In this episode, Brian and Kim kick off a series on retention marketing, focusing on how auto repair shops can utilize Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to enhance customer loyalty and communication. 

They are joined by Greg Rainville from Steer and Chris Enright from Enright Automotive, who share their expertise and experiences.

Thank you to RepairPal for sponsoring The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast. Learn more about RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops

Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)

https://www.pendo.io/

https://steercrm.com/ 

How To Get In Touch With The Guest

Greg Rainville : https://www.linkedin.com/in/grainville/

Chris Enright : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-enright-4674302ab/

Show Notes with Timestamps

The introduction (00:00:01)

• Introducing the topic of retention marketing and the guests for the episode.

Role of CRM in retention marketing (00:02:10)

• Exploring the role of CRM in retention marketing for auto repair shops and its unique aspects.

Implementing CRM in the business (00:04:04)

• Reasons for implementing a CRM in the business and the benefits of CRM in customer communication and appointment reminders.

Effectiveness of CRM in customer communication (00:05:50)

• Comparing traditional methods of customer communication with the capabilities of CRM and its effectiveness.

Key features of CRM (00:08:50)

• Discussion on the essential features of CRM, including filtering, appointment reminders, and Google reviews.

Impact of Google reviews and content (00:12:13)

• Exploring the impact of Google reviews on customer trust and the importance of customer content in reviews for driving more business.

The importance of digital processes (00:14:51)

• Discussion on the impact of digital processes on customer experience and expectations.

Challenges of traditional methods (00:15:21)

• Comparison of traditional handwritten methods with digital processes and the challenges faced by shops still using old methods.

Resistance to change (00:16:31)

• Observations of resistance to digital inspections and modern CRM systems among some shop owners.

Retention marketing (00:17:16)

• Importance of retention marketing and strategies to keep customers engaged and loyal.

Effectiveness of customer outreach (00:18:49)

• Discussion on the frequency and methods for reaching out to customers to maintain brand loyalty.

Benefits of RepairPal (00:20:52)

• Exploration of how RepairPal can introduce shops to new customers and build trust.

Personalized messaging impact (00:21:16)

• Impact of personalized messages and the importance of keeping customer communication personal and local.

Measuring CRM effectiveness (00:25:58)

• Methods and importance of measuring the effectiveness of CRM-driven marketing campaigns.

Attribution and analytics (00:26:56)

• Importance of attribution reporting and analytics in evaluating the success of marketing campaigns.

Testing and training (00:28:48)

• The significance of testing different messaging and the need for training to effectively utilize CRM tools.

Training and Demo (00:29:42)

• Discussion on the training phase, using demos, and getting familiar with the CRM platform.

Software and Subscription Fatigue (00:33:23)

• Addressing concerns about managing multiple software subscriptions and the importance of investing in a CRM.

Implementing and Managing CRM (00:33:52)

• How CRM companies like Steer make it easier for people to implement and manage their software, including live support and user-friendly features.

Benefits and Results of CRM Usage (00:35:16)

• Discussion on the benefits and results of using a CRM, including customer retention, tracking return on declined repairs, and scheduling efficiency.

Future of CRMs (00:38:40)

• Insights into future CRM developments, including improvements in scheduling, voice over IP integration, and telematics for fleet vehicles.

Utilizing CRM and Book Recommendation (00:42:11)

• Plans for further utilization of the CRM, including hiring someone to delve deeper into the data and analytics. Recommendation of the book "Buy Back Your Time."

Over Texting and Campaign Mistakes (00:43:42)

• Chris discusses the mistakes made in over texting and not setting an end to campaigns, affecting results.

Balancing Innovation and Issue Resolution (00:44:54)

• Greg raises the question of how CRM should balance innovation and addressing current technical issues and customer feedback.

Feedback and Continuous Improvement (00:45:23)

• Greg emphasizes the importance of seeking feedback from shop owners and constantly improving the CRM based on customer input.

Engagement with Software and Onboarding (00:47:42)

• Greg stresses the significance of investing time and effort in onboarding and continuously engaging with the CRM software.

Commitment to Seeing Through Implementations (00:48:16)

• Kim discusses the human tendency to feel a sense of completion after signing up for a service, emphasizing the need for commitment to see through implementations.

Contact Information for Guests (00:49:26)

• Greg provides contact information for those interested in learning more about steer, and Chris shares his social media handles for further engagement.

How To Get In Touch

Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind

Website - shopmarketingpros.com 

Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 

Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book

Instagram - @shopmarketingpros 

Questions/Ideas - podcast@shopmarketingpros.com