How should car dealers market their service department?

On the latest episode of Straight to the Point, host Frank J. Lopes sits down with CEO of Fixed Ops Digital, Owen Moon. Lopes gets straight to the point and asks Moon, should dealers market their service department?

The service department has been the financial backbone of nearly every automobile dealership in America. Yet, when it comes to marketing, most dealers hardly ever consider it. Moon says, absolutely, dealers should market their service department. There’s no shortage of business. Our days are full and the industry is making more money than ever before. Moon thinks we need to focus our attention to online.

Moon says it comes down to, what kind of advertising are you doing? On the service side, it’s more about the foundation and education. It’s getting customers to understand what is needed to keep their vehicle running and in good shape. If you can show the customer pre-appointment what types of things they need, you’ll be able to add on different services.

If you’re looking to make the most money, Moon says to use late ownership services. It’s where you can find more revenue dollars. It’s a great way to not lose customers. Moon believes customers know it’s better to go to a dealership.The problem is, the industry has not done a good job of expanding the why service message. Moon says, 100% you have to be strategic. If you want to get into an environment where customers can find you, that’s when you need to invest in a strategy.

Always working with your email provider is a win says Moon. He also recommends paid media. Try doing branded social media campaigns, right around the dealership. It’s more about visibility and getting people in your service department to learn more about you and over time will bring them back.