How to Get More Repeat Customers (and Keep Them Coming Back)

Seeing a new customer walk through your shop's door is always exciting. But if that customer only comes in for a one-and-done service appointment, they don’t end up making much of a difference to the success of your business. What you need are loyal customers who keep coming back.



You may have heard it’s easier to keep a customer than attract a new one, but you still need the right strategies in place to create repeat customers. Discover how you can leverage your CRM and reputation management to keep customers coming back to your shop over and over again.

Why Retaining Your Current Customers Is Your Best Growth Strategy

Tons of work and money go into attracting new customers. You have to develop marketing strategies, pay for advertising, and cover technology costs. Once customers know and like your business, you don’t have to work as hard to get them back into your shop.

On average, retaining existing customers is five to seven times cheaper than acquiring new ones. Think of how much further you can stretch your marketing budget if you put more emphasis on retention. Spending less on marketing means your overall profit margin is higher and your business has a much better chance of long-term success.

You don’t have to abandon customer acquisition efforts, nor should you. Just pivot to focus more on your existing customer base, since that’s where you can typically get the most value from the time and money you invest in marketing.

Using A CRM To Turn One-Time Visits Into Lifelong Relationships

Customer retention starts with tracking your customers. If you don’t know who has purchased services, what they purchased, and when, you’ll have a hard time maintaining effective messaging.

Every auto body shop needs comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) software. This software will centralize your customer data, maintain a complete history of past visits, and consolidate all customer touchpoints into a single database.

In other words, your CRM will become your go-to tool for understanding and connecting with your customers. It’s the backbone of customer retention.

With the right CRM, you can take advantage of these applications to improve customer retention:

• Appointment reminders: The CRM will automatically send appointment confirmations and reminders to reduce no-shows and keep your bays full.
• Progress tracking: Send automated updates at key stages of the service process, such as when the car is ready for pickup.
• Automated follow-ups: Automatically send follow-ups a set period after the customer’s appointment to ensure they’re satisfied and request a review.
• Analytics: Track and analyze key metrics like retention rates, average repair order, and customer lifetime value.

Even for database management alone, a good CRM is a game-changer for auto body shops. When you add automation features, your CRM continually works to keep your customer relationships strong without adding more work.

Building Loyalty Through Great Reviews And Reputation Management

Don’t overlook the importance of customer reviews in both customer loyalty and customer acquisition. Customers are much more likely to trust and think highly of a business with plenty of positive reviews.

Even if a customer had a great experience at your shop, if they see many poor reviews or barely any reviews at all, they may doubt your ability to continually deliver great service. That’s why it’s so important to ask customers for reviews.

When collecting reviews, keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t wait: Customers are most likely to leave a review shortly after a successful appointment. Ask during the checkout process or in a follow-up message soon after.
• Make your request personal: If you’re asking for a review in an email or text message, personalize it with the customer’s name and appointment details. These personal touches make the customer feel more appreciated, increasing the odds they’ll write a review.
• Include a direct link: The easier it is for the customer to leave a review, the more likely they are to do it. Include a link to your Google Business Profile or other online listing in the message so they don’t have to search for you.
• Remove the pressure: Don’t overwhelm customers with review requests or directly encourage them to leave you a five-star review. Just ask for honesty.

Seeing customers who were happy with their experience at your shop will keep others coming back to you again and again.

Remember to respond to the reviews you receive, too, both good and bad. Responding to reviews shows customers you’re engaged and appreciative, encouraging others to leave reviews as well.

Fresh Promotion Ideas To Keep Your Shop Top-Of-Mind

Everyone loves a promotion. Share new promotions with your existing customers every once in a while to keep them thinking about your shop.

Use these auto repair promotion ideas for inspiration:

• Seasonal check-ups: Offer seasonal discounts, such as “Free Spring A/C check-ups,” to encourage customers to come back into the shop. 
• Referral bonuses: Tell customers they can earn a discount or free service for every new customer they refer to your business.
• Birthday club: Use your CRM and customer data to send customers a special birthday discount.
• Anniversary deals: On your shop's anniversary, run special promotions such as complimentary inspections.
• Pre-road trip readiness: In the summer, offer a discounted bundle that includes tire rotation, fluid top-off, and inspection so customers are ready for the heavy travel season.

Delivering Consistent Quality That Makes People Brag About You

Even with the best customer retention strategies, the number-one factor determining whether your first-time customers become loyal is the quality of your service. All the marketing in the world can't fix bad service.

But what makes a shop stand out in terms of quality?

Clearly, it’s important to do great work on the vehicles—but that’s not all. Make sure your shop is clean, too. Customers won’t want to come back to a dirty, uninviting shop.

Focus on transparent communication throughout the service process. Being transparent helps customers trust you, and they’re much more likely to return to a business they trust.

Winning Back Inactive Customers With Heart And Community Focus

If you’re not focusing on engaging your existing customers, you’re missing out on huge opportunities.

Re-engage old customers with personalized messages using your CRM. Don’t assume customers or leads are lost just because they haven’t come in recently. They may have simply forgotten about your business since their appointments, and a reminder is all they need.

Stay involved in the community, too, so customers are reminded of your business and see how much you care.

The right customer engagement strategy makes all the difference to your business's success. Optimize Digital Marketing is here to help you craft that customized strategy and put it into action. Contact us today to get started.