The simple answer is yes. “What Would Google Do?” authored by Jeff Jarvis is a thought-provoking book that explores the strategies behind the success of Google and how they can be applied to various industries. The book focuses on the importance of openness and collaboration, which led me to invest deeper into building and nurturing reciprocal business partnerships and relationships.
While the book didn’t necessarily say that a business should look at themselves as the center of the universe, it described how Google has positioned and perceived itself. This inspired me to evaluate our relationships with vendors, suppliers, and other shops. Do these businesses appreciate the relationship and reciprocate, or is it a one-way street?
For example, look at the approach of Google sharing its Maps program. This is a brilliant concept. Everyone embedded Google Maps on their websites, giving Google credit and collecting a ton of information from its widespread use. This idea of providing value while gaining reciprocal benefits resonated with me.
At my auto repair shops, we don’t do tires, so we’ve teamed up with tire shops in both areas where our shops are located. We’ve built great relationships with these shops, which send us brake jobs, starting problems, check engine lights, and more. It’s well worth a $50 lunch. And, quarterly, we buy lunches or breakfast for those with whom we have reciprocal relationships. A few donuts or a pizza can significantly strengthen the bond. Typically, it’s the vendor buying breakfast or lunch for the shop, but doing it the other way around is a small but powerful gesture.
Note that in building relationships, sometimes, the balance tips one way, and that’s okay. The key is awareness. If you find a reciprocal relationship, leverage it. And, sometimes, one party benefits more than the other. It’s important to recognize that and adjust accordingly. If the relationship isn’t reciprocal, it’s still valuable to acknowledge and appreciate the other party’s efforts.
If we find a reciprocal relationship, we should appreciate and encourage it. One such recent venture is with my industry peers, Craig O’Neill and Carm Capriotto. Together, we founded an online Toastmasters club to help shop owners improve their public speaking skills. It’s very much a reciprocal relationship. We get to strengthen our speaking skills while helping others do the same.
Building and fostering a supportive network has resulted in more cars coming into my shops, more referrals, more trust, and a stronger reputation. I’m a big advocate of collaboration within the automotive service industry and hope to see and inspire more of it. Remember that a simple ‘thank you’ message, like buying breakfast or lunch, goes a long way.
Original article posted August 6, 2024
https://www.motor.com/2024/08/fostering-reciprocal-relationships-can-donuts-pizza-foster-a-more-supportive-automotive-network/
