Customers - just like the advisors - often think one thing and say another. To alleviate the guessing games and unnecessary drama here are the top five things your customers are thinking, but just not saying until they get the survey that is!

Where do I go?? - Okay, let me see - do I pull up into here who do I work with? Am I going to get my maintenance package I already bought?

Sounds simple, but the fact of the matter is the advisor needs to approach the customer in their vehicle as they’ve pulled into the lane. Making sure that the customer is not waiting a prolonged amount of time for the garage to open.

On the flip side, standing behind a counter staring at them as they awkwardly try and find an advisor to go to will set you to a bad start. Especially when there is other personnel in the lane that has not greeted them. The customer might not know that s/he is in the middle of completing something.

Greeting the customer will make them feel more comfortable! The more comfortable s/he feels, the more they will spend.

How long will it take?

In a perfect world, an oil change would be done in less than 40 minutes. But the truth is if the customer did not have an appointment and came in at 12 PM during the rush then the service will take longer than expected. Be upfront and honest with the customer. Possibly even offering the customer a rental or shuttle service using it as an opportunity to upsell the customer! Talk about a wow moment, right?

(this for extreme cases, typically. Where the wait time could be more than 120 minutes for an oil change)

Keeping the customer informed!

This is nothing new. In fact, at DSES 2016 there was a speaker that said if Domino's - who is delivering a $10 pizza - can keep the customer informed on app. Why then can’t we keep them informed on a vehicle!?

One of the most effective ways of combating this issue is to figure out what your platform offers in the way of texting, emailing, etc. In addition to making sure to *ask* your customer what their preferred method of communication is when dropping off their vehicle. 

Think about it, if the customer is not aware of their status - they are going to call in. When they call in the advisor is with another customer. The customer gets stranded on hold and hangs up. And does it all over again until s/he gets ahold of someone. Or, worse, they just show up - only to find that their vehicle is not ready. Having to wait. Ouch. Not a good situation to be in!

Do I really need that?

Upselling isn’t always easy, am I right? However, if customers are presented the service in a way that makes sense to them the likelihood of their buying that upsell is that much greater!

For example, it all starts with the initial greeting. If you took your time with the customer and did a complete walk-around, then you had time to point out “concerns” such as windshield wipers, tires, brakes - etc.

I would also focus on selling certain products. Not just the typical special bundle, but have a “hot item” and create a sales pitch that is a part of the walk-around. I think you would be surprised with the success of it. As you know, it is all about the way you sell.

Couldn't you take five mins to vacuum out my car? I just spent $150!?

It is all about impressions and experience, no? The customer doesn’t realize or know what the markup is for a service. In their minds, they have just spent $150 - to ease that pain of spending they will feel that much better leaving in a cleaner vehicle. Not to mention, many OEMS ask their customer if the vehicle was cleaned after they left.

How expensive is it for the service lane to have a vacuum on hand? And no, not a shop vac causing tornado like noises in the service lane. But a simple vacuum that is kept in the lane. Where the customer can visibly see you vacuuming the vehicle. It is all about perception!

So let’s face it - we have all had that moment waiting in line where we’re thinking one thing but revert and say another. Our customers do the same thing. The problem with this approach, however, is that by the time the customer does voice their thoughts, concerns, and problems it is too late. The damage is already done. Damage that overshadows all of the hard work and time you have put in with the customer!

How do you handle keeping the customer informed - texting or calling? How has managing some of the above issues impacted your CSI in a positive way? 

Reporting is essential for understanding what your ROI is, right? So why then are we wasting several hours of your managers time creating reports (using Excel) in the service lane?

More often than not the reason managers are creating their reports mainly due to their not knowing how to pull the correct report. Albeit, there are multiple vendors the dealer works with on a daily basis. However, there is a way of collectively aggregating all of the data using the vendor's platform.

Many if not all vendors have substantial reporting options available within their platforms. And I understand that there is such a thing called analysis paralysis. But, it is best to review your essential vendors - i.e. marketing, appointments, email collection and compile all of the “performance” reports into one cohesive report.

In doing so, it allows you to understand better how the vendors and services interrelate in so far as how they work together. For example, in the service lane, a dealer wants to understand better how many appointments are being booked online.

Who keeps track of appointments on an Excel sheet manually entering them? If you are using a manual report - often having human errors - then you are not getting the whole picture.

Whereas, if you are using the vendor's reports to analyze web traffic, conversion, appointments, and show rate vs. the average dollar per RO for both warranty and customer pay, you can make a much more sound decision. A decision that can have a profound impact on overall sales in the lane.

So while you might already keep track of this using Excel. I do recommend working with your vendors! In fact, when is the last time you called your vendor's account manager asking them to come in or give an update?

Do you still use Excel? How do you manage the monthly reporting?

Recalls are easy money, right? Several dealers are already taking advantage of recalls as a means of up-selling other services. Including the sale of a new vehicle! If you are not currently taking advantage of open recalls here are some helpful thoughts & marketing ideas that will assist you!

Customer Information

When selling the vehicle - originally - or with a customer who came in for service should always give their email to the advisor. But if there is skepticism the advisor can always use the line “in the event there is a recall we can immediately notify you via email (even text) long before you will receive your letter in the mail," which allows you to quickly and efficiently communicate with the customers who have an open recall. Even including a coupon in the email offering a spring/summer/fall/winter package.

Marketing

If you have marketed via email, you should use a dedicated BDC rep or manager to call the customers who have opened/engaged with the recall email. Obviously not telling the customer that they’ve opened the email. Instead, offer “Mr. Customer I wanted to make sure you have received your recall notice? Are you available now or later today for us to address the recall.”

More often than not you will secure the appointment especially since you are not up selling on the phone saving that for the lane.

Internal Management

You want to make sure you have a manager or BDC rep keeping track of the “recall” campaign. Making sure that all of the customers have been called. Including keeping track of when the appointments are booked for the advisors ensuring that the customers will not have a longer than usual wait time (depending on the service demands).

Keeping track of the campaign will also - as you know - help assist in future campaigns as you will have a good idea on what the ROI was!

New Customers

There will most likely be a few new service customers! This is as good as receiving a golden egg! So be sure to offer them a complimentary “rewards” account - not saying give away hundreds of dollars worth of services. But perhaps offer them some coupons or even just one free oil change. This will assist in increasing in PMA or ACB (assigned customer base) customers.

How do you handle recalls? Join the conversation today!

People (and yes, *many* not just the millennials) will forgo their favorite store to save a few dollars - so why do you expect service customers not to?

The hard truth is that they will, unfortunately, go to a one stop shop - such as a big box retailer - to save a few dollars. Often not having a good experience, but at the end of the day and a bad review on Yelp later they’re still “winning.”

Before throwing the towel in, however, there is a way to combat the pricing war. Video marketing is the it factor - but not a video “selling” a product or a service. Instead, a video advertisement that appeals to emotion and logic where the customer will subconsciously believe that your service center is the logical decision.

When you just use language to sell a product with a “pitch to the customer - who is automatically bias - s/he will have made up their minds within seconds where s/he has already defected from your sales pitch. So you have to change the way you sell by offering two choices. That is both a logical and illogical option.

For example, in a service advertisement it would go as such:

“You wouldn’t trust a plumber to be your primary physician, right? So then why choose a repair shop where you do not have to be certified? Yikes. (Physician with a stethoscope in background popping your hood) Make the right choice and hire one our award winning professionals to repair your vehicle. Giving you the peace of mind you deserve both in the shop and on the road.”  (pan in with shot of your lounge area showing all awards and certified techs - smiling with the customer)

People want to believe that s/he has made the decision of choosing what is best, and when presented with a logical and illogical perspective more times than not s/he will choose the logical option.

Some might argue it is nothing more than a political ad tuned auto campaign. But the fact of the matter is decades later video marketing with both a logic, and illogic perspective that appeals to emotions remains highly effective.

I will leave you with this thought - think about it - people know that a dealer sells cars and has a service center, right?

So why then continue to promote what people already know? It just doesn’t make sense. Creating a video with two options - yours being the right, logical, option just makes sense.

Would you or your dealer consider an ad campaign based on this? Who has already done this with great success or shear failure?

Service Appointment Integration - how does your DMS connect with the CRM?  do you use another form of software? If so, how do they connect? Do you have an accurate picture of your customer's account for both sales & service?

We spend so much time and effort booking service appointments! Whether that is online, by phone, text, or email but do we spend enough time tracking them? Do your systems even connect? Such as your CRM, DMS or Service Software?  If you have to take a moment to think it about - they might not be!

All too often in our industry, we have to have a vendor for each department - sales, service, and a system for accounting - the dreaded DMS, which of course houses all of the vital customer information. But are the appointments that are booked connected to both the CRM, DMS & Service software?

(the new trend for software is to move to an all in one platform CRM & DMS - this is the new way of handling a customer account)

Do the appointments go into the abyss? Do they go to your CRM for general lead submissions? Does anyone check that?

In our one dealership, we have three different systems to manage & maintain service appointments. After reviewing the CRM, we were able to add the appointment software they use to the CRM.  Linking the information together.

Another benefit in linking all of the appointments together was the ability for the service advisor to manage their schedules. Whereas before, the advisor might have - unbeknownst to them - overbooked their schedule. Not allowing them to offer the right level of customer service for the customer in the lane - leaving the customer in the lounge for far too long.

The problem with not having your software linked is the advisor is not able to see the complete profile of the customer. Having the complete profile of the customer allows the advisor to be more effective in working with the client. Especially given that is incredibly difficult if not impossible to remember everyone's name.

The customer, however, does feel more important when s/he is greeted by their name or acknowledged for their loyalty to the dealership. Something as simple as recognizing their loyalty can increase the dollars spent per RO leaving both the customer and the service advisor happy!

Are your appointments linked across your different systems? How do you track service appointments?

Reviews and social presence are an integral part of doing business in the digital world we live in. Collecting those reviews, however, is the challenging part. Everything from training the service advisor on the platform to the consistency in collecting those reviews. All of which assists in building a reputation that maintains and creates new business.

So Many Options So Little Time - Which Review Site, though?  

There has been a lot of discussion in our store as to which platform is best for reviews. Whether that is focusing solely on Google or Dealer Rater. We focused on using Dealer Rater having had great success.  Using the Dealer of the Year Award - 5 years running - as a means of building business and collecting reviews from new and current customers. Giving the Advisors talking points when handling phone calls, emails, and customers in the lane.

Part of getting the Service Advisors on board was not easy, either. We approached the Advisors expressing the value of building a relationship with their customers and taking the time to remember their names as they enter the lane. Making sure they had cards to hand out to customers as they are leaving. But It was not until one of the advisors got their first referral - Dealer Rater Connection Lead - that their excitement gained momentum, which has turned into 25+ 5 star reviews a month for the past two months. Having a direct impact on our business.

One of the other reasons there has been a focus on Dealer Rater is because it is the one trusted platform where the employee can be reviewed. Allowing the employees to build their own online reputation as a part of the store's overall image. Even allowing the Advisor the ability to receive connections (as mentioned above) - leads - that have led to sales, and most importantly new, happy customers! And as we all know, loyal & happy customers often spend more money.

Google is important, though right?

Google is very important, and if you have a GMAIL account, and are searching for a service center - your friend's reviews will populate, which can have a deep impact. That said, in our follow-up email we ask our customers to give us a review on Dealer Rater - posting it to Google, too. It is a catch 22, but in the meantime, we believe Dealer Rater is an invaluable tool that has benefited us greatly. 

How do you handle reviews? Do you have a social media manager? Anyone else have great success with using Dealer Rater?

There have been several rounds of conversation in regards to videos. Namely, videos are the new it factor when it comes to capturing our customer's attention whether that is giving the service customer an update, thanking the customer, or building value in the service advisor by having him/her share a personal video with the customer.

Videos are powerful, BUT - the way we have been approaching video (for some time now, really) might not be what the customer is looking for in a video. Sure there are in fact some customers who love the videos!

This article is not to discredit the hard work of those who have been brave enough to load a million apps, take time out of their personal day, spend their money, and argue with his/her GM & Service manager be a part of taking videos.

What I am saying, however, is that there is an easier method of being relevant when it comes to video that we have yet to approach. That is creating a collection of videos that ‘effectively’ explain the services s/he needs for their vehicle. And no, this is not a personal video that would be done onsite for each and every customer. But rather a menu of the services your dealership offers.

Think about it, when a customer explains a problem in the service line it is like “it makes this grrr crackkkkk grrrr sound,” to which the advisor says “we’ll take a look.” The more confident the consumer feels - as if s/he were a part of the decision-making process - the more trust they have, which means they will spend that much more money in the lane.

In regards to the videos, you would have a simple to use catalog - using YouTube Videos (45 seconds or less) - explaining the most common problems. The video’s (while short) are informative, offering the customer a plausible explanation as to what could be wrong with their vehicle.

The best way to start this project is to create a video for oil change, cabin filter change, even a vehicle detail. This video needs to be appealing, too - refraining from using an OEM video where everything is too perfect. It is like booking a hotel on Expedia where the photos are from the resorts first day of business. So upon arrival, the hotel has been through heck and back looking nothing like it once did.

How often do you take videos? Are you having great success with it in the service lane? Any customer feedback?

How many Thank You’s is enough? Do we say thanks so much that we become desensitized to what “thank you” really means? Its that word that puts you in the awkward moment where you say “Thank you.” to which the other says “No, Thank You.” and you finish with “No, but really thanks.” 

Where does it end? 

Well, the same idea of saying thanks too much applies to just how many times we say thank you to our customers via email.  Whether that is the first thank you at the store, thank you email after they leave, thank you review email, & finally the OEM email thanking them for their business - just where does it end?! 

Now mind you, yes, the purpose of saying “thank you” is to “thank” the customer. With the ulterior motive of soliciting that coveted five-star review. The review with the happy customer smiling to the moon and back saying how much they just love visiting your store. 

While we want to continue to thank our customers and in return capture their excitement towards your store - there are a better means of maintaining that! The first step is reviewing how and when your thank you emails go out. 

Check CRM for “Thank You” emails in the workflow - i.e. do you have auto templates set up? 
Email service providers - when is the email triggered? (most of the time it is after an R/O closes)
OEM survey email - usually ten days after service for brand specific vehicles - does your *previous* email let the customer know s/he will be receiving a survey?

Once you have reviewed what emails are sent out and when they are triggered - take an extra minute and review the content keeping in mind that the email can be short, sweet, and to the point. One of the most effective ways of sending out a thank you email is using the advisor's personal information - using their photo in the “thank you” template. 

The single template can cover - thank you, reviews, & OEM survey - I guarantee that condensing your emails will yield better results. In the meantime, check out your current open/opt-out rates - how many people opt out every email cycle? If the opt-out rate is high, then you are either sending too much content. And Remember, start small! 

When reviewing the email content make sure to take the time, and include those directly impacted by the project. Such as the BDC Manager &  Service Manager. So, Thank You!!! 

How do you say thank you?! How many thank you’s is too much??

There is a lot of conversation surrounding the appointment. Namely, how to ask for the appointment when corresponding via email. So much conversation that it becomes confusing - leaving you asking yourself where do I ask for the appointment?

It does not have to be as complicated as we make it, no? If the customer has inquired on a vehicle (especially for pre-owned), they have interest. So if they have an interest in the vehicle, and have not asked specifically to come in for a test drive (boy do we like it when they do!!), then we need to ask them!

Perhaps s/he has not set up a time to come in on the said vehicle because they are unsure of who they’d work with (planning just to stop in randomly), or they have inquired on three or four different vehicles. Forgetting which one they inquired on when you are calling, which is all the more reason to sell the appointment in the email!

We all know the customer who inquired online - the one that never answers your calls or texts - that shows up randomly is also the customer that becomes agitated because they were not waited on fast enough! That could have been avoided had we asked for the appointment. Making sure that we ask for it in the right way.

What we do not want to do is try to sell the vehicle online before the customer has test driven the vehicle. Making the customer feel as if s/he has to commit to purchasing that vehicle before their arrival, which makes them uncomfortable. Instead, we sell the opportunity to purchase a vehicle. Offering them a fast, fun, and hassle-free experience!

Here are some quick tips on how to ask for the appointment:

• “Thanks for your interest in (insert vehicle) we sincerely appreciate the opportunity to earn your business with (insert dealer). The (vehicle) is available. Speaking of available, are you available now or later today for a test drive?

• As special thanks for taking the time to come in for a test drive, we will give you a $25 gift card

• We have several excellent options available (Insert other options including vehicles others have viewed that are similar). Speaking of available, are you available now or later today for a test drive?

The appointment should be the focus along with your value statements. If s/he responds back with “I am not able to come in” objecting your email, then they might not have gotten the information they were hoping for, which means you have to start at square one and ask for the appointment again.

They might ask for price, availability, payments, etc. which allows you to start your needs analysis. Inquiring as to whether they want to focus on their payment or overall price range. Once you have answered their question, you can ask a question. Keeping the conversation balanced! This should lead to more appointments! Sounds simple, yes. But when we get busy and start hammering out emails to keep that lead response time low we often forget about the core basics!

How do you ask for the appointment? How do you handle objections via email?

Let's keep the conversation going on email templates! Has anyone had results yet?

I am not sure what’s worse the customer reading an email and not responding or not reading your specially written email at all! 

A no response lead can be taken personally. I mean you have just spent probably 5-10 minutes writing an email responding to the customer's inquiry. In hopes of their responding, setting an appointment, and purchasing a vehicle! 

Before beating yourself up for not getting a response - you need to step back and ask yourself what did you say in the email? Did the customer ask a question you missed? Did you send inventory options? Did you send your current specials? Namely, did you email include a call to action? An action that sparked “FOMO” (fear of missing out). 

I have seen several emails sent out that did not answer the customer's main question (which is often overlooked depending on where the “comments” are displayed in the lead), didn’t sell the dealership, no branding, - the list goes on! 

P.S. I too have been guilty of missing a question, which is why I spent an extra minute making sure I answer it correctly!

There isn’t per se the “GOLDEN” email, or all dealers would be using it by now. What you can do however is be relevant and make sure you take the time to read the lead before sending the email. Here are some key elements that will assist you in getting a response! 

Subject Line 

There is a course in DSU that explains in great detail on how to write a subject line. While putting the sale price, emoji’s, or special characters seem fun - it lessens the chance of the customer clicking the email as it resembles spam. 

Keep the subject line short, and to the point! Here is an example: 

“Be One that Saves, (first name)”

Main Body 

The first thing you need to do is review the lead making sure you have looked to see if the customer has left a question or comment. Not answering the customers' questions can be a turn off resulting in their deselecting your store. 

If the customer has asked a specific question be sure to reiterate their question when answering it. Once you have answered, the question asks for the appointment. Next, you will build value in your appointment by selling your dealership. Creating an image of what your customer can expect if they chose to do business with you. 
Inventory should also be highlighted - per DSU you should insert up to three options. Make sure that there are real photos (refrain from stock photos as the customer might avoid it) and include options that others have also viewed pertaining to the inquired on stock number. 

Closing - Last Impression Value Statement & Special Offer

Customers often forget about maintenance. They are so focused on the sale price because that is the most relevant subject to them during the “purchase” process. So if we can build value in the sense that we also take care of them after the sale, it builds brand value, which is invaluable in today's market. 

Let the customer know that your service techs are certified, and unlike big box stores, your team has to be brand specific certified. Not to mention, the customer might receive a membership of sorts by servicing at your dealership. Such as rental cars, free oil changes, or service rewards. 

Offer the customer a coupon. Something that stands out. Do you use a coupon a gift card? Trust me. I know the eyes of the manager's roll when you say those words as they will argue about having to work that back into the deal. But the customer just wants instant gratification. That’s all. That Instant gratification can result in an appointment, which can lead to a sale!! 

How do you handle a no response email? What works for you? 

Click here to join the ongoing email templates conversation!