Menu upselling, anyone?

[denverdetail]

So I've been considering doing a menu type laminated form to use in upselling detailing services. I'm thinking putting things like paint touch up, leather conditioning, engine degreasing, vinyl repair, clear bra's, ect. on it. Then after the initial walkaround, I would present the menu and say salesman stuff like "almost everyone goes with leather conditioning" or "paint touch up would really help protect your car from rust and it will improve the appearance" you know the regular mumbo jumbo. My thoughts are that if the client sees all these suggested options they may feel like they should go with at least one of them. And if at the very least the menu will make them aware of the varied services I offer.

Does anyone do this? What is your experience? Anyone with thoughtful ideas on the subject please reply.

The biggest reason I am considering this is not because I can't upsell but because my employees are lacking in this area. Though they do mostly wash and vacs and I do most of the detailing, I thought it would be an easy way for them to upsell and make customers aware of different services.

 

[central]

look at what jngrbrdman posted

here

looks like what your looking for with the change of things here and there. I know im changing a few things

 

[Mosca]

I've been selling for about 20 years now.

I'm pretty set in my ways. But, about a year and a half ago, I started using a menu to offer my products and services. Now, I've never been a high pressure salesperson; my style has always been one of talking, asking, and offering. What I found was that by combining this low keyed approach with a thorough menu presentation and explanation, my customers will buy far more than I could ever sell them.

I've found that you can't just lay it out there, but you can't push it either.

I've never sold detailing services, but if I did, I think I'd try it this way:

I'd think I'd do a walk around, point to things I see that I can take care of, prepare a menu from most expensive to least expensive offering 4 choices, and at the end ask, "Which do you feel is best for you?"

For example, the most expensive might be full interior and exterior, removing the chocolate stain, clean the engine, get the swirls and sap off the hood, and take out those two door dings; $225. Next, Interior and exterior, clean the engine, skip the dings, $165. Then, skip the steam clean, interior and exterior $129. and last, exterior only, $69.

What will happen will be most people pick option 3, interior/exterior, with a sizeable % going with the engine clean for only $35 more, and hardly anyone choosing #1 (too much $) and #4 (not enough cleaning). Whichever they pick, you should follow with, "Did you notice that for only $30 per ding I can get both of those out for you," or "for only $35 more we can get under the hood, you know." Whatever the customer responds to that, you say, "Great, authorize it right here," (if yes) or "No problem, maybe next time," (if no).

It sounds kind of stylized and rote when I write it down, but in practice you're offering top quality services, and it's a matter of what fits the customer, and the only way to find that out is to ask. It can be done formally with a pre-printed menu, or you can sketch it out with a piece of paper and a pencil on a clipboard. Once you're used to it, it becomes second nature. And then you can concentrate on the fun part, which is meeting new people and finding out about them. You simply assume that since they showed up at a detail shop they want to get their car detailed, you walk aroung it, ask questions, chit chat (every car has a story, don't it?), present the options, and make the appointment.

Yeah, I know there'll be lots of people who freak at the price or who have to ask the "imaginary other", or have any number of excuses, but selling is selling, always has been and always will be. Put it in a gentle framework where the customer is actively involved in choosing and you will get more jobs.

OK, tell me what's wrong, I can take it!


Tom

 

[EZ Boy]

It's simple really, people prefer to buy face to face when they feel like they have options (even if you are clever enough to guide them selectively to those options) and they like to read and quantify what they are buying. Lots of talk is quickly forgotten no matter how good your speel was. Don't believe me? Then how come you can never remember a really funny joke you just heard, but can remember word for word your favorite comic strip in the morning paper?