Bill Springer on What Consumers Value Most in the Service Department

DriveSure surveyed nearly 2,000 vehicle owners to find out what it takes to retain their service business at car dealerships and Bill Springer, President of DriveSure is here to discuss those findings. The majority of the car owners that were surveyed in the 2020 Dealership Service Retention Report have their vehicles serviced at new car dealerships. The purpose of this study was to find out why customers return to the dealership for service, what key indicators motivate customer retention, and what causes customers to defect to after-market competition.

Price is important, as it always is in vehicle service, but it’s not as important as the quality of the work that is done, or the quality of the entire service experience. DriveSure also found that there is still a lot of opportunity when it comes to tire sales and maintenance. While dealerships may not make a lot of money off of tire maintenance, Bill believes that offering that service is crucial in the wider scope of customer experience and retention. In fact, 90% of customers that buy tires outside of the dealership, never again return for other maintenance.

“Customers are pretty unforgiving if they have a bad experience,” says Bill. “it doesn’t take much for them to defect.” The quality of the experience and interaction with service personnel is critically important to ensure the retention of that customer. Amenities can make all of the difference as well. Consumers value online appointment scheduling tools, vehicle pick-up and delivery, and roadside assistance.

Did you enjoy this interview with Bill Springer? Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic with host Jim Fitzpatrick at jfitzpatrick@cbtnews.com.