For truck drivers, time off the road means lost income. So when their truck breaks down they need someone who can get them moving again quickly. They also need someone reputable who they can trust with their valuable vehicle. So how does your heavy-duty truck repair or semi-truck tow shop increase your callouts and become the number one choice of truckers? The most successful businesses win customers by doing these five things:
1. Share Your Knowledge and Experience
A trucker stuck on the side of the road is most likely going to do an internet search for a repair or tow company nearby. Make your listing stand out by sharing information online about your well-established company, qualifications, and reliability. You want the trucker to see in a glance that you are a business they can trust.
Pro Tip: You can share your years of experience in the industry, membership in any local or national associations such as the TRAA, special certifications, and awards. Don’t forget to include testimonials from happy customers!
2. Show Off Pictures of Your Equipment
Being a heavy-duty repair and tow business owner is not something just anyone can do — it takes the right kind of equipment and experience to get a big rig back on the road. Post pictures of your equipment like mobile repair trucks, specialized tools, or your rotator tow truck. Share those pictures on your website, Google My Business, and Facebook pages so potential new customers can know at a glance that you have what it takes to get their job done.
Pro Tip: Consider including action shots of roadside repairs or towing activity to further enhance your capabilities and experience.
3. Have a Solid Reputation
Having a good reputation and being well-known in your area as a dependable service provider is an excellent way to increase your callouts. Great reviews on the internet can help you attract even more new customers — Facebook, Yelp, and Google are the most popular platforms for customer reviews and are easy to find when a potential customer searches the internet.
Pro Tip: Immediately after you finish helping a satisfied customer, ask them to write a review for you. You can text or email them a link to your Facebook, Yelp, or Google Business page to make it easy for them to leave a review. Another way to grow your reputation is to share tow truck business advice in professional forums within the industry.
4. Leverage Technology to Accept Payments Instantly
Your team needs to focus on getting your customer back on the road quickly. Payments technology, like RoadSync Checkout, can eliminate the hassles of payment transactions, including reducing paper and saving time. Trucker payments come in many forms such as fleet checks, credit cards, cash, and more. Each payment type has its benefits and frustrations, but with RoadSync Checkout, your technician can accept all these payments quickly while roadside.
Pro Tip: Before your technician leaves the shop, ensure that you have clearly communicated your service rates with a Work Order Authorization. RoadSync Checkout’s Work Order Authorization allows you to disclose your service rates, callout fees, and more to your customers before work begins. An approved Work Order Authorization can protect you if there are any cost disputes or chargeback attempts in the future.
5. Always Be Professional
This may be last on our list, but it should be the top priority. From hello on the phone to goodbye roadside, make sure that you are treating your customers with respect. Your customer is under pressure and stress while their vehicle is off the road, so make sure to empathize and do your best to put them at ease. Professionalism is an important quality for increasing your callouts.
Wrap Up
Whether you are trying to grow your truck repair business or pick up more tow jobs, increase your callouts and make your business the #1 choice for truckers with these five tips:
- Share your knowledge and expertise
- Share pictures of your equipment and shop
- Have a solid reputation
- Leverage technology to accept payments instantly
- Always be professional
Ready to start building your online presence? Make sure to check out How to Create Your Business Facebook Page.
