Repair in the Age of COVID

By Linda Rollinson

There is no company in this country that has been unaffected by the Corona Virus 19 (COVID- 19) crisis. Some, such as personal protection manufacturers and home delivery services, are struggling to keep up with demand. Most however, have been decimated by stay-at-home orders and unemployment. Yet even at a bleak time such as this, it’s possible for windshield repair businesses to succeed. Let me explain.

Windshield repair is a nearly “touchless” business, meaning you can book a job, visit your customer, complete the job and get payment without ever coming in contact with your customer. And, whereas windshield replacement requires the technician to spend a fair amount of time in the customer’s cab, windshield repair requires minimal time there. Most of the work can be completed externally.

This gives windshield repair a huge advantage during this pandemic—one that you can capitalize on. Here’s a checklist you can use as we navigate through this crisis:

1. Remind your current and potential customers that windshield repair requires little to no contact with them and that you will not need to enter either their house or place of business;

2. Let them know that you will also be wearing protective gear for caution for them and yourself and will clean the interior of their car when completed;

3. Consider converting all your forms requiring signature to a pdf—[preferably a writeable one), that you can email it to your customers, they can complete it and leave it for you—again all touchless;

4. Tell your customers you are having a “work from home” special; now is a great time to repair that star break, combo or crack that you never had the time to get repaired;

5. Consider a small donation to a local food bank or school for each job you complete;

6. Make sure you travel with anti-septic wipes, gloves, antibacterial sprays such as Lysol® so you can clean anything you touch in the vehicle;

7. Exercise proper social distancing (at least six feet) from any customers;

8. Consider a web portal or one of the touchless payment methods available to accept payment;

9. Promote the fact that the wind-shield’s original seal is preserved with a repair—that factory seal helps keep everything, including germs, out of your customer’s car;

10. Remind the customer of the advantages to the environment when choosing the repair option.

This is a challenging time for any of us in the auto services industry—but it’s also an opportunity. Let’s make the most of what we have to work with and everyone, stay healthy!

Linda Rollinson is the chairperson of the National Windshield Repair Division of the Automotive Glass Safety Council™ as well as owner of Superior Auto Glass of Tampa Bay Inc. in New Port Richey, Fla. superiorautoglass@tampabay.rr.com

To view the laid-in version of this article in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.