Change is the one constant thing in life and the car manufacturers are the avid followers of this concept. Every new year they come up with some new models and the previous ones slowly get outdated. Similarly, the Mercedes-Benz GLK is no more and it has been steadily replaced by the GLC with pretty good positive…

In the world of the automotive industry, we are always being evaluated. Whether it’s through customer or manufacturer surveys, this feedback is incredibly valuable and, in some cases, affects dealership revenue.

Just like everyone, I patronize dealerships for my vehicle service. I was concerned because my new vehicle with 16000 miles on it had some noises…

Yesterday, my 80 year old mother, took her SUV to the local dealer for an oil change.  Even though it is a lease, she likes to treat it like she would if she owned it and have the oil changed every 3000 miles or so.  So, she pulled into the service lane of the store where she has bought a new vehicle every three years since I was 16 (over 35 years), and where she has had her car serviced every three months since then.  My mom believes that the dealer is the best…

We all know the term “declined service repair.” Increasingly, I hear service departments are having a hard time keeping customers in the service lane to get those declined services done.

Imagine if financing didn’t exist for vehicle purchases. Chances are that very few would ever be able to own one, despite the desire to do so. The same situation applies to service repairs. I bet that a good number of your customers are declining service repairs not because they don’t want them, or…

Automotive Future 

Autotrader’s recent Car Buyer of the Future study shows only 17 out of 4,002 people prefer the current car-buying process, with the rest saying they want significant changes. This means the industry needs…

Nearly 70% of active service customers are within the manufacturers warranty (1-3 year old vehicles), leaving a retention rate of only 30% after the warranty expires. The BIG question is WHY are dealers losing 70% of their active service customers when the warranty expires? 



Three Main Defection Points 



First Oil Change 



Believe it or not, a majority of customers never make it back to the dealership for even their first oil…

I am very excited about our new service manager two day seminar set for June 11-12 in Cleveland Ohio. This course is designed to be a hands on positive approach to real life in dealership service departments. It’s great for rookies and experienced vets that desire improvement.

The charge is only $795 and your manager will return with an action plan…

Most dealers understand the importance of customer retention. They’re e-mail-blasting sales messages, sending direct mail, and their salespeople are combing over thousands of client records in their DMS, making phone calls to previous customers and orphan owners. The problem is that many dealers don’t realize that, all too often, those messages fall on deaf ears. Dealerships spend tons of money sending messages to customers that are mostly irrelevant because some vendor promised huge results…

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the next down market in automotive retail is coming. No one knows precisely when – and none of us is certain what will trigger it – but, it is coming. Moreover, given the current market realities, it might be coming a little faster than most of us in the industry imagine. Take, for example, these fast facts:

• The average length of a new car loan in 2014 was 66 months.
• The number of subprime borrowers missing payments is at…

Take Flight to INSIGHT!

As announced on AutoDealerLive: Courtesy of Car Lister, the first 50 dealers and managers who fill out the contact form at http://insightcustomerloyalty.com/freeairfare/ will receive…

There is a big opportunity that most dealerships are not taking advantage of on a daily basis.  Buying a car is a huge investment.  On average it is the 2nd biggest investment in your clients' lives.    So why is it that our sales teams are not going the extra mile after the car is purchased?  The relationship is not over at this point, it is actually just beginning!…

Customer Loyalty and Retention Conference to provide complimentary two-night room stay with paid registration for all dealership attendees.

INSIGHT15 Customer Loyalty and Retention Conference will be held on March 24-26, 2015 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, FL. The Insight Media Team, united with its media…

That time of year is rapidly approaching -- Black Friday. Black Friday is typically the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and an indicator of how well retailers will fare throughout the holidays. In fact, many retailers report that the majority of their holiday season sales happen on this single day. Consumers go wild with excitement, and some even choose to…

How to perform in the Top 1%

I was talking with the woman I love yesterday. She loves me, yet, when talking about car salesmen, she is convinced their primary mission is to find a sucker. WHAT?? Those are…

Automated marketing is a huge industry (and growing) and it’s also a hot topic for businesses. Is it really necessary? Will it truly benefit my business? The only way to know for sure if marketing automation is the right choice for your dealership is to try it out, but before you invest the time and money there are some questions that can help you make that decision.

Do you send out personalized…

See what Scott Sparks has to say about the Zeck Ford Service Department!

Their President's Award Winning Service  Department is second to none ! They deliver Award Winning Service through a combination of a Professional Well Trained Staff. A Clean Modern Facility, State of the art Equipment , and Computerized Invoicing, Record Keeping and Information Systems. Zeck Ford provides friendly…

ALBANY, N.Y. – August 4th, 2014 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) today announced that Dave Druzynski, Director of Human Resources at Auto/Mate, will present "How to Avoid the Costs of a Bad Hire" at the upcoming 2014 Montana Auto Dealers Association (MTADA) 100th Anniversary Convention in Helena, Montana.

Druzynski's presentation is designed to help dealers understand the true costs associated with poor hiring decisions,…

There are probably a thousand reasons or more that customer service and retention is a valuable automotive sales training topic, but here are just nine that affect all industries that should get your attention.

1 .   86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience. But only 1% of customers feel that vendors consistently meet their expectations. (CEI…