Last week, we scoured our reviews and came up with 5 Signs That You Have a Bad Mechanic. We want to also show the other side of the coin, so we combed through our most glowing 5-star reviews, and tried to find the most common reasons why shops were praised and recommended. The most surprising thing we discovered was that the lowest price was rarely the most important factor cited by very satisfied customers, who instead frequently referred to a 'fair price' as part of their positive reviews. This shows that the lowest price by itself doesn't necessarily guarantee a positive customer experience, but the following factors do:
1) Brutal Honesty - According to our reviews, the best mechanics tell their customers the truth, no matter how difficult it is. This means letting them know when a job is going to be expensive, when it's going to take a while, or when it's not even worth the money to fix the vehicle. Very importantly, this also means that the shop is honest even if it costs them money. For example, if there is something accidentally damaged during a repair, the best mechanics take responsibility for the cost of the damage. An honest mechanic will also refer customers somewhere else if he or she is not able to perform the repairs for any reason. Honest mechanics yield happy customers.
2) Patience - Patience is an immensely important trait for a mechanic to have, simply because of the huge gulf of knowledge that exists between the average vehicle owner and a mechanic. So while customers may have no clue at all what is happening with their vehicle, a mechanic still needs to bear with them, and patiently walk them through the process. Oftentimes, vehicle problems are a result of owner negligence, which also requires a mechanic to exercise calm when dealing with frustrated and flustered customers. While patience is difficult for everyone, especially those of us who are high-strung, consumers do appreciate mechanics who take their time and make them feel at ease.
3) Problems Solved Correctly - The most enthusiastic positive reviews come from people who are impressed with how quickly, or capably a mechanic is able to fix their vehicle's problem. In some cases, the consumer has been to multiple shops and paid different people without being able to fix the issue, before finding a mechanic that finally does. While this seems fairly obvious, a surprising number of people assume that they won't find someone who is able to properly fix their car, prefacing their positive reviews with "The mechanic was actually able to fix..." Needless to say, it also helps if the car is fixed quickly in addition to correctly, as many reviews note the speed.
4) Communication / Follow-Up - Communication is key when it comes to auto repair. The highest reviewed mechanics communicate when they will be available, communicate what is wrong with the vehicle, communicate when they will be done with the repairs, communicate if they run over schedule, and communicate the price, and any potential changes in price. This goes along with honesty, as customers appreciate nothing more than being told the truth, and being communicated with through the entire process. I recently had some body work done on my car, and the manager of the body shop actually called me after they had the vehicle for only one day and gave me an update on the work. Great communication is the crux of high-quality customer service.
5) Going Above and Beyond - If a mechanic goes above and beyond what the customer expects, you can bet that not only will they get a stellar review, they will also get referral business from all of the customer's friends. Going above and beyond can mean lots of different things, but some examples we've seen in our reviews have been coming in on their days off to open the shop for an emergency repair, vacuuming a vehicle after a routine repair, giving the customer a ride to work while their vehicle was being worked on, or replacing burned out bulbs without being asked and free of charge. Of course, not everyone does these sorts of things, which makes them that much more surprising and pleasant when they do happen, leading to ecstatic customers, and 5-star reviews.
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