Competing with Independent
Repair Shops
Independent repair shops capture the majority of post-warranty service work in the United States. To compete effectively, dealerships must understand why customers leave and address those reasons directly.
Why Customers Choose Independents
- Perception of lower prices
- More convenient location or hours
- Personal relationship with the shop owner or mechanic
- Faster turnaround times
- Distrust of dealership upselling practices
Match On Convenience
Offer online scheduling, express service lanes, shuttle service, loaner vehicles, and extended hours. Remove every barrier that makes choosing an independent shop easier.
Match On Convenience
Offer online scheduling, express service lanes, shuttle service, loaner vehicles, and extended hours. Remove every barrier that makes choosing an independent shop easier.
Compete On Transparency
Use video inspections where technicians record findings on the vehicle and send them directly to the customer’s phone. When a customer can see the worn brake pad with their own eyes, trust increases dramatically and the need for hard-selling disappears.
Compete On Transparency
Use video inspections where technicians record findings on the vehicle and send them directly to the customer’s phone. When a customer can see the worn brake pad with their own eyes, trust increases dramatically and the need for hard-selling disappears.
Emphasize Your Advantages
Factory-trained and certified technicians, OEM parts with warranty backing, access to technical service bulletins and recall information, sophisticated diagnostic equipment, and a direct relationship with the manufacturer. These are advantages no independent shop can replicate.
Emphasize Your Advantages
Factory-trained and certified technicians, OEM parts with warranty backing, access to technical service bulletins and recall information, sophisticated diagnostic equipment, and a direct relationship with the manufacturer. These are advantages no independent shop can replicate.
Price Competitively On Common Services
You may not be able to match every independent on labor rate, but you can be competitive on the high-frequency services that drive traffic: oil changes, tire rotations, brake services, and battery replacements. Use these as loss leaders or break-even services to bring customers through the door, where you can then identify additional needs.
Price Competitively On Common Services
You may not be able to match every independent on labor rate, but you can be competitive on the high-frequency services that drive traffic: oil changes, tire rotations, brake services, and battery replacements. Use these as loss leaders or break-even services to bring customers through the door, where you can then identify additional needs.