Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express
In our episode today:
We are diving into one of the most stressful moments in our profession, when a client declines a critical safety repair and your mechanical specialist is standing there saying "they can't drive that."
We wont be talking about winning the approval or being a better salesperson. Sometimes the client simply cannot or will not invest in the repair, no matter what you say. So what do you do next?
The answer isn't just in what you say to them, it's in how you document the situation. Most facilities either write defensive notes that sound like we're scared of getting sued, or we simply write: “declined” next to the thing you recommended.
I'll compare some bad documentation approaches with what professional documentation really looks like.
Listen and learn language that considers legality, maintains client relationships, and helps your team see you take their safety concerns seriously.
Learn to Document With A Three-Sentence Framework:
(Yes, by all means, use AI to help you with this!)
Sentence 1: What we found (technical, measurable)
Sentence 2: What it means (consequence without threat)
Sentence 3: What they chose (neutral, clear)
Our word of the day:
Dispassionate.
It means without emotion or bias.
Your documentation should be dispassionate. The facts, no drama, no defensiveness.
I hope this gives you language you can use the next time this difficult situation happens… and it will happen to the best of us.
Thanks for listening - and be sure to let me know if this helps!
Sincerely,
Craig O'Neill
speakup@craigoneill.net
Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:
The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.
AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.com
Shop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.
In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.
Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better.
Contact Information
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