Auto Hospitality: Turning Phone Calls Into Lifetime Customers with Husein Grabic [E222]

Thanks to our Partner, AppFueled

What if the problem with your marketing isn’t your marketing?

What if the phones are actually ringing, but your service advisors are letting the opportunities walk right back out the door?

That’s one of the big ideas we dig into with Husein Grabic, who is doing some pretty unconventional things at his three auto repair shops. Hussein is listening to new-customer phone calls, identifying the objections that are costing his shops business, training his service advisors with mock “ring ring” calls, and pushing his teams well outside their comfort zones.

And the results are pretty tough to argue with.

One of his shops went from about 220 cars a month to 330 in a single month, while another went from roughly 100 cars and $60,000–$70,000 in monthly revenue to 180 cars and $126,000. We also get into free inspections, price objections, appointment-setting, active deliveries, reviews, customer retention, and what Hussein calls “auto hospitality.”

Some of this will probably make you uncomfortable. Good.

If you’re a shop owner who wants to get more out of the marketing dollars you’re already spending, this conversation is packed with ideas worth testing in your own shop.

Listen to the full episode and see what happens when you stop assuming your team is doing everything right and start listening to what’s actually happening on the phones.

Show Notes with Timestamps

Introduction to Husein Grabic (00:00:19) The hosts introduce their guest, Husein Grabic, who manages multiple auto care shops and implements innovative marketing and service strategies.The Importance of Listening to Phone Calls (00:02:29) Husein explains his practice of listening to every new customer phone call to identify and overcome common objections like price.The Free Inspection Strategy (00:04:44) Discussion on the controversial but effective strategy of offering free inspections to get new customers through the door and increase volume.Auto Hospitality and Its Influences (00:06:22) Husein coins the term "auto hospitality" and credits industry leaders like Todd Hayes and Aaron Stokes for influencing his approach.Overcoming Team Resistance (00:08:56) Husein shares how he proved the value of his new strategies to a hesitant team, resulting in significant growth.Pushing the Team's Limits (00:10:10) A story about intentionally overloading a shop with appointments to show the team their true capacity and boost their confidence.High-Energy Phone Calls and "Ring Ring" Train