Meineke Car Care Centers, as a company, says it believes in treating customers how they wish to be treated. From its approach to customers and the in-store experience to the way Meineke advertises the business, they are focused on providing the most transparent and open approach to automotive maintenance.
Meineke is constantly conducting customer research in order to truly understand and deliver against what customers want from their automotive repair experience. What the brand learned is that customers want transparent customer service – they want to understand the problem with their vehicle and their repair options, and to be free to make their own fully-educated decision in a low-pressure environment. This is what Meineke calls “Doing Car Care Right.”
“One of the ways we’re ‘Doing Car Care Right’ is with Meineke eInspections,” said Jeremy Putney, vice president of marketing for Meineke. “These detailed electronic vehicle inspections allow our car care professionals to have a discussion with customers about any issues with the car so our customers can make informed decisions. We have been rolling out the Meineke eInspection system to our centers to provide an even better customer experience. Through a digital tablet-based inspection platform, the car owner receives a detailed eInspection report directly to their email for review. This has been a big step forward and a game-changer for the industry.”
To communicate their focus on customer experience and bring the customer insight to life, Meineke adjusted its branding and began a new advertising campaign, inspired by how people feel when thinking about having their vehicle serviced.
“Research confirmed that customers who need to get their car serviced feel vulnerable when they visit a repair shop,” said Putney. “This insight led our team to the analogous situation of a doctor visit, where a person needs to put trust in a professional to give them good advice when the patient doesn’t really understand what the doctor is doing. Meineke’s transparent customer service is how we help our customers feel informed, in charge and relieved to have chosen a Meineke Car Care Center for their repairs. That’s why we say ‘Meineke. Doing Car Care Right’.”
The new advertising campaign is intended to reassure car owners that when they visit a Meineke center, they will only receive the services their car needs. The ad features a picture of a doctor, and states “Your doctor wouldn’t make unnecessary repairs. Neither would Meineke.”
As validation of the actions Meineke has taken to connect with customers, Newsweek recently recognized Meineke as America’s No. 1 for customer service in automotive repair.
“This kind of third-party recognition is a great indicator that the brand is on the right track and that Meineke is ‘Doing Car Care Right’,” said Putney.