Repairing a car is like a lot of things. Rebuilding and repairing takes time and patience. It involves a lot of little steps that all have to be done in the correct way, otherwise, you could make a mistake that causes you to to start over again. One small mistake can make all the difference between getting the customer's car back on the road or having to deal with a very angry customer. To run a successful service department, you have to be prepared and committed to building a strong foundation and paying attention to the details. We've come up with several things that repairing a car is like. Do any sound familiar?
…a good friendship.
You spend hours together, you get to know each other really well, and you learn how to communicate in a way that makes it work. But sometimes, you need to go through some tough times together before you can get back to the good stuff.
When you're with someone who's truly special to you, it's easy to overlook the small things—like how much time they spend texting or talking about their exes—because you're so focused on the big picture: You love them and want them in your life! That's what makes repairing a car so much like a great friendship: You have to be able to see past the little annoyances and focus on what matters most—getting back out on the road or road trip-ready as soon as possible!
When it comes down to it, repairing a car is like any other kind of relationship: It takes work and dedication from both parties. And when it works out? Well... there's no better feeling than getting back on the road again.
…Your favorite relationship. It takes commitment!
You know, the one you've been in for years? You love them, but they're not exactly easy to live with. They're always breaking down and making you late for things, and they're not always reliable when you need them most. But still… you love them. And when they're running smoothly and looking good? Well, that's just a dream come true.
That's what I see when I look at your business: a commitment to quality service and parts that will last a lifetime—or at least as long as it takes to get their car back up on the road again.
In my mind's eye, I see your customers as the people who are willing to make that commitment—the ones who want to be there for their cars for the long haul because they know how much better life is when everything is working smoothly together (and why wouldn't it be?). The ones who get excited about new technology because it means more options for keeping their cars running well beyond their original expectations of lifespan. The ones who want to invest in something that will provide value over time rather than just buy whatever
…building a house of cards.
When you're repairing a car, it's important to have a solid foundation. That's why we start with the basics: getting your car in for an oil change, and making sure that any other problems are addressed before they become serious issues. If you don't have solid foundations, you won't be able to build anything on top of them.
Once you have your foundation down, it's time to start building! The most important thing here is consistency—you can't just go off half-cocked and start putting up walls on one day and then take them down the next. Your customers need to know that when they come back tomorrow, their situation will be exactly what they left it yesterday: better than before! You want them to feel secure in their decision to invest in your business.
…your favorite childhood game.
If you grew up in the 80s, your favorite game was probably Chutes and Ladders or Candy Land. But if you were born in the early 2000s, it was probably Club Penguin or Animal Crossing.
Whether you were an old-school gamer or an early adopter of technology, we all have a game that we played over and over again when we were kids—and not just because our parents told us to. The games we played as kids are ingrained into our brains as part of who we are today, and they've shaped how we view the world around us.
Well, repairing cars is kind of like that! It's hard work—sometimes frustrating, sometimes boring—but it has its own special rhythm and cadence that makes it unique from any other job out there. You might not always feel like you're having fun while you're doing it (you should), but when it's done right? Well...that's when things really start getting good!
…hiking in the mountains.
When you're the Service Manager at a car dealership, it's not easy to find the time. It's even harder when you're trying to fix a car that is breaking down mid-day. So when you hear the phone ring with a customer who just wants their car fixed, but it's already three in the afternoon… what do you do?
You make sure your team is ready. You check on their schedule and make sure they have time for lunch and coffee before heading out to the garage. You call around and find out exactly how much work needs to be done so that you can give your customers an accurate estimate of the cost. Then you get started on the repair.
It takes about a couple of hours to do each job at a dealership—that's why people come back every year! But it doesn't take long to realize that fixing cars is like hiking in the mountains: It's rewarding, but also exhausting and difficult.
…your favorite game show.
You have to be nimble, quick-witted and have the ability to roll with the punches. You have to be able to think on your feet and also know when to call in the experts for help. It's about being prepared for anything that can happen, but still being flexible enough to deal with any situation that comes up. It's about knowing how to react quickly when things go wrong, but also having a plan in place if they go right.
When you're managing a service department or parts counter, it's not just about fixing cars—you're dealing with people's livelihoods! You need to be able to juggle all sorts of situations that come up.
...eating your favorite meal.
Car repair isn't always fun, but when it is, it's like eating your favorite meal.
The best car repair is like eating the best food: it's not just satisfying, it's delicious and memorable. You feel great after you're done and are excited to tell your friends about it. In fact, you might even want to go back for more!
But then there's other car repair—the kind that makes you cringe. It's hard to stomach, takes way too long and leaves you feeling like you need a shower afterward. It makes you wonder if maybe it was all worth it in the end or if there was any point to going through with it at all.
So how do you make sure that every repair is delicious? How do you ensure that each one leaves your customers feeling good about their experience? It all comes down to finding the right team to work with—the one who will treat your customers as well as they would treat themselves or their family members. And if they're going to treat them as family members, why wouldn't they want them coming back again and again?
Everyone has their own way of doing things!
In the car repair and service industry, we've noticed that there are a lot of different ways to do things. Each shop owner has their own unique way of running their shop, and each technician has their own unique way of fixing cars.
And we think this is great! Every shop should be able to set up the way they want to run their business because no two shops are alike. And even though we have different ways of doing things, the bottom line is that we're all trying to do one thing: make our customers happy with their experience with us.
At Quickride, we know that everyone has their own way of doing things, which is why we’ve created a platform that allows you to be exactly who you are. Whether you’re a small-town service shop or a leading brand with hundreds of locations across the country, our platform will fit into your existing processes as seamlessly as possible while helping you reach new heights in customer satisfaction.