In the modern, ultra competitive auto retail marketplace, what distinguishes one dealership from another is its relationship with its customers, and how the responsibility of that relationship and the processes that make it possible are aligned between the staff at the dealership and the OEM, whose brand the dealership represents.
The quality of products and services, not to mention competitive pricing models are prerequisites to survive and thrive in our industry today. Managing an extraordinary customer service experience separates the best from the rest.
CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
Many dealers often feel as if they’re caught in the middle of CSI issues. On the one hand, they feel that manufacturers are not sympathetic enough with the day-to-day realities of selling and servicing automobiles. The dealer may feel that CSI surveys are an unfair or inaccurate reflection of their customers’ feelings. On the other hand, dealers are also faced with customers who are becoming ever more demanding.
There’s no question that customer satisfaction continues to be an ongoing challenge. It can be especially tough in automotive retail because our business is essentially confrontational.
Buyers generally walk in expecting to get the best deal they can for their vehicle purchase or service work. Meanwhile, the flipside is that the product or service advisor has to try and keep the customer satisfied while also providing the opportunity to maximize their earning potential and profit for the dealership.
Dealers feel that they have to constantly keep an eye on both their customers and employees to keep the whole process from coming unstuck.
SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
When improved customer satisfaction becomes a goal, it has to be dealt with systematically. It has to be handled like any other area of the dealership. It has to be managed everyday and in every part of the store. Because of this, improved customer satisfaction cannot be achieved overnight. All aspects of the dealership must be examined and improved on a continuous and consistent basis.
Almost 90 per cent of customers today use OEM or dealer websites in the early steps of their decision making journey. Such patterns clearly indicate that dealers should focus on creating an effective and consistent sales process, instead of making huge investments in infrastructure or facilities. Additionally, while there are always ways for dealers to improve their operations, such scenarios point to a larger role for the OEM as well — particularly when it comes to understanding specific situations dealers face in their day-to-day businesses. Attempts to improve dealership operations will work only if OEMs are able to maintain close ties with their dealers to help resolve concerns and credibility issues.
Modern dealerships cannot rely just on new car sales to sustain and grow their business, therefore a situation where the dealer and the OEM can work together is critical for the success of both parties — both for the dealer to grow their business and reputation and for the OEM to witness greater brand awareness, equity and market share that often comes with it.
With the shift in our industry from product centric to customer centric models it’s the experience that really counts. Loyal, referral generating, customers act as “brand ambassadors” to the products they drive and the retailers that sell and service them. Achieving quality customer interaction requires multiple touch points that provide consistency, personalization, and trust. And it requires teamwork at the dealer and OEM level in order to achieve that.
