Upsell and follow up.
Simple, right? You already know this, but are you actually doing it?
Two of the easiest things to do to increase sales without spending even a dime to chase new customers (something you shouldn’t need to do) are asking for the upsell and following up.
When I say upsell, I dont mean annoy your client with obvious “Do you want fries with that?” questions.
I mean ask smart questions. I mean do smart things.
One local example is Eisinger Chevy’s Customer Appreciation Day.
In the middle of the coldest part of our Montana winters, which also happens to be their slowest time of the year, they check out their clients’ vehicles for problems.
The check is done free, plus you get breakfast or lunch and a bunch of chances to win door prizes.
They also have extra salespeople around, but it isn’t a shooting-fish-in-a-barrel sales event. It’s a service/safety event, plus you get a mid-winter car wash before you go home.
The client goes home with a laundry list of stuff to keep get fixed or just keep an eye on, without any sales pressure. It truly is a courtesy check.
And of course, it’s likely a gold mine too.
Why? Because people see a bunch of stuff that they know might strand them on the side of a remote rural road at the worst possible time, so they either get it fixed at the dealer, or they take the list elsewhere (or home).
Even for those who don’t get a bunch of work done at the dealer, it’s good for Eisinger. It gets that owner and their vehicle into the store once a year no matter what.
It gets the service people an opportunity to check over the vehicle for potentially dangerous problems at least once a year. It gives the sales folks an opportunity to chat with former customers (there’s a reason why I call them that), offering them the chance to re-fire the connection with them.
While it would be a great idea for you if you are in any sort of service business, you don’t have to put on a big production like this every year.
You simply have to pay attention and take the opportunities presented. Make sure that the client is as prepared to go into tomorrow, much less the rest of today, with as few detours as possible.
Yesterday at a local tire (et cetera) store, I had a pitman and idler arm replaced on my Suburban aka the Scoutmobile.
I couldn’t pick those items out of a box of parts but I do know they are part of the front end suspension and messed up ones really like to ruin tires. As much as I appreciate performance tires (OK, it’s really the G forces I appreciate), I don’t like tossing cash out the window if I don’t have to.
Meanwhile, another lady walked in to get a tire repaired. She was happy to find that the tire repair was free, but had to ask if someone would check her battery.
She shouldn’t have had to ask.
When her vehicle was taken in to fix the tire, it should have been part of their procedure to check the battery, tire pressures, fluid levels, wipers, brakes, shocks and tire tread. Not just to upsell, but to make sure the client’s vehicle is safe to operate. And of course, to give yourself the opportunity to show the client that you are looking out for them and their vehicle.
But that didn’t happen, even though I was in a place that’s known for offering good service. You can tell the staff is well-trained, but they could be doing even more.
By the way, it turned out that the lady needed a new battery. The well-trained car guy offered her choices, let her make a decision and made the sale. But if she hadn’t asked…no sale.
Could you and your staff be doing more, all while being more helpful?
Look for opportunities. Look for ways to help, without being a pest.
Want to learn more about Mark or ask him to write about a business, operations or marketing problem? See Mark’s site or contact him at [email protected].