Lobby Talk

The lobby in your Quick Lube, Fast Lube, Car Wash, Tire Center or any other type of Auto or Car Care Center should be a comfortable place for your customers while they are waiting for their service(s) to be performed. A portion of the "Comfort Experience" must include Lobby Talk. Why? All people should, at a minimum, be greeted. Some, if they are not buried in a newspaper, magazine, or talking with another customer may actually be uncomfortable just sitting there. Show them some attention.

A "How are you today" or "How about this weather ..." always can be avoided. If you had to frequent 10 businesses during the day, you would be a weather expert by dinner.

What Not to Say

Try not to talk about yourself. I am remembering a seminar I once attended that defined the word "Try" as, "an attempt that results in failure 100% of the time". So, starting over, Don't talk about yourself. Don't use words like "I, me, my, or mine". NEVER refer to their vehicle as "That Car".

I would love to hear, "Mr. Sears your Suburban is going to require 'X' Service, which we can do for $32,898". Really? Can you do that today? Can you do that for my wife's car? What I hear 99% of the time, from various shops, is, "Mr. Sears, THAT TRUCK of yours (also known as Junk, Piece of ____, Cheap Ride) is going to need about $376 of work, that we really don't want to do". Since I have been insulted in my taste of transportation, I am immediately on the defensive. You're kidding. How can that be, since YOUR SHOP has serviced THAT VEHICLE every 3,000 miles since it was driven off the show room floor at the dealership! Get my point?

If the customer asks how YOU are, picture Snow White in the Forrest with all the birds and other animals, then simply answer, "couldn't be better". Leave the divorce, hemorrhoids & foreclosure info at home.

What to Say

Always use one of the most powerful words in the dictionary - "YOU". "You own my dream car ...", "I can tell You take great care of your car", "would you like a cup of coffee?", etc.. When you talk to your customers about themselves, you make all customers feel great!

Use your computer system to record "sound bites" from your customers as they converse with you and/or others. There is something unique about each customer that can be used the next time they come in for service. "Bill, how's your golf game", "Ms Smith, you were a new Grand Mother the last time I saw you, how is that grand baby?", "Mr Piepenbrink, if I recall, you would prefer that we not put a window sticker in your car". Your customers will think you are a genius for remembering what they are interested in.