Driving more consumers into the service bay is important for car dealers looking to grow their business, especially considering that fixed operations revenue typically comprises roughly half of a dealership’s earnings. On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by MC Watson, business development manager at automotiveMastermind, an automated sales and marketing platform, to discuss the importance and value of fueling the service department.
To grow their fixed operations business, car dealers must discover ways to capitalize on the consumers they have. Watson urges retailers to view their service department as a means of maintaining relationships with customers. Drivers need to keep their vehicles running throughout its life cycle, which makes it essential to nail the repair and upkeep experience, especially for repeat buyers. Doing so, Watson notes, helps earn their loyalty for future purchases, even if they may not currently be in the market for a new car.
Building these relationships and earning more customers means car dealers should approach fixed operations more strategically than they may be used to. “I think our first point is to really proactively view the customers that are going to be visiting your service department from an opportunity perspective,” Watson remarks. By checking their appointment schedule before the day starts, retailers can ascertain who that day’s customers are, their best contact information, what work they want to get done, as well as their history with the dealership. Making a good impression in the service department, whether it is the customer’s first or tenth work order, becomes much easier when managers and technicians know who they are serving.
Selecting the right vendor to generate leads for the service department is just as essential as setting the right strategy. For car dealers looking to create revenue opportunities from their fixed operations, automotiveMastermind helps by contacting and following up with every customer. This service extends beyond service department clients, however. Through automation, the platform is able to contact a wider base of prospective customers than retailers can on their own, making it an ideal outreach and marketing partner for businesses looking to grow.
The company is also hosting a free webinar on August 17 at 1 p.m. EST called Crack the Code. By attending the virtual session, car dealers can learn why fixed operations are increasingly important to profitability, tips to efficiently and effectively boost retention, along with best practices for identifying and closing high-value service-to-sales customers. Those interested in attending can sign up here. To learn more about automotiveMastermind’s service offerings and how they can help dealerships earn and keep clients, visit their website here.
