The popular automotive marketplace, CarGurus, released data from a recent poll of truck owners. This segment, previously thought to be fiercely loyal to a brand and a dealership, has begun to change their views. And the catalyst for their shift? Rising pickup truck prices.

The 2019 Truck Sentiment Survey by CarGurus points to some key indicators.

• 68 percent of truck owners believe their vehicle is overpriced.
• Nearly half – 48 percent – believe that trucks aren’t made as well as they used to be.
• 1 in 6 truck owners say they probably won’t buy another pickup truck.

That’s a problem, don’t you think? While passenger car sales slump, truck and SUV sales continue to grow. This segment of the auto industry is driving sales (pun intended) and if loyalty is suffering through no fault of the dealership, what can you do?

Take Ownership of the Problem

Dealers, you don’t have a choice in the invoice pricing from the manufacturer, and you shouldn’t have to give away the farm on truck deals. But when loyalty is starting to deteriorate in this profitable segment, you need to do something! And perhaps it’s how you take care of their vehicle after the sale.

Before you think it’s going to cost you money – it’s not. At least, it doesn’t have to. Truck customers know their vehicles are more expensive than a four-door sedan or a hatchback. They know their cost of ownership is higher. While this study focused on the relation to rising prices, you can counteract it with awesome service.

Here’s an Example

I have a business acquaintance who owns a medium-sized company with around eight to ten vehicles in their fleet. After a couple decades in business, he knows his trucks are expensive to maintain, and their always Ford. No question. But the reason that his fleet is always Ford has little to do with the manufacturer, but rather the servicing dealer.

He’s been to the dealership once. Ever. When he needs a truck serviced, the dealership picks it up from him, leaves a loaner if necessary, and drops it off when it’s ready. He rarely questions the service costs. And he’s going to continue using that dealership for his servicing and vehicle purchases because they go above and beyond. His time is his most valuable commodity, and they recognize that.

 If vehicle prices rise, he won’t complain for a second because his service experience is so ideal that he’s going to be loyal.

Low- and No-Cost Ideas to Drive Truck Loyalty

I don’t believe that my friend is unique. What it takes is acknowledging what a customer values most and delivering on it. That’s especially true for truck owners who have already spent significant coin on their ride.

Pick Up and Drop Off Vehicles for Service

You’ll need staff for this so there is a small cost. It’s one of the extra services business owners and truck owners alike appreciate like crazy. You’re valuing their time and if it’s done well, they’re going to remain loyal unless you lose their trust. It’s such a valuable service that you could charge a nominal fee to cover expenses and most people wouldn’t think twice.

After-Service Detailing

CSI survey or not, give service customers back a clean car. When the average service cost per visit for a pickup truck is more than $200, the customer should be able to expect a clean truck back. Go a step further than a car wash and perform a light interior detail as well.

Offer a Truck Specialist

As a customer, there’s nothing more frustrating than a service provider that doesn’t know what they’re talking about. A junior advisor means well but can they accurately explain which truck services – diff service, transfer case service, Allison transmission service, etc. – need to be done and why? For dealers with a high percentage of truck customers, assign one or more of your senior advisors as Truck Specialists to establish a more authoritative, knowledgeable, and comforting service experience for truck owners.

These are just a few ideas to boost truck loyalty from the service side. Does your store do anything special for your truck customers to keep them loyal to the brand and your store?