Are Your Car Service Recommendations Getting Lost in Translation?

High costs and time constraints aren’t the only reasons why customers decline car service recommendations. Often, customers view the vehicle repairs as suggestions, especially when they lack clear evidence, which can lead to more declined services, missed upsell opportunities, and customer defection.

By presenting clear explanations alongside demonstrable evidence, like consistent digital inspection reports and overview videos, you can transform a vehicle service visit from a leap of faith to an informed decision. This shift from blind trust to proven recommendations empowers customers, builds lasting trust, and drives service revenue.


How Clear Digital Vehicle Inspections Drive Upsell Opportunities and Secure More Approvals


The Trust Factor: Customers Need Vehicle Repair Clarity

The majority of your customers likely won’t be master-certified technicians and will depend on the expertise of others to help them maintain their vehicles. However, most customers are also resistant when they feel pressured to approve a vehicle repair they don’t fully understand. According to our recent consumer survey, nearly 20% of service customers who declined additional recommended services claim the dealership provided no evidence to back up their recommendation.

In addition to demonstrating your dealership’s advantages to help overcome customer hesitations, it’s crucial to include proof in your data capture, upsell recommendations, and customer follow-up. This allows you to inform and educate your customers to help guide them through their vehicle ownership decisions with confidence, establishing your store as a trustworthy choice for their vehicle service needs.


Ways to Add Transparency to Your Car Service Recommendations

  • Online Service Menus: Publish detailed online menus outlining car service recommendations for different vehicle models and mileage ranges as well as common vehicle services. This allows customers to research potential costs beforehand.
  • Digital Vehicle Inspections: Invest in tablets or mobile apps that allow technicians to take photos and videos of worn parts, leaks, or damaged components. These visuals can be shared with customers electronically, clearly showing the issue requiring attention.
  • Tiered Service Options: Provide customers with a range of service options at different price points and highlight your financing, if any. This empowers them to make an informed decision based on their budget and priorities.
  • Authentic Video Explanations: Create informative videos explaining common car maintenance needs and recommended services. These can be displayed in your service lounge, posted to your dealership blog or social pages, and even emailed to your customer list.
  • Service Advisor Training: Invest in training service advisors on clear communication and customer service skills. They should be able to explain recommendations clearly, answer questions thoroughly, and address customer concerns effectively.


Ease Customer Concerns and Elevate the Service Experience

Your service customers want to believe you when you recommend additional repairs, but they need to see why first. By providing clear and concise explanations of vehicle needs, you can transform service visits from frustrating to empowering, helping reduce declined services while raising customer satisfaction.

Affinitiv MPI allows you to consistently capture service opportunities and provide detailed inspection reports that are easy for customers to understand. And with the video capture capabilities of Affinitiv Tech Video, you can share seamless video inspection overviews with customers that back all your car service recommendations in one go.

For your live demo of our service lane solutions, contact us today.


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A great customer experience is everything.

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