Working with both our commercial customers and our retail customers has taught us a lot about people and what they expect from us. In business, trust can be the difference between making money and failing miserably. If our customers can’t trust us and the parts we provide then no one wins. It takes a lot to build trust when we make a sale, the tone of our voice, delivery time, condition of the part and problem resolution all play into what makes our customers trust what we do.

Whether your shop is 30 years old or 30 days old, you’ve probably got something on your wall to build trust with your customers. A diploma, ASE certificate, Better Business Bureau sign, Association acknowledgments, maybe even magazine articles. Whatever it is the purpose is to build trust between you and your customer. Often times when a consumer needs a repair done to their car it can be a stressful and intimidating experience. Our job as parts sellers, mechanics, sales people, or body guys is to lessen the stress and intimidation of having service done.

Look at those signs and certifications you have plastered all over the wall. What are they saying to your customers? Are they doing anything to give the customer piece of mind? Accreditation and acknowledgement of your shops achievements is always important but you may be missing the boat on a huge trust building opportunity. Offer your customer something they can relate to. Create a MONEY BACK policy and display it proudly in your show room.

You’re only as good as your word in business and offering a Money Back Guarantee policy can do wonders to back up the high service level you’re already providing. Use the word MONEY and the dollar sign $$, these are things people can relate to. A satisfaction guarantee is good but a MONEY $$ BACK $$ GUARANTEE is better. Create a policy that makes sense to your business, a policy that you won’t lose your shirt on if you have to deliver on it. Having a money back guarantee will comfort a potential customer and makes it easier for them to trust you with their hard earned cash.

Money Back is a scary phrase for a business owner but it’s a risk worth taking. Remember nothing is permanent and trying out a Money Back Guarantee is well worth the risk. If it doesn’t work for you then you can modify it or stop doing it all together. As technology and social media grows, people are becoming more and more comfortable sharing the experiences they’ve had at local businesses. Concentrating on the total package your offering your customers is more important than ever.