Hybrids Breathing Life Back Into Dealership Service Centers

It is a well-known fact that the Biden administration is pushing for 50 percent of all vehicles sold in the U.S. to be zero-emission by the year 2030. Is this feasible? Probably not—it seems more like a dreamt-up political campaign with little research behind it.  

Hybrids Are More Likely To Be The Winner By 2030 

Hybrid vehicles have been winning the hearts of Americans, and the positive sales trends don’t seem to be slowing down, and why would it? The perks of having a vehicle that can use both a combustion engine and electric motor in tandem or individually have proved to be beneficial in many ways. Consumers don’t have to charge their vehicles at home or at a charging station, which could take much longer than it does to pump gas. And trying to find a place to charge the supposedly super-efficient EV vehicle in a rural area is almost non-existent. It would be like running out of gas in Northern Alaska.  

Can Profits At The Service Drive Jump With Hybrids?

Absolutely! The main reasons why customers avoid using the dealership service department are the fear of high cost and the time it will take out of their daily schedule. When you visit the local service center, you’re the only one or just one of two or three customers waiting for their vehicle to be serviced. This makes customers feel like they will be on a first-come, first-served basis, and in and out fastest. Going to the dealership always scares customers away because they think that they could be without their vehicle for a whole day or more. The feeling is much like the kind you get when it’s time to go to the dentist—a lot of time, cost, and frustration added to your already busy life.  

An Educated Hybrid Driver IS A Return Customer

The public has always had fears about the cost of maintenance at the dealership. Now, picture their fears doubling when they think about a long-time tried and tested combustion engine combined with an electric motor, a semi-new technology to most people. If they don’t know much about the mechanical workings of a vehicle to begin with, then the thought of how a hybrid works is only going to make matters worse.  

If consumers can understand that a hybrid not only helps reduce their carbon footprint and save on gas but also helps preserve the life of a lot of moving parts on a vehicle, then their view of getting their hybrid maintenance at the dealership might change. To a customer, fewer trips to the service department and less time their vehicle will spend there will make them more comfortable using the dealership’s services.  

Also, explaining to the consumer that using the local service center may seem like a good and efficient idea, but the availability they have to certified hybrid technicians, to proper tools, and access to OEM parts for hybrids may be limited. And, with hybrids and the high voltage systems they have makes this statement even more true.  

Let us not forget that making the customer feel comfortable when buying a vehicle is just as important as making them feel just as comfortable as using the dealership’s services afterward. The process of keeping the service department busy should start with the beginning of the hybrid buyer’s journey.   

More vehicles In And Out Faster; More Profit

With hybrid vehicles benefiting from less wear and tear on moving parts than traditional drivetrain setups, service departments can bank on fast turnaround times. With shorter write-up times for service writers and less time spent at the parts counter for technicians, it’s a win-win for the department and the customer.  

It is always good to look into the future and understand what is more likely going to happen. The way it looks right now is that by 2030, it’s going to be hybrids dominating the markets, not EV or combustion engines. This link to Investor’s Business Daily shows the stats and statistics up to this year; you can draw your own conclusions.