Fix Auto is a global network of independently owned auto body repair shops and understands the power of customer reviews in building trust and improving business development.
The business is growing, with over 900 body shops in 10 countries. Fix Auto UK stands as a thriving network in the United Kingdom, encompassing over 100 independently owned, fully-branded, and franchised vehicle repair centers. Established in 2005, the enterprise has grown to become the leading franchised auto solution in the UK and has recently extended its footprint into Northern Ireland. Fix Auto UK’s body shops work with insurance companies, providing the repairs for customer vehicles involved in accidents.
Few drivers escape the inevitable trip to a body shop. A rock-solid reputation is paramount for Fix Auto UK, a division of the global auto-repair service dedicated to easing this stressful experience. To solidify its position as a customer-centric leader, the UK operation needed to amplify its message of care and trust.
Fix Auto UK’s goal was to disrupt the market positively by demonstrating its customer service strength through reviews. The Fix Auto UK senior management team turned to Trustpilot to develop a review strategy to respond, monitor, and review performance efficiently across their network of 120+ vehicle repair centers.
Fix Auto UK used Trustpilot to foster customer excellence across all levels. The marketing team leveraged reviews for competitor benchmarking, elevating the brand's visibility through a targeted PR campaign across both B2B and B2C channels, and generating compelling social media testimonials. Simultaneously, the operations teams monitored individual site performance and engagement on the platform to continue to develop the business. Trustpilot was also a trusted resource for prospective clients seeking top-tier service, further validating Fix Auto UK's reputation and facilitating new business opportunities.
Embedding trust into day-to-day operations to help secure new business
“Our marketing team gathers statistics on the network’s customer ratings to benchmark ourselves against our competitors. Reviews are also used to generate authentic testimonials to share on social media,” says Grace Weddell, Head of Brand and Communications at Fix Auto UK.
As Fix Auto comprises multiple service sites in 10 countries, the operations team uses Trustpilot on a business site level to help them enhance customer service and ensure each site is active on the business dashboard.
For the leadership team, the results from utilizing Trustpilot’s Enterprise plan mean a significant return on investment.
Building customer engagement with Trustpilot features
Trustpilot has found a useful place at the end of Fix Auto UK’s customer journey, acting as a toolkit for building better customer engagement. Whether it’s automated or organic, once a vehicle is repaired, Fix Auto UK engages with its audience by inviting customers to review their experience through email by providing their unique Trustpilot profile URL. Fix Auto UK has optimized this process by utilizing other Trustpilot tools.
“We have API integrations, which have opened the door to more reviews from our customers and allowed our TrustScore to flourish. Our API is used on a certain segment of our customer base, and we have a simple email template designed with efficiency in mind as we find customers don’t want to have to scroll,” says Grace Weddell, Head of Brand and Communications at Fix Auto UK.
In addition, Fix Auto UK leverages Trustpilot widgets like the carousel widget on business site-specific websites. The company also uses Location Reviews so that customers can see the positive reviews generated from their specific location when they are in the research phase of their journey.
“We use location-specific reviews on our site websites and social media. Each site has cultivated a local following, and sharing the reviews helps to illustrate our services to a relevant customer base” notes Grace.
Fix Auto UK also boasts top search visibility, with all locations ranking in the top three for both direct and branded searches. Their recent partnership with Uberall strengthens this dominance, while positive Trustpilot reviews further bolster their reputation and reach.
Other features used by Fix Auto UK include Review Tagging. The company automates review tagging by insurer partners using an API, enabling each bodyshop to track their specific clientele and tailor reports for individual business partnerships.
This means they can easily measure performance and satisfaction for each insurer they work with and provide customized reporting to grow those customer relationships.
Altogether, using Trustpilot features created countless growth opportunities across Fix Auto business sites and helped them proactively identify areas for improvement thanks to increased visibility over the customer journey.
Reviews, a driving force in marketing
“Above all, we share our ‘Excellent’ rating, which will always be our success indicator. While we know the TrustScore (4.6) can shift for us, we like using the recognised positive vocabulary that the platform promotes,” says Grace.
Fix Auto UK leverages Trustpilot reviews on social media for strategic impact. On Facebook and Instagram, they emphasize detailed customer service testimonials to validate their brand for newcomers. Its Trustpilot success is a central theme consistently echoed in all press materials and its bi-monthly newsletter. From achieving significant milestones to showcasing its impressive TrustScore, every aspect is meticulously chronicled to reinforce the message that each repair center consistently delivers "Excellent" customer service.
LinkedIn showcases praise from insurer partners, highlighting success and reliability to attract business clients. Email signatures consistently display individual shop TrustScores, reinforcing trust with all stakeholders. This tailored review-sharing approach builds trust and stands out in the competitive car repair market.
“Sites also have their TrustScore and a link through to their profile within their email signature widget, so that the message is consistent when they’re emailing customers or suppliers,” mentions Grace.
Looking ahead
Overall, the relationship between Trustpilot and Fix Auto UK has yielded tremendous success, says Grace “With the customer journey becoming more complex, we’re encouraged to see that reviews still sit at the heart of that decision-making process. Taking a distressed customer and providing a life-changing service is something that we pride ourselves on, and our Trustpilot is kudos to that.”
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