I would guess that most principles and managers within the automotive dealership business have heard of Carl Sewell. Carl Sewell has been setting the standard for auto dealer service for years. His bestselling customer-service classic, "Customers For Life", has sold over 600,000 copies and the latest edition includes five new chapters. As one reviewer states, "If you don't learn from this book, it's your fault." And I wholeheartedly agree. I don't sell or service cars but I keep a copy of Customers For Life on my bookshelf at work at all times.

But this article is not intended as a book review. If you've read the book, you probably have an opinion on it. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. One chapter in the book is entitled "Why Reinvent the Wheel? Just Improve It". And this leads into the basis for my article ... Upselling.

We've all heard the phrase, "Would you like fries with that." It's the standard bearer for teaching companies how to upsell like McDonald's does. I imagine most dealerships do a pretty good job of upselling items such as extended warranties on new cars and wiper blades during routine service. But are there more ways a dealership and collision shop can upsell and increase profits?

Upselling works and as Sewell states in his book, "If an idea works in one place, you can be pretty certain it will work in another. People are just not that different from one another." So, is your dealership or collision shop upselling all it can? Here are some ideas to consider.

In your collision repair shop, you probably deliver cars to the customer in very clean condition; even detailed out. Why not take this interaction time to introduce the customer to a wide range of car care products? In the retail consumer business, a freestanding floor point-of-purchase display is called a "silent salesman". Do you have room in your collision repair waiting room for a 4- or 2-foot POP "silent salesman" of car care products?

Many times one of the first things a customer will ask the delivery person is, "When can I wash and/or wax my car?" This is the perfect time to take the opportunity to upsell the customer a variety of car care products such as car wash liquid, chamois cloths, wheel cleaners, waxes and polishes. These are products the customers will probably purchase somewhere in the near future so why not purchase them from you? With a 4- or 2-foot display in your waiting area, these products are always visible and ready for sale. And while you're at it, go ahead and add one of these displays in your service waiting area, too. Let your silent salesman work double time.

Another upselling idea is rain-repellent glass treatment. In 2003, PPG announced they will be providing their Aquapel rain-repellent glass treatment as an original-equipment application and part of a safety package for Lexus' first vehicle produced in North America, the 2004 RX330. Aqualpel forms a chemical bond with glass that causes water to bead and be shed. The treatment also makes it easier to clear ice, snow, dirt and bugs from glass, and helps reduce glare in rainy conditions. And believe me, this product works. I've tried all the rain-repellent products on the market and none compare to this one. It lives up to the claims made by the manufacturer. I wouldn't drive without it now.

What customer would not want to improve their visibility while driving in the rain? Treating a windshield takes about five minutes and the Aqualpel product comes in its own applicator that's easy to use. It costs about $8 (wholesale) and a treatment can be retailed for as high as $20. Every vehicle that comes through the dealership service shop and collision shop should leave with a treatment. It could also be added as an upsell on new car sells.

And what about PDR - Paintless Dent Repair? Practically every vehicle that comes in for service has minor dents and dings. If customers were made aware that these imperfections could be removed quickly and easily for a small fee, many will get the work done. By either having someone on staff that is trained in PDR or subletting the work, there is a huge profit to be made in PDR. It's only a matter of making the customer aware of this convenient service that makes their car look better and retain its value.

There are many services and products that can be used in upselling to your customers. Look around your business for ways to sell your customers more. For every additional product or service you add to your menu, it increases your bottom line profits. Take a page out of the upselling book from McDonald's and others that have made the practice of "suggestive selling" an art. Don't reinvent the wheel - just improve it.