Garages missing out on consumable upselling opportunities, survey suggests

4 July 2022  

Garages may be missing out on additional income opportunities, as a survey from Castrol finds that 35% of motorists are never offered a choice of consumables during servicing.

28% of those surveyed said they were sometimes offered an upgrade. Only 19% said they were always given a choice. This is despite the fact that 51% said they would be willing to pay more for better-quality consumables. Only 11% would always want the cheapest available option. In fact, 20% indicated they would always want premium consumables and would not expect to be asked.

Meanwhile, only 40% of motorists are typically contacted by their workshop between services to discuss any potential work that might need doing between scheduled services.

Communication is key though, as 30% said they would be concerned that that garages might use lower-quality consumables while still charging a higher price. However, 54% said they trust their garage to use the consumable recommended for use on their car by the manufacturer.

Commenting on the survey, Layla Yebaile, Service and Maintenance Marketing Lead at Castrol said: “The survey highlights the benefits of quality interaction with the customer whenever they visit – both to harness appropriate up-sell opportunities, and to build trust in workshop expertise and the work carried out. It’s clear that many motorists are happy to pay more to ensure optimal vehicle reliability and performance, so communicating effectively will help unlock additional sources of revenue and help to build loyalty.”