Best Practices for Capturing Pictures & Videos

In the fast-paced automotive service industry, clear communication is key to building trust and transparency with customers. This guide covers the best practices for capturing and sharing visual content to ensure your videos and pictures are clear, concise, and impactful.

Recording Videos

Here are our recommendations for best practices when recording a video for a customer:

1. Start by introducing yourself. Begin the video with a shot of the entire car. Introduce yourself with a warm greeting, addressing the customer by name if possible. For example: “Hello (customer), my name is Michael and I am the technician working on your vehicle today.”
   
   
2. Speak clearly and slowly. When explaining things in the video, especially technical aspects, use language that the customer can understand (layman’s terms). Articulate your words clearly and maintain a moderate pace of speech. 
   
   
3. Keep it short. The best videos are between 90 seconds and two minutes long. This ensures that the customer receives all necessary information without feeling overwhelmed or disengaged.
   
   
4. Be friendly! Always use a positive tone when speaking. Customers will also appreciate compliments on the condition of their vehicle or how well they’ve kept up their maintenance.

Types of Pictures and Videos

Walkaround Videos

• Tips: (Tips specific to media type, speaking to the tech or advisor who’s going to create it…) here for example, we could have the script that Maria presented at Connect.
• Benefits: Full overview of vehicle’s points of concern, quick to make (with a bit of experience required), great for building trust.
• Bottom line: Best choice if you’re only sending one piece of media to a customer and want to maximize trust.
• Examples of walkaround videos:

Suggested work videos

• What they are: Photos or videos used to recommend services based on the assessment of the vehicle.
• Benefits: Focuses on the vehicle’s areas of concern, has great upsell potential, goes well with an estimate.
• Bottom line: Best choice if you’re looking to increase revenue, as showing the customer visual proof of work needed is a great way to get their approval.
• Example of a suggested work video:

Overview of completed work

• What they are: Videos specifically showing the work that has been completed on the vehicle.

• Benefits: Shows evidence of work completed, builds trust, increases customer retention. 
• Bottom line: Although showing the customer the work that was done may take a bit longer, it shows transparency and fosters customer loyalty.
• Example of an overview of completed work video:

Side-by-side comparison picture

• What they are: Pictures that display the difference between the customer’s current part (used) and a brand new part (e.g. brake pads).
• Benefits: Easy for the customer to see the need for a new part, helps upsell new parts/services, takes less time than a “suggested work” video.
• Bottom line: A quick and easy way to show the customer why a part should be changed, and increases the odds of their approval.
• Example of a side-by-side comparison picture:

Pre-existing damage documentation

• What they are: Pictures that display pre-existing damage to a customer’s vehicle body as proof that the damage was not caused during maintenance, in the case of a loaner vehicle, while in the customer’s possession.
• Benefits: For record-keeping purposes, to protect the dealership from potential conflicts with the customer, and in cases of a loaner vehicle, to reassure the customer that they are not responsible for the recorded damages.
• Bottom line: Good for being transparent with the customer, which helps foster loyalty, and helps keep track of the vehicle’s condition.
• Example of a pre-existing damage documentation picture: