Award winning Stoney Cross Garage has utilised the power of an online presence to help bolster its success.
The business, now run by Julian Hazeldine, has grown in recent years, with awards and recognition aplenty. Stoney Cross Garage is the current holder of the Servicesure Autocentre of the Year award, and its five ramps are constantly booked up three weeks in advance.
When Hazeldine took over at Stoney Cross Garage in Derbyshire, he knew that being online was key to making it work. In fact, his belief in the power of the internet to get the business going was so strong, he paid for the website with his own money until the garage could afford to take over the monthly subscription cost.
Benefits for Stoney Cross Garage
“The impact the website has had on the business is massive,” said Hazeldine. “When I took over the garage it was only small. Most of the customers were friends of the previous owners, so it was like starting from scratch.
“Even all those years ago, I knew a website was key to not just establishing Stoney Cross Garage, but to its continual growth and ongoing success.”
Hazeldine added that repeat customers make up around 60% of the business, and the website consistently generates the other 40%.
“We get up to 20 online enquiries every week via the website,” he added. “People also say they call us after reading our Google reviews and being directed to a very professional website. It is easy to navigate and just sells the garage services for us. Customers love it.”
Recommendation pays dividends
The workshop’s affiliation with Servicesure has paid off in terms of its online presence, with the garage network recommending Garage Services Online.
“We have never looked back,” continued Hazeldine. Garage Services Online are outstanding, both in terms of customer service and being specialists in independent garage websites. We rank at the top of a Google search for most of our services.”
Jim Lang, managing director at Garage Services Online, added: “When I took the initial call from Julian years ago, Stoney Cross Garage was a very different garage to the one it is today.
“It has been wonderful to watch the business evolve, and the website has grown with it. It is an online mirror of the professional, award-winning garage on the ground. And that is the secret behind a seamless experience for the customer.”
