The process of having your car serviced in the digital age has changed considerably.
Now, customers can expect a frictionless online booking experience, daily updates on progress, and an unfiltered, direct line to the service department.
This might sound like a significant implementation task, but thanks to advanced dealership software platforms like OneDealer, digital service customer journeys are more accessible than ever.
Even better, they’ll make your service centre a lean, profitable business. Here’s how.
Happier customers = repeat business
It’s far less expensive to keep an existing service customer than it is to find a new one. Therefore, the more satisfying the service process, the more likely you are to retain that customer for life (CLV).
A transparent, digital customer journey will elevate their satisfaction levels immeasurably. This is for three key reasons:
1. Engaging, simple online booking.
We live in a world where everything, from your evening meal to the weekly shopping, can be ordered online. Why shouldn’t it be the same for vehicle servicing? If customers can select and combine their service packages and choose drop-off and pick-up dates from the palm of their hand, you’ve immediately got their attention.
2. Fixed-time, fixed-price servicing.
This is a very significant hard-to-get advantage, but one that can be gained if you can create a lean organisation that can sustain truly competitive service pricing and reliable servicing times.
3. Never miss a service update, with notifications.
Customers can now be kept informed of repair progress – and even collaborate – thanks to digital and social messaging, including images and videos shared by the service team. If parts are required, digital interaction also enables them to confirm the purchase.
Implementing a customer-first vehicle servicing operation has never been this easy or more convenient for everyone involved. What’s more, modern car owners expect this level of digital interaction, and dealerships who fail to offer it are likely to fall behind.
Resource optimisation
So, how do you create a lean servicing operation that’s capable of fixed-time, fixed-price delivery while simultaneously driving down costs?
By implementing a digital, paperless workshop, your dealership will be able to plan resources more effectively. This should result in a much more efficient, productive service department that is no longer a burden on the dealership purse.
Imagine a service centre where job cards are created automatically, and spare parts planned and ordered from OEMs and suppliers efficiently. OneDealer Digital Aftersales Workplace and Online Service Management make this possible.
Now is the time to implement a rich digital presence for car service that places more control in the hands of customers. Less staff time dealing with incoming calls and service centre work which is evenly spread will improve margins on every booking.
It’s a similar story with manufacturer relations. Thanks to the direct OEM interfaces offered by platforms like OneDealer, service centres can reduce the costs associated with sourcing parts and streamlining warehouse management.
Wrapping up
If there’s one element of every car dealership that yearns to be intuitive, lean and capable of delivering ultimate customer satisfaction, it’s automotive after-sales and service.
Will this be the year you implement a fully digital customer journey for servicing bookings?
Thanks to OneDealer, it’s something you simply can’t afford to put on the back burner any longer.
Comments are closed.