How to make money on batteries in the workshop

30.06.2022

Although the mechanic’s workshop is increasingly the place to replace the battery, there are still many customers who replace them themselves or at battery retailers. In the following text, we will show how to take advantage of the potential offered by using the right approach and tools, and thus earn more from the sale of batteries and related services.

Replacing the battery

Despite the advancement of modern vehicles, the classic lead-acid battery is still in use. Regardless of the improvements, its lifespan is limited and needs to be replaced after a certain period. Usually the first symptom is a starting problem. The phenomenon intensifies with the arrival of frosts, which traditionally provide sellers with customers . With the availability of testing tools, the standard is that the customer receives a battery whose condition is confirmed by a printout from the tester.

Replacement in a workshop makes sense

Although replacing the battery yourself, especially in older cars, is as possible, newer designs often require additional maintenance, such as calling up the appropriate procedure in a diagnostic tester or maintaining the voltage during replacement. Customers are slowly becoming convinced of the benefits of workshop replacement. Many people always entrust such issues to professionals for convenience. Drivers leave the old battery, the service technician advises on the choice of a new one, and the visit ends with a free battery test.

Are batteries less durable than they used to be?

It is not uncommon that replacing the battery does not solve the problem, and the customer returns to the dealership with a complaint after less than a year. Usually, it turns out that the battery has worn out prematurely due to improper charging or loading with too much current. Such situations can be avoided if the battery test is supplemented by an evaluation of the charging and starting system.

Control of the charging and starting system

Although many testers allow you to check starting and charging, unfortunately, such tests are not often performed. And that’s a shame, because it’s a great opportunity to detect problems within the starter and alternator that may have accelerated battery wear. By doing such a test at the workshop, you can immediately make an appointment for alternator or starter service. If they turn out to be in working order, and yet the battery is undercharged, the problem may be excessive resting current. Here, too, the help of a service technician will be invaluable.

Tester selection

When choosing a tester, it is good not to suggest only the price, but pay attention to the marketing potential it gives. Choosing the DBT-12+ device, we gain the ability to obtain a report in A4 format, complete with voltage waveforms. This looks more professional than the “receipts” printed by popular testers and is a great starting point for a conversation with the customer. If we are to offer paid services related to a thorough inspection of the condition of the car such a printout will be essential. On the printout there is a space for the details of your workshop, this will make it easier to contact you in the future.

Raise the standard of service

Although replacing a battery in a workshop is not an expensive procedure, and the margin on batteries is not staggering, it is worth making a positive impression that will stay with the customer for a long time. For the workshop, increasing battery sales is not an end in itself. Such activities build awareness of professionalism. We increase confidence in our workshop, which on average is quite low. With the prospect of greater expenses, the customer is more likely to entrust the car to a service center that has previously shown itself to be on the right side. The relative ease of replacing the battery makes this activity suitable for company promotion.

Practical suggestions

Test the battery routinely to your workshop customers, informing them of the result and the possible impending need for replacement. When installing a new battery, remember to perform a thorough starting and charging test with a printout attached. Offer such a service for a fee to customers who choose not to replace their batteries. Encourage satisfied customers to take advantage of other maintenance services, such as air conditioning service or even checking and replenishing operating fluids. Use an outdoor signage element in the form of a “Batteries” banner to attract customers for battery replacement. Invite a customer who has used your services for a follow-up test after a certain period of time (free of charge and confirmed by a printout) – there is a chance that he will show up at the workshop again.

Make a good impression

Pay attention to how you receive the customer, show them the tester report and discuss the results. When replacing the battery clean the clamps, use a vacuum cleaner to clean the installation site. Most customers will pay attention to such details because these are not common practices. Remember, it takes a few minutes to replace the battery in most popular cars, and it can leave a very positive association with your workshop.

You know how to earn more – it’s time to act

Selling batteries is an additional way to increase turnover and also a great way to stand out from the crowd with a little commitment. The difference between the purchase price and the sale price of batteries to the customer should not be the only mechanism for making money. This is an opportunity to sell additional services, related to assessing the condition of the vehicle’s electrical system and others. The idea is to increase drivers’ awareness of vehicle electrical system diagnostics.

Author: Product Engineer Piotr Libuszowski

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