Consumers are going back to the old fashioned ‘Mom and Pop’ body shops because there is just something about working with the owner and also the very person that will be working on their vehicle. In a world of automation and very little use for the human touch, it’s refreshing when you get it and are able to negotiate for the end price with someone that understands what you are saying and that you can understand what they are saying.
- How Much is Your Overhead?-Smart consumers want to know this kind of information. They want to know how much of that cost is passed onto them using your services. It’s a fair question and one that you can answer quite easily. If you are like most PDR Technicians, you are providing your services from your vehicle. You can go to wherever they are, even at work, and remove an “Uh-Oh” dent that the customer may have gotten on their way to work. Those darn parking lot poles. Many of the body shops charge a per hour labor charge that starts at $40 and could go up to $100 or more, depending on where their shop is located. Your large body Shops that are having to pay the entire Reception staff that never actually work on the car will be considerably higher than a PDR Technician that only pays himself. It’s true though that there are a few or maybe even half, that find comfort in all of these extra expenses, the young adults of today are only interested on what kind of a deal they got and how fast the work can be done. Bottom line trumps paying more for office staff. Finally, high end body shops have an estimate book that they follow. They will round up and add fees that are non-existent rather than go with their gut feelings and only charge for the job at hand. A customer may get charged for removing the hood and the door, when in fact, they won’t need to remove them at all. Be fair and quote honestly and with integrity.