Satisfaction with the dealership shopping experience surged, according to Cox Automotive’s Car Buyer Journey Study, from 61% to 69% between 2022 and 2023. Plus, 91% of respondents plan to keep their car for their primary mode of transportation for the next five years1.
With service being the money maker of the dealership business, there’s no better time to capitalize on the opportunity to turn happy car buyers into loyal customers who trust you for all their service needs. But how? Here are six solid strategies for turning your service department into a profit-making machine.
1. Boost employee efficiency
The data is clear: people are keeping their cars longer. That’s good news for your shop because older cars typically need more servicing. But an influx of servicing needs can also be challenging for employees who are already at capacity.
This shift in car-buying habits makes it a great time to invest in an integrated service solution, like Xtime, that can bring more efficiency to your business. Xtime lets customers handle every step of their service appointment — from booking online to scheduling approvals and payments. This gives them the flexibility and transparency they crave while reducing administrative work for your employees.
Xtime books 44 million service appointments annually. 2
2. Build loyalty with technology that boosts your bottom line
With car owners hanging onto their keys, you can be their shop of choice for even longer now. Delivering exceptional customer service is one of the best ways to keep your customers coming back again and again… and again. Capitalize on this shift in consumer behavior by delivering exactly what they’re looking for: A seamless, convenient customer service experience that adds value and trust.
Simply put, your customers want to connect with your shop the way they would with their favorite brands — online and on their phones. Deliver that on their first visit, and you’ll probably be seeing their car in your shop in the future.
3. Save time with the right technology
Dealerships capture the greatest share of vehicle service business, but other service providers still account for $214 billion per year.3 That means you have a few billion great reasons to optimize your shop’s capacity so you can grab a share of that business.
When your employees don’t have to worry about scheduling and processing payments, they can do more of what makes your shop profitable — service cars. Time is a precious commodity. Xtime can help you use it wisely.
Xtime has converted $9 billion in service revenue for over 7,500 dealerships.4
4. Reengage customers with solutions that make it easier to say yes
Sometimes customers decline services during their visit. And oftentimes, they just need a little reminder to say “yes” later. With personalized customer engagement technology, like Xtime Engage, you can access critical service information like previously declined services.
Dealers have reported a 9% increase in service retention with Xtime Engage.5
5. Be Proactive with your marketing
There are more potential customers on the streets and Xtime Invite can help you find them. With Xtime Invite, you can filter by service and craft and customize communications through multiple channels to keep your shop at full capacity.
Plus, use the built-in service reminders feature to keep your show rates high. Deliver personalized messaging to give your customers the trust they need to make them feel at ease. And integrate with your scheduling software for a faster, more seamless experience.
Dealers have generated 111 additional new ROs per month with Xtime Invite.6
6. Back up your data
Don’t lose your leads. Make sure your data is backed by CAI First-Party to retain valuable information about who buys from you. Keep that data up to date so you can reach out to customers who have purchased from your dealership within the last 5 years.
In an industry that’s transforming quickly, there’s no better time to transform your shop right along with it. Read Cox Automotive’s Car Buyer Journey Study to get all the insights and data you need to set up your dealership for even more success this year.
Take the next step with a self-guided Xtime demo. Start here.
sources:
12023 Car and Buyer Journey Study
2 Data from all Xtime dealers between March 2021 and February 2022.
3 2021 Cox Automotive Service Industry Study
4 Data from all Xtime dealers between March 2021 and February 2022.
5 Data from all Xtime dealers between August 2022 and July 2023.
6 Data from all Xtime dealers between August 2022 and July 2023.
