As summer approaches, road travel increases significantly. A recent survey by The Vacationer reported that as many as 82% of Americans plan to take a trip this year, and of those travelers, 3 in 4 plan to make it a road trip. Not only is there a marked increase in traffic on the roads, but those extra miles that drivers accumulate will mean more service visits will be necessary.
Key Takeaways
- Road trip season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) is the highest-stakes period for battery failures — hot weather and high accessory loads accelerate decline.
- Customers actively seek pre-trip vehicle inspections in late spring and early summer — a natural opening for battery service conversations.
- Heat kills batteries faster than cold: a battery weakened by winter cycling that enters summer heat often fails before fall.
- A multi-point inspection with battery test takes under five minutes and creates a clear, revenue-generating upsell opportunity.
- Shops that promote “road trip readiness” packages with battery testing included see measurable increases in spring/summer service volume.
- Use a Midtronics battery tester to deliver objective results customers can evaluate — making the recommendation easy to say yes to.
Preparation is key for road trips, and service shops play a significant role in ensuring motorists stay safe as they drive long miles over extended holidays and long weekend trips. Particularly as it relates to batteries and charging systems that account for the majority of breakdowns, there are strategies that shops can use to make the most this season.
The Role of Service Shops in Road Trip Preparation
Vehicle owners can perform routine inspections to make sure their cars are roadworthy for hundreds of miles of driving over a few days. But there are a few things that service shops, whether franchised dealerships or otherwise, can offer that owners can’t provide for themselves – at least, to the same degree.
First, there’s the time commitment that’s required to get the vehicle prepped. Checking the tires, checking the fluids, heading to the parts store to buy fluids, then back home to top them up. Checking the tire pressures, the brakes, inspecting for leaks, then – and not the least of it – is making sure the battery is good. Done properly, it’s going to take a vehicle owner a couple of hours to prep their car, and that’s time they could spend properly organizing and packing. And honestly, more often than not, the vehicle checkup doesn’t get done. Having a service shop do it saves time while getting it completed.
And when problems are found, they can be addressed on the spot. That saves the customer even more time rather than ordering parts, trying to find an evening without a commitment to get it fixed, and hoping they have everything to do it right.
Then, there’s the peace of mind. Having a professional give the owner the all-clear rather than hoping they’ve checked it well themselves can put them at ease for the duration of the trip.
However, customers aren’t always looking for a solution on their own. Here are foue strategies you can implement for road trip season to help capture more business and earn more revenue.
Strategy 1: Comprehensive Pre-Trip Inspections
Failing batteries remain the top reason for roadside assistance calls, but that’s far from the only issue that can occur on a road trip. There’s so much peace of mind that comes from having the whole vehicle looked over before venturing out with the family for the weekend.
Offer – and communicate – a comprehensive pre-trip inspection package that covers all the bases. It should cover battery health, brakes, tires, suspension, fluids, and even a scan for any codes that might be of concern.
With this strategy, newer technicians can perform the inspections quickly and thoroughly, and clean bills of health can be a revenue source with little time commitment and fast turnaround. Then any concerns that need to be passed onto a certified technician can be completed in a timely fashion.
Strategy 2: Drop-In Battery Tests
A dead battery on a road trip is incredibly annoying, time-consuming, and more expensive to deal with as an emergency than proactively. But it’s no secret that many shops are still booked several days – or weeks – in advance, making it tough for customers to get their battery tested, especially on short notice. You can help your customers ensure that their batteries are ready for the long haul in just a few minutes if your shop is equipped with the right technology.
When you have a battery testing process in place for any vehicle that enters the service drive, you’re already equipped to perform battery tests for drop-in customers. All that’s needed is to ensure vehicle owners know that it’s available at any time during business hours. Using testers like the MVT handheld battery and electrical system tester, they can be checked in and out within only a few minutes.
Strategy 3: On-the-Spot Replacements
Some customers might know that their battery is weak, while others might want to preventatively swap it for a new one after three years or so. Others might’ve just found out during their drop-in battery test that their battery has failed. You can capture more battery sales if you offer on-the-spot replacements with no appointment necessary.
You’ll need to team up with the parts department to ensure they’re able to expediently charge out and pick the battery from inventory. And common battery options might even be left in a secure area near the service drive or quick service lane. But when you can perform a replacement in the moment and show you value their time, you’re helping to prove to your customer that you’re the right place to service their vehicle not just for the quick stuff, but for larger repairs too.
Strategy 4: Reduce Appointment Loads Leading Up to Long Weekends
Any service advisor or service manager who’s been around for a few years knows you can count on an influx of last-minute calls for appointments or same-day services. And while it can be inconvenient for scheduling the shop, being available to deal with last-minute appointments can be exactly what it takes to prevent customers from finding another shop who will take them in – and potentially taking them away from you going forward.
Consider reducing your appointment load for the two or three days before a long weekend. The rush repairs and battery replacements can be accommodated, plus it gives breathing room for staff who might be taking an extra day for their weekend too. What’s great about this is that, should there be time that isn’t accounted for, internal repair orders can be completed, helping out the sales department before a busy weekend.
Conclusion
Although it’s not the norm in the industry, considering and accommodating pre-trip inspections, battery replacements, and last-minute work is a customer-focused plan. It’s not something you must do, but you’re likely to have several grateful customers because of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do more batteries fail in summer than winter?
Heat accelerates the chemical reactions inside a battery, which speeds up internal corrosion and drives off electrolyte water in flooded batteries. A battery already weakened by winter cycling enters summer with reduced capacity and then faces both the worst heat of the year and peak electrical demand from air conditioning and entertainment systems. Summer is consistently the peak season for battery failures.
How should shops promote battery service for road trip season?
The most effective tactics are email campaigns to the customer database promoting a “road trip readiness” check (including battery test), service advisor prompts on every visit from April through July, and social media posts that connect summer travel with pre-trip vehicle preparation. The messaging should focus on peace of mind and avoiding a breakdown far from home.
What should a road trip vehicle inspection include?
A thorough pre-road-trip inspection covers battery testing (state of health and state of charge), charging system test (alternator output), tire pressure and tread depth, engine oil and coolant levels, air conditioning function, and wiper blade condition. The battery test is the highest-value element because it identifies the component most likely to cause an unexpected roadside failure.
How do I present a battery test result to a customer preparing for a road trip?
Connect the result directly to their travel plans: “Your battery tested at 60% — that’s enough for normal daily driving, but in July heat on a long trip with the AC running, you’re likely to see a no-start at some point. Replacing it now is a lot easier than replacing it in a parking lot in Phoenix.” Customers planning a trip are far more receptive to this framing than at a routine service visit.
Can shops package battery testing with other seasonal services?
Yes — and it often increases average ticket value. A “Summer Ready” package combining an oil change, tire rotation, battery test, and AC inspection gives customers a clear value proposition and gives the shop the opportunity to surface multiple service needs in a single visit. Pricing the package at a modest discount from à la carte pricing drives attachment rates.
Does summer heat affect battery life immediately or gradually?
Both. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures causes gradual internal damage that accumulates over weeks and months. But a battery already near the end of its life can fail suddenly on a hot day when high accessory load (AC, charging ports, entertainment) pushes it past its remaining capacity. This is why late spring testing — before peak heat — is the optimal timing to catch at-risk batteries.