Experience Counts

You’ve all heard it before, “there’s no substitute for experience.” That statement may be debatable in some instances, but overall I think it is true enough, so if you have experience that is of value to your customers, you need to let them know about it.

Experience sells! I can’t tell you how many times I have made a sale because I let a customer know that I have been repairing windshields for 19 years, and started my windshield repair business just like they are about to do. I gain a certain amount of credibility from the fact that I bought a windshield repair system before I had ever seen a windshield repair performed, and started a windshield repair business (not Delta Kits) from scratch. Customers appreciate the fact that I worked in every imaginable weather condition, billed insurance companies, solicited fleet accounts, worked very long days, and sometimes wondered if it was ever going to pay off. Customers really appreciate that experience when they talk to some of my competitors that have never actually made a living repairing windshields, and have little or no personal experience repairing windshields.

My point is simple. If a customer calls you on the telephone, tell them about your experience. If you place an ad in the phone book, highlight your experience. If you advertise on the radio or TV, tout your experience. If you have signs on your vehicle, be sure to include your experience. Customers are comforted by the fact that they are dealing with an experienced company, and understand that their odds of getting a competent technician are much better if they choose someone with experience.

If you don’t have a lot of personal experience, but some of your employees do, you can advertise the combined experience. If you buy an existing business you can advertise how long it has been established in place of your personal experience. Advertising your experience will prove to be very valuable, but only if it is valid. Never overstate actual experience.

So what if you are just starting a business and don’t have any experience? In this case, get as much training as possible and use those credentials in your advertising. A certification from the NGA will cost you about $150.00, and Delta Kits training and certification classes are free. Both add professionalism and credibility to your advertising, but even more importantly, both will help you to become a better windshield repair technician. In most industries certifications are used extensively for advertising purposes, but for some reason the windshield repair industry has been slow to take advantage of these opportunities, so advertising your credentials will really help you stand out from the competition.

-Brent Deines