Despite growing consumer demand for electric vehicles, only 4% of auto shop owners in the US consider themselves EV experts, while 49% are either not worried about expanding their shop to include EV services or only cater to hybrids, according to a recent auto shop owners survey conducted by UpSwell.
The survey provided additional insights into marketing, revenue, and growth plans for auto shop owners.
According to the marketing firm that specialises in helping local businesses expand their customer base, the top marketing channels that bring in new auto shop customers are Google (42%) and Direct Mail (29%).
The survey was conducted in July 2021 and included 209 respondents in the United States. Eighty-nine of the respondents were UpSwell Marketing clients, 104 were non-clients, and 16 had an unknown client status. All respondents were auto repair shop owners.
However, there was a big split when comparing UpSwell clients with non-clients, the research firm said.
About 52% of its clients reported that Direct Mail is the channel that brought them the most customers, compared to only 18% of non-clients.
Tim Ross, Co-founder and President, UpSwell, said, 'We help our clients deploy the best mix of effective digital and direct mail marketing to bring in new customers and keep their businesses growing.'
The majority of auto shops surveyed witnessed growth this year, with 68% reporting a revenue increase in 2021. In addition, the average repair order (ARO) among respondents was $ 562.08, with 70% of auto shop owners reporting that they have seen an increase in ARO compared to 2019.
However, auto shops still face challenges. Finding qualified technicians was selected by 60% of respondents as the top difficulty in running their business, the research firm said.
When it comes to the future, the survey produced some promising findings. In this case, 71% of respondents said that customers spend more holding onto their car longer. This leads to more opportunities for auto shops to see higher ARO and attract customers looking for the highest quality long-lasting solutions rather than the most budget-friendly options.
Additionally, 40% of respondents plan to continue running their shop within the next three to five years versus 19% of owners planning to retire.
Twenty-nine percent of respondents are planning to expand their business in the next three to five years. Again, that number is higher among UpSwell clients, with 38% planning to expand their business compared to only 17% of non-clients.