How a new car dealership service drive can dominate: Key areas for success

The automotive marketplace constantly evolves, and franchised new car dealerships must adapt to stay competitive. One of the most crucial aspects of a dealership’s success is its service drive. Properly optimized, this area can significantly improve customer satisfaction, retention, and overall profitability. Here are five key areas where a new car dealership service drive can dominate: 

1. Exceptional Customer Service

Customer service, the cornerstone of a thriving service drive, is the basis for fostering loyal, enduring relationships. Our experience has shown that dealerships can solidify these relationships by ensuring every customer interaction is positive. Here, we present a few strategies to help you achieve exceptional customer service: 

Personalized Service: The power of a name is not to be underestimated. Greeting customers by name, taking the time to understand their needs, and tailoring your recommendations to meet them can create a lasting impression.  

Customer Profiles: Use CRM systems to maintain comprehensive profiles of your customers, ensuring details, including service history, preferences, and special notes, are accurately recorded. This allows your service writers to provide personalized and efficient service, enhancing overall customer satisfaction. 

Transparency: Clearly explain the services being performed, provide accurate estimates, and keep customers informed throughout the process. Don’t just drop them off in the waiting area until you’re ready to check them out–keep them in the loop. 

2. Efficient Operations

Efficiency in the service drive is not just a buzzword; it’s a game-changer. It’s the key to reducing customer wait times, increasing satisfaction, and ultimately, significantly boosting your dealership’s bottom line. Your role in this process is crucial.  

Automated Scheduling Systems: Harness the power of software to automatically schedule appointments based on technician availability, skill sets, and the estimated time required for each service or repair. 

Streamlined Processes: Implement check-in processes that move the customer through more effectively. Whether through mobile check-in, self-service kiosks, or tablet-based check-in, these innovations can accelerate your service drive.  

Skilled Workforce: Train service advisors on a standardized check-in protocol to ensure consistency and efficiency, including greeting customers, verifying appointment details, and reviewing requested services. 

3. Proactive Customer Engagement

Staying connected with customers even when not in the service drive can lead to higher retention rates. Effective engagement strategies include: 

Ongoing Communications: Go beyond email updates: segment customers to better target messaging, establish automated drip campaigns, generate personalized video messages, and utilize SMS to push notifications and updates. 

Loyalty Programs: Consider implementing a loyalty program where customers earn points for service visits. Customers can redeem points for discounted or free services or even a steak dinner. Provide exclusive offers and early access to promotions for loyalty program members.  

Educational Content: Create and share how-to videos on vehicle maintenance, safety tips, and new car features, and host live webinars or virtual workshops on different automotive maintenance topics. 

4. Data-Driven Decision Making

Leveraging data for decision-making can significantly improve a dealership’s ability to understand customer preferences, streamline operations, and identify areas for improvement. Here are some actionable examples for each key area: 

NPS Scores: If you’ve not already done so, implement Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys to gauge overall customer satisfaction. Analyze these scores to identify areas where your customer experience can be improved. 

Predictive Maintenance: Use predictive analytics tools to evaluate vehicle usage patterns and forecast maintenance needs. Use the data to notify your customers about upcoming services actively.  

Churn Analysis: Implement churn prediction models to identify customers at risk of leaving. To help retain them, offer up targeted promotions with personalized communications. 

5. Employee Motivation

Performance-Based Commission: Implement a commission structure that rewards service writers based on performance. Set balanced goals that reflect both sales and customer feedback to ensure balanced results. 

Tiered Rewards: Instead of a one-size-fits-all promotion, try offering tiered rewards for different levels of achievement, ensuring that all service writers, regardless of experience,  can earn recognition and prizes. 

Empowerment: We’ve found that providing service writers the authority to make decisions within specific guidelines, like offering discounts or handling customer complaints, increases their sense of ownership and responsibility. 

Summary 

Your dealership can dominate your competition on the service drive by prioritizing exceptional customer service, efficient operations, comprehensive services, proactive engagement, digital integration, and data-driven decision-making. Your dealership can improve customer satisfaction, foster loyalty, and achieve long-term profitability by excelling in these areas.