How To Attract More Customers To Your Garage, Workshop or Service Centre

In a competitive market where customers can easily research which businesses they could take their vehicle to for a service or repair job, it is definitely worth taking time to re-evaluate how you’re communicating with both new and existing customers, ensuring you’re generating enough bookings to fill your workshop’s schedule.

Promoting loyalty and trust with your company will help you to attract new customers and keep them coming back to you for repeat business, so if you want drivers to think of your garage whenever they have any servicing or maintenance requirements, check out our tips below to see how you can help grow your customer base:

Text Message Reminders

Once a customer has an MOT or service with your garage, it can be a struggle making contact a year later to book them in for their next visit. Phone calls aren’t always answered and emails can be missed in a busy inbox or even end up in the junk folder, which is why text message reminders are proving to be a popular solution for garages looking to secure repeat business.

The chances of reaching your customers with a text message are much higher than other contact methods, and the whole process can be set up automatically if you’re using a modern and efficient dealer management system. Using the vehicle details recorded from your customer’s first visit, if your DMS can send MOT and service reminders automatically by text message, you won’t have to worry about following up with customers manually and you’ll save time in the process.

Email Campaigns

Sending mailshots is a great way to keep in touch with your customers to remind them of the services you provide, and to encourage loyalty and help secure repeat business.

Your mailers could feature discount codes and special limited time offers, such as summer vehicle health checks, so that anyone who is driving to their holiday destination can book their car in for an inspection that will provide them with complete peace of mind ahead of the trip.

The mailshots could also be a chance for you to share basic advice, such as quick tips on checking the engine oil or help with battery maintenance. Drivers will appreciate the readily available information and view your business as a trustworthy and helpful garage to deal with, making you stand out from competitors.

Social Media

Updating your social media regularly will keep you in the news feed of your customers, so staying active on your company accounts is essential. If you only post content every once in a while, as social media platforms tend to prioritise active accounts, you may find that your visibility and reach decreases, as content posted sporadically is less likely to feature prominently in users social feeds. It can also give the impression that your company is not very active or responsive, which can lower confidence in your business.

Regular posting, such as links to your website or image posts of vehicles or events, will maintain brand awareness and keep your audience engaged. Social media is also a great place to boast about your online reviews and remind your followers of how highly recommended your garage has become, so sharing positive feedback you have received via any platform is worth including in your social content in order to maximise the number of people who will be able to read about how well you are thought of by your customers.

Blogs

It is also worth considering adding a blog page to your garage website. Posting about who you are as a business, basic vehicle maintenance tips, the importance of regular car servicing, special offers and more will help your SEO on Google, which helps potential customers find your business when they are searching for a service centre they can visit.

Blog posts on your website that share useful information, updates, and insights with your online audience will help to educate customers and prospective buyers about your company and the services you provide, leading to more informed purchasing decisions.

Consistent blog posts of well-written and informative content allows for ongoing engagement with your audience, encouraging repeat visits and interactions. Blog content is also perfect for sharing across social media platforms, as it can be used to drive traffic to your website and vice versa if you ensure social links are included in your posts.

Dragon2000’s garage software has been designed to help increase your garage profits and grow your business. Text message reminders can be set up in our DragonDMS dealer management system to automatically remind service customers of their next appointment, while you also have the option to increase your marketing activity with our CRM tools.

Our dealer websites have been created to work alongside the DragonDMS, which means that service customers can request workshop bookings via your website and all of the appointment information will appear within your software. Dragon2000’s websites also have the option to host blogs if your garage would like to reach more customers online.

If you’re looking for products that can help you to attract and retain more MOT and service customers each year, simply give Dragon2000 a call on 01327 222 333 or email us at sales@dragon2000.co.uk for more information.