Upsell or Oversell?

[Jim Warman]

In "Here we go again....", Steve S brought up a point regarding upselling work to a noncustomer in for having a recall performed....

 

At what point in the process does an upsell become an oversell?

 

Is it in the way we interpret any looming concern? Can it be in the way it is presented to the SA? Can it be in the way the SA presents it to the customer? Is it the way the customer perceives the whole thing?

 

The bulk of our repairs is pre-emptive.... we can see a breakdown looming and nip it in the bud.... Rear pads on SuperDuties... with the mud we have here, replacing these pads at 5mm isn't uncommon... the time between service appointments can be enough to turn a pad slap into a budget altering event. Add the financial burden of downtime, the inconvenience of unexpected visits to the shop.... the frustration of missed appointments.

 

Anything that enters our shop gets a QC550... service recommendations are made... options discussed and the estimate is presented. Handled correctly, this is benefit for both the shop and the customer.... Techs that resort to rape are not tolerated.

 

The line between upsell and oversell is a hazy area and, as techs, it becomes important for us to consider the customer, the conditions and the vehicle carefully when we make our recommendations. And this....

 

is something they don't teach in vocational school. This is what we must realize and learn to excell at our craft.... one of many things they never told us when we figured it was all about fixing cars...

 

The majority of public perception of this trade is in the toilet... has been for many years....

 

The really strange thing about that problem is that it makes it so much easier for the rest of us to make a mark as "the go to guy".... Every chance you get, meet your customers... talk to them... be personable with them.... discuss their automotive needs with them... show concern for them. Uhoh... I'm digressing....

 

It is important for us to inspect each and every vehicle that we work on.... only takes a very few minutes to address most areas of concern. We are looking for an "itch" and then we offer to scratch it.... With so many Kwikee <shops> and impersoanl shops abounding, customers lose that personal touch, that sane touch... the touch that is so much more than numbers on an estimate sheet.

 

When does an upsell become an oversell? Not hard to spot some.... others tread a very fine line... knowing the customer helps solidify that line.

 

A benefit of "knowing your customer".... treat him well, keep him happy and those inevitable mistakes we all make will be forgiven....

[Brad Clayton]

I used to avoid customers like the plague. Now that I have some years on me, that postion has changed. We have a rash of new customers coming thru buying used 6.0 liters and I have gone out of my way to talk to them about care and feeding of their new beast. It's pretty neat to here the positive feedback from them.

 

Quick story on overselling: anyone ever heard of Lane Construction? They're one of the biggest outfits in the northeast. They came down to South Carolina to widen about 20 miles of I-85. It was considered a small side project for them. They must have a gagillion dollars worth of equipment. They pop into our dealer with a foremans truck that needs some attention, our dealer was at the last exit of the 2 to 3 lane expansion project. Unfortunatly the truck is dispatched to one of our "pay the farm off on one customer" techs. He does is usuall gouging routine and not one person that touched the ro had the presence of mind to head off the coming disaster. They approved the work, then paided the bill and never stepped foot in the dealer again. There are about 7 dealers in a 45 mile radius of that area and someone willing to use some common sense on fixing what a vehicle needs and can get by with or without picked up their business.

 

As far as the project went, they finished it ahead of schedule and under budget, saving lots of lives in the process. That stretch of I-85 around mile marker 19 was dangerous. It was said that your chances of making it thru alive were around 80%, if raining 50% if raining and at night "slim to none".

[SteveS]

I try to treat customers the same as I'd want my wife or mother treated if they took their vehicle in: fairly and honestly. Sometimes it is the SA that overstates the tech notes even when a reasonable tech notices something that should be monitered.

 

I had a Service Director that would remind us that "You can shear a sheep for life but you can only skin it once". I'm not sure if it had any effect on the merchandisers (techs and SAs), but it was reasuring to know that the boss wanted to encourage fair and reasonable sales tactics.

 

I am fortunate to now work for a company that fosters open, honest relationships with our customers. We can tell a customer that something will probably need reapir in 6 months to a year and fully expect them to return for the job. There is no need to oversell anything and we usually have as much work as we can handle. Matches my style perfectly.

[Keith Browning]

Jim, what is a QC550? Is that the Canadian equivalent of our QCRC (Quality Care Report Card)?

[jaysonfordtech]

So just speaking for myself I can say that I do everything in my power express the severity of the concern to my advisor. From that point on I have no control. In the dealerships that I have worked at, this is where the true overselling is done. I have had tickets that I made a 3 page list of things including the marginal stuff like seeps and 4.0mm brake pads, and had the writer return saying “do it all.” I have to believe that he did not truly explain the situation to the customer. This is not to say that I haven’t seen greedy techs who rape customers, or service advisors that are more than willing to overcharge. In fact we just had a blow up over an advisor who tried to and almost got away with charging 22 hours for a 12 hour job. The tech was more than willing to take the extra 10 hours and not say a word. In my opinion if a tech is willing to put up with a dishonest advisor, he is just as guilty. I see this whole selling off recall thing like this, we are just reporters. We are supposed to tell the news like it is. If I get a heap in my stall for a recall, I tell my advisor everything I see. I feel it is my duty to inspect the car and report to my advisor what I find. From there I think it is his job to accurately inform the customer of the concerns found during the inspection, not to gloss it over to make sure the customer returns. I think if I inspect the car correctly and the advisor is honest in his report to the customer we will get the work that the customer wants to do, or we will have at least given the customer a true indication for the condition of the car, so they can decide what to do.

[Jim Warman]

Kieth, I believe these are one and the same... it's a hell of a battle getting even the left column done by most techs... even worse when I find that the boxes got ticked but nothing was checked.... What do you do??? I can't get rid of someone that is only "bad" because you can't find techs... Even if a guy is "absolutely terrible", you have to work around him, these days...

 

Jayson.... I think that most that read my drivel see the high regard that I have for honesty and integrity (I believe that this is over-compensatation for a nearly wasted youth - I was the guy you didn't want your sister dating). That honest men remain honest is good... that honest men blow the whistle on usuary is even better...

 

But that still doesn't alter that nearly every call on a pre-emptive repair is going to be a judgement call....

 

SAs that receive a bonus for jobs sold... this can goad a lazy SA into working for a living or it can turn a knowledgeable SA into a thief...

 

Flat rate techs.... flat rate can make a sluggard pick up the pace a bit.... or it can have him performing shoddy work and half assed diagnosis....

 

Those last two statements are a sad commentary on the human condition in our modern world. To change the complexion of our chosen career, it is up to us to police the actions of our associates as best we can.....

 

And dealing directly with customers (something that I think most techs would rather avoid) is one way we can do that... though the need for delicacy is paramount.

 

To a point, my way of achieving that is self-serving - mostly because nobody else is doing it. If there is any question or doubt, I have found customers like a well spoken man with dirty hands... even if his hair is shaggy and unkempt and he hasn't shjaven for 4 days... to explain their situation in plain English. They remember you and greet you in the store and on the street (and your loving bride will ask who that was.... "FG#^$ if I know, m'love").... When you talk to them, use terms like "I believe", "I'm sure"... and "I think" exactly as they are intended to be used.... You will be excused for "thinking" wrong much easier than for "knowing" wrong. Ask for some extra time to change your "think" to a "know" if necessary.

 

Ahhh, rambling again...

 

I have many customers that insist on having brakes relined at 5mm or there-abouts.... for them, this is normal (one only has to appreciate SD rear brakes in mud)... for someone else this is oversell of the worst kind.

 

Oversell is the muffler shop guarranteeing your muffler for life but at each and every replacement charging for pipes, clamps, hangers and God knows what else. Same with guarranteed for life brake pads.

 

Many years ago, Canadian Tire (lovingly called Cambodian Tire by some) featured an automatic trans service for $49.95.... parts AND labour were extra?????

 

Oversell is calling all the gravy but turning a blind eye to those labour ops that don't guarrantee gain time....

 

So there we have it... another simple question turned complex.

 

All we can do is to use our best judgement and, should we see something that is "wrong", we need to correct it as best we can. If our bosses have no integrity, we will soon be associated with them as having no integrity ourselves.