Almost half of a dealership’s sales customers never return for their first service appointment – that’s a hefty chunk of a dealer’s lifetime service potential! What causes this pattern in car buyers, and how can you channel more of them from your showroom to your service lane? AutoLoop surveyed over 500 dealers and 1,000 of their customers, and we discovered vital insights that will enable you to establish a long-term relationship with your customers – and generate more consistent revenue.

Why Customers Go Elsewhere for Service

Studying 500 dealers and finding that nearly half of sales customers don’t return for their first service visit prompted the need to dig deeper. So we surveyed 1,000 customers who purchased a vehicle in the last 12 months at a dealership and discovered that the biggest reason they bolted for the aftermarket service providers was competitive prices, topping the list at 51%. Other reasons include:

• Convenient location to my home: 47%
• Speed of service: 46%
• No appointments necessary: 34%

Address Pain Points to Win Them Back – and Keep Them

In addition to marketing communications welcoming your sales customers to your dealership family and informing them of your Service Department amenities and specials, target the pain points listed above to overcome customer perceptions. If a new car buyer misses their first scheduled maintenance appointment, offer deeper discounts on oil changes and other maintenance items to compel them to choose your dealership over the competition. Emphasize the acceptance of walk-ins and the availability of loaner vehicles or shuttle service, if available, to solve the convenience factor. And by promoting your factory-trained technicians and genuine OEM parts selection, your customers will know that in your service lane their vehicle will receive the utmost care – something the other guys can’t guarantee.

To learn more about how to drive sales-to-service conversion and build long-term customer engagement, please reach out to your Performance Manager.