Attracting customers is a big part of the job when you own or operate a quick lube business. And it can be challenging to keep customers coming to your business repeatedly. One way you can attract steady work for your shop is by targeting commercial fleet customers. These customers typically have numerous vehicles they use for their business that require regular repairs and maintenance. So, if you sign up a fleet account, you’ll get steady work servicing multiple fleet vehicles regularly. But how do you attract fleet customers? As a fuel and lubricant supplier, we’ve worked with many quick lube shops and learned a few things. Here are some of our tips for bringing fleet accounts to your shop.
Focus on quality
Many quick lube shop owners believe that to sign up a fleet customer they need to offer steep discounts on their services. So, they offer contracts with thin profit margins to fleet customers in the hopes of increasing their profits down the road by servicing more vehicles. This method may help you attract some fleet customers, but it may not help your business grow. Instead, focus on offering fair pricing for quality work. Remember, the idea with a fleet account is to keep them coming back repeatedly. A one-time discount isn’t going to do that, but quality work and reliability will.
Keep it fast
Speed is an important consideration for fleet customers. Fleet vehicles are essential to a business’s profit and productivity, so taking them off the road for routine service and maintenance is a hassle. Quick lube shops are uniquely designed for fast turnaround times, which can be a significant selling point for fleet customers who want to keep their vehicles on the road. There are a lot of different tools that can help you keep things fast for fleet customers without sacrificing quality. David Wade, National Sales Manager at Valvoline and Chad Snyder, director of commercial fleet solutions at Valvoline, shared in an NOLN article how the Valvoline proprietary POS system aims to get fleet customers taken care of within 15 to 20 minutes. As Snyder says, “A big selling pitch for us when we go in is what is an hour of your time in that vehicle worth? And a lot of [fleet managers] know immediately…so, from there, we can say, using our method and VIOC, then you can see this much profitability to your business by time saved.” Wade continues and describes how the Valvoline proprietary POS system makes tracking the needs of fleet clients and individual fleet vehicles easier. With this system, the technician follows prompts based on the vehicle and overall fleet needs. It allows technicians to focus on quality service by concentrating on individual steps instead of a whole process.
Nurture relationships
One of the most important considerations with fleet customers is to focus on nurturing your relationships with the fleet company. For many quick lube shops, customer interactions are brief. A driver pulls up, the shop provides the service, and the driver leaves until the next time they require an oil change or another service. Technicians have a tiny window of time to demonstrate their customer service.
But with fleet customers, you must nurture a relationship with the company because they come in often. Your goal should be with a fleet customer to repeatedly service all their vehicles. As Chad Synder outlines, with fleet accounts, you may only start initially servicing 5% of their fleet. But your goal should be to eventually become a trusted partner so that you ultimately service the other 95% of the fleet. As Synder says, “We’re looking for deeper penetration into [fleet accounts], whereas consumers, you’re only dealing with a small number of vehicles per family.”
Focus on the fleet’s needs
Building a relationship with a fleet customer isn’t just about delivering quality service at a competitive price. It’s about developing a reputation for quality work that focuses on the fleet’s needs. For example, the service needs of a fleet of vehicles for a lawn care business are radically different from those of a limo business. The lawn care business’s fleet likely includes trucks and larger vehicles used outdoors for hauling and other heavy-duty work. They would require maintenance servicing that took that type of work into account.
In comparison, a limo company needs to know that their vehicles can reliably take clients from point A to B in a state of comfort and luxury. By considering how fleet vehicles are used and tailoring your service approach to those needs, you will be able to demonstrate to fleet customers your technical skills. It’s a great way to nurture a long-term fleet account.
Make it work to your advantage
One advantage for your shop with a fleet account is that you can use these service calls to tune up your procedures and processes with your employees. For example, if you service a fleet account that regularly requires the same type of maintenance for each vehicle. In this case, you can use that steady work for training employees or improving processes. You don’t have to wait and hope a customer will come in with a service issue to meet your training needs. With the steady work from fleet customers, you can help your employees improve their work so they can get faster and be more efficient.
Keep a well-stocked shop
Another way you can attract fleet customers is by keeping your shop stocked with various lubricants and automotive fluids. Keeping a large selection of lubricant products in your shop to suit multiple vehicle needs allows you to service a broader range of vehicles like the kind you’d see in a fleet account. Our Greg’s Petroleum Service team can help you get your shop fully stocked with everything you need. We offer a wide selection of lubricants, automotive fluids, and any other shop supplies you may require.
Offer additional services
Signing up a fleet for services at your quick lube shop doesn’t just have to be for regular oil changes. You can offer a comprehensive service package with routine maintenance issues like changing filters, transmission flushes, brake checks, or even wheel service. If you have the equipment and skills to do the work, you can offer expanded service options to your fleet customers. Not only will this incentivize the customer to continue returning, but it can also make a fleet account more profitable for your shop!
Attract fleet customers with an excellent reputation
Signing up fleet customers can be challenging, but it’s a great way to bring in consistent business for a quick lube shop. These tips can help you service your fleet accounts and develop a reputation for reliability and fast work. Remember, your reputation as a shop brings customers back for more service. With fleet accounts, your reputation matters more than ever because these accounts bring in more business. So, remember, offer your fleet customers your best service, and you’ll keep them happy and coming back again and again! For more quick lube branding tips, contact us today!