What Is Your Brand?

AS AN INDIVIDUAL, YOUR BRAND IS YOUR ACTIONS. It is defined by what you say and how you express yourself. How you dress and present yourself can also tell others who you are. As a shop owner or service technician, your brand is defined by your ASE certifications, your technical skill level, and your experience.

As a repair shop or business, branding is similar but has more spokes in the wheel. A shop’s brand is defined by its reputation, Google reviews, and how the phone is answered. Additionally, it is dependent on the customer’s first impression of the facility and its employees, i.e., the age and condition of the vehicles in the parking lot.

Price also plays a huge factor in the branding of your shop. As technicians, we associate lesser-cost parts and tools with lesser quality. This is usually true. For example, when it comes to wristwatches or hamburgers, you get what you pay for, correct? However, this is not always true for repair shops because some shop owners feel customers do business based solely on price.

As a skilled labor retailer, I prefer to uphold my brand as premium. I take pride in the curb appeal: the marketing, training, certification, and appearance of our staff. I avoid being branded as the cheapest option. By doing this, I get a better quality of customer. I do not just price my jobs based on what others are charging, I price my work according to my costs, expenses, and ROI desired. Often, the retail price comes in higher than the shops down the street. Is that bad? No, because if a customer comes to an automotive shop solely based on price, that voids all the good things the shop’s brand stands for.

I am not telling you to increase your job prices. Instead, I encourage you to elevate your brand by becoming a better business. You can better your business by offering a better customer experience, and by making sure your facility is on point. If your staff is happy, they’ll treat customers great.

Do business based on your numbers, not based on what the other guys are charging. Focus on what you want your shop to be known for. Elevate your brand by showing your technicians and customers that you care. The best shops are not defined by how much money they make; rather, they are defined by the positive experience they provide. Customers want to know that they can trust their shops. Building a better brand will attract people that will create positive experiences for you and your shop.

TIM DAVISON
President