4 Strategies to Increase Service Lane Profits

Fixed op services provide dealerships with several revenue-generating opportunities amid prolonged new car inventory shortages, ranging from customer retention to service-to-sales prospecting.  

However, sustained service-wide growth often depends on the continued improvement of independent processes, and dealers must identify which steps they can implement to increase service lane profits. 

This article outlines four strategies dealers might consider for maximizing service and service-related revenue. 

Increase Service Lane Profits Using These 4 Steps 


1. Revamp the Check-in Process 

Service lanes struggle to maintain high customer satisfaction and retention rates, and many of their problems start at check-in.  

Staff should greet and check customers in as soon as they step through the door, and that initial greeting should include more than the typical write-up and vehicle inspection. Instead, the staff should try to interact with the customer while performing their pre-service routine. 

Service advisors can better engage with customers if they have access to digital tools that can automatically create reports on: 

  • VIN 
  • required maintenance 
  • vehicle service histories 
  • mileage-specific recommendations 

Less time staring at a clipboard means more time spent face-to-face with the customer to complete: 

  • A walkaround to point out any issues 
  • A discussion on the report detailing any warranties, maintenance records, and faults found with the vehicle 
  • Follow-up questions 

2. Consider a Data-Driven Strategy 

Every dealership runs differently, and there is no universal, one-size-fits-all approach to building a service marketing strategy. Instead, dealers must review the existing process step-by-step and pinpoint specific areas for improvement.  

The data points dealers review might include: 

  • The year-over-year sales growth targets  
  • The number of employees necessary to help sell in the drive 
  • The number of monthly service drive ROs  
  • The dealership’s current market share 
  • The target marketing ROI goals 

A better understanding of these numbers – good or bad – can help marketing teams and service crews identify any strategic gaps or inefficiencies. 

3. Data Mine for Service-to-Sales Opportunities 

Unfortunately, not every service customer is an opportunity to increase sales or inventory. Still, dealers can improve service-to-sales chances by offering customers personalized messages and compelling sales ads before service visits. 

To find the best prospects, dealers should task staff with data-mining customers with upcoming service appointments for the best leads. 

To begin, staff might search for customers who: 

  • Own a vehicle with excessive mileage 
  • Expressed interest in a car on the lot 
  • Lack a warranty 
  • Are eligible for payment decreases 

Dealers should personally reach out to these prospects, beginning with a phone call and following up with an email. 

4. Manage Those Service-to-Sales Opportunities 

A properly run service-to-sales process begins at the top and employs an experienced workforce who clearly understands management’s objectives and expectations.  

Management can communicate those expectations by:  

  • Including service drive discussion in daily meetings. 
  • Conducting weekly reviews of offer sheets, emails, and phone conversations. 
  • Establishing specific goals for service target activations and offers. 

With a well-managed procedure, service staff can deliver the first-rate customer services essential to the service-to-sales process. 

More Service Revenue Requires the Best Service Tools 


You can increase service lane profits by making various improvements throughout the service lane experience. Streamlining the check-in process, designing data-driven marketing strategies, and improving service-to-sales prospecting are a few valuable examples.  

However, finding the right leads and expediting the service process requires the best auto industry technologies. Your dealership needs solutions that help marketing and service teams do their jobs faster and more successfully to promote customer retention and reveal more sales opportunities. 

Contact us today and discover how Affinitiv’s Book can help you provide the best service customer experiences; and how Service Lane Appraiser can help you market cars on the lot to the right service prospects.   

A great customer experience is everything.

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