Word-of-mouth is the best source of advertising there is, and it’s also the least expensive. On the opposite end, a bad customer experience is incredibly costly and damaging for the same reasons. When people have a really good or really bad experience, they tell their friends and family. And often, it’s not the sales department experience that drives customers down the street.

Personal Experience Tells the Tale

I’ll speak from personal experience, but take it for what it’s worth: a car industry professional taking the family vehicle in for service.

I’ve taken our SUV into the selling dealership, where I used to work and left on good terms. I’ve requested the routine maintenance and all seemed to go swimmingly, although notoriously slow. Returning to pick up our vehicle (without a phone call to say it’s ready), I paid the invoice and was on my way. No description of the service, no contact from the advisor after check-in, nothing.

Later, when reviewing the invoice, I discover work that needs to be done. A loose tie rod and stabilizer link, brake pads are worn. Obviously missing from the checklist are routine services that have yet to be completed, including transmission fluid and transfer case fluid.

I dealt with the poor service through management, but that’s not the point here. What I’m getting at is that the horrid service I received tainted me against the dealership. My wife absolutely loves our SUV and would never want to trade it in. But she won’t set foot in the service department herself for the same reasons I’ve explained.

If something happened to our beloved SUV, would we return to buy a replacement at that dealership? Not a hope in Hades. The service experience has been so terrible that we wouldn’t even consider it.

The Layperson is More Sensitive Yet

If you’re reading this, you’re probably an automotive industry professional as well, in some capacity or another. We’ve become desensitized to some of the problems experienced. I know from my personal service department experience in the past that I often thought customers were overreacting to ‘minor inconveniences’ in their visit, but it was ME underreacting.

You can’t tell a customer how they should feel. That doesn’t work. If a customer is discouraged, upset, feels neglected or under-serviced, there’s a two-part solution: acknowledge their frustration, then work to correct it. You just might be able to turn their experience around so they give you another shot.

More importantly, you want to be proactive instead of reactive. When you implement the best practices in your service department environment, you can avoid a customer’s displeasure in the first place. For my service visit, all it would have taken is a phone call or text message. Contact me to tell me that I have additional repairs required. Let me know when my vehicle is ready. And it definitely wouldn’t hurt to check my service history and sell me the services I need completed.

Customers WILL Explore Their Options

A displeased customer has options, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. Your service department may be their only local choice for warranty and you might be the authority on the particular brand. As in my situation, you store could lose out on potential new and used car sales due poor service on the back end.

To be crystal clear, for every customer you lose because of poor service in the back end, you’ll lose at least a few more. Statistics say that customers who are unhappy tell seven people of their experience. Are you willing to lose out on those potential customers?

I can guarantee that my selling dealer has lost out on sales because of MY experience. I’ve advised people who are searching for their next vehicle, and that advice never includes my selling dealer. As much as we love our SUV, we don’t want to hurt relationships by sending someone to a frustrating service department.

In the past few weeks, we’ve covered topics like treating service customers and sales customers similarly, the supporting role service team members play in converting sales, and interdepartmental relationships. What hasn’t been discussed plays a very direct role in vehicle sales, and it’s a hot button: labor rates!

It’s a hitch for both new and used car departments. As it related to new car sales, labor rates can impact the bottom dollar. New Vehicle Prep charges are virtually standard, so that’s a non-issue. There aren’t a lot of repairs for new car inventory that’s charged to the unit, that’s not worth our time. But there are accessory sales (at least there should be).

Then, in the used car department, it’s a whole other animal. Everything is up for debate, from the initial reconditioning inspection charges and certification repairs to the detailing and body repair charges. This is an area where the service department hits a home run, and the main reason service departments consider the sales department their biggest customer.

Between both the new and used car departments, I’ve seen the labor rates structured in different ways. Everyone seems to have their own formula for what ‘works’, but it’s not often both the service and sales teams are satisfied with how it functions. Here are a few structures I’ve noted in the past:

Accessory Sales

• On both new and used vehicles, labor is charged at about 60-70 percent of the door rate. It keeps accessory sales in-house but really isn’t a great deal for the service department. Because the rates are so low, selling accessories brings down the average dollars per RO, and often the hours per RO – both KPIs for service departments.
• Accessories are installed at the full door rate but at warranty times. That keeps the gross much higher but takes a big hit on the hours per RO. It could work if your CP volume is sufficient to minimize the effects.
• Accessories are installed by junior technicians that operate on an hourly, or straight time, basis. This hurts profits less because of the lower cost of labor, but still has negative effects on the dollars per and hours per RO.
• Charge full rate for everything. Service is happy but sales can’t seem to sell anything more than mudflaps.

Used Cars

Ah, the elephant in the room…

• Charge low rates for inspections, oil changes, and detailing. Then, when the inspection is complete, estimate all repairs and services at full bore. The result is often two-fold: higher-priced units on the used car lot that are more difficult to sell and lower profit, or more units going to auction, ending up on the car lot beside you, and being retailed for a hefty profit by your competition.
• Low cost inspections again. Then, used car inventory is separated into two groups based on a dollar threshold. More expensive used cars are charged full rates for everything while the lower-budget units are discounted 30 percent or so. Parts comes to the table as well, lowering their markup too. This helps get more units on the lot and seems to be a decent compromise. You might find the UCD tries to take advantage of the program, slipping higher-priced units into that pile to maximize profits.
• Like the above situation, there are two categories of used vehicles. Higher-priced units go through the program as usual, but lower-priced cars are sent to a shop down the street for low-budget repairs. Service departments hate this because it seems like the UCD is taking money from their pockets. In many cases, though, these units would be wholesaled instead of going through the dealership’s service department, simply because costs are too high in-house.

I understand that what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another. The best part is I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’d like to hear what your store does, if it works, and why it works. Hopefully by sharing your method, other dealerships can find a structure that benefits both the service department and the sales department.

Those who are familiar with the realm of car sales can relate to this:

You drive into the car sales lot and see two or three sharply-dressed people hanging around the front door (you know them as ‘lot lizards’). They spot you rolling through the lot, checking out the inventory. Rain or shine, you know one of them will be walking up to you. They will strike up a conversation to discover what brings you to their store. Then, they’ll invite you inside to talk more about your needs or run to grab keys for the car you want to look at.

It’s step one in the sales process – the meet-and-greet. Its purpose is simple, and absolutely critical to the successful completion of a sale. It’s the foundation of the customer relationship where the salesperson begins to discover the customer’s needs and wants. Perhaps more importantly, it shows an eagerness to earn the customer’s business in a proactive, approachable manner.

On the flip side, think about coming up to the dealership and NOT being greeted in the lot. The onus is now on the customer to walk into the showroom and initiate the conversation. And even worse, if a salesperson isn’t at the door to greet the ‘up’, or looks up from their desk and back down without acknowledging the customer in the showroom, the visit is off to a rough start.

How does it look for the customer? Do they feel valued? Do they feel like you’re trying to earn their business? Probably not.

Now relate that to the service drive.

How is Your Meet-and-Greet?

A customer pulls their car into the service drive. They know they are there for vehicle maintenance or repairs, but the process is still much like the sales department. Ideally, a service advisor will walk over, greet the customer with a smile and a handshake, and begin the work order write-up. The customer immediately feels valued, and if there are any frustrations or misgivings, they quickly melt away with a prompt, friendly greeting (except for that person who always wants to be mad).

It’s Busy, I Know

I spent more than 10 years at the service desk, so I’m well aware that it’s a gong show more often than not. You’re either with a customer, making phone calls, reviewing an estimate with a tech, cashing out a different customer, or following up with CSI survey calls. You may not be available to help the customer who just pulled in and your cohorts could be tied up as well.

So what do you do? The initial reaction is to continue doing what you are doing, then deal with the new customer when you’re finished. But in the meantime, the customer is scanning the service drive for someone who can help them. They shift their weight, tap their toe, or show their growing impatience in other ways. Before long, they’re irate.

A Simple Phrase Goes a Long Way

On the sales floor, this situation would never fly. The intercom page that makes a sales manager go ape-**** is, “Available salesperson to the showroom for a customer please.” If it happens twice, heads will roll. A customer should NEVER be waiting to be addressed, even if there’s no one to help immediately.

In the service drive, the same rule should apply. Kill the customer’s impatience before it starts with a simple phrase. Say something like, “I’d love to help you, although I’ll be a few minutes yet. Would you like to wait or can one of my other associates give you a hand?”

Now you’ve just disarmed the customer. You’ve provided an indication that you value their business and their time. You’ve also given them a choice – wait for you to come available or visit another staff member. More often than not, they will choose to wait for you.

And If You Don’t…

If a customer is left to stew in frustration, their wallet closes up. When you appear not to care about their time, or if you don’t show interest or friendliness, you put a hurdle in the path of your sales. Why would a customer who doesn’t feel valued spend their money with you? Upsales and estimates will be price-shopped or flat-out refused.

Service advisors can take a page out of the sales handbook. Treat every customer as an ‘up’, paving the way to a smooth customer relationship that undoubtedly will also be profitable.

Walk into any big box store in any neighborhood near you. Stop in the middle of the store for a moment – it’s not about shopping right now. Take a look 360 degrees and remember what you see. Now walk into Whole Foods and do the same. Just take a mental snapshot of the store, noting each department.

What you’re bound to see, except for the very occasional store, is uniformity. In the department store, you’ll see the electronics department has the same general appearance as sporting goods, and pharmacy aisles look very much like the stationary and housewares. In the grocery store, you’ll see a consistent look between the bakery and deli, the produce and snack foods. 

Now do the same thing in your dealership. Stroll from the sales showroom to the service drive, then on to the parts counter and body shop. Is there consistency? Is there a common thread? Or is there a stark difference between the image you portray in the sales department versus the rest of the dealership?

The front of the store is usually thought to be the sales floor. In former generations, the ‘presentable’ salespeople in suits and ties and dress shoes would be the first impression. The grease monkeys were stashed away in the back of the dealership in the grimy shop. Over the past few decades, the service department has served a much more prominent role in the dealership environment, but the image hasn’t always followed suit.

A customer driving up to your dealership now probably sees an equal presence of showroom to service drive. A door separates the two, and it’s a Narnia-esque situation. A customer walking from the sales floor into the service drive may do a double-take. Are they in the same world?

Staff on opposite sides of the doors look different. Salespeople are dressed up, either in a dress shirt and tie with slacks, a suit, or a golf shirt and khakis. In the service drive, you’ll usually see jeans instead of slacks and sneakers instead of wingtips.

More strikingly, you’ll see a dingy, industrial look in the service environment. It’s a contrasting sight from the sales floor, and it’s something that can make a customer a little uneasy. Will the same professional atmosphere be expected in this grungy concrete room as it is in the brightly-lit, tiled showroom?

Be Consistent

Everywhere a customer can be expected to go in your building, the same atmosphere should carry through. If you have crisp LED lighting in the showroom, put it in your service drive and at the parts counter. If you use cream-colored tiles on the sales floor, use them in the customer lounge, the service drive, and the body shop reception area.

Like a department store, every part of your dealership has a different function. But there’s no reason it can’t be consistent in its appearance. Your parts and service reception staff and your product advisors should all look consistent in their appearance. If the sales department wears button-down logo-emblazoned shirts, so should your service advisors. Anyone who works directly with your customers should be immediately recognizable by their attire.

The Sales Department Has It Right!

On this topic, the variable operations departments have done a great job. First impressions are critical as well as acknowledging the customer’s importance in the dealership’s success. Professional attire is emphasized and the showroom is kept spotless. Everyone is aware that the customer’s impression of the dealership can make or break the sale.

When the customer crosses the threshold into the dealership’s fixed ops departments, there seems to be vast room for improvement. Even something as simple as a service introduction during the sales process can taint a customer’s opinion of the store as a whole.

Now, you’re not likely to renovate your service drive and parts counter quite yet. But strive to meet the standards as much as possible in your environment. Can you change your lighting to match the showroom? Can you brighten your service drive with a fresh coat of paint? A customer doesn’t see the service drive as an industrial environment, so it should be maintained like the sales floor.

This week, take a moment to assess how you can bring your fixed ops departments up to par with the sales floor.  

In the NFL, armchair quarterbacks and spectators in the stands are known as the ‘12th man’. The term pays homage to the contribution fans make to the game, especially in vocal support. Most often, that result is noise that disrupts the visiting team, but more importantly, encourages the home team.

The 12th man doesn’t have an official position on the roster. It’s an honorary role but one that is fundamental to a team’s success. At your dealership, that 12th-man position in the sales team is filled by staff from every other department, and your store’s sales success depends on their help.

A Team Game, But You’re Playing Against each Other?

More often than not - in my experience anyway – the sales and service departments don’t always ‘play nice’. There’s an attitude that one is more important than the other. With strong personalities in both departments, you’ll find that there’s a concentrated effort on being heard loudest rather than working together.

Unfortunately, the ones that suffer most are…you. You probably expected the answer to be ‘the customer’, but when it comes down to it, your position at the dealership is about you. It’s to support your family, earn a living, and do something you love while you’re at it. Playing the detrimental game of interdepartmental fighting creates stress on your relationships, sends you home in a bad mood, and ultimately hurts your position at the dealership.

At every level, you can see it. Service advisors slam salespeople. Sales managers have a beef with the service manager. Technicians get into it with F&I managers. Parts guys eat popcorn and watch the fireworks.

It’s like playing team sports, but the departments are all opposing teams.

That’s not how it works.

In a Different League

Shift that team mentality just a little. From the nosebleed seats high above, you can look down on the different departments in your store and see how different they are. The sales department is suit-and-tie while the service department is blue collar. The sales team is clean and professional while the service team has grease under their fingernails. It’s clear – they aren’t in the same league at all.

Think of it like professional sports. In New York, there are professional athletes that play in several different leagues: the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, and more. Extremely few NHLers have the ability to hit the hardwood and compete in a Knicks basketball game at the NBA level. Baseball players aren’t going to play linebacker for the Giants.

They all play well in their own league. You wouldn’t pit the New York Islanders against the Yankees in a baseball game OR a hockey game. It’s not a level competition. But what you CAN expect is that they’ll cheer each other on.

Sales and service are different yet equal leagues. Both count on the support of the 12th man, helping them from the stands. The sales team is supportive of the service department’s efforts and encourages them onto success.  And the service team upholds the sales department, doing everything possible to ensure their successes as well.

It’s great to be competitive and to push to be the best. But in your dealership, you aren’t trying to better the other departments. You’re trying to win out above the other ‘teams in the same league’. Your sales department is in direct competition with the store across town like the Mets are vying against the Yankees. Your service department is trying to score more frequently than the dealership down the street, like the Islanders against the Rangers.

Be the 12th Man

Keep in mind who your competition is. Vocally support and encourage your dealership’s other departments onto greater success and achievements. From the service department, you aren’t actually selling cars and signing bills of sale, but like a fan in the stands, your words of inspiration can help drive them on. 

The sum of fixed operations existence is after-sales service and it always has been. There’s literally NO customer that comes through your door that hasn’t purchased their car in some way, shape or fashion. That makes every customer an after-sales customer. If you’re wondering where I’m going with this, it’s to make one critical point: your service department is intrinsically tied to the sales department and everything they do.

The sales process is undergoing a revolution. When a customer now chooses a dealership, it’s forming a relationship. Gone are the days of just paying for a hunk of metal and never returning. The relationship – converting a customer to a life-long client – solely begins when the customer chooses to do business at your store.

A cornerstone in rebuilding the sales experience is keeping the process relevant to the consumer. That means providing a service not just a sales opportunity, communicating in the way they want, and meeting the consumer on their level. If you’re not doing these key items, your sales numbers will wither away while another dealer takes your customers.

Lowered Expectations?

Yet, when the service department is handed the ball, responsible the client’s care until their next vehicle purchase, the same standards aren’t held dear. It’s expected that the client will conform to the service department’s way of operating. Unfortunately, fixed operations has to be revolutionized. Clients have too many options to take their patronage for granted.

Take a look at the service customer check-in process at your dealership. Where is the focus? Who is the most important person in the room? It’s clear to see – it’s usually the service advisor.

• The client has to approach the service advisor.
• The service advisor dictates the services and repairs required.
• The service advisor quotes price and timeline.

It falls just short of kissing the ring. When the focus is on the service advisor, it’s no longer on providing client-focused service. That’s precisely what consumers won’t stand for anymore.

The service department realm has a God complex. It’s assumed that being the authority on your brand’s product repairs and service means you’re the best customer choice. But you can be the best at vehicle repairs WITHOUT being the customer’s choice.

They’ll go where they are comfortable, and where their needs are the focus of the visit.

Advise on Recommendations

Like in the sales department, your service customers don’t want to be ‘sold’. They want their service visit to be beneficial. To do that, you must present service and repair items as a benefit and not a requirement. Explain to the customer how each item will make their life easier, their car more reliable, and so on.

The minute shortcuts are taken and service is about selling as much as possible, you’ll see a productivity decline. It may have worked in the past, but it won’t work today or tomorrow.

Communicate, not Dictate

Your client base wants to be in touch with you on their terms, using the methods they are familiar with. For the sales department, smartphones have been recognized as a leading method of interacting WITHOUT a vocal conversation. Text messages, emails, Snapchats, videos, and photos are all media that can be used, and most of your clients prefer communication in these formats. Don’t force them to just call you or take your phone call – embrace the communication method they prefer.

Meet on the Customer’s Level

The sales department knows that technology is where it’s at. Formats of technology, from video, communication methods, and even advancing DMS systems are intent on creating an authoritative, forward-thinking approach. In the service department, processes devolve into the stone age.

You print everything – the work order has to be signed, estimates are printed, invoices are printed in triplicate. There’s paper everywhere. All this paper is put in your clients’ hands, then gets shoved into the glove box or console and never seen again.

Your clients want simplification. In an age of technology, there’s no reason these documents shouldn’t be available in digital format, at the touch of a button. Companies such as TriPAC have explored the topic of paper in the dealership. They recognize that digital access to documents, from F&I contracts, sales agreements, service contracts, and service invoices can greatly enhance the customer service experience.

Whether it’s shifting your service department’s focus from the staff to the client or seeking opportunities to simplify the service experience, you must find new ways of providing old-school customer-centric service. 

In the United States alone, more than a million online searches happen EVERY MONTH related to car repairs. That isn’t taking into consideration body shops or parts-related searches – just car repairs. Those searches are active customers, or should I say, potential customers, who need to find a repair shop for their vehicle.

So, take a few of the most active keywords and see for yourself:

• Brake service
• Radiator repair
• Car repair shops near me
• Tire sales

When you plug one of those topics into your browser, what do you see? Unless you’re the exception to the rule, you’re going to be looking at a laundry list of independent repair shops. It might be specialty shops, even ones you trust for your sublets, like a radiator repair facility in your city. It could be the discount tire shop on the corner, targeting the winter tire customer.

Whatever you see in the number one Google search position is going to capture one in three customers, according to a 2013 study by Google. All other search results are fighting for the remaining two-thirds. It just makes sense that the further down the list you look, the fewer clicks the search result is going to get.

Elbow Your Way in Front of Your Competition

If you truly believe that your OEM dealership is the best place to service your brand (and you should), you’ve got to get yourself to the front of the line. Top-ranked organic search results have the appearance of authority in the search subject. If your dealership occupies that position, YOU are going to get that top third of customers clicking on your site.

What Your Competition Has Been Doing for Years

Mom and Pop shops have known since time began that they’re not the best in service and repairs on any brand. With the message of convenience and a customer-centric approach, they’ve simply positioned themselves at the front of the line.

Dealerships have always been the best place to go for quality repairs. However, the competition has jumped the line because OEMs never viewed them seriously. Independent repair shops have been bold in their message, drawing in customers with the promise of fast, convenient, well-priced, and friendly service.

How to Get Your Position Back

You’re playing the long game. Right now, you’re standing in a long line, hoping your customers spot you off in the distance. Those test searches you tried earlier – did you click ‘next’ until you found your dealership in the results? I implore you to try it now, then come back here.

What position do you occupy? Are you on the third page? Fifth page? Or did you even find your dealership in the results? You need to find yourself on the first page, and it’s by targeting top searches in your area.

The content you put on your website is how that happens. Provide high-value, informative pages that draw in customers.

Compare Your Site

Indulge me with another bit of research please. Take three auto repair-related searches of your choosing and check out the top three results in each. Are the sites blow-your-mind amazing? Do they provide anything special that you don’t? Nope and nope. They simply dedicated their resources to being found by customers.

All it takes is a little bit of effort and some patience. Create a section of your service department’s page or blog that focuses on those keywords. Create one post or page per keyword to show an authoritative stance on the subject.

With time, your shop will make an appearance on the first page of search results. With enough of an effort, you’ll be the top-ranked organic search result. And the competition doesn’t see it coming.

It’s been a hot topic for a little while now, and it’s time to re-evaluate how you’re doing. Go to Google and search for “[insert your make] repairs in [your city/neighborhood name]”. If you’re searching for Chevrolet repairs in Palo Alto, I’ll tell you what you’ll find: the only dealership on the first page is in 10th place.

Online marketing for vehicle service and repairs has been dominated by the little guys. The people who understand that they need to be visible to potential customers before they can win them over. The same people who advertise faster service and walk-in visits. The same shops you thought were harmless to your dealership.

They’re the ones who your customers find first in a Google search.

Independent shops and chain stores know where their bread and butter comes from. It comes from the customers who defect from your dealership for one reason or another. When you look at it from the customer’s point of view, the micro-moment that helps them choose their oil change service center or their tire replacement facility nearly always begins with a browser search.

An Online Presence Is for Service Also

The stats vary widely depending on the source. Some places say around 70 percent of your customers service at your dealership in the first year, then drop to 50 percent after the first year. Other sources say it’s more like 27 percent continue to visit your dealership after the first 12 months are up. After that, the numbers continue to plummet. That’s because they’ve sourced your competition online.

Now, what if you were on the first page of your Google search organically? That’s bound to have an impact on your customer retention. And that comes down to an online presence for service-related searches, not just for the sales department.

Valuable Web Content

In order to improve your ranking and boost up to the first page, you need to invest some time, effort, and money – yes, money – into web content. It requires you to determine the most searched keywords in your vicinity and to create content that applies to real-life customer searches. ‘tire sale near Denver’, ‘timing belt replacement in Manhattan’, ‘engine light diagnosis in Georgia’ – all examples of keywords that could help make you relevant online.

Have blogs and FAQs posted on your service page of your dealership’s website. And, like all good advertising, have a call to action on the page. Make it simple for the customer to follow through to your service department to schedule an appointment or talk to the staff.

Create Cool Videos

Videos are still on an upward trend. They engage the audience when the video is done well and can provide the same or better information as a written article, along with a visual. You can get creative with videos for your customers. These are a couple ideas you can work from:

• Have a popular service advisor take your customers on a walk-through of the service department. Keep the monologue upbeat and the language professional. A script can help with the verbiage, but it flows better when it’s organic.
• Create how-to videos for your customers on relevant topics. Use the technician who has the most people skills to film it. You can choose topics like ‘how to replace your cabin air filter’, ‘the importance of xxxx maintenance’, and ‘why you should get a wheel alignment’. Everyone wants to see someone with expertise starring in the video.
• Like I mentioned in my previous blog, use creative video options like 360-degree videos. It’s a good way for customers to learn more about cars, car repairs, and your service department.

Immeasurable Benefits from an Online Presence

Here’s the hang-up you’re bound to have about getting visible online: you won’t notice a direct difference. The only measurable results are click-through rates on your calls to action, and that’s not likely to be hugely captivating.

If you want a true metric, it’s necessary to look long term. Measure the difference between your in-store traffic from one year to the next. Compare the sales figures in the 12 month spans before and after your website focus.

Another point to keep in mind is that you may be just stemming the flow. If you’re losing customers to the competition, if your customers are defecting, that rate may slow or stop because of your online emphasis. It could take years to turn it in the right direction

Because you stay abreast of current trends, you already know that Think With Google has conducted extensive research on the car buying experience. In the article ‘Consumers in the Micro-Moment: What it Means for Auto Brands’, there’s a statistic that jumps off the page. The average car shopper only performs TWO visits to the car dealership before their decision to buy.

Just two visits is all it takes. That’s not because they’re more decisive now than ever or that it’s an impulse buy. It’s because they’ve done nearly all their research online ahead of time, and all that’s left to do is sit in the seat and sign the contract. But you already know all of this…but what are you doing about it?

You can equip your dealership with the absolute best closers. The salespeople who just don’t take ‘NO’ for an answer and convert on every single up. And while your closing rates are going to be through the roof, they’ll sit in silence between the customer visits.

You can pay for leads. It’s not the most glamorous idea, but it’s a good way to grab some highly-motivated shoppers and turn it into a quick sale. But if you’re playing the long game, it’s not a sustainable business model.

Meet Your Customers Where They Are

You know where your customers are before they visit your dealership. They are online, taking a look at their vehicle options nearby. They’re browsing the internet for the vehicle that fits their needs, on a fact-finding mission. So, if your customers are online, that’s where you need to be as well.

A simple, well-done website is better than not having one at all, but there’s so much more to it. Your website needs to be among the first that your potential customers click on because first impressions really are lasting. If you offer something new and interesting to your website visitors, you become the one they remember most.

For a few practical applications…

Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Whether your dealer group has an in-house specialist or you hire a firm that does it for you, just get it done. SEO is what ranks your dealership’s pages higher on web searches, ideally at the top of page one. SEM is paid advertising, often displaying at the top of the page above the organic search results.

In more certain terms, your customers will find you faster online. That’s when the real work begins.

Provide the answers to their questions. You need to know what information your customers truly want, and that’s not always easy. Google Adwords is a great tool to determine common searches in any given area. You can infer the topics your customers want to read about, and you can gear your content to them.

Span the Media Spectrum. Now broadcast your message everywhere. You know what they want to know and you’re putting your message on your website. Go further.

Social media is great. Facebook is an excellent forum for targeted ad placement. Remarketing to your previous buyers and abandoned customers is always a good idea too. But be sure not just to advertise – give your readers valuable information.

One or two weekly blog posts shared on social media can drive traffic to your website while providing your customers with the information they want to see. A Youtube channel can make your dealership stand out with awesome videos about new models or features.

Can You Do More Than Everyone Else?

Have you thought about doing something different than the competition but just don’t know what that is? What about 360-degree videos?

360-degree videos are amazing for the car shopper. You can sit in a virtual driver’s seat and look at everything the model offers. The best part about 360-degree videos is that barely anyone is doing it. A minimal investment with a videographer who has the right equipment can set you apart in the crowded online marketplace.

Why Does this Matter to Fixed Ops?

You know that what happens in the Sales Department doesn’t stay in the Sales Department. Not only do the sales customers get handed off to the service department, but many of the techniques used in sales can improve your service or parts offerings too.

From social media and web content, keep tuned to my next post for more specific Fixed Ops-related tips. 

Tens of thousands of automotive professionals began gathering at NADA 100 January 26th, pumped up to drive growth in their dealerships for the future. The event is a spectacle to behold. A carnival along with concerts engaged the crowds and the Expo featured more than 600 exhibits that addressed every aspect of dealership life.

But you attended NADA 100 for YOU.

The lights, the fanfare, the pomp and circumstance – even the keynote addresses – they’re only an entertainment factor if you don’t plan to do anything about it. But because you attended NADA 100 for you, you’re going to put what you learned into action.

Start NOW

When you get home from a massive conference or event like this, you’re jacked up. Your blood is running hotter and the ideas are flowing like molten lava in your veins. Without the heat of the moment, the furnace of inspiring people around you, it starts to cool off quite quickly.

When you get back home, get right to work implementing what you’ve learned. The saying “strike while the iron is hot” applies in this situation exactly. Everything you’ve picked up at NADA is fresh in your mind are right now, you have a clarity of vision like none other.

Take the first hours of the time you get home to develop a plan for your store. If others from your dealership were along with you, sit down together for this process. If you went solo, it’s a job best done by yourself.

Nothing tempers your ambition and fervor like ‘the grind’. When you get back to work and slip into your routine, it’s all too easy to just keep doing the same things you were doing before NADA 100. Then, it’s not long until what you’ve picked up is just a distant fond memory.

Fail Often

Cartoonist Stephen McCranie originated the quote “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even started”. You want to be a master of the automotive industry, right? That means trying something new and trying often. Don’t be afraid of failure, because it’s through your failures that you’ll find something that is extremely effective.

Did you come across a marketing strategy at NADA that you hadn’t considered?  Give it a try. Is there a CRM tool for your service department that has sparked exponential growth in your competition? Give it serious thought. Are there suppliers or partners that just might save you money on expenses? Don’t be afraid to shake things up.

Some plans work great for one store and fail miserably for others. Demographics could be different or you may not have the support necessary from your staff. One thing is guaranteed (and you know this): if you don’t try, it has no chance of success.

Attend Again

You’ve picked up some great ideas from NADA 100 and you’ve met some really great people. And undoubtedly, you’ve renewed your passion for the automotive industry, whether it’s in the sales, service, parts, marketing, or collision department.

But with time, your excitement will start to ebb away. It becomes a job once again and your passion gets pushed deep down inside. You need people who will bring you up and challenge you personally and professionally. Getting together with like-minded individuals seems to have the desired effect, doesn’t it?

Plan to attend next year’s NADA event in Las Vegas, hosted from March 22nd to 25th, 2018. Like the convention this year, you’ll have the opportunity to renew your enthusiasm for your career and see the latest innovations in the industry.

Between now and then, seek out other opportunities to lift your spirits. DrivingSales hosts several events including the Presidents Club in Manhattan on April 9th and 10th, and the DrivingSales Executive Summit at the Bellagio in Las Vegas from October 22nd to 24th. And if you’re lucky enough to be close to a major car show, be sure to take it in.