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“I’m here to tell you that there are exceptions to the CEBenchmarks Study,” Travell said on his blog, TheRideBlog.com. “Rather than trash bad dealerships, though, I’m much more interested in what can be learned from them.”
Curb appeal makes an important first impression on customers, Travell says. Dealerships with faded paint, limited parking, dirty waiting rooms and not enough seating run the risk of turning off customers before they’ve even agreed to give the dealership their business. To help dealers make the needed changes, Travell offers the following tips:
1. Be a mystery shopper at your own dealership. Would you be happy to recommend the store based on your first impression?
2. Shop your competition. Drive and experience competitive vehicles. What you don’t know will hurt you.
3. Check your waiting area. Are there enough chairs to handle the service volume?
4. Monitor the volume of the TV in your waiting room. Consider a quiet area for those customers who want to be productive while they’re getting their vehicles serviced.
5. Invest in training for your frontline service advisers. These people can be a real asset to the dealership in terms of revenue if they are taught better soft communication skills.
6. Compare your customer service with other industries. Customers are not just comparing dealerships with other dealerships; they compare them to other positive customer experiences, regardless of where they have had them.
7. Remember the little things. Don’t forget about surprise and delight factors.
“These might sound like small things, but they’re important,” Travell says. “Directing management’s attention to these areas will help the dealership experience to stand out in the customers’ minds and encourage return visits.”
For additional commentary from Travell on customer service, click here.
About Chris Travell
As Vice President, Strategic Consulting for Maritz Research, Travell is responsible for coordinating efforts among all Maritz’ global offices to understand and interpret the important trends facing automakers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Specializing in automotive buyer behavior and consumer trends, Travell is considered a leader in global automotive research and has worked in the automotive industry for 25 years. Prior to joining Maritz, he worked for Mazda and Toyota. Travell serves as the primary contributor to Maritz’ “The Ride” blog, offering expert insights on the automotive industry.
About Maritz Research
As one of the world’s largest marketing research firms, Maritz Research, a unit of Maritz, helps many of today’s most successful companies improve performance through a deep understanding of their customers, employees and channel partners. Founded in 1973, it offers a range of strategic and tactical solutions concentrating primarily in the automotive, financial services, hospitality, technology, telecommunications, and retail industries. The company has achieved ISO 20252 registration, the international symbol of quality. It is a member of CASRO, ESOMAR, MRA, and is the official sponsor of the American Marketing Association.
For more information, visit www.MaritzResearch.com or contact us at 1-877-4MARITZ.
