Most dealerships already find it difficult to recruit technicians. With the influx of warranty and safety recall repairs expected to increase, and as manufacturers pump out more electric vehicles, the need for experienced techs will explode. Some dealerships have found creative ways to recruit technicians – mostly for quick service – because they can be…
ContinueAdded by Sean Reyes on November 15, 2021 at 9:15am — No Comments
Many dealers feel they need both a sales and a service BDC based on advice from numerous industry trainers. The thought process is that the sales BDC’s job is to set appointments for sales customers and the service BDC sets appointments for service customers. But what if you combined the two to create a single service BDC? Service is the largest percentage of…
ContinueAdded by Sean Reyes on October 21, 2021 at 10:41am — No Comments
An interesting idea published in Automotive News shares how some Texas dealers are gaining more technicians while helping people in need, namely military veterans. These Texas dealers created a 500-hour training program titled "Ford's Technicians…
ContinueAdded by Sean Reyes on September 30, 2021 at 10:11am — No Comments
At the end of July 2021, a new law passed in Illinois requiring dealerships to pay retail rates to technicians for the actual time and labor it takes to repair vehicles that are under warranty. The justification being that technicians are highly trained workers and should be paid wages that…
ContinueAdded by Sean Reyes on September 20, 2021 at 10:33am — No Comments
Customer retention can be tough. Independent repair shops lure customers away in droves with coupons or offers that promise low routine maintenance pricing. However, winning consumers on price alone is a short-term victory compared to winning over their loyalty for the long haul with quality work, certified technicians, and impeccable service. Luring them…
ContinueAdded by Sean Reyes on January 6, 2021 at 9:09am — No Comments
We all know that a sale is just the beginning of a customer relationship. But how do you manage that relationship so customers not only come back for service but also repeat sales?
Right now, dealers are focused on the here and now. I get it. Everyone is scrambling for used vehicles to meet the surging consumer demand as OEMs rebound from the slowdown in manufacturing. Used car inventory is low and the value of a trade has never been higher. Everyone is worried about coming…
ContinueAdded by Bill Wittenmyer on September 2, 2020 at 9:35am — No Comments
We all know that a sale is just the beginning of a customer relationship. But how do you manage that relationship so customers not only come back for service but also repeat sales?
Right now, dealers are focused on the here and now. I get it. Everyone is scrambling for used vehicles to meet the surging consumer demand as OEMs rebound from the slowdown in manufacturing. Used car inventory is low and the value of a trade has never been higher. Everyone is worried about coming…
ContinueAdded by Bill Wittenmyer on September 2, 2020 at 9:33am — No Comments
A great article in CBT News cites that almost half of customers who state they are loyal to the selling dealer go elsewhere to service their vehicle. Only one-third of all vehicle services are performed at automotive dealerships. And we know brand loyalty and…
ContinueAdded by Chip King on August 19, 2020 at 10:00am — 1 Comment
Customer experience can make or break a dealership. It is a term often used when making marketing strategy plans, but is it front of mind for every dealership employee; especially those who communicate with customers directly? If your sales and BDC staff are relying on old school phone and internet techniques, it’s not. The language salespeople use with…
ContinueAdded by David Malone on August 12, 2020 at 11:01am — No Comments
Happy customers, happy sales teams, happy dealers
I will keep this brief, (I hear ya sayin …”YEAH RIGHT!”) in fact I will likely struggle to get in 3 or 4 paragraphs…the idea is super simple, but could be very impactful for most dealers.
As you know, margins continue to shrink in new car sales, and we…
ContinueAdded by Chip King on August 7, 2020 at 9:25am — No Comments
The Coronavirus is disrupting businesses across the globe and its full impact is yet to be seen. Dealers have been contacting us to see if we have any advice as far as what can be done in their service departments to limit any risk both to employees and customers.
The following are a few simple suggestions that can help…
ContinueAdded by Dan Beres on March 19, 2020 at 11:00am — No Comments
Service retention rates in dealerships have been steadily declining over the last three years, according to Affinitiv’s recent Automotive Loyalty Trends study, which analyzed data from more than 1,000 auto dealerships.
In domestic brand dealerships, service retention rates have dropped from 61.2% to 60.2%. At import brand dealerships,…
ContinueAdded by Doug Van Sach on March 13, 2020 at 2:34am — No Comments
Most auto dealerships do some, if not all of their service marketing with their manufacturer owner retention programs (ORPs). The purpose of ORPs is stated in the name: to build customer loyalty. But how well do these programs deliver on that promise?
The results from ORPs are all over the board. Some dealerships effectively use ORPs to…
ContinueAdded by Courtney Evans on January 31, 2020 at 9:30am — No Comments
In search of service revenue, dealerships turn to randomly scheduling service appointments regardless of shop capacity. Or they take everyone that drives up. This can easily overwhelm the service department. It leaves customers frustrated and causes a LOSS in service revenue from both new/drive-up customers and customers with appointments.
How…
ContinueAdded by Dan Beres on December 12, 2019 at 9:52am — No Comments
It costs most dealers about five times as much to acquire a new customer than to retain those they already have. Yet, increasing customer retention by as little as five percent can increase profits by up to 95 percent, according to the research group Bain & Company.
That’s because loyal customers and enthusiastic fans will keep coming back - and they’ll refer friends and family to your dealership. Loyal customers also tend to prioritize great customer…
ContinueAdded by Bill Wittenmyer on November 11, 2019 at 10:19am — No Comments
Your dealership has probably been using an owner retention program (ORPs) for years, but when was the last time you evaluated the effectiveness of each communication?
One thing is certain. Sending out the same communications with the same messages via the same channels, again and again, isn’t a winning strategy. The goal of an ORP is to…
ContinueAdded by Courtney Evans on November 8, 2019 at 9:36am — No Comments
That feeling of dread – the letter arrives at the dealership with a return address from an attorney you don’t recognize, addressed to "Owner" or "General Manager." Inside is a demand letter indicating that your website or mobile application is inaccessible as required under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). You need to contact them right away to…
ContinueAdded by Ed Barton on October 24, 2019 at 9:47am — No Comments
These days, consumers usually look at online reviews when deciding not only WHAT they are going to buy, but also WHO to buy it from. However, there have been plenty of scandals in the retail industry concerning fake or paid reviews. So, it gets a little cloudy in the water, and consumers have gotten somewhat cynical.
Take Amazon. Hundreds of…
ContinueAdded by Paul Moran on August 23, 2019 at 10:03am — No Comments
With the auto industry facing a shortage of technicians, it’s important to do what we can to attract young technicians and keep them. After all, when the front end of the business slows down, it’s the back end that can keep your store afloat and profitable. But there are two main problems with getting young professionals into the automotive industry: image…
ContinueAdded by Stephen Coambes on June 13, 2019 at 10:11am — No Comments
Price is often a major factor in the purchase of any service or product. But it’s important to separate perceived price and received value. For example, $5 for a bottle of water might seem expensive, but that’s a deal if you’re walking through a desert. And there’s nothing blatantly wrong with paying more for quality (or perceived quality)––just look at…
ContinueAdded by Stephen Coambes on May 30, 2019 at 9:59am — No Comments
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