Some shops can do the following, some can't, and thats understandable.  But it goes to show that a good presentation of your shop to your customers will make them feel more comfortable.  The following article is shared content from refinishnetwork.com, in which they talk about their own personal experience from changing the way their shop looks.  Take note:  $6,000 in renovations influenced a customer that brought in a $3,000 job.  Again, not everyone can afford that kind of re-work to their shop, but just keep in mind that you're selling your brand just as much as your services.  Attention to how that brand appears to customers could go a long way in positively affecting your shop's profit.

Good Shop Image = Impressed Customers

Our shop has recently become a memeber of a nation chain in an effort to grow our buisiness. At which point we were required to do a serious overhaul on the image of our building, our office in particular. After doing some work costing around $5000-6000 we were a little concerned over the money spent. Well it hasn't taken us long to see the differnce in the attitudes of our customers, aswell as our own. Having a professional looking office makes us feel better about the image we put off & the customers pick this up and seems to increase their confidence in us.

Yesterday we had one customer whom came to see us for an estimate & afterwards was directed to a preferred shop. After visiting the preferred shop he immediately took his car and brought it to us and stated the reason was that our shop seemed more professional. This was about a $3000 job that would have went elsewhere had we not had that image, a few moths ago it probably would have!

Anyhow, it seems to me the cost of these renovations will quickly go from minus to plus. It reinforces the saying image is everything....I am starting to beleive!