grassracer
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:44 PM |
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Customer facilities....Garages
Ok a bit off topic but see if you can help me out. I own a tyre centre/ fast fit type operation and we are currently looking to improve/refurbish our
customer waiting area.
Basically what I want to know is what sort of things/facilities you'd expect to see and also things you'd quite like to see if you were to
visit such an establishment, maybe you've seen something ingenious/different and were very impressed.
Obviously I don't get into many places other than my own so I'd like some guidance from the type of people who use garages such as
mine.....over to you, please bear in mind its not a massive area and also it is used by men, women and children!!!!
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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matt.c
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:48 PM |
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coffee machine, flat screen tv, and nice and clean and comfortable chairs.
clean walls and floors make all the difference. Also might be worth a little play area for the kids. 
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BenB
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:48 PM |
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Local barbers down my way has an Xbox 360 to keep you occupied whilst you wait (they also offer free beers if there's a queue)..... Perhaps the
beers isn't so good when its car related but Project Gotham Racing would make the MOT wait nicer!!!
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Howlor
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:48 PM |
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Wifi for business users to pick up mails etc. Something for kids to do as I have spent many an hour in Kwikfit with my little lad winging!
Also how about a TV set to Sky News?
Steve
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Hellfire
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:50 PM |
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Clean Toilets and a Drinks Facility (Pref. FREE) are a given.
Warm, comfortable surroundings with somewhere to sit, maybe a TV and Free Internet Access. Collection of the days Newspapers.
One thing which you dont hear much of and I dont know if it's possible; is an accurate lead time for the work being carried out. Maybe a short
Taxi-trip (not necessarily free either) to the Town or Village Centre for Shopping (for the ladies) and such-like... just a thought. Word of mouth for
that kind of Service would travel very fast...
As I'm a business car user - the facility to be able to service and maintain (for instance) Lex, Marshall Leasing is guaranteed business for
you, but you'll suffer; I guess, on profit for that.
The one's I go to that have this facility get my favour certainly...
Steve
[Edited on 21-8-08 by Hellfire]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 08:58 PM |
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Clean surroundings (kept clean!), selection of not-too-old magazines (car, bike, womens', gardening, whatever), nice and light, no grotty
motor-industry posters, maybe even a few nice pictures.
Comfy seats are nice - not armchairs, but something you wouldn't mind sitting in while tyres are fitted. Something easy to keep clean!
No-one expects to stay in there for very long, so a clean environment is probably the main requirement (are you detecting a theme here? )
If you can afford it, get someone in to clean the room out once a week.
A few hefty toddler toys on a table in the corner would probably be appreciated by harassed parents - my local doctors' surgery has a bent-wire
thing with blocks that can be slid around it - keeps kids amused for ages!
[Edited on 21/8/08 by David Jenkins]
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fesycresy
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 09:04 PM |
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I use one place for all our cars and vans, but they still p*ss me off as they won't make appointment times, you've just got to wait.
Do you have appointed times for business customers ?
And on a dreaming note, how about a pool table 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.
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BenB
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 09:13 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Clean surroundings (kept clean!), selection of not-too-old magazines (car, bike, womens', gardening, whatever), nice and light, no grotty
motor-industry posters, maybe even a few nice pictures.
Comfy seats are nice - not armchairs, but something you wouldn't mind sitting in while tyres are fitted. Something easy to keep clean!
No-one expects to stay in there for very long, so a clean environment is probably the main requirement (are you detecting a theme here? )
If you can afford it, get someone in to clean the room out once a week.
A few hefty toddler toys on a table in the corner would probably be appreciated by harassed parents - my local doctors' surgery has a bent-wire
thing with blocks that can be slid around it - keeps kids amused for ages!
[Edited on 21/8/08 by David Jenkins]
We wanted one of them in our surgery but we were told we would have to steam sterilise it every day(!!!!) because kids chew the blocks and get it
generally cruddy. So we didn't 
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joneh
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:01 PM |
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If you're asking what I'd EXPECT to see then, then ripped chairs, a ring and oil stained coffee table and a gruby 20p drinks machine!
Maybe thats just me?
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DarrenW
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:09 PM |
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What is the average length of time people are in a tyre fast fit centre. Ill guess 30 mins.
Comfy seat. Clean toilets. Drinks machine (even just water would be ok). Recent mags. Something to keep kids occupied - doesnt have to be expensive -
some basic good old fashioned types like from ikea or early learning centre. Perhaps games console for older kids. Cheap flat screen TV and perhaps
freeview.
Im tempted to say install something that will generate a small income. Pay coffee machine, vending machine, arcade game. Depends how busy you are and
how many people come through the doors.
Clean, comfy with basic facilities would do me. Something to read for a while and a window so you can se car being worked on. Dog lead hook on wall to
fasten the ankle biters to.
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grassracer
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:22 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by joneh
If you're asking what I'd EXPECT to see then, then ripped chairs, a ring and oil stained coffee table and a gruby 20p drinks machine!
Maybe thats just me?
Thats the state we're at now!!! you hit the nail right on the head there....keep the ideas coming guys this is spot on
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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DarrenW
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:33 PM |
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Grafiti wall?
Double velvet toilet roll?
Is there an opportunity to sell things to people. Latex gloves, safety glasses, cheapy car accessory type things that petrol stations sell, air
fresheners, wiper blades, gift vouchers.....
Do you do customer satisfaction surveys? I remember Ford once hooked a survey over my rear view mirror. Was probs freepost. Could link it to employee
of the month incentive scheme.
Do you log customers details and send them MOT reminders, newsletters by email detailing special offers etc once every month / 2 months.
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blakep82
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:39 PM |
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as said before,
warm and clean room,
hot drink machine (my local has a coke machine too)
comfy sofa type chairs (ie padded bench seat type thing. car seats make an interesting twist on it)
magazines/newpapers
something to keep kids amused, lego or something
LCD telly with freeview bbc/sky news etc
________________________
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don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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iscmatt
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 10:45 PM |
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has anyone seen the kwik fit advert on tv???
I just saw it while reading this post,
The kwik fit guy puts the kid to sleep using hypnosis to stop him from making a racket!!
Genius!!
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dhutch
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 11:19 PM |
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As someone who is almost always only there because they dont have the tools to do it themselfs or for an MOT, for me one of the best things to be able
to do is seel, or even talk to, the people doing the work.
- I do the the tyre place i do becuase one of the fitters there is a dead freindly bloke and we spend 20minutes a year chatting.
However also anything clean is good. Idealy wider than it is tall (once mesured a waiting room that was 4ft by 5ft floor space).
Water machine would be fine for me. Even just a fountain with cup dispensor on wall.
Like the idea of having latex gloves and the like for sale.
- Maybe not feasable without looking a mess, but its actually supprising hard to get things like gloves, blue roll, gritted hand cleaner, and the
like bar mail order places. So deffonatly possable.
Also agree with not having curled auto posters up advertising gunk that half the places done even sell anymore anyway or never even have.
Daniel
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splitrivet
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| posted on 21/8/08 at 11:38 PM |
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A scrap yard full of naked young buxom women serving free pints of old peculiar giving away free Tig welders with a life times supply of free
Argon.......oops just started dribbling on me keyboard.
Cheers,
Bob
I used to be a Werewolf but I'm alright nowwoooooooooooooo
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iank
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 05:57 AM |
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While I'm sure the legalities/insurance/practicalities would cause headaches I quite enjoy watching the work being done. Gives me a sense of
whether there's care being take of the car/wheels, that they are being fitted properly (yellow/red dots in the right place, appropriate weights
used) and also soaks up the time nicely.
If I'm forced to wait away from the car, as above clean and warm and a newspaper/magazine is fine for me so long as the wait is reasonable.
[Edited on 22/8/08 by iank]
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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geoff shep
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 06:36 AM |
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Not sure of the layout at your place - or the budget - but a place near me has a nice sitting area with coffee machine, internet access, TV, kids
toys, toilets and a big window so you can look down at the work being done if you wish.
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02GF74
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 07:09 AM |
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you want to know what people want to see and it unique?
cameras wired to TV screens showing the bays so you can see the boys doing their job and not steaing the container of parking coins from your car!
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grassracer
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 08:43 AM |
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Now that idea I like....keep the punter in the waiting area rather than standing at the door trying to jump into my pocket so they can see the
action!!!!! seriously I like it
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 02:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
you want to know what people want to see and it unique?
cameras wired to TV screens showing the bays so you can see the boys doing their job and not steaing the container of parking coins from your car!
Excellent idea. Keep people in a smart area where they can be tempted to buy other things.
Solution to the ripped seats - get Triton to make up some sporty seats and mount them on a frame. Something different and probs could be made in your
corporate colours.
What about getting some activity sheets made up that kids can colour in. Obviuosly all centred around your business with your logos, numbers, opening
times etc on them. They take them home and people are reminded of who you are and the great service they recieved.
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froggy
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| posted on 22/8/08 at 06:01 PM |
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i put our waiting room in full view of the whole mot lane and all the repair bays so punters see all thats going on. a good idea is to buy a full
leather interior from a grand cherokee jeep and bolt the lot together on a simple frame to give you five leather seats for under a ton. either me or
my partner are in reception most of the time and to be honest we put more effort into getting rid of people quickly than making them comfortable , we
carry most popular stuff and a lot of the time have two mechanics on a car so we fit discs and pads in a few minutes so the punter spends as little
time as possible waiting,
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r187/froggy_0[IMG]
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