A car owner with a service due or a fault to fix has three questions: what does a service include, how much will it roughly cost, and can someone collect the car and bring it back? A workshop website that answers those questions before the car comes in saves calls, and it helps the owner decide whether your workshop suits their car.
This article explains how to present the service menu, the estimate process and the pickup service.
A service menu that explains itself
List the services you offer in groups, such as periodic service, brake work, wheel and tyre, AC, body work and general repairs. Under each group, list the services in plain words, with a line on what each one covers. "Brake pad replacement" is clear; "brake system overhaul" needs a short explanation.
Show which makes and models you work on, and say which you don't. An owner with a less common car should know quickly whether you can help.
Estimates by make and model
Explain how an estimate works. Ask for the make, model, year, kilometres and the problem or service needed. Say that an estimate is based on the information given, and that the final bill can change if the inspection finds something else. Give a rough range for common services if you can do so honestly, and explain what the range depends on.
Don't promise a final price before the car is inspected, unless you always charge a fixed price for that service.
Pickup and drop
If you offer pickup and drop, say which areas you cover, what the charge is, and how the timing works. Explain how the owner arranges pickup and how the car is handled on the way, including the documents the owner needs to hand over.
If you don't offer pickup, say so, so the owner can plan their own journey.
What the workshop checks and reports
Owners want to know what they'll get when the car is ready. Describe the checks you do as part of a service, and what you report back, such as a list of parts replaced and parts that need attention soon. Only describe checks the workshop actually performs.
Trust and authorisation
Don't describe the workshop as an authorised service centre, and don't use a manufacturer's logo, unless the workshop is authorised by that manufacturer. Describe your own experience and your own parts policy instead. Say whether you use genuine or aftermarket parts, and say so for each job where it matters.
Quick checklist
- Group services into periodic service, brakes, tyres, AC, body work and repairs.
- List the makes and models you work on, and the ones you don't.
- Ask for the make, model, year, kilometres and the problem for every estimate.
- Explain that the final bill depends on the inspection.
- State the pickup areas and the charge, or say clearly that pickup isn't offered.
- Avoid the word "authorised" unless the workshop holds that authorisation.
What to do next
The car workshop websites page shows how the service menu, estimate request and pickup section usually fit together. The layout behind this is covered on the business websites page, which suits any car workshop building its first site. Start with the service groups, because every estimate and every pickup question follows from them.