10 Essential FAQ to Add to Your Car Repair or Detailing Website

While you might know just about everything that there is to know about car repair and auto detailing, your potential customers don’t always have the same expertise. As such, they’re going to turn to you. One of the easiest, and most effective, ways that you can deliver is to create a well-designed FAQ page that covers all the most important things that people want to know. 

We know what you’re thinking—how can I possibly tell what’s important and what’s not?

Well, for starters, put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Think about questions you’ve gotten in the past, and especially those that have been asked repeatedly. You can even search for things like “car repair FAQ” on Google to get an idea of what people want to know most. And today, that’s what really counts. 

The audience online today is demanding better answers, easier access, and instant gratification. That’s hard to live up to for any business, and especially for smaller companies like car detailers and auto repair service companies. Consumers literally have the world at their fingertips, and they’re becoming increasingly aware of just how many options they have. As such, it’s your job to build an online reputation that shows them that your company is truly the best in the industry. 

One way to do that is with your FAQ page, as well as the rest of your self-service offerings. Considering that as many as 89% of people expect businesses to offer self-service, this is something that you need to incorporate into your website and communications strategy. When you do it properly, you can create benefits for your customers as much as your business itself. 

In this guide, we’ll talk about how to set up and structure your FAQ page to make sure that it delivers what your brand needs. We’ll also cover the 10 essential FAQs every detailer or repair shop needs to have for their audience. 

Strategizing your FAQ page

When it comes to building an effective FAQ page, the “building” aspect is a big part of it. After all, you can have all the right Q&A in the world and if it’s not well presented, people aren’t going to be able to find it, let alone put it to use. There is not just one specific way to set up your FAQ page(s); it’s about creating the strategy that works for your auto repair or detailing business. 

That starts by thinking about what structure or layout would make the most sense. If you have a lot of questions in various categories to cover, consider creating multiple pages for your FAQs so that you can keep everything organized. You could start with a general page and then from there, branch out to specific pages on things like:

• Estimates and service rates
• Scheduling and timelines
• Technical FAQ
• Information about specific makes or models
• General repair and detailing FAQ
• Payment options and insurance FAQ
• And so forth

Of course, if you’re starting with a more limited collection of Q&A, or you just don’t want to build out 10 new pages on your website, you could stick to a single page. Just make sure that you format it so that people aren’t endlessly scrolling to find answers. You can do this by using hyperlinks that create a Table of Contents at the beginning of the page so that people can navigate directly to the answers they seek. You could also use dropdowns so that you can list all the questions on a single page and then people have to click to see the answers, freeing up more space and giving the user total control of the page view and navigation. 

There’s something very important to remember when creating your FAQs, too: think like the customer. How do people ask questions? How would you, if you were the consumer? Not only will this help you connect with people better, but it will generate higher search rankings and boost your SEO efforts. It’s a win all around. 

When it comes to navigation, make sure you have lots of easy access to different areas of the page and the rest of your website. Make it clear and simple so that people can get around and gather the insight they need in just minutes. Take advantage of linking in your answers so that you encourage people to visit the other pages on your site. When you take the time to strategize, these are the types of things that should be on your mind for creating a solid FAQ page. 

Now, let’s look at the FAQs that your auto repair or detailing shop can’t do without. 

The 10 essential FAQs for auto repair and detail shops 

1. What is included in detailing services?

Detailing is a vast field of work and can include several different types of cleaning services for vehicles. That means people will want to know what all they get—even if what you offer is different than another detailer. Take the opportunity to explain the detailing process, as well as which services are optional, whether people can have custom detail jobs done, and so forth. The information and transparency do a lot for your brand and you’re also educating your audience, so it’s a win-win and a must-have for your list. 

2. Is your shop licensed and insured?

People spend a lot of money on their vehicles. They don’t want to take them to just anyone when they need a little TLC, and especially if they need a major repair. Provide the information about your shop’s licensing and insurance, as well as any other relevant information, like how long you’ve been in business or professional organizations that you belong to. This will give people confidence in your transparency and your professionalism alike. 

3. What kind of training do your mechanics/detailers have?

In the same vein, people don’t want someone working on their car without the proper experience and training. Just because a shop is insured and bonded doesn’t mean the employees know what they’re doing—provide the answer here so that your audience has peace of mind in your entire team. Explain the onboarding process, requirements for all employees, and training that you provide to assist them throughout their careers. 

4. Do you work with all makes and models?

Some car detailers and shops may only handle certain makes of vehicles. Some only work with domestic vehicles, while other repair shops specialize in imports. Even if you’ll take any vehicle, you need to let people know that. Use this Q&A to explain what types of vehicles you work on, what you can’t do, if anything, and so forth. Then, you can invite people to contact you to learn more about how you can help with their specific needs. 

It's also a great place to link to colleagues or peers that you network with if you don’t do it all—just suggest that people check out your referral and ask them to do the same for you. 

5. How much is auto detailing?

Everyone wants to know how much things cost. Even when they’re not on a budget, people are curious by nature, and they want to make sure that they’re getting their money’s worth. Unfortunately, a service like auto detailing has a lot of different rates and variables to consider. That’s where this question comes in handy. You can explain to people that you have an array of services to offer and list the range of costs here. It’s also helpful to link to your service pages so that you can allow people to get further information if they so choose. Self-service is all about putting it in their hands. 

6. How much will it cost to fix my car?

Again, people want to talk about money. Especially with repairs, costs can get a bit high at times and people want to make sure that they are getting a fair price and that they know what to expect. Some people might need to know for insurance purposes, so you should advise that you can offer written estimates if necessary. Explain to people that there’s no way to just estimate how much car repairs cost. There are too many variables. But you can list your hourly rates, rates for common services, and so forth. You can link to your service pages and pricing page, too. 

7. Are there additional charges or services?

Make sure that you are clear about all charges and fees involved in your auto repair or detailing service. No one likes hidden fees or last-minute additional charges. The transparency, even if you do have some additional charges to consider, often means more to people than knowing the money involved anyway. They just want to know that they can trust you to deliver honest, reputable service. If you do provide any additional services or have things like emergency or after-hours charges, try to link out to pages on your website that tell people more about those elements. 

8. Are there warranties on parts and repairs?

For auto repair shops, this is a big question. People spend a lot of money on auto repairs. They want to make sure that they’re getting their money’s worth. After all, what if they replace an axle and, in a few months, the whole wheel falls off? They should be able to return to the shop, have the problem diagnosed, and then be taken care of, whether that means replacing a faulty axle or repairing or replacing other parts, at little or no charge to them. 

We say “little” because some warranty programs include a deductible. This is usually small, however, and is a mere fraction of the actual repair costs. The bottom line? Make sure that you explain your warranties or guarantee policy so that people know what to expect and can gain trust in you. 

9. Can I drop my vehicle off or pick it up after hours?

Today’s drivers are busy. They want to have flexibility in the services that they need. Many people will need to drop their vehicle off in the early morning or late-night hours when your shop isn’t usually open. Make sure that you explain your policy for after-hours drop-off and pickup, including whether you even offer that. If you don’t, consider offering things like loaners, ride service, and so forth, to add more convenience for your customers. 

10. Do you service and repair vehicles under a dealership warranty?

This is an important question for those who do have warranties. Some warranty terms explicitly state where vehicles need to be repaired or serviced. Others will state that if you have service performed elsewhere, it voids your warranty. Make sure that you inform people of this, and then explain how you can help. If you do work with warrantied vehicles or things like insurance claims, offer insight and link them to those services on your website. If you don’t, let them know and then explain the value of returning to the dealership, even if they don’t like the costs involved. 

While you’re detailing cars, let us take care of the business details

We know that you’re a hands-on type of business owner and you probably have better things to do than sit at a desk and field calls, make appointments, and answer online messages. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about doing that and you don’t even have to hire someone in-house to take it off your plate—just partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai and we’ll handle it all for you.

Our dedicated live agents can provide 24-hour service, seven days a week, to deliver everything from phone and chat support to lead intake, scheduling, and so much more. We can even help you create a strategy for all of it so that your communications and administrative tasks are streamlined, and you can focus on running your business. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss what the 24/7 live agents at Smith.ai can deliver, from after-hours phone answering to live website chat and so much more. You’ll also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.