Engaging Our Clients in Need With Helen Fradette [E058] - Speak Up! Effective Communication

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express

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In our episode today-

I welcome to the podcast my friend Helen Fradette, the newly elected Club President for Grand Rapids Toastmasters, club 404.

As listeners know - one of my favorite things about my weekly participation in club 404 -is that the club is NOT composed of automotive professionals, just a great group of professionals from all walks of life.

This means they have wide and varied perspectives and opinions that I regularly have an opportunity to listen to - and today you will get to listen to one of those voices!

Helen is an IT Security expert, but today she will be sharing a story about a very challenging time in her life - when she was a single mom - couldn’t afford a vehicle… and how things felt when the one that was graciously gifted to her wound up needing repairs.

As I listened to Helen - it was clear to me that most people walking in our shops that need help - may never voice it - and creating the right kind of environment where people feel safe to communicate real needs might be better considered as a proactive approach vs a reactive one.  There is an opportunity for our industry to improve the way we can serve - and communicate our desire to do so.

Another Story Helen shared was more common - a circumstance where a shop didn’t provide clear details on a repair that was needed - and resulted in inquiries not to the shop, but to trusted friends, which resulted in no authorized repair. 

These types of scenarios play out daily across the country. 

I too often- and you might hear this in my conversation with Helen -  become very curious about the car in the story.

You may also notice that Helen, in our conversation, was less focused about the details related to the car.

This was an enjoyable and meaningful conversation - 

If I can encourage one thing from this chat - it would be to encourage shops to see themselves as partners in life circumstances, not just vehicle mechanics.

The WOTD was fitting for this:

-  “Solicitude” (noun)

Meaning: care or concern for someone’s well-being.

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:

The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.

AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.com

Shop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.

In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.

Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better....