how do you sell work?

[Toyotaguy]

How do you sell work?

Do you give a good honest price thats fair for all parties?

Do you give a high price so when customer complains you can give discount?

Do you low ball the price and try to upsell?

I ask because our dealer it seems that every body is playing lets make a deal. I am being told customers are saying what can you do for me. SHouldn't it be easier than going back and fourth. Here's my price if you don't like it well have a good day.

We are in a tough area. All of our customers seem to what something off. Shouldn't we try to train our customers that we offer a fair price and good service. Why is $$$ always the selling point.

[robc]

If the shop has a history of negotiating prices on repair work, then it very difficult to readjust that habit by ones self. If the shop as a whole decided that pricing is concrete then that might be accomplished through retraining the customer.

I personally would leave it up to the advisor to decide how best to demonstrate value for a customer as long as it didnt cut into the gross of the job. I mean how long has Ronco done the gimmick of how much would you pay for these knives well it wont be the retail value of $199, or even $149, or even $99. But wait, theres more In the same vein we could wonder why dont infomercials just quote the price and be done with it. The reason is people like deciding the value (price) and then seeing where the price fits.

In our neck of the wood (NY/NJ), most phone pricing is done to lowball and then upsell once they are in the door. So if a customer tells me, well Pepboys said it cost this much, Ill try to get the details of the quote to explain any differences. Also, I am not sure about your customers, but ours lie a lot. Theyll say they cut $50 off the price last time I got service Ill go look at the RO and see if that appears to be true.

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** Rob, Editor Dealersedge/WD&S **
Help is only a message post away!
robc@dealersedge.com

[blc1001]

I worked in different areas around Montreal Canada and each time I had to adjust to teach my service advisors how to work with different clients...

They have to developp, I think, that sense to make sure the clients are not leaving without buying something !!!

That's the toughest thing to do...the closing !!!!

[Mike Vogel]

In order to look professional I changed my maintenance pricing so that it's an everyday low price. In the past when you have a regular price & a special price it can create problems. A busy advisor quotes full price and an advisor that needs work quotes the special. I still advertise my prices as specials, it just saves face to be able to quote the same price no matter who they talk to. As far as deals and competetior prices I agree with Mike Bowers, compare apples to apples, aftermarket parts vs factory parts, independent techs vs factory certified, warranties on parts & labor etc etc.
Building your prices with possible discounts would be a good way to go. We have many AAA Members and Senior Citizens in our area so they are entitled to 10% off but we limit it to a $50 max discount and they can't combine with other discounts.