Your service advisors should be strong salespeople. They should be an expert in consumer relations. They should know how to handle a difficult or irate customer. Does your business offer an on-going training program to train in these areas as well as other areas? If your advisors do not receive training then it is very likely that your revenue is not what it could be or what it should be.
It is important for each of your service advisors to fully understand their job. If they are not trained, they may not even know or understand their key role within the business. They need to be trained in a variety of areas including communication skills. They should also receive training in the seven key tools of merchandising (such as the daily time management strategies).
Are you receiving a lot of customers through word of mouth? This can be one of your best and cheapest forms of advertising. We all know that people talk. You want them to talk about your business in a positive manner. If they do not then your business is being hurt. If you do not offer your customer the service they deserve then, most likely, they will not return.
For example, let’s say that a customer comes into your business. The service advisor walks directly to the customer, extends his or her hand to offer a handshake. All the while the advisor is wearing a big smile. Next, the advisor is having direct, continual eye contact. The advisor has definitely given the customer a great welcome. That evening the customer will probably tell her/his wife or husband about this positive experience. Most likely these two people will tell others. This will end up having a positive effect on your business and bring in new customers.
Another example: the same customer walks into another business. When the advisor sees the customer he just stands there waiting for the customer to approach. He then walks behind the counter which separates the customer and the advisor. There is not a handshake. No smile is offered. No eye contact is given. That evening the customer is most likely to share this experience with their wife or husband. Again, they will most like tell their experience to others. Now you can see the negative customer service experience and how it is losing money for your business. This is when it is time to invest in service advisor training.
Let’s review these two examples. The first advisor has received training while the other trainer has not. The first advisor realizes the importance of training and is open to learning new techniques as well as more knowledge about working with a customer. These improved techniques will eventually turn into money for your business.
The positive advisor realizes that sales are involved in his or her position with the company, a fact learned from proper service advisor training. This person realizes that he can build strong relationships with the customers by just making a few adjustments in the way he proceeds.
