The Benefits to Offering Loaner Cars to Clients During Your Career in Auto Body Repair

Whether you work in a dealership, repair shop, or other auto body location, you will inevitably encounter a situation where a client needs a car while theirs is being repaired. Many repair locations will offer a “loaner” car in this situation, typically provided until the customer’s car is roadworthy again. However, this is far from an industry standard, and many shops balk at the cost and maintenance involved in keeping additional vehicles available for customer use. Nonetheless, this approach can build major goodwill and business benefits for auto professionals during their career. Here’s how.

A Career in Auto Body Repair Will Show You That Loaner Cars Act as a Big Plus for Customers

Legally speaking, the Automobile Protection Agency has clarified that there is no requirement in place for Canadian car dealers or auto repair shops to lend out cars to clients. As a result, graduates of auto body schools in BC and all over Canada don’t have to offer loaner cars to clients. However, customers have busy and demanding lives, and the loss of a vehicle can be difficult for many, with possible professional or personal consequences.

Being able to turn to a customer and provide that lifeline can be majorly appreciated. Creating a quick and painless process for getting the car loaned and the client back on the road again will also go a long way towards customer satisfaction. Usually this can be accomplished by creating a straightforward conditions form, and quickly seeing the customer’s driver’s license and proof of insurance.

Anyone with a career in auto body repair will recognize that the provision of loaner cars in many auto shops nowadays is a testament to the effect they can have on positive reviews, referrals, and repeat business. An added extra touch—such as providing a navigation system for an out-of-town client—will really push customer satisfaction to the max.

Pros with a Career in Auto Body Repair Will Find that Loaners Really Help Client Relations

Given the number of high profile recalls that have occurred over recent years, it’s not surprising that apologetic dealerships will do their best to offer loaner cars to owners during a recall.

However, those who have started auto body training may already know that blanket offers of loaner cars are rare when recalls are issued, especially when it comes to recalls that affect the structural integrity of a vehicle. Having loaners standing by in such a scenario will go a considerable way to rebuilding goodwill and convincing owners that the dealership has clients’ wellbeing at heart, helping these dealerships stem the reputation damage a recall can create.

Offering Loaner Cars Can Be Done With Far Less Risk and Fuel Costs Nowadays

In the past, the operation of loaner car programs could be filled full of difficulties, especially when getting started. Once the issue of finding the optimum number and types of vehicles to suit a business was worked out, the auto body shop would need to ensure that fuel used in the cars was being sufficiently paid for, while also keeping on top of those cars that were being held onto for too long by clients.

Today, better data availability and digital records assist auto body locations in initially establishing how many loaner cars they’ll need. Additionally, solutions are readily available that put temporary gas-money holds on clients’ credit cards, which helps in reducing costs and the use of employee time all by eliminating billing after a low fuel level is discovered. Finally, the option of using GPS tracking for loaner cars gives service locations an option to turn to when loaner cars don’t come back. These measures help minimize the downsides of providing loaner cars, allowing industry professionals to draw in more customers during their careers.

Do you want to build a rewarding career helping people every day?

Contact Automotive Training Centres to get the auto body repair career information you need to get started.