A positive car dealership customer service experience is becoming increasingly important in a saturated market, from industry giants to smaller, local shops. Business competition continues to grow, and dealers must allocate much of their time and resources to improving customer experiences to cultivate long-term relationships and generate referrals.  

However, not all dealers address the need to enhance these services to meet ever-increasing demands for better customer support. This article outlines five reasons those dealers should focus on the car dealership customer service experience to gain a competitive edge. 

5 Reasons for Great Car Dealership Customer Service

1. It Grows the Customer Lifetime Value 

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) represents the revenue a dealer can expect from a single customer account. Growing this value means customers conduct ongoing business and spend more money at the dealership. 

Investing in customer service departments is a powerful way to improve customer lifetime value. If customers have great experiences with the service teams, they are more likely to return for: 

• Second car purchases 
• Trade-ins 
• Service appointments 
• Upsell and cross-selling opportunities 
  
  

2. It Reflects on Your Brand 

Dealers have opinions about what their brand represents. Still, they have little to no control over consumers’ assumptions, which stem from external marketing channels like social media platforms and commercials. 

However, customer service is one area in which dealers hold more power over this perception. These teams communicate directly with customers and represent the dealer during these interactions.  

As a result, customer service teams are critical in communicating brand images to customers. A terrific or poor experience might determine whether the customer chooses their dealership or a competitor. 

3. Happy Customers Provide Cost-Effective Advertising 

Satisfied customers not only become return customers but are also more inclined to tell their friends and family about their experience and recommend the dealership.  

The more excellent experiences a dealership provides, the more customers that become effective — and cheap — forms of word-of-mouth promotion. 

4. It Creates Marketing Opportunities 

While creating thrilled customers is the primary objective of any customer service team, dealers can also use it as a marketing tool to promote new products and services. 

For example, service desks can introduce customers to a new feature that solves a current product problem (without appearing to be pushy or to be hard selling) by: 
 

1. Using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool to identify customers who are experiencing the issue 

2. Contact them via a service ticket 

3. Explaining the new feature and its benefits.  

 
This strategy can be more effective than a sales pitch in some instances. Service reps provide a valuable service by helping customers troubleshoot problems. These services build trust, making customers more willing to hear about new products and services. 

5. It Provides Valuable Insight 

As mentioned earlier, it makes little difference how a dealer sees its brand. What matters is what customers think, and service desks can provide the most valuable insight into customers’ experiences and their perception of the dealership. 

Rather than spending time and money polling clients regularly, dealers can use service representatives to ask questions while interacting with clients to understand the dealership’s image better. 

Their responses may provide dealers with valuable tips on how to improve an array of dealership functions, including: 

• Sales team approach 
• Marketing strategies 
• Products 
• Repair services 
• Overall staff etiquette 
  
  

The Best Customer Service Requires the Right Tools 

Customer service teams are vital because they form a direct link between your customers and your dealership. They keep customers happy, allowing you to extract more value from them over time, which can result in referrals and new customers. 

However, forming those relationships requires the proper CRM tools and personnel to handle high call volumes, solve customer problems thoughtfully and effectively, and leave a lasting positive impression on customers. 

Contact us today and discover how Affinitiv’s Call Center can help you manage customer communications by handling overflow calls, boosting call quality, and ultimately driving more sales and service appointments.