Your service advisors play a key role in keeping your business successful.
I believe that the service advisor has the most important job in the dealership.
If you think about the relationship between the service advisor and the customer, that relationship lasts the length of time the customer has the car.
If the customer leases the car the relationship could last three or four years and if they own the car the relationship could last seven to ten years.
It is a well known fact that the relationship between the service advisor and the customer will determine if the customer buys a new car, if they stay in the brand and whether they buy if from the same dealership.
The better the relationship the more likely the customer will buy from you. The old adage says: “Sales sells the first car and service sell the next ten.” This is a very powerful relationship.
How do we get our service advisors to build rapport with our customers? We have to be careful with this because we have so many automated AI generated texts and emails that get sent out.
How do we build and maintain that basic human relationship that is lacking this day and age? Now don’t get me wrong there are some wonderful tools out there that help maintain our relationship with our customer and tailor our communication that is personalized and transparent.
There are, however, some manufacturers that will say that the relationship between the customer and service advisor is not as important as it used to be. I couldn’t disagree with this statement more.
Getting back to basics with our customer relationship is so important. Simple things like a warm sincere greeting and the use of the customer’s name if and when possible is more important today than it ever was.
Our customers want to feel part of the brand and not just a transaction. In the service drive we are ladies and gentlemen taking care of ladies and gentlemen. I think we should look professional when dealing with our customers.
Looking professional today is different then what it used to look like.It reminds of a quote from Ward Cleaver: “Well of course, Beaver. After all, it wouldn’t look right running a business if everyone wore sports shirts and sweaters.” I am not sure when casual Friday became casual every day, but I digress.
I train service advisors to use their DMS to make personal notes about the customer. Notes about where they went on vacation or a wedding they were having, something personal that the service advisor could refer back to on their next service visit.
They could start the conversation with: “Mr. Johnson how was your daughter’s wedding you had in September?”
It is all about building rapport and making your customer feel comfortable. If you have a service drive the service advisor should be doing a walk around with the customer at the car. This is the place where service advisors can enhance the ownership experience.
Remember if the service advisor has a good relationship with the customer the customer is more likely to buy another car from your dealership.
The service advisor could ask questions about the car: “How are you enjoying your Taos? I think it is the perfect size SUV for a young family and it handles great in the snow.”
Then maybe the advisor could ask what they are using the car for. Take note of anything they could talk about in the car. The child seat, the set of golf clubs are great ways to start a conversation with the customer.
Maybe they have a dog and they could sell them a dog blanket. Accessories are meant to enhance the ownership experience.
I own a Volkswagen Alltrack. My wife visits my elderly mother-in-law once a week. My mother in law has a walker and my wife has to lift this heavy walker and put it in the back of the Alltrack. Over time the carpet in the cargo area was damaged from my wife dragging the walker in and out. When I took the car in for service during the walk around the service advisor noticed the damaged carpet and recommended that I get a cargo mat. Now that is how you enhance the ownership experience.
During the service process it is up to the service advisor to keep the customer informed of the progress. No news is still information.
A customer without their car is wondering what is going on with it at the dealership. It is up to us to alleviate their stress.
When the car is all done it is important to let the customer know it is ready to go. How many phone calls does the dealership get from customers wondering if their car is done?
When the customer arrives at the dealership to pick up their car the service advisor should review the repair order line by line and review the multi-point inspection even if it is all checked off green.
Going through the multi-point personally with the customer builds rapport and trust.
Then the advisor should have the car brought up into the service drive and the service advisor should walk the customer out to their car and thank them for their business as they open the door for them.
The advisor has the chance here also to take credit for the nice clean car they are delivering back to the customer.
Lastly, I just want to say that our customers pay a premium to come service their cars at our dealerships and there is no AI replacement for the human interaction and relationships.
