5 Criteria to Find the Right Answering Service for Your Car Repair Shop

Car repairs and mechanical failures never happen at a convenient time. If you’ve been working in the repair business for any amount of time, you know that. And yet, too often, the average car repair shop finds itself struggling to deliver enough service coverage to handle all their incoming calls and potential clients. 

If you’ve got a small business in the car repair industry, you don’t have to be “always on” to ensure that you capture every lead and take care of every single client call. With the assistance of a professional answering service, you can deliver 24/7/365 support for leads, current customers, and anyone else that reaches out to your business. 

Of course, as with anything, there are different factors that you’ll want to consider when choosing the best car repair answering service. Every shop will have its own unique concerns, of course, but there are some standard features that everyone can rely on. 

The benefits of an answering service

Not surprisingly, some of the best benefits of an answering service are also on the list of criteria that you need to look for. For starters, the modern answering service can be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for a lot more than just phone calls. They can handle scheduling and other admin needs, lead intake, and even things like sales support, payment collection, and other services. 

Most answering services and virtual receptionists will allow you to create a plan that’s scaled to fit your needs. This offers a cost-effective alternative to hiring a receptionist or a team of agents to field calls on behalf of your business. The list of benefits goes on, and you’re sure to find many more along the way. 

To maximize your benefits, choose the right answering service for your repair shop by looking at the following elements. 

1. 24/7 availability 

Even if you already offer 24/7 service (or perhaps especially if you do) via phone, you might be straining your resources to do so. With an answering service, you can make sure that your repair shop is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can even answer calls on holidays and while you’re out of town taking a break from your business, making sure that no opportunity is missed, and no customer is left hanging when they need you most. 

Cars break down at inconvenient times. Make sure that you’re not part of the inconvenience. 

2. Repair/industry knowledge

While some industries might not need an answering service with related experience, in the car repair business, it helps to have people that at least have an idea of what their callers are dealing with. Car repairs and related issues stress people out. When they call for any reason, they want a professional, helpful, knowledgeable person to be there right away. 

Although you aren’t going to find an answering service that can talk someone through a diagnosis, you can find companies that have experience in working with repair shops specifically. This makes them more qualified and will help you present a more reputable brand to the world. 

3. Features 

Answering services have tons of features and services these days. In addition to taking calls, they can schedule appointments, help screen leads, and even assist with outreach, payment collection, and other things you need. When you’re shopping around and comparing services, feel free to ask to see a full list of features and services that you can get so that you know that you’ll be covered. 

Although we’re going to talk about pricing in a moment, you should also ask them about how their features are packaged, or if they are at all. This can help you get an idea of your options and also leads into the next important thing you need to consider: customization and scaling. 

4. Customization

With the best modern answering services, you will be able to customize all of the features that are included and the plan that delivers them to you. You can even have custom greetings and voicemails setup, as well as a totally scalable solution that will grow with the needs of your business over time. There are varying degrees of customization out there, but companies that offer totally custom plans are usually your best option. 

Consider all the ways that they can personalize your experience and help your brand create a strong impression with admin and communications, whether you just need a little support or if you need a full-service answering solution. 

5. Transparent pricing

As you know, people don’t like to have to guess at what they’re spending. As a business owner, you also can’t afford to squander your limited budget on things that might or might not be worth the investment. When you’re looking for an answering service, make sure that they offer transparent information about their packages and pricing, as well as how services are delivered (packages only, customized plans, a la carte, etc.). 

If a company demands you request a quote or seems to be elusive about the costs of their service, that could mean they either have something to hide or that they know their service is overpriced and are hoping that you won’t notice. Transparency is a must for any professional partnership. 

For transparent, total solutions, partner with Smith.ai

While you’re busy taking care of people’s cars, let us take care of your people. The virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can provide a 24/7 answering service to field emergency calls, evening and weekend queries, and other needs from potential clients and your existing client base. Plus, our team will handle things like appointment scheduling, lead intake, live website chat, and even assistance with outreach campaigns. 

And everything we do comes with a custom-tailored strategy that covers all your needs and helps keep your car repair business a step ahead of the rest. To learn more, reach out to hello@smith.ai or schedule a consultation to discuss your answering service needs. 

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