Smashing!
Analyzing my consumer journey in the world of auto glass repair.
One of my car’s windows was smashed out recently. What a perfect opportunity to put on my marketing hat and take notes on my customer journey, from finding a repair shop to having the glass replaced!
Unfortunately, I seem to be a magnet for window-smashing. This is (I think) the 5th instance in my life I’ve fallen victim to car vandalism. No, there wasn’t anything tempting in view—I learned that lesson the first couple of times (dang detachable stereo faces that I forgot to detach).
In fact, I advertise that there’s nothing of value in my car by opening the center console to show it is empty. What is visible is limited to sunscreen (apply daily!), reusable shopping bags, and a tire gauge.
Sadly, this appeared to be someone out smashing windows for kicks as not even my glovebox was riffled through. (They totally missed out on some really great-smelling hand sanitizer in there 🤷🏼♀️).
Catching Feelings
All of this is to say, it was definitely not my first rodeo within auto glass repair. However, I still had strong feelings of initial shock as well as anxiety over how quickly it could get fixed. The month of March is still the rainy season in Oregon, and that day was no exception. To top it off, my plans for the day were shattered. (Had to get at least one pun in here).
This is a marketing blog, so what’s up with talking about my feelings? A lot’s up with that, but I’ll let you ponder it for a bit.
Big National Chain was a Big Mixed Bag
After seeing the damage, I turned around and headed back inside to gather plastic and tape to cover the opening and to also quickly schedule a repair online. “Quickly”… ha. What can I say? I’m an optimist.
I Googled “car glass repair” and the first result was a well-known national chain where I’ve gone in the past. Happy with the previous experience, I clicked through to their website. It was a mixed bag:
Pro: Can request an immediate quote online.
Con: Homepage mentioned remote service, but after entering my ZIP, it said it wasn’t offered in my area (odd).
~~~
Pro: Can schedule an appointment online.
Con: The website showed a time the next day, but then froze and I couldn’t choose the time slot.
Pro: Live chat, even on a Sunday, to help troubleshoot this issue.
~~~
Pro: Live chat gave a direct number to a real person to schedule an appointment on the phone.
Con: The mysterious appointment showing next day online didn’t exist and they were booked almost two weeks out. 😩
Con: The rep on the phone gave a higher quote than what the website did, and she couldn’t figure out why.
Needless to say, Big National Chain did not get my business. I know they’re often a preferred partner of insurance companies, which explains the long wait to get in. But wow, 12 days is too long for me to sport a garbage bag “window” in the Portland rain.
🚨 Missed Empathy Opportunity 🚨
Remember all those feelings I noted earlier? Stress, shock, anxiety? When someone is calling to get auto glass repaired, usually SOMETHING has happened. An accident, a break-in, vandalism. Something not cheerful.
Now, if I were to consult with Big National Chain (or any similar business), I’d point out what a perfect time these initial touch points with consumers are to flex your empathy muscles. Add some copy to your website and special phrasing to customer service scripts to ask if the person is OK. Give the customer some room to vent. Or simply acknowledge that something unpleasant must have recently occurred. Showing some human connection when the customer is feeling vulnerable, upset, and unsure can do wonders.
I actually interrupted the rep on the phone when I felt myself getting impatient about her quote not lining up with what their site provided. “I’m sorry,” I said, “Can we figure the pricing out later? I want to get this scheduled and go back outside. I just saw that this happened. I’m stressed out and it’s raining, so I need to get my window covered.”
I scheduled the appointment even though it was too far out, because, who knows? Maybe all the other shops were backed up, too. I intended to find out, but first…
There’s a new business idea behind every problem
The next step was a poor attempt to cover the opening with too-small trash bags and duct tape. By the way, it’s really hard to do this without help to hold the bags down as they flap in the wind, and not even duct tape sticks well to wet surfaces.
Besides thinking, “Why is this so difficult for me to do?” and mourning my washed-away Sunday brunch plans, I started dreaming up—what else—a new business idea. Whenever you find a problem you can find a new business idea to solve it. (I told you I’m an optimist 😄).
Free business idea you can steal:
The EmergenSEE Window Covering Kit: Consists of a strong, clear plastic wrap that keeps out the elements AND is transparent so your vision is not impaired by opaque plastic while driving.
With a slip-cover design, it can easily fit over the door frame and then be held in place on the bottom by a drawstring or large elastic band (also provided), so there is no tape residue and no worries about adhering to wet surfaces.
Or, perhaps it’s simply some shrink wrap similar to what home movers use, which, I realized afterwards, I had a big spool of in my coat closet.
This could be part of an emergency kit kept in the car at all times. I’m serious, please, make this a thing that I can buy. But I digress…
Google me this, local SEO
With my dumpster fire execution of a window covering finished, I went back inside to find another option for repair. I searched for “auto glass repair near me” because I know all about Google’s local SEO features, and I love them.
If you or someone you are fond of has a small local business with a physical location or that travels to customers’ locations, it is a travesty if that business is not utilizing Google Business Profile. (Formerly “Google My Business” for SEO old-timers like me).
Several businesses popped up in my online search, along with customer reviews. This allowed me to narrow down three places to contact, because yes, I rely on reputation signaling in the form of real experiences from my fellow citizens, and so do many, many other consumers.
Rundown of the three local repair shops I contacted:
Business #1: No one answered the phone. I filled out an online form for a quote. Didn’t hear back until about 24 hours later, when they sent a bare bones email with a price. No call to action, no phone call. Too little, too late for this business. Fail.
Business #2: No one answered the phone. I filled out an online form for a quote and received a call in under an hour, but even an hour was too late, because I went on to call Business #3 in the meantime.
Business #3: They listed two numbers to call, so I picked one and called it. A real human answered (on a Sunday!) and gave me a quote on the spot. They could also come out the next day. The price beat Big National Chain by a decent amount, and the timing was great. I scheduled an appointment.
Never let customers come to their own conclusions if you can influence them first!
The next day, I anxiously awaited the repair. While my sad window covering was still intact from the night before, it was supposed to rain even harder later that day.
The repair guy said he’d arrive between 11am and noon, and when no one showed up or called, I thought two different things: 1) He’s stopping for lunch—good, please do. 2) He’s not going to show.
You never want your customers to come to their own conclusions if you can help mold their experience in your favor! A simple call or text from him saying he was running late would have been perfectly fine.
And simply running late was indeed the case. He showed up at 1pm, and all was well.
…well, it could have been better. He drove an unmarked van, so I wasn’t sure if it was even him. Again, I get it—small business, limited budget. But if you’re going to splurge on some form of advertising, PLEASE let it be your business name on the side of your van!
Don’t forget the post sales funnel customer experience
The rest was uneventful. He did a good job and finished just as the rain picked up again.
I don’t necessarily expect a follow-up from this type of one-and-done business for post sales funnel engagement (AKA building customer advocates, generating repeat business, and other related interactions after the sale).
However, if I were to advise him or a similar business, I’d suggest at the very least handing me a card with (or emailing) contact info in case of issues with the installation.
Ideally, it would include an ask to give the business a good review on Google, Yelp, and similar sites.
What did we learn from my broken car window?
Catch feelings for your customer. Understand their emotional state and show them empathy.
Please make sure your website works and that it matches what a customer service rep says.
There’s a hidden business idea behind every problem, even the small ones! Not sure what problems your customer is facing? Observe or ask.
Use local SEO tactics to make your small business visible. This is free!
Know what the deal-clincher is, and anticipate it. It’s not always price. There’s something to be said for timing (in this case), or any other number of factors.
Proactively influence the customer before they come to their own (potentially negative) conclusions.
Signage works!
Offer some form of post-sale engagement, even if it’s just your contact information for questions.
In closing, may you always wear your analytical marketing hat in life throughout, and may your car windows never be broken out,
~ Andrea