Most auto dealerships do some if not all of their service marketing with their manufacturer customer/owner retention programs (ORPs). The purpose of ORPs is stated in the name: to build customer loyalty. But how well do these programs deliver on that promise?

If you are in the service department, sales office, BDC, or even F&I then it is important for you to retain your customers. Are you familiar with the campaign your store is using to bring in return customers?

The results from ORPs are all over the board. Some dealerships effectively use ORPs to increase customer retention, while other dealers experience lackluster results. 

The premise behind ORPs is to stay in touch with sold customers, bring them back in for service and continue servicing them through their ownership lifecycle until they're ready to buy again.

But many dealerships' owner retention programs underperform due to a "one size fits all" marketing strategy. If you're sending out mailers and emails once a month with an offer based on what you think customers will respond to, you are not getting optimal results.