed.
“The website is essential; a garage 100 percent needs one. We had a bad experience with our first provider but have never looked back since getting the team at Garage Services Online onboard. Ours is so much more than a quick point of reference. It’s our number one salesperson and answers every question a customer might have which helps to free up our time.”
Jim Lang from Garage Services Online added: “Pepe came to us with a list of requirements for his garage.
“He wanted to be visible online, but only to the right customers. He needed to integrate the MyBCS Booking Tool into the site to make it frictionless for customers to book online and increase the efficiency of the garage. He wanted to attract new customers and commercial contracts to replace those lost to natural attrition, and he wanted top customer service to match his own.
“I like to think we’re exceeding all those requirements!”