When you’re in need of work on your vehicle, it can be a little overwhelming to sift through all the auto body shops in your local area. This is especially true if you’ve never had to employ the services of an auto body technician before—it can be hard to know exactly what you should be looking for, and how you can discern which professionals are best suited to take on the job you have for them.
With this in mind, here are some of the most important factors you should consider in your search for an auto body shop in Peoria, AZ:
What people are saying: Word-of-mouth advertising is very much worth paying attention to. Any business is capable of doing its own advertising—it’s what actual customers are saying that should really make your ears perk up. For this reason, you should spend some time browsing online review sites like Yelp or Angie’s List, and ask around to people you know who have gotten work done on their vehicles to see what their experiences were like at the shops they went to.
Estimates: As you start the process of researching a few strong contenders for your auto body work, make sure you’re getting written estimates and quotes for your job. While you don’t necessarily want to automatically choose the company that gives you the lowest estimate for your job, this is certainly a factor you’re at least going to want to take into consideration as part of your search. If nothing else, it can be a useful tiebreaker when all other elements are considered equal.
What the company says: Don’t be afraid to call up the shop or pay them a visit and ask them some questions about the work they do. Be prepared with certain questions you’d like them to answer. For example, does the shop provide a warranty for the work it performs? And if so, how long does that warranty last and what does it cover? Does the shop carry fire and theft insurance? Is it fully licensed for the kind of work it’s performing? Who will be performing the repair work, and how much experience does that technician have in his or her field? Will they be using new, used or aftermarket parts? These are all questions you should consider asking that could make a difference in your decision-making process.
Go with your gut: When you walk into a shop, trust your gut instinct about its quality and capabilities. If it’s dirty or disorganized, if the service is poor or unfriendly and if the crew is not willing to be forthcoming in answering your questions, these could all be red flags. On the other hand, if you have a great experience and the shop makes an excellent first impression, then your search could very well end there.
For more information about choosing an auto body shop in Peoria, AZ and the factors that should go into your decision, contact Ultimate Collision & RV today.