“Sometimes, we forget we are in people’s business, not the car business. Cars are what bring people to us.” That reminder from Geoff Berman sets the tone for episode 108 of Maximum Octane, a conversation with Kim Hickey about convenience and the human side of auto repair.
Geoff, a performance coach at ATI, explains what happens when “backstage” behavior crosses into the customer’s view, why convenience matters so much, why shops forget to tell customers about their conveniences, and how to involve both employees and customers in improving the experience.
What You Will Learn
- When backstage moments cross the front counter border
- How convenient is your auto repair shop?
- Do your clients know what conveniences you have for them?
- Conveniences don’t cost a lot of money
- Make your auto shop as convenient as you can
When Backstage Crosses the Front Counter
Geoff opens with what happens when backstage moments cross the front counter border. Every business has a backstage: the shop floor, the break room, internal conversations. Customers should see the polished “front stage.” When frustration, profanity, or internal conflict spill into the customer area, it damages trust. Disney famously separates onstage and backstage, as former Disney leader Dennis Snow describes in Providing Excellence in Customer Service Before It Was Cool.
Backstage moments slip into view more often than owners realize. A technician walking through the lobby complaining about a stuck bolt, an advisor arguing with a parts vendor on speakerphone, or a messy counter covered with old invoices all send a message. Customers cannot judge the quality of a timing belt replacement, but they can judge what they see and hear. Those impressions shape how much they trust the recommendations that come next.
Protecting the front stage starts with awareness. Some shops walk through the customer path once a week, from the parking lot to the restroom, looking and listening for anything that would make a guest uncomfortable. Others agree on simple team rules, such as taking difficult phone calls in the back office and keeping shop talk out of the waiting area.
How Convenient Is Your Shop?
Around the 7 minute mark, Geoff asks a simple question: how convenient is your auto repair shop? For many customers, convenience is as important as price or quality. Creating seamless, stress-free experiences is worth far more than simply fixing the car. Convenience might include:
- Online scheduling and text communication.
- Early drop-off and after-hours pickup.
- Shuttle service, loaner vehicles, or rideshare credits.
- Digital inspections and online approvals.
- Contactless payment.
- A comfortable waiting area with Wi-Fi.
Convenience is about reducing effort for the customer at every step. Consider how many phone calls, trips, and decisions it takes for someone to get their car serviced. Each extra step is a chance for frustration. Shops that map the full customer journey often find easy fixes: confirming appointments by text, sending inspection photos so customers do not have to come back to see a worn part, or keeping a few chargers available for customers who wait.
It also helps to think about different types of customers. A parent with young children, a commuter who cannot leave work, and a retiree who prefers to wait in the lobby all need different things. Offering a small menu of options lets each person choose what works for them.
Do Customers Know About Your Conveniences?
Geoff points out a surprisingly common mistake: shops offer great conveniences but never tell customers about them. If customers do not know you offer a shuttle or after-hours drop-off, those services cannot influence their decision. Marketing your conveniences on your website, in your Google Business Profile, and at the counter is essential.
Telling customers about conveniences should happen at several points, not just once. The website and Google Business Profile reach people before they call. The phone conversation is a natural place for an advisor to mention shuttle service or early drop-off. Signs at the counter and a short line on the invoice remind returning customers. Follow-up texts and emails can highlight a convenience customers have not tried yet.
A useful exercise is to ask a few regular customers which of your conveniences they know about. The answers often reveal that even loyal customers are unaware of services that would make their lives easier.
Conveniences Do Not Have to Cost a Lot
Around the 20 minute mark, Geoff explains that conveniences do not cost a lot of money. Many involve process changes rather than spending: texting updates, offering flexible pickup, or calling before the promised time. Geoff references Jon Taffer’s Raise the Bar, which focuses on designing businesses around customer reactions.
ATI’s Quick Turnarounds, Happy Customers: 5 Essential Tips for Your Shop includes practical convenience ideas.
Many of the most appreciated conveniences come from changing habits, not buying equipment. Calling a customer before the promised time to give an update costs nothing but discipline. Offering to text a link for payment instead of requiring a trip inside is often a setting in existing software. Keeping the restroom spotless, having fresh coffee ready, and greeting people within seconds of arrival are low cost and highly noticeable.
When owners do spend money, it is worth asking which investment removes the biggest source of friction. A loaner car may matter more in a community without public transit, while extended hours may matter more in a commuter town.
Involve Your Team and Customers
Geoff and Kim discuss involving both employees and customers in identifying areas to improve. Employees see friction points every day. Customers can tell you what would make their lives easier. Asking both groups produces ideas the owner might never think of.
Employees are often the first to notice where customers get stuck. Advisors hear the same questions every day, and technicians know which jobs routinely run past the promised time. A short team meeting asking “What frustrates our customers most?” can generate a list of practical improvements in minutes.
Customers can contribute through quick surveys, review comments, or a simple question at pickup: “Is there anything we could do to make this easier next time?” Acting on that feedback, and telling customers you did, shows them their opinion matters.
Make Your Shop as Convenient as Possible
Geoff closes by encouraging owners to make their shops as convenient as they can. Every barrier removed is a reason for a customer to return and recommend you.
Common Convenience Mistakes
Some convenience efforts backfire because they are inconsistent. A shop that advertises after-hours pickup but forgets to leave the key in the drop box has created more frustration than if it had offered nothing at all. Every convenience you promise needs a clear owner and a reliable process behind it.
Other common mistakes include:
- Offering conveniences only to some customers, depending on which advisor they talk to.
- Letting online scheduling show times the shop cannot actually honor.
- Sending so many automated texts that customers start ignoring them.
- Making the waiting area comfortable but leaving the restroom neglected.
- Assuming customers will ask about a service instead of offering it.
What Convenience Looks Like at the Front Counter
Service advisors are where convenience becomes real for most customers. A convenient visit starts with a warm greeting and a quick, organized check-in. The advisor confirms the best way to reach the customer, asks how they will get to and from the shop, and offers options without making the customer ask. During the day, updates arrive before the customer wonders what is happening.
At pickup, the advisor has the paperwork ready, explains what was done in plain language, and mentions anything the customer should plan for at the next visit. Small touches, such as having the car pulled up front or the seat and mirrors returned to their original positions, reinforce that the shop respects the customer’s time.
Convenience Audit
- List every convenience your shop offers today.
- Check whether each one is mentioned on your website and Google Business Profile.
- Ask five customers what would make their visit easier.
- Remind your team where backstage ends and front stage begins.
For a related perspective, listen to You’re Not in the Car Business. You’re in the Relationship Business and Kim’s solo episode Everything Speaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conveniences should an auto repair shop offer customers?
Popular conveniences include online scheduling, text updates, digital inspections with photos, online approvals and payment, early drop-off and after-hours pickup, shuttle service, loaner vehicles or rideshare credits, and a clean waiting area with Wi-Fi. The best mix depends on your customers. Ask them what would make their visit easier, look at where your current process creates extra trips or calls, and start with the changes that remove the most friction.
How can I make my auto shop more convenient without spending a lot?
Focus on process changes first. Text updates before customers have to call, provide inspection photos so they can approve work remotely, honor promised times, and offer flexible drop-off and pickup. Keep the lobby and restroom spotless and greet every customer quickly. Most shop management systems already include texting and payment features that are underused. These habits cost little but make a strong impression and encourage repeat visits.
How do I let customers know about my shop’s conveniences?
List them clearly on your website and Google Business Profile, since many customers compare shops online before calling. Train advisors to mention relevant options on the phone and at check-in. Use counter signs, invoice notes, and follow-up messages as reminders. Review your listings regularly to make sure hours and services are accurate. Customers cannot choose you for a convenience they do not know exists.
What does backstage versus front stage mean in customer service?
Front stage is everything the customer sees and hears: the lobby, the counter, phone calls, and the vehicle at pickup. Backstage is the shop floor, the break room, and internal conversations. The idea, borrowed from theme parks and hospitality, is that backstage problems should stay backstage. Frustration, arguments, and clutter that spill into customer areas damage trust, even when the repair work itself is excellent.
Why does convenience matter so much in auto repair?
Most customers cannot easily judge the technical quality of a repair, but they can judge how easy the experience was. Car trouble already disrupts their day, so a shop that reduces stress through clear communication and flexible options stands out. Convenience builds loyalty and referrals, and it often influences which shop a customer chooses as much as price does. A smooth experience also makes customers more open to recommended maintenance.
Resources and Links From This Episode
- Book: Jon Taffer, Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reactions
Connect With the Guests
- Geoff: LinkedIn
