As customers shop online, they enjoy a fast checkout process—sometimes only seconds if they have their payment information saved to their profile. Even many physical retail locations offer digital payment options such as smartphone wallet apps. Plus, customers paying online or through digital means often spend more than those paying in-person.

If your service department doesn’t offer online bill payment options, you could be leaving revenue on the table. A recent study discovered that one of the primary reasons customers didn’t return to a dealer for service was the “speed of service.” By providing customers a fast checkout experience and the ability to complete electronic bill payment, you’ll enjoy a more efficient service lane, higher customer satisfaction, simple and transparent invoice management, and better ROI.

Drive Satisfaction (and Speed) with Online Bill Pay

Why Upgrade Your Service Lane to Electronic Billing?

It isn’t just for the increased speed of service you’ll be able to provide your customers. There are several benefits to digitizing fixed ops with electronic billing that will help improve your service department in many ways.

First, customer satisfaction. Most customers prefer quick, easy vehicle service. By offering a fast checkout process via online bill pay, they’ll be able to get in and out in less time, increasing satisfaction. Plus, this helps free customers (as well as your staff) from paperwork and cashiering.

Second, transparency. Electronic billing helps build trust by providing transparency about the services they’re receiving and allows for them to ask their advisor questions about pricing before coming to pick up their vehicle. With digital invoices and signatures on file, clear records are available to your store.

Third, competitive edge. Do your competitors or local aftermarket service shops offer online bill payment? Keep ahead of trending technology and customer needs while ditching paper billing with fast checkout options.

Fourth, upsell opportunities. In addition to building trust and transparency with your customers by allowing them to make their bill payment online, you’ll also be able to provide more upsell opportunities at a glance. Suggest maintenance plans to help keep customers for the long term, or offer service financing to ease customers’ concerns over larger repairs.

Elements of an Effective Online Bill Payment Software

Your current and potential customers prefer a fast checkout and online bill pay options, but what else can it do for your staff, your store, and your bottom line? Here are some of the elements to look for and how they can help make your service lane more effective:

• Online cashiering: Once an open RO has been completed, your service advisors should be able to set different invoicing statuses and initiate the payment process.
  
  
• Interactive billing: You should be able to send invoices to your customers via email or text message, giving them the opportunity to ask their service advisor questions or proceed with their payment.
  
  
• Fast, secure payments: Your software should offer customers a personalized link to a secure, SSL-enforced dealer-branded web portal.
  
  
• Invoice management: You should be able to keep detailed records of invoices, make updates, and approve invoices within the ledger.
  
  
• Reconciliation ledger: Your online bill payment ledger should provide the ability to view end of day/end of week credit card reconciliations to compare against your DMS.

Speedy Payments, Smoother Service Processes

Improving the customer’s automotive journey helps keep customers loyal to your store, from their first purchase or lease to service and beyond. Make their experience excellent at your service department by offering the features they want, like online bill payment. If you’re ready to upgrade your service billing, contact us today to live demo our service lane solutions.