WHY CREATING QUALITY SPACE FOR KIDS AT THE DEALERSHIP CAN HAVE A MAJOR LONG-TERM IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS
Six years ago, my wife and I were very lucky to become parents of twins. Although there are countless fond memories, it was a difficult time to be at home, let alone venturing out into the world.
Whether it was to a restaurant, a store, the doctor’s office, or even to our car dealership of choice — we never knew what kind of day it would be with our energetic (and sometimes) restless children.
What we do recall above the mind fog — is that we chose to go to the facilities where the businesses empathized with us as parents, and provided amenities for our kids.
FOSTERING LOYALTY
Which brings us to this month’s column, where we take a look outside of the automotive industry — learning how other successful businesses invest in their facilities to make an impression, enhance the customer experience, customer loyalty, and employee engagement.
Loyalty is becoming increasingly important as sales grosses get smaller and more and more attention is paid to service operations. After all, a customer who visits you 2-3 times a year beats a customer who only purchases a vehicle every four or five years.
While there are many ways to encourage loyalty, encouraging customers to be part of the family is one approach. Over the years, my team and I have seen hundreds of different “kids play area” implementations in dealerships that lack imagination — the standard blue table with four green chairs has often been placed to tick off the box on the OEM checklist.
The kids area is also usually the first to be sacrificed when new sales desks are required. While this is logical and understandable, I personally think it is a lost opportunity. Not only for those families that might use it from time to time, but more importantly for the message it conveys in reinforcing that “part of the family” mantra at the store.
LOOK OUTSIDE
A very good example of how a kids area can be effective is Ikea. Granted, it is at the far end of the spectrum, and is not realistic at a dealership. However, its presence and symbolism has an impact on virtually everyone who enters the store.
The amenities Ikea provides for families almost ensures that we keep going back. Our kids love it, as there is a full range of things to do regardless of age.
Back to the dealership, it is not necessarily the size of the kids play area that matters. The most effective ones are placed in the right location, and have toys and games that accommodate a range of ages.
For a few hundred dollars and 40 square feet, you can stock up with books, blocks, activity books, crayons and Lego. For older kids, a secured iPad (or two) with apps and movies can keep them busy and entertained for hours. A busy and happy kid will result in a more focused customer. In turn, a focused customer allows you to establish a better rapport and build trust.
EMPOWERING OTHERS
Once the kids area is implemented, the next challenge is to keep it clean, maintained and stocked. We always recommend having a willing staff member take ownership of maintaining this area.
Empowerment tends to bring out the best in people and makes them see that they can make a difference. It could be a bookkeeper, a salesperson, or even a technician who started his technical skills with Transformers. You’d be amazed who raises their hand. It is an opportunity for them to prove themselves, and there are likely more parents working at your store than you realize.
The dealership I go to managed to keep my kids busy for a few years. They had Lego, a few books and a nice bright area. My kids looked forward to the trip, and now they love to look at the new models and sit in the cars. Now that is what I call cultivating a future client!
In my experience, dealerships are not just a business — they are part of the community. They contribute many jobs, and provide mobility to individuals and families. So don’t lose sight of what a Kids Area can represent, even when not being utilized.
