Based on more than 30,000 car owner reviews collected in 2018 and analyzed by the Autobutler online quoting portal, Fair AutoService in Holstebro can be proud to have been voted the 3rd best workshop in Denmark. We visited the Fair Autoservice to learn about their recipe for success.
Fair AutoService is part of the Auto- G’s (part of GROUPAUTO INTERNATIONAL) Autoplus workshop chain, which was also named Denmark's best workshop chain. Not all 150 of the chain's independent workshops are linked to the Autobutler online quoting portal, yet nine of those who are linked are on the list of the 100 best rated workshops. Four of the nine workshops use TriSys - Triscan's system for efficient workshop operation and customer management - called Gplan in the Auto-G edition.
From left to right: Christian Pedersen, Brian Pedersen og Linda Dahl Pedersen
The fight for the customers comes to a head! Many car owners use online quoting portals when it comes time for car maintenance or repairs. Here the car owners usually receive three workshop offers to solve the respective task. At the same time, they can see the experiences and evaluations of previous clients of the supplying workshops.
Fair AutoService decided in 2018 to cooperate with Autobutler. Christian Pedersen, owner of Fair AutoService, says, "I find that especially the younger generation of car owners uses online quoting portals. For them, there is no difference between ordering a pizza or the next service check from their couch – loyalty to a shop oftentimes means less to them than the older generation. They choose the best deal for a product or service - that's what they're used to from price comparison portals such as PriceRunner or Momondo for electronics items or travel.
"The conversion rate of offers sent via Autobutler is very high at Fair AutoService. Christian Pedersen estimates that it is 70-80%. He believes that the combination of their attractive hourly rate, the speed with which they prepare offers and the positive customers reviews, makes up the recipe for success. "We urge all our customers to write about their experiences and to evaluate the services we offer”.
Brian Pedersen working on a Toyota Aygo
The experience of good service includes communication before, during and after the execution of a task. Providing good service is time consuming and often falls into the category of "non-billable time". Therefore, TriSys / Gplan was programmed to ensure that garages perform optimally concerning the working processes related to quoting, customer creation, ordering, communication and invoicing. This ensures an optimal starting point for customers to experience high level service and for the workshop to be operating profitably. Read more about TriSys/Gplan.
"I have never worked with a workshop and customer management system as efficient as Gplan. In Gplan, I usually don’t need more than 10 minutes to prepare an offer - in the other systems I've worked with before, it took more than twice as long. In addition, TriSys makes creating customers, converting a job to a work card, and ordering easier than ever", Christian Pedersen continued.
Linda Dahl Pedersen works with the workshop and customer management system Gplan
Fair AutoService
Christian Pedersen founded his workshop in August 2017 and in early 2018 the staff was extended to include Brian Pedersen, who was originally trained as an electronic engineer and is also the father of Christian Pedersen.
Both father and son are particularly interested in the electronic development of modern cars and not least in electric cars. Christian Pedersen drives a Tesla himself and is thrilled that Triscan now has begun to include parts for Tesla in the product program. As one of a few independent workshops, he also offers service and repair of Tesla and electric cars in general. "As a workshop you have to stay on the ball. “Technical development does certainly not stand still, and electric cars are not a fashion phenomenon, "says Christian Pedersen and continues: "Our electrical engineering knowledge allows us to troubleshoot very effective. In many cases, we can repair broken parts at a component level instead of simply replacing them with new ones. And it's good for both the car owner's wallet and the environment.
"The skills at Fair AutoService, however, go beyond repair work, good ideas have been born here as well. An example of this is Brian Pedersen's idea for a tool that makes fitting of shaft seals simple and easy for mechanics. Linda Dahl Pedersen - the daughter of Brian Pedersen – who is the project manager says that an international patent has been filed. She is currently finding possible distribution channels for the product.
Fair AutoService is a good example of how the right approach to acquiring knowledge and the differentiation from competitors can quickly lead to good business– and make one the third highest rated workshop in Denmark.
We congratulate Fair AutoService – and are looking forward to following the future developments of Christian Pedersen's business.