Why Auto Repair Shops Need Web Chat

What do doctors’ offices, dental clinics, law firms, and electronics stores have in common? Many of them have web chat installed on their websites.

You’ve probably seen those sites where people can “ask a doctor” or “ask a lawyer” questions through instant messaging. Here at ZyraTalk, we’d like to see “ask a mechanic” added to that list.

As we’ve seen in other posts, customers overwhelmingly prefer live chat to other communication methods when it comes to customer service.

Not only do customers get instant answers from an expert, but they also don’t have to deal with phone anxiety, fill out long forms, or wait days for a reply to their email.

Why your auto repair shop needs web chat

We know what you might be thinking: “How am I supposed to respond to messages when I’m repairing cars all day?”

That’s a fair point. But who says you have to respond? Why not let a chatbot take care of your messages while you’re under the hood?

Here are just a few ways live chat can solve problems and generate leads and revenue — without you having to lift a finger.

Provides instant solutions to urgent problems

Picture it: a prospective customer is driving to work. Then they hear it — the hair-raising screech of worn brakes.

But they can’t deal with that right now. They have to make it to work on time or face their boss’s wrath.

Keeping their fingers crossed tightly for the rest of the drive, they finally pull into the parking lot and sigh with relief. Before heading into the office, they've got to do something about this brake problem.

So they pull out their phone and Google “best auto repair shop near me open now”. Your shop comes up first because your site is optimized for SEO. 

But no web chat window greets them. Your webpages don’t include information on whether or not your shop services their vehicle or how much it will cost.

They could call your shop, but they’re already so worried about how they’ll get home that they can’t think straight.

So they bounce.

They don’t have time to fill out a long form. They’re too anxious to call. They need instant answers.

And if you can’t provide those answers, your prospects will find another shop that will.

Stay one step ahead of your competition

Let’s change up that scenario a bit. Let’s say that same stressed-out worker with the worn brakes lands on your site and a chat window does greet them.

They input their first name, the make and model of their car, and a brief description of their issue. A chatbot responds right away to confirm that your shop can service their vehicle and offer to schedule an appointment for after they get off work.

It takes all of two minutes. Then they head inside to clock in, feeling their anxiety ease when they receive a text confirmation of the appointment.

Congrats! You just gained a loyal customer because you helped them out in a pinch.

Generate leads and sales

Alright, let’s tone down the urgency a bit. Let’s say you’ve got a prospect who’s doing some market research outside of your shop’s operating hours. They simply want to know how much an oil change will cost.

You’re not in the shop, but they send their message anyway. A chatbot responds immediately (and gives them a competitive price at that).

Boom! You’ve got a lead and a potential sale. That lead is even more likely to convert if you enable appointment scheduling through your chatbot. Why? Because you made the process as convenient as possible.

Convinced that your auto shop needs web chat?

Back in the day, auto repair shops primarily advertised through word of mouth, TV commercials, and newspaper ads. But the times, they are a’changing.

Chatbots are capable of so much more than just customer service and lead generation. When you set up triggers, your chatbot will point your customers and prospects in the right direction, whether they need information on a promotion or an answer to a question.

We hope this post has convinced you that your auto repair shop needs web chat. Still a little skeptical? Why not take us for a test drive and see what we can do? Schedule a demo today and see what’s under our hood. (And if you mention this blog post, we’ll give you a free, 30-day trial run of our platform.)