SHOPSMART AUTOS – CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE – OCTOBER 3, 2020
Taking the Pulse of the Automotive Customer Experience (Pt. 2)
The Automotive Customer Experience with Vehicle Services.
Vehicle services are huge sources of revenue for dealerships. In 2018, dealerships had the highest share of consumers service visits at 33 percent. That amounts to about 18.6 million visits in 2018 alone due to factors such as overall trust and great purchase experiences.
However, there are still two major pitfalls that can easily lead to fewer satisfied customers and reduced overall trust in the dealership.
The main point of frustration for customers is the amount of time it takes to conduct service on their vehicle. Research shows that customers are happiest when service takes an average of 2.4 hours. Taking time to the point where it exceeds three hours, and you’ll begin to see some unhappy customers.
The other lingering issue is the overall cost of the service. Reserach revealed 77 percent of consumers believe that the dealership will overcharge them, which makes it the top reason for not returning to a dealer for future service appointments.
This fear of paying too much for maintenance and repairs led to the popularity of coupons and loyalty programs for vehicles, which rose in importance from 25 to 28 percent between 2016 and 2018. However, there are ways of getting customers to come back to your dealership for service and repair.
The Solution: An Emphasis on Overall Value and Customer Knowledge To reduce service times, dealerships need to be proactive by getting as much information as possible about the car and its issues. In some cases, you already have basic information about the car.
The top reason why customers use the same dealer for service and vehicle purchases is because the car came from your inventory. Use that knowledge in addition to details from the customer about the issue to get a better idea of the problem and have the mechanics come up with potential solutions to the problem before the vehicle even enters the service bay. In terms of cost you should start by taking a look at your rivals. What are other dealerships and independent shops charging for the same service? Can you match or even beat their pricing?
You can also take a page out of the competition’s book and implement your own set of coupons or create a new loyalty program. People are looking to save money and giving a competitive service price can make you further stand out from other options. In the end, great value and quick service times will keep customers satisfied and loyal.
Being aware and proactive about these automotive customer experience trends can result in more satisfied customers who will sing praises about your performance in the form of online reviews. Through these reviews, you get their perspective on the experience, but you can also use them as an effective tool to improve your business operations. In addition to new insights, reviews can also bring in new customers. Research shows that 68 percent of consumers use automotive reviews to guide their purchase decisions. Furthermore, reviews for dealers and their repair services are the top and third-most influential reviews out of any industry.
The importance of customer feedback for the industry also means that you should take time to respond to both positive and negative reviews. Responding to reviews tells customers that you are engaging with them and 86 percent want some form of post-purchase engagement from the brand.This also has the added benefit of telling prospective buyers that you treat each person not just as a customer but more of a vital part of your dealership’s success.
Dealerships depend on customers to thrive as a successful business, and creating an amazing experience will easily impress newcomers and give them something to talk about to others in the form of reviews. However, delivering on that experience requires that you keep track of current automotive customer trends. By capitalizing on major pain points, closely monitoring your online reviews, and creating and cultivating an amazing automotive customer experience, you can easily get a head start on the competition.
Make It A Champion Day!
Tags: 2019 Subaru Forester Touring, 2020 BMW iX3, 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, 2020 dodge charger, 2020 EQC, 2020 Ford Super Duty, 2020 Honda Pilot, 2020 Kia Optima, 2020 Kia Soul, 2020 Lincoln Aviator, 2020 Mazda 3, 2020 Mercedes Benz, 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC, 2020 Nissan Versa, 2020 Subaru WRX STI, 2020 Volkswagen suv, Acura Car, Audi A5, Audi SUV, BMW, BMW SUV, Brandon K. Hardison, Chevrolet Car, Chevrolet Sonic, Dodge charger, electric vehicles, Honda Pilot, Mercedes Benz, Nissan Car, Nissan Rogue, Tesla, Toyota Car, upcoming car, Used car, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line, Volvo Car
Trackback from your site.
