This document discusses how dealerships can build their online reputation through customer reviews of their service departments. It recommends that dealerships monitor review sites for feedback on their service, respond to both positive and negative reviews, ask customers to provide reviews, and promote positive reviews to potential customers. The document notes that while the majority of dealership profits previously came from service and parts, aging vehicles and low customer loyalty are putting those revenues at risk. It suggests that focusing on building a strong online reputation through customer reviews can help dealerships attract more service business and turn positive reviews into new vehicle sales.
Nick Hummer presents "Turbocharging Your New Car Sales" at the Innovative Dealer Summit in Denver, CO.
In his presentation Nick discussed the promising outlook for new car sales, as well as ways to differentiate your store's brand through online reviews. With insights related to social, local and mobile shopping behavior, this deck is intended to help you craft your marketing efforts to align with the needs of today's consumers.
Leveraging Reviews to Impact the Bottom LineCars.com
Jack Simmons' workshop at the recent Digital Dealer conference May 7-9, 2013, featured best practices from the dealership marketing pros at Tom Wood Toyota, Maguire Automotive and Greenway Dodge, including strategies for responding to reviews and promoting your reputation to win more shoppers and close more sales.
Cars.com Online CPO Insights Presentation Nov 2012Cars.com
About the study
To help dealers and manufacturers understand more about shopper motivations for purchasing or considering a CPO vehicle, Cars.com conducted a survey of nearly 900 online car shoppers in June 2012 who intended to purchase or had recently purchased a CPO vehicle. The survey was served via Qualtrics survey tool utilizing Qualtrics’ survey panel of respondents.
Intenders n=590 and purchasers n=288
Rescuing Auto Dealership Service Profits Through Trust and Price TransparencyCars.com
Cars.com Manager of Dealer Training, Jack Simmons, new data from research firm Gfk at the 2014 DrivingSales Presidents Club Most Valuable Insight competition.
Navigating Mobile Marketing: Automotive Retailers Guide to Winning Mobile Sho...Cars.com
In 2014, mobile usage will surpass desktop usage, and with this rapid smartphone adoption, consumers are relying on their devices to determine what and where to buy. Automotive purchases are no different. In fact, at Cars.com, nearly half of all traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets.
This presentation includes findings on dealer shopper behavior and on-the-lot mobile usage from research conducted Cars.com with Placed, Inc. and tips for effectively marketing to mobile shoppers to reinforce your brand across platforms.
It covers:
• How shoppers are using mobile devices throughout their research, including on-the-lot, to decide what and where to buy
• How to take a mobile-first approach to your marketing and showroom experience
• How to overcome showrooming and turn mobile shoppers into sales
Maximizing Your Media Spend When Car Shoppers Are In ControlCars.com
View the full report at: http://dealers.cars.com/digital-influence-study
Cars.com analyst Simon Tiffen and training manager Jack Simmons share the latest findings from C+R Research, which confirms that consumers don’t take a direct path to the dealership. Instead, they rely on multiple sources of information, both online and offline, to guide their decisions.
Nick Hummer presents "Turbocharging Your New Car Sales" at the Innovative Dealer Summit in Denver, CO.
In his presentation Nick discussed the promising outlook for new car sales, as well as ways to differentiate your store's brand through online reviews. With insights related to social, local and mobile shopping behavior, this deck is intended to help you craft your marketing efforts to align with the needs of today's consumers.
Leveraging Reviews to Impact the Bottom LineCars.com
Jack Simmons' workshop at the recent Digital Dealer conference May 7-9, 2013, featured best practices from the dealership marketing pros at Tom Wood Toyota, Maguire Automotive and Greenway Dodge, including strategies for responding to reviews and promoting your reputation to win more shoppers and close more sales.
Cars.com Online CPO Insights Presentation Nov 2012Cars.com
About the study
To help dealers and manufacturers understand more about shopper motivations for purchasing or considering a CPO vehicle, Cars.com conducted a survey of nearly 900 online car shoppers in June 2012 who intended to purchase or had recently purchased a CPO vehicle. The survey was served via Qualtrics survey tool utilizing Qualtrics’ survey panel of respondents.
Intenders n=590 and purchasers n=288
Rescuing Auto Dealership Service Profits Through Trust and Price TransparencyCars.com
Cars.com Manager of Dealer Training, Jack Simmons, new data from research firm Gfk at the 2014 DrivingSales Presidents Club Most Valuable Insight competition.
Navigating Mobile Marketing: Automotive Retailers Guide to Winning Mobile Sho...Cars.com
In 2014, mobile usage will surpass desktop usage, and with this rapid smartphone adoption, consumers are relying on their devices to determine what and where to buy. Automotive purchases are no different. In fact, at Cars.com, nearly half of all traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets.
This presentation includes findings on dealer shopper behavior and on-the-lot mobile usage from research conducted Cars.com with Placed, Inc. and tips for effectively marketing to mobile shoppers to reinforce your brand across platforms.
It covers:
• How shoppers are using mobile devices throughout their research, including on-the-lot, to decide what and where to buy
• How to take a mobile-first approach to your marketing and showroom experience
• How to overcome showrooming and turn mobile shoppers into sales
Maximizing Your Media Spend When Car Shoppers Are In ControlCars.com
View the full report at: http://dealers.cars.com/digital-influence-study
Cars.com analyst Simon Tiffen and training manager Jack Simmons share the latest findings from C+R Research, which confirms that consumers don’t take a direct path to the dealership. Instead, they rely on multiple sources of information, both online and offline, to guide their decisions.
Automotive Inventory Syndication - Take Control of Your Marketing and Your In...Lydie Wolfensperger
AT results at a fraction of the cost. Automotive syndication allows dealers to take control of their marketing and their inventory. It automates the creation of car videos with voice-overs and vehicle specific landing pages (VSLPs aka VDPs). It maintains brand consistency while distributing inventory around the net. In essence it provides unheard of exposure and results for a fraction of the cost of AT alone.
Automotive Digital Advertising for Car Dealers...
For more information on various services available for car dealers, visit http://www.SocialAutoSales.com and join the online network set up by Ralph's ADP Social Media Reputation Management Team at http://www.ADPsocial.com
For more information on various services available for car dealers, visit http://www.SocialAutoSales.com and join the online network set up by Ralph's ADP Social Media Reputation Management Team at http://www.ADPsocial.com
DMS your entire inventory live on FleetRates.com with HomeNet's WebiolPro and FleetRates. Be one of over 16,000 dealers across the nation who use Webiol to export their live inventory online. No Long Term Contracts or Commitments. Sign up today for FleetRates.com and WebiolPlus. Become a FleetRates.com certified dealer to get noticed and Sell More Cars.
Analysis of case study Autobytel.com by Harvard Business School...
To get a copy of this report, share your views about the document with your email id in Comments section... I keep on updating my presentations and documents. To ensure that you don't miss any update or new uploads don't forget to press the "FOLLOW" and "LIKE" button. You can also mail me at manigarg21@gmail.com
International marketing and communications agency specializing in Automotive, Motorsport and High Performance Technologies, based in Silverstone, UK and Detroit, US
Automotive Inventory Syndication - Take Control of Your Marketing and Your In...Lydie Wolfensperger
AT results at a fraction of the cost. Automotive syndication allows dealers to take control of their marketing and their inventory. It automates the creation of car videos with voice-overs and vehicle specific landing pages (VSLPs aka VDPs). It maintains brand consistency while distributing inventory around the net. In essence it provides unheard of exposure and results for a fraction of the cost of AT alone.
Automotive Digital Advertising for Car Dealers...
For more information on various services available for car dealers, visit http://www.SocialAutoSales.com and join the online network set up by Ralph's ADP Social Media Reputation Management Team at http://www.ADPsocial.com
For more information on various services available for car dealers, visit http://www.SocialAutoSales.com and join the online network set up by Ralph's ADP Social Media Reputation Management Team at http://www.ADPsocial.com
DMS your entire inventory live on FleetRates.com with HomeNet's WebiolPro and FleetRates. Be one of over 16,000 dealers across the nation who use Webiol to export their live inventory online. No Long Term Contracts or Commitments. Sign up today for FleetRates.com and WebiolPlus. Become a FleetRates.com certified dealer to get noticed and Sell More Cars.
Analysis of case study Autobytel.com by Harvard Business School...
To get a copy of this report, share your views about the document with your email id in Comments section... I keep on updating my presentations and documents. To ensure that you don't miss any update or new uploads don't forget to press the "FOLLOW" and "LIKE" button. You can also mail me at manigarg21@gmail.com
International marketing and communications agency specializing in Automotive, Motorsport and High Performance Technologies, based in Silverstone, UK and Detroit, US
Data Marketing Automotive Premium + Performance 27 10 093d interactive
performance products for the automotive industry.
This is fo you to slice and dice according to your needs as the presentation is around 20 slides long.
It includes case studies and pricing for each product as well as 2 proposals for a 20K budget.
Hicron Predictive Marketing is a marketing tool for the management of after-sales support for the automotive industry. This tool helps dealers and importers to increase revenues from after-sales service through personalization offers for each customer. The Drive App which is a part of Hicron Predictive Marketing won the main prize of the Jury and the Audience Award at the 14th SAP Automotive Forum in Leipzig, in 2014.
Structuring for success - Developing a dynamic structure for your marketing t...B2B Marketing
With marketing evolving rapidly in response to adoption of emerging digital communication techniques and changing buyer behaviour, it's imperative that the skill set of the marketing function evolves too, to reflect this and to enable the brand to compete effectively in the digital age.
Furthermore, marketing must be able to concisely communicate and report on the value of what they are delivering for the organisation, to all departments and particularly to the board. Fresh from delivering Deloitte's Olympics sponsorship, brand and marketing director Annabel Pritchard will focus on how to build a marketing function that's fit for purpose and structured around delivering clear and measurable business benefits. This session will cover:
•Structuring the team - ensuring a dynamic mix of specialisms across the marketing function
•Managing and nurturing the marketing team - encouraging learning and skills development
•Raising the profile of marketing - reporting value to the Board and championing the value of marketing across the business.
Proof is in the Numbers - Reviews Drive Business
With 84% of Americans acknowledging that online evaluations have an influence on their decision to purchase a product/service, an online reputation management strategy is no longer simply a “nice to have” for today’s successful dealerships – it’s a necessity. The ideal is an online reputation that enhances the public’s opinion of your dealership and its employees. This perception converts to sales.
What’s your offense for online reviews? Are they helping your dealership drive sales? New quantifiable data shows that dealerships’ online reviews and associated star ratings do just that – drive new vehicle sales and increase share of brand sales.
In this presentation, Heather will share results from a recent DealerRater-Polk study that demonstrates the direct correlation between dealership online star ratings and dealer vehicle sales. Study results also compare the sales performance of DealerRater Certified Dealers to the general market as well as to non-certified dealers. Heather will then present dealer case studies that explore the fundamentals of building and maintaining an online reputation that enhances auto consumers’ interest in doing business with your dealership and its employees. Finally, Heather will review proven strategies for adopting a strong offense for online reviews (both at the dealership and employee level) resulting in selling more cars across the Web and in the showroom.
DIGITAL MARKETING FOR FIXED OPS: Tips & Techniques for Your Dealershiprun_frictionless
Your dealership is sitting on a goldmine that is ready to be mined. You can stake your claim and get more from a $400B industry without changing how your dealership operations are run.
https://runfrictionless.com/b2b-white-paper-service/
Case Studies About How to Successfully Manage Online Reputation for Auto Deal...Vickie Gibbs
Auto Dealerships have about a hundred priorities, and having a positive online reputation is a very important one that should not be ignored. However, setting up a process inside the dealership that can successfully solicit customer feedback and encourage happy customers to post reviews to sites like Google+ and Cars.com can be challenging.
At the Digital Dealer Workshop in Pasadena, Vickie Gibbs hosted a session where to she unlocked the mysteries to successful Online Reputation Management. In her presentation she discusses the keys to success as well as the steps for setting up a successful program. In addition, she explains multiple case studies from a variety of dealerships that have successfully set up programs to manage their Online Reputation.
In this digital age, there are now more and more opportunities for faster, more profitable processes. No matter what your dealership role, Think Fast! will give you insights into how you can improve performance, increase profit and make your customers happier.
Total Customer Experience Management Overview #TCE #CEM -- The Why, What and...Stephen King
This is a presentation we put together for our TCELab Sales Affiliates and Partners -- explains an overview of Total Customer Experience Management, Why your customer's CEO's will love it, your opportunity, and how TCELab's products and services fit into the CEM / Big Data / Customer Loyalty Space
Mastering Multi-Touchpoint Content Strategy: Navigate Fragmented User JourneysSearch Engine Journal
Digital platforms are constantly multiplying, and with that, user engagement is becoming more intricate and fragmented.
So how do you effectively navigate distributing and tailoring your content across these various touchpoints?
Watch this webinar as we dive into the evolving landscape of content strategy tailored for today's fragmented user journeys. Understanding how to deliver your content to your users is more crucial than ever, and we’ll provide actionable tips for navigating these intricate challenges.
You’ll learn:
- How today’s users engage with content across various channels and devices.
- The latest methodologies for identifying and addressing content gaps to keep your content strategy proactive and relevant.
- What digital shelf space is and how your content strategy needs to pivot.
With Wayne Cichanski, we’ll explore innovative strategies to map out and meet the diverse needs of your audience, ensuring every piece of content resonates and connects, regardless of where or how it is consumed.
Digital Money Maker Club – von Gunnar Kessler digital.focsh890
Title One is a comprehensive examination of the impact of digital technologies on
modern society. In a world where technology continues to advance rapidly, this article delves into the nuances and complexities of the digital age, exploring Its implications across various sectors and aspects of life.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
The What, Why & How of 3D and AR in Digital CommercePushON Ltd
Vladimir Mulhem has over 20 years of experience in commercialising cutting edge creative technology across construction, marketing and retail.
Previously the founder and Tech and Innovation Director of Creative Content Works working with the likes of Next, John Lewis and JD Sport, he now helps retailers, brands and agencies solve challenges of applying the emerging technologies 3D, AR, VR and Gen AI to real-world problems.
In this webinar, Vladimir will be covering the following topics:
Applications of 3D and AR in Digital Commerce,
Benefits of 3D and AR,
Tools to create, manage and publish 3D and AR in Digital Commerce.
A.I. (artificial intelligence) platforms are popping up all the time, and many of them can and should be used to help grow your brand, increase your sales and decrease your marketing costs.In this presentation:We will review some of the best AI platforms that are available for you to use.We will interact with some of the platforms in real-time, so attendees can see how they work.We will also look at some current brands that are using AI to help them create marketing messages, saving them time and money in the process. Lastly, we will discuss the pros and cons of using AI in marketing & branding and have a lively conversation that includes comments from the audience.
Key Takeaways:
Attendees will learn about LLM platforms, like ChatGPT, and how they work, with preset examples and real time interactions with the platform. Attendees will learn about other AI platforms that are creating graphic design elements at the push of a button...pre-set examples and real-time interactions.Attendees will discuss the pros & cons of AI in marketing + branding and share their perspectives with one another. Attendees will learn about the cost savings and the time savings associated with using AI, should they choose to.
Come learn how YOU can Animate and Illuminate the World with Generative AI's Explosive Power. Come sit in the driver's seat and learn to harness this great technology.
Mastering Local SEO for Service Businesses in the AI Era is tailored specifically for local service providers like plumbers, dentists, and others seeking to dominate their local search landscape. This session delves into leveraging AI advancements to enhance your online visibility and search rankings through the Content Factory model, designed for creating high-impact, SEO-driven content. Discover the Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy, a cost-effective approach to boost your local SEO efforts and attract more customers with minimal investment. Gain practical insights on optimizing your online presence to meet the specific needs of local service seekers, ensuring your business not only appears but stands out in local searches. This concise, action-oriented workshop is your roadmap to navigating the complexities of digital marketing in the AI age, driving more leads, conversions, and ultimately, success for your local service business.
Key Takeaways:
Embrace AI for Local SEO: Learn to harness the power of AI technologies to optimize your website and content for local search. Understand the pivotal role AI plays in analyzing search trends and consumer behavior, enabling you to tailor your SEO strategies to meet the specific demands of your target local audience. Leverage the Content Factory Model: Discover the step-by-step process of creating SEO-optimized content at scale. This approach ensures a steady stream of high-quality content that engages local customers and boosts your search rankings. Get an action guide on implementing this model, complete with templates and scheduling strategies to maintain a consistent online presence. Maximize ROI with Dollar-a-Day Advertising: Dive into the cost-effective Dollar-a-Day advertising strategy that amplifies your visibility in local searches without breaking the bank. Learn how to strategically allocate your budget across platforms to target potential local customers effectively. The session includes an action guide on setting up, monitoring, and optimizing your ad campaigns to ensure maximum impact with minimal investment.
AI-Powered Personalization: Principles, Use Cases, and Its Impact on CROVWO
In today’s era of AI, personalization is more than just a trend—it’s a fundamental strategy that unlocks numerous opportunities.
When done effectively, personalization builds trust, loyalty, and satisfaction among your users—key factors for business success. However, relying solely on AI capabilities isn’t enough. You need to anchor your approach in solid principles, understand your users’ context, and master the art of persuasion.
Join us as Sarjak Patel and Naitry Saggu from 3rd Eye Consulting unveil a transformative framework. This approach seamlessly integrates your unique context, consumer insights, and conversion goals, paving the way for unparalleled success in personalization.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
Videos are more engaging, more memorable, and more popular than any other type of content out there. That’s why it’s estimated that 82% of consumer traffic will come from videos by 2025.
And with videos evolving from landscape to portrait and experts promoting shorter clips, one thing remains constant – our brains LOVE videos.
So is there science behind what makes people absolutely irresistible on camera?
The answer: definitely yes.
In this jam-packed session with Stephanie Garcia, you’ll get your hands on a steal-worthy guide that uncovers the art and science to being irresistible on camera. From body language to words that convert, she’ll show you how to captivate on command so that viewers are excited and ready to take action.
2. What You Will Learn
How to build up your dealership’s online
reputation with reviews of your service
department
How to encourage sales staff to ask for
customer feedback
How to monitor and respond to service
department reviews
How to turn positive reviews into vehicle sales
2
3. Fixed Ops Revenue is at Risk
Majority
of dealership profits
came from Service
and Parts between
2005 - 20111
Source: 1. NADA, 2. IHS Automotive Research, 3. RepairPal estimates 11/2/13
3
4. Fixed Ops Revenue is at Risk
Average age of
vehicle is
11.3
years old2
Source: 1. NADA, 2. IHS Automotive Research, 3. RepairPal estimates 11/2/13
4
5. Defecting Customers Costs You
82-92% of service
revenue for cars 7+
years old
DMEautomotive, “The Changing Service Loyalty Landscape,” February 2012
5
6. Growing Service Spend is in Flux
$215B service market is projected to
continue to grow 15%+ over the next 3
years**
*NADA data, 2013 **DME automotive, “The Changing Loyalty Landscape”, 2/12
6
7. Growing Service Spend is in Flux
Service business grew in 2013, Dealer’s
fixed operations sales were down 7%*
*NADA data, 2013 **DME automotive, “The Changing Loyalty Landscape”, 2/12
7
8. Growing Service Spend is in Flux
Low loyalty rates for service providers
puts service dollars in flux**
*NADA data, 2013 **DME automotive, “The Changing Loyalty Landscape”, 2/12
8
11. Only 3% of Dealer Website
is Service Content
97%
Of dealer website
is sales content
NADA June 2012 Data
12. One of the top three most important
components in choosing a service provider
GfK Research Service and Repair Report, October 2013
13.
14. How are You Building Your Service Reputation?
Monitor
Respond
Ask
Promote
14
15. Online Reputation Checklist
Monitor:
Contact your Cars.com representative to get
access to myDealerCenter
Verify the current email distribution list of dealer
reviews alerts
Check for existing Cars.com dealer reviews
under reviews tab
Benchmark reviews of Service competitors on
Cars.com and other review sites
15
16. Online Reputation Checklist
Respond:
Assign someone at the dealership to read and
respond to all incoming reviews
Escalate specific negative feedback
Correct process issues
16
19. Online Reputation Checklist
Ask
Meet your general manager and stakeholders to
discuss the existing process for soliciting
reviews
Identify points within service workflow that are
appropriate to ask for reviews
Gather resources to support team in asking for
reviews
Train employees
19
22. Service Reviews Build Reputation
91% of new-car shoppers said they would use
reviews when deciding on a dealership
DriverSide/Kelton Research Study, April 2011
22
Agenda/welcome slideIntercall will kick-off the conference call by explaining webinar dashboard/functionality and hand-off to Ed…Ed: Hello and thank you for joining me today for our webinar - Under the Hood with Dealer Reviews. Today I will talk a little about the importance of building your store’s brand through service reviews – including the impact it can have on both Fixed Ops and Sales revenue. At the average dealership, Service transactions outnumber Sales transactions 10 to 1 so there is no better place to begin building up your service reputation than in your own service lane. I’ll offer tips on how to encourage your staff to solicit customer feedback, how to monitor and respond to those service reviews and how to promote positive reviews to attract vehicle sales.
At the average dealership, the majority of profits come from the Service department. While fixed ops has proven more profitable than their sales operations in recent years, market forces are colliding to squeeze dealer profitability….
For instance, cars are being built to last longer and require less frequent maintenance. The average age of a vehicle on the road today is at a record 11.3 years, up 14% since 2008.
With so many older vehicles on the road, the composition of those out of warranty is on the rise. 86% of vehicles are out of warranty. (Experian Automotive’s Vehicles In Operation (VIO) database, 2011) According to a study by DMEautomotive, basic service customers defect over time costing dealers an average of…60-78% of revenue on cars 3-6 years old82-92% for cars 7+ years old
This is a big deal as the $215B service market is projected to continue to grow 15%+ over the next 3 years. But even as service business grows overall, dealer service revenue is actually down 7%. According to a 2012 DME automotive study, dealer service dollars are currently being lost to national repair chains, especially among younger car owners.And loyalty rates are low among service providers with only 23% of consumers tied to a provider, putting 42% of service dollar in flux (DME Automotive, “The Changing Service Loyalty Landscape”’ 2012). The revenue opportunity is great and the stakes are high. Competition will intensify and dealerships must up their game to stand out amongst the competition.Ed: Note on the loyalty stat… 23% is of CONSUMERS. The 42% is of SERVICE dollars. The difference is related to the amount of $$ spent by loyalists, swing loyalists and disloyalists. Below is how it all breaks out.Of Consumers:Loyalists: 23Swing Loyalist: 50Disloyalists: 27Of Service Dollars:Loyalists: 59Swing Loyalists: 31Disloyalists: 10
This is a big deal as the $215B service market is projected to continue to grow 15%+ over the next 3 years. But even as service business grows overall, dealer service revenue is actually down 7%. According to a 2012 DME automotive study, dealer service dollars are currently being lost to national repair chains, especially among younger car owners.And loyalty rates are low among service providers with only 23% of consumers tied to a provider, putting 42% of service dollar in flux (DME Automotive, “The Changing Service Loyalty Landscape”’ 2012). The revenue opportunity is great and the stakes are high. Competition will intensify and dealerships must up their game to stand out amongst the competition.Ed: Note on the loyalty stat… 23% is of CONSUMERS. The 42% is of SERVICE dollars. The difference is related to the amount of $$ spent by loyalists, swing loyalists and disloyalists. Below is how it all breaks out.Of Consumers:Loyalists: 23Swing Loyalist: 50Disloyalists: 27Of Service Dollars:Loyalists: 59Swing Loyalists: 31Disloyalists: 10
This is a big deal as the $215B service market is projected to continue to grow 15%+ over the next 3 years. But even as service business grows overall, dealer service revenue is actually down 7%. According to a 2012 DME automotive study, dealer service dollars are currently being lost to national repair chains, especially among younger car owners.And loyalty rates are low among service providers with only 23% of consumers tied to a provider, putting 42% of service dollar in flux (DME Automotive, “The Changing Service Loyalty Landscape”’ 2012). The revenue opportunity is great and the stakes are high. Competition will intensify and dealerships must up their game to stand out amongst the competition.Ed: Note on the loyalty stat… 23% is of CONSUMERS. The 42% is of SERVICE dollars. The difference is related to the amount of $$ spent by loyalists, swing loyalists and disloyalists. Below is how it all breaks out.Of Consumers:Loyalists: 23Swing Loyalist: 50Disloyalists: 27Of Service Dollars:Loyalists: 59Swing Loyalists: 31Disloyalists: 10
Imagine this:It’s late at night and one of your customers, Chris, is heading home after a long day at the office. As he pulls up to a stoplight he hears an unexpected grinding noise coming from his brakes. He’s been coming to your dealership for the past three years but since his car is just out of warranty, he starts to weigh his options.He has a choice to make. When he gets home he may pull out his smartphone and look up reviews for local repair shops on Yelp of Google+ local or for the nearest service chain. In any case, the decision he makes will be largely based on experiences others have shared online. Is your service department showing up?
As consumers have gone digital, they are making buying decisions differently. They turn to digital sources to find providers and validate purchase decisions, often through reviews. These days consumers go online to check reviews before buying almost anything and that includes where to take their car for service and repairs. While most dealers have come a long way in building up the online reputation on sales operations, service reviews are often overlooked. This gives independent repair shops and franchise service providers the leg up when it comes to digital shoppers.
Based on a YP.com local insights digital report from July 2012, Fixed ops terms represent 2 of the top 6 highest searched local terms. And despite the fact that service transactions outnumber sales transactions 10 to 1 at the average dealership, dealer websites often dedicate a fraction of their website content to it. This impacts where your website ranks in search results. Reviews are a great way to bolster service related content on your website and has a positive impact on your search rankings.Top 10 local termsRestaurantsAuto PartsBuilding ContractorsPhysicians & SurgeonsLegal ServicesAuto Repair and ServicePet and Animal ServiceReal EstateAutomobile SalesFinancial Services
A recent independent study with gfk confirmed that Online consumer reviews rank only behind technician certification level and warranty as one of the three most important components in choosing a vehicle service provider – gfk search and price estimator research, 2013So your dealership has the unique ability to differentiate it’s brand through online reviews and show service shoppers what they want to know most – that your service department is a trustworthy, quality service provider and that they’ll pay a fair price and have a great experience.
When it comes to online service reviews,independents and chains rise to the top of searchresults and average more customer reviews. This is clear when we look at review sites like Yelp or Angie’s List or Google+ Local. When potential service customers are seeking reviews, they’re more likely to find your competition. This is due to the fact that most dealership put less effort into pursuing service department than sales reviews.In addition to building and promoting reviews on your own site it’s important to increase your presence across all reviews sites. At Cars.com, we give dealers the opportunity to have their service reviews accessible from Dealer Locator, Dealer Profile Pages, Vehicle Detail Pages and Search SERP.
So how do you begin to build and promote Service reviews on your site and review sites like Cars.com and address the gaps that exist between service shopper needs and dealers’ digital presenceAgain, service customers outnumber sales customers 10:1 and on Cars.com, only 2 in 10 reviews posted are related to Service. By building up your store’s brand through service reviews, you are delivering what the shopper seeks and have the opportunity to influence potential customers where they are searching for and evaluating service providers. Focus on these four key areas to get your service reputation off the ground:MonitorRespondAskPromote Remember that a strong reputation is the byproduct of a strong business. As you implement your dealership’s online reputation management strategy, always look for ways to improve the way you interact with customers.
Think for a moment about whose job is it to read new reviews at your dealership… If you don’t know the answer to that you may be missing one of the most basic elements of reputation management – listening. Whether a customer posts to give praise about a great break job or to complain about the cleanliness of the waiting room, you only hurt yourself by ignoring customer feedback.Or perhaps you have an ISM reading all reviews. Does anyone in your service department also see them?Monitor is really about listening to feedback and sharing it throughout the dealership, including Service department.As a first step to managing your reputation on Cars.com, contact your representative to get access to mydealercenter and make sure the right personnel at your dealership is included on the Cars.com Dealer Center Reviews Alert distribution list.Read your existing reviews and your competitor’s reviews on Cars.com, under the reviews tab, and other reviews sites
Writing thoughtful responses to reviews is an area where most dealership struggle. In fact, only 20% of dealer reviews on Cars.com have a personal response. Whether it’s lack of time or perception that positive reviews don’t need to be answered, not responding in not unlike having a shopper on the lot say “thank you” or “can you help me” and walking the other direction. Take the time to write a thoughtful response to all inbound reviews, both good and bad.Assign someone at the dealership to read and respond to all incoming reviewsDevelop process for escalating specific negative feedbackIdentify and correct any process issues you encounter to ensure all service reviews receive a responseHere are two examples of how a GM or owner can respond to reviews to give thanks or correct a negative situation…
Once you’re comfortable monitoring and responding to incoming reviews, it’s time to go on the offensive and actively solicit new ones. And because service customers outnumber sales customers nearly 10:1 at the average dealership, there’s no better place to start building online reviews than your own service lane. (estimated dealership transactions per year: 1352 sales, 13702 Service – Cars.com analysis of NADA 2013 data)Whose job is it to ask for reviews at your dealership? If your store already has a process for getting reviews from sales customers, get together with your GM and other stakeholders to discuss how you may be able to leverage existing processes in service. Identify points in the service workflow that are appropriate to as for reviews.Asking can be as simple as handing out a postcard at checkout or as detailed as scheduling a follow-up email through your CRM system.Provide resources and train employees to support them in asking for reviews.Consider these tactics:Ask customer in person while reviewing successfully completed repair workSend a follow-up email thanking the customer and link to the dealerships dealers review pageGive the customer a handout when they’re checking outSend a text message confirming the customer is happy and ask for a reviewMake a follow-up call to thank them for business and ask for a review1 in 4 drivers will post a review when they find a vehicle provider they like (Google, “Road to Winning Drivers – Aftermarket Service” July 2013)
These are a few examples of how Cars.com works with partners to help solicit reviews from your customers. Cars.com recently did a test pilot with a dealer group who aimed to grow review volume on Cars.com. In specific markets, we worked with them to handout marketing materials like those shown here in-stores as well as do follow-up calls or emails to solicit reviews from recent customers. The test grew review volume by 211% in test markets. Having a process for building reviews will yield results.
Once you’ve setup your stores processes, managed your team and built-up a healthy base of Service reviews, now what?Having dozens of great reviews helps build your store’s brand but it shouldn’t stop there. Use the great reviews you’ve earned to your advantage. Share them with prospects, promote them on your website, post them through your social channels to maximize their value. Reward your staff for a job well done!
In addition to attracting and new and keeping current service customers with a strong online reputation, Service reviews also impact new car sales. Over 90% of new car shoppers report that they want to read service reviews when considering a dealership to buy from.