Jim Lang urges independent garages to learn how to say ‘No’. Here’s why.

When you were three years old, you probably found it very easy to say ‘No’.

‘No’ to going to sleep. ‘No’ to putting your coat on. In fact ‘No’ to anything that didn’t make sense to you. So why, as adults, do we now find it so hard to say ‘No’?

As an independent garage owner, how many times a week do you wish you could say ‘No’ to a job that doesn’t make you much money? The job is going to take up valuable time and space in your workshop but it just doesn’t feel right to turn work away.

The main reason is because in leaner times, you took what work you could and now, you either don’t want to upset a customer or are worried one of your ramps might end up with no vehicle on it at all.

But think about your favourite restaurant. Sometimes you can get a table, sometimes you can’t. Does it stop you going there altogether? No, it doesn’t. In fact, all it does is compound what you already know; it’s a really good place to go. It must be, because it’s so busy.

However, having too much work can be just as much of a problem as not having enough and neither of those are good for business.

Luckily, the technology available to you nowadays is on your side. A really good bespoke website – one created by people who know what they’re doing and how to steal a lead on potential main dealer customers – will draw in exactly the garage work enquiries you want. The profitable work enquiries.

It’s not just about learning to say ‘No’. It’s about having the confidence to say ‘No’. And you can only have that if you know for sure your website is doing its job.

Websites are no longer an online brochure. They’re arguably one of your garage’s most important assets; elbowing their way to the top of the online search results when your customer types in ‘car servicing near me’ or ‘ vehicle diagnostics’. If they’re your most profitable types of work, why wouldn’t you want to know you’re going to attract those calls rather than leaving it to luck? If you’re not lucky that day, it’s not going to get any better when you’re working on something much less profitable instead.

Thankfully, sorting it out is as easy as saying ‘Yes’; something you’re used to doing.