MACS Service Reports - 2015 - NOV6

Three Types of Preventative Maintenance Buyers

Note: Most shop owners and technicians either do
NOT have a J2788 RRR machine or simply are not
aware of the standard of whatever machine they do
have. Take advantage of this if you know you have
a J2788 machine and seize the opportunity to make a
short and sweet explanation of this benefit; it can be a
major technical selling point! It seems that whenever a
new high tech medical diagnostic machine comes out
the hospitals that purchase them put out a bill board
that shows they have it. Why should you make big
investments in equipment and not talk about it? Remember those Sun Machine posters and banners of
years past? They worked, didn't they?

Type A: Give It To Me! These folks are very PM
minded. They know about their vehicles, realize
that PM saves them money and really appreciate
shops who work with them on a PM program. Simply know the latest technologies and services, and
offer them when appropriate. Then watch them buy!
Their objections to sales don't kick in until something breaks at an importune time and they ask you
could this have been prevented? Every shop that
appreciates the virtues of PM really wants more of
this type of customer. They are in the minority.

Dave Hobbs

Type B: Explain That to Me Again? This type of
customer is busy. Opportunities for vehicle down
times are limited. This type of customer has a limited budget, too. If they've been with you on enough
transactions to have a trusting relationship with
you, they tend to take on the objections of time, priority and value. They rarely come to you for PM.
Like a busy but loving pet owner depending on
their veterinarian to keep their pet healthy on a limited budget, this type of vehicle owner very much
depends on us to recommend services that are absolutely needed to keep their vehicles dependable.
They also appreciate our advice when it comes time
to prioritize those lists we present on recommended
and required services. You'll likely lose this type of
customer if you don't:
a. Perform inspections to catch needs for
repairs and PM
b. Remind them of appointments
c. Follow up with them after services
d. Educate them (at whatever level of detail they care to go) on the vehicle's repair
and PM work.
That's a lot of demands. This type of customer
also is in the majority for most shops. Present a PM
plan for these folks that fit their schedule and budget, and you'll have a lifetime customer.

Figure 6: Objections to flushes? This one is going to be expensive because of
the delay in either buying or the repair shop finding / advising / selling. Long
Life coolant is NOT Life Long coolant!

Robinair

Type C: I Don't Have the Money for PM. This type
seems like the majority of your customers at times.
Trust me; unless your clientele is strictly neighborhood folks in the poorest of neighborhoods, they
are not the majority. In that scenario, it is surprising how many folks of very modest means spend
money on the most important PM work, such as oil
changes and coolant flushes. They know they're going to have to take care of their car because a new
one is NOT in their budgets! Many times a Type
C customer is really a Type B customer who just
needs you to win them over! Those who truly don't
have the money for regular PM are often do-ityourselfers who blow engines, burn out compressors and lose transmissions prematurely. Ironically
enough, the "pay me now or pay me a LOT more

Figure 7: This Robinair Cool Tech 34788 is a J2788 SAE complaint RRR
machine. If the name or model number doesn't tell you, look at the metal
UL tag on the back of the machine. Know what you have!

November 2015

MACS Service Reports

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