The Correct Way To Present A Diagnostic Fee To Your Customers

Still struggling with presenting diagnosis to your customers? On today's Drive By, Chris and Coach Christian answer not one, but two questions. They explain how to correctly mark up your dealer parts so that you make the most profit. It's a straightforward answer that will guarantee higher returns and higher pay checks. They also answer a question of the controversial diagnostic fee. This fee can sometimes infuriate a customer, but when you focus on making sure the customer understands what you're doing, it makes the fee so much easier to explain and will make the customer come back to you after gaining trust and ensuring control.
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Topics covered this episode:
Diagnostic fee
Present diagnosis
Present diagnostic fee
service advisor training
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[@UncensoredPatriotPodcast]

I have been in the Auto Industry for 35 years and have always charged a diagnostic fee....If a customer isn't committed enough to pay you to diagnose a problem then they are probably not a customer you want.

[@WAYNEROGERS54]

I AGREE!

[@almeadows5278]

I love the comparison to a doctor's office and have ben using that for years. If you miss a doc appt, some offices still charge you. Enough missed appts, and they drop you as a patient. If you're late, you don't get in. If a doc is running long with another patient, or gets called away, it affects everyone...same as a shop. So many variables that can be compared to a doc office, and most people understand those. They may not like them, but they understand them.

[@RICKRUBACK]

We don't use the word DIAGNOSIS. We tell the customer that we can have the tech pinpoint the root cause of the issue. Run a computer scan (MRI). Then we will present you with an estimate for the repair. The MRI & Techs time will be $150.00. How would you like me to contact you? Text, Email or a phone call. Offer our customer a complementary ride home. Works for us 95% of the time. If you use the word diagnosis the customer will come back with the auto parts store all ready told me what the issue is. We then tell the customer that they used a code reader that only tells the tech where to start looking. Our tech will pinpoint the issue.

[@Chriscollinsinc]

Definitely... we need to be better at explaining to the customers what's really going on so they understand the value of a master tech checking their car.

[@rage469]

We use the word track "testing and inspections " vs diagnostic fee due to the negative connotation related to that wording by the customer.

[@Chriscollinsinc]

That makes sense... there's definitely some baggage that comes along with "diagnostic fee"

[@thatdude2212]

Yep! We break it down into a "Test plan", levels 1, 2 or 3. We start with a 15 minute free lookover for anything obvious, past that, we need a commitment from the customer to move forward. Autozone plasters "FREE DIAGNOSTICS" all over the place referring to a code scan, which has absolutely ruined the term diagnostics. I've had a customer tell me that diag is worth basically nothing, blew my mind.

[@verbnounnumber6955]

I bet Chris could ruin a really good magic trick hahaha :) Thank you guys for the amazing advice and insight, I just started reading ISM, already starting to shake things up at my dealership

[@gerrygarcia8637]

Evaluation is a much better term. That's what we use

[@richardthomasmirabito4197]

I have told that Geese joke for decades and NO ONE gave the answer. He must have herd that joke before.

[@kathymay-qn2sx]

Our shop says root cause analysis

[@tping7508]

Montana isn’t heart of America and just so you know in Montana IT’s COLD 🥶

[@dakotabentley1632]

Did he just say ac can be effected by the evap

[@jessemedina4482]

evaporator stupid

[@danielackerman6487]

yes