By Bob Cooper
President, Elite Worldwide, Inc.

Here in the U.S., we have seen the stock market taking some wild swings, our economy is shaky at best, we are coming into an election year, and there is little certainty regarding what the future holds.

Unfortunately, it’s during these times of uncertainty when most service advisors fall into the trap of telling themselves that their customers are concerned about their own economic ­futures, and are reluctant to put any money into their vehicles, which is why sales are down.

It’s time to stop using this ­excuse, because, interestingly enough, there’s never been a better time for selling vehicle maintenance. Here’s why…

When money is tight and people are on a fixed budget, their natural response is to hold back on spending, especially when it comes to anything that they consider to be non-essential. Additionally, when people don’t have confidence in the ­future, they will become even more cautious about what they are spending their money on.

While your advisors may be able to use these reasons to ­rationalize why sales are down, in reality, it’s under these conditions that people need to step up to the plate and take really good care of their vehicles. As we all know, the cost of unexpected repairs can be financially devastating, but if your customers don’t have the money for repairs, they more than likely don’t have the money to buy a new vehicle either.

So do this: Sit down with your service advisors and help them understand that during these uncertain economic times, one of the best investments your customers could ever make is in properly maintaining their vehicles. You should start the conversation with your advisors by discussing the main points outlined in this article. You should then discuss all of the cost-saving benefits of vehicle maintenance, and you should break down the investment into meaningful and digestible numbers that your customers can easily understand.

For example, you may discover that with the more popular vehicles, the ­actual investment in the maintenance services that your advisors are recommending works out to be less than $1.50 a day, and what your customers get in return for that small investment is invaluable. They’ll be protecting their warranties, they’ll be protecting the value of their vehicles, they’ll be squeezing every mile out of every gallon of gasoline, and they’ll have the peace of mind that comes with having a well-maintained vehicle.

Perhaps most importantly, they’ll be reducing the risk of unexpected and costly failures that can be particularly crushing during these tough economic times. When you break down the cost to a daily amount, and are able to show your customers that they receive all of these benefits for less than the price of their morning coffee, the decision becomes a no-brainer.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. You’re telling yourselves that this is what your advisors should be communicating to your customers ­regardless of the state of the economy, and I certainly agree with you. However, when people are employed and the economy is thriving, and they have less concern about their own ­financial ­futures, then maintenance truly does become far less important to them. Costly failures will not have nearly the same financial impact as they do when money is tight, and when those failures do occur, they’ll just go to the local dealership and trade the vehicle in.

Ladies and gentlemen, like many of you, I’ve been in this industry for decades, and I’ve never seen a time when your customers have a greater need to invest in vehicle maintenance. Similarly, I feel that the benefits of ­investing in maintenance have never been more clear-cut, or easier for your customers to recognize. Today’s uncertain economic climate calls for people to take good care of the vehicles they have, and authorize the services that your advisors recommend. 

While making the most of this maintenance-friendly climate will certainly increase your shop’s sales, most importantly, your advisors have an ethical ­responsibility to help your customers see just how crucial maintenance is when it comes to protecting their safety, the safety of their families, their ­vehicles, and without question, their checkbooks, too.

For the last 20 years, Bob Cooper has been the president of Elite Worldwide, Inc. (www.EliteWorldwideStore.com), offering shop owners sales, marketing and employee management audio training courses available for instant download. The company also offers coaching and service advisor training services. You can contact Bob at [email protected], or by calling 800-204-3548.