The latest news out of the auto industry is that Amazon, everyone’s favorite online retailer, is investing $700 million into the electric truck and SUV startup Rivian. That much money is no joke, and it’s going to be a huge boost for a company with so much positive stuff going for it.

Even GM’s Mary Barra has praised Rivian for their EV development that aligns with GM’s own zero-emissions vision for the future. But what does it have to do with the service department?

It’s a Display of Relevance

The deal between Amazon and Rivian, and even the General Motors CEO’s admiration from the outside looking in, displays that Rivian is relevant. Their company hits key points for the industry and or a particular customer base that immediately gives them credibility and desirability.

For Rivian, their relevance arises from two unique places:

• First, the company is committed to being a zero emissions carmaker with a clearly demonstrated platform of electric vehicles. EVs are still widely regarded as the next big step in the industry; on the cusp of mainstream.
• Second, Rivian builds the vehicles that are most sought after in North America – pickup trucks and SUVs for the middle class. It’s an area that’s still blowing up in sales with no signs of slowing. And if gas prices climb again, what’s more insulated from the pain than an EV?

I can’t find an industry example that shows relevance more than Rivian.

How the Service Industry Can Relate

Rivian’s sweet new truck won’t be the savior for your service department, but the company’s ideology could spark your next phase. In automotive service, we’ve long expected the customer to conform to OUR way of doing things. Whether it be blindly accepting our service and repair recommendations to booking appointments on OUR terms or choosing to either wait in the customer lounge or take a ride home in a shuttle van, it’s been OUR way or the highway.

That doesn’t fly in today’s culture and economy. Service means something altogether different because what was relevant years ago isn’t today. Service departments need to discover how to be relevant, and that’s an individual thing in different cities, demographical areas, and among different cultures.

Here are a couple examples:

• Portland, OR is one of the most cycling-friendly cities in the world but many people obviously still own cars. In keeping with cultural relevance, dealerships can have a fleet of bicycles on hand for ‘loaner vehicles’. Now, that’s not something you’d provide without alternatives – a shuttle service and loaner cars, for example. But in Portland, it’s a differentiating factor that could very well resound with locals.
• In Mountain View, CA, where the tech boom is still going strong, calling customers with estimates from the service desk doesn’t fit the culture. But a Snapchat or FaceTime video showing which repairs are necessary and why offers heightened transparency and connects with customers on a more familiar, relevant level.

Rivian still builds vehicles – just with a different focus to be relevant. Your service department still centers around vehicle repairs and maintenance, but it differentiate itself and do better by being more relevant.