STEP 2: BOOK A JOB, FROM A JOB!
Always have your next job booked!
When you go to the dentist or hairdresser you usually leave with your next appointment booked. Why not with car services?
When you’re time poor it’s hugely convenient to have your next appointment booked. It’s something you can take off your to-do list. When we introduced this at Blue Toro we saw a huge uplift in repeat business. Think about it…you win a new customer, they don’t hear from you for a year, they’ve forgotten about you and booked in elsewhere. This is especially true for mobile mechanics as many people see us as a short-term solution, not an alternative to a workshop. Having that next booking in place does not guarantee the job, but it does drastically increase the chances of that customer getting into the habit of servicing their car on time, with you.
HOW DO I BOOK A JOB IN THE FUTURE?
Whatever booking system you use you can always book jobs well into the future… even up to a year ahead. If you use a paper diary this is much harder as you have to carry around a 2nd diary. Diaries for next year may not be available yet so you will need a generic diary where you can add the dates. This is possible, but clumsy.
The best option of course is to use workshop software. There are plenty of workshop solutions on the market at reasonable costs. Blue Toro also has our own custom workshop solution that all of our guys use on the road with an iPad. You can talk to us about accessing our system, or you can research the many that are available. All workshop solutions will let you manage a calendar well into the future.
The second best option is to use a standard calendar app on your phone, like Google calendar. You can add events well into the future.
Invite your customer to the event. If you’re using an electronic solution such as workshop software or Google calendar, you can add the customer’s details to the event. Depending on what solution you use, you can add either the customer’s email or mobile so they receive an email or text to remind them, and they have the event in their own calendar.
Of course, booking a job in the future is not just set and forget… You will need to remind your customers prior. Many customers will reschedule or cancel. That’s fine you’ll need to be flexible. The point is 6-12 months down the track when the service is due, the customer will be reminded of you and is more likely to book with you.
You can use this approach for repairs as well. If brakes are due in 3 months, book the job in now!
Request a call back