The key to repeat business

[Scottwax]

Originally posted by mirrorfinishman
13 - Always reward your customers with price discount incentives that they can use towards their next detailing, when they send you new customer referrals.

I've found that just doing a little extra for them works better than a discount. Of course, that probably has a lot to do with the fact that much of my clientel is very high end and saving $5-10 really doesn't mean much to them. In a more middle income market, discounts would probably work very well.

I guess we all need to fine tune the basics based on who our customers are.

[mirrorfinishman]

Scott, I hear ya.

Even though I offer a Twenty Dollars Off referral reward to all of my customers who send me new clients, sometimes many of them just hand it back to me the next time they get their car detailed. It's easy to see that they just like the idea of telling there friends and family about my services and they are really not interested in the discount.

However, I have some customers who always seem to be sending me new customers and many of them really do appreciate the $20 Off discount for each referral.

[ajbarnes]

Great thread. Very good advice and ideas! I utilize several of the mentioned great customer service methods and it does work. A few of my most popular methods are doing a little extra for my regular customers, free gifts, free additional services (carpet mats shampoo with a Wash N' Wax, etc.), and referral discounts.

[tpgsr]

Originally posted by ajbarnes
Great thread. Very good advice and ideas! I utilize several of the mentioned great customer service methods and it does work. A few of my most popular methods are doing a little extra for my regular customers, free gifts, free additional services (carpet mats shampoo with a Wash N' Wax, etc.), and referral discounts.

Exactly


I will post up my refferal cards later so that you guys may take advantage of the design time i put in to them

[tpgsr]

OK, here are the cards i use for refferals, PM or e-mail me if you want the original Photoshop files

what i do is tell the customer to write their name on the card and give it to a friend. when the friend gets it, they get a small discount, and i send the customer a nice thank-you note with the $20 Cift certificate that they get as a refferal bonus. Most of my customers love the idea, even the richest of them. One of them said he loves it because of the age old quote "the rich dont get rich by spending their money" I laughed since he has more expensive cars than he could ever "need"

anyhow here is what i use for a business card and a refferal card all in one:

Front:


Back:

[mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by Scottwax
6. Every once in a while, do something extra for your regulars. Not something that takes an hour to do but maybe clean the floor mats or apply a spray wax after a stretch of rainy weather. Just a little something extra occasionally as a thank-you for their continuing business.

I got this email from a new customer as a reply for sending him pictures of his freshly detailed Infiniti G35.

As a little something extra, I always take along my digital camera on detailing jobs so I can take pictures after the vehicle gets detailed. Below the email are a few of the photos I sent him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "John K" <johnjk@...com>
Date: 2004/12/04 Sat PM 08:27:03 EST
To: "'Frank Canna'" <canna@verizon.net>
Subject: RE: G35 Detailing Photos

Frank,

Thanks very much, the car looks great! Please let me know if you need an endorsement or testimonial, and feel free to use the photos for promotional purposes on the web or whatever.

John K.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://autopia.org/gallery/showphoto...papass=&sort=1

http://autopia.org/gallery/showphoto...papass=&sort=1

[Scottwax]

Excellent work, Frank! I've found that taking pictures is a great idea. I have a nice photo album I can show new clients, lots of pics on my website and I can also e-mail pictures of a customer's freshly detailed car(s) every 90 days as a reminder.

What is really funny is I have customers who have called me wanting to know when their car is going to be on my website!

[mirrorfinishman]

14 - Always be completely honest with your customers.

Be truthful. And above all, give your customers every reason why they should put their trust in you when it comes to taking care of detailing their car.

Don't upset a customer by being rude and playing games. Say exactly what it is that you can do for them and then do exactly what you say.

[TnM6i]

This is turning out to be an awesome thread! As Winter drags on by, and Spring approaches, I need to be thinking a lot about my new detailing business. I have a ways to go, but this thread is an inspiration to really put my nose to the grindstone. Thanks for all the great info!

[Flexin]

Great thread. I'll keep my eye on this thread. These are all things that can help me when I open my doors.

James

[pigeonbus]

I recently did a detail on a brand new Silverado, and the customer was impressed and wanted to keep it that way. So I told him about a maintenance program and he promptly signed up. However, winter weather=salt and dirt and snow in WI, and he doesn't use his hose in the winter (although has a heated garage). I use QEW for winter, but it can only handle so much.

Basically I don't know how to work it out that if his vehicle is really salty and dirty, how I can wash it?

Any suggestions?

I want to keep this customer as a regular-he's great for referrals (having your car detailed is kind of a status symbol around here.... )

[MaThGr82]

Something I have done with my first few customers (I am just getting started) is I will mail them a quick thank you note with two or three buisness cards in the envelope and let them know to call me if they ever have any questions regarding their vehicles paint care.