Garages still missing upselling opportunities, says poll

A recent poll suggests workshops across the UK could be missing out on revenue opportunities by not up–selling consumables and by not following up on deferred work.

The poll of 1000 motorists found that only 40% of motorists are typically contacted by their workshop between vehicle services to discuss any work that might need to be carried out before their next scheduled visit. 

The survey, which was commissioned by Castrol and conducted by OnePoll,  also identified that workshops could be missing opportunities to up-sell consumables, such as premium-brand options of lubricants, wiper blades, brake pads and discs. A third of those surveyed said they are ‘never’ offered a choice of consumables by their workshops when servicing work is being done, and 28% say only ‘sometimes’. Just 19% say they are ‘always’ given a choice of higher-grade products.

Interestingly, over half (51%) of respondents are open to paying more for better–quality consumable items for their car, provided the benefits are explained to them first. Only 11% say they would always want the cheapest available consumables to be used. 20% suggest they would want the workshop to always use premium-quality consumables in all circumstances and would not expect to be consulted about it.

Further highlighting the importance of discussing which products are being used as part of a vehicle’s scheduled maintenance, 30% of those motorists surveyed said they worry that workshops use lower-quality consumables and yet still charge a higher price. 54% say they trust their workshop to use the best quality consumable products; those that are recommended for use on their car by the manufacturer.

Layla Yebaile, Service and Maintenance Marketing Lead at Castrol said: “The survey highlights the benefits of quality interaction with the customer whenever they visit – both to harness appropriate up-sell opportunities, and to build trust in workshop expertise and the work carried out. It’s clear that many motorists are happy to pay more to ensure optimal vehicle reliability and performance, so communicating effectively will help unlock additional sources of revenue and help to build loyalty.”