Elevating The New Car Customer Experience: Service Presentation

Although Sales and Service Departments in a new car Dealership function differently from each other, they both require a structured process if they are to successfully reach the goals they have set for their departments, their management, and their employees.

Most car salespeople have been trained in some version of a Structured Sales Process that takes them through the various Steps to the Sale. It starts with the initial Meet & Greet with the Customer, and progresses through several steps along the way, ideally ending with a satisfied buyer driving off in a new vehicle.

Similarly, the service process begins with the initial contact with the Service Advisor, which involves a Meet & Greet and a discovery process. Hopefully, it ends, with an active delivery where the customer leaves satisfied, knowing that the maintenance or repair was successful and their vehicle is performing as expected.

These two come in direct contact with each other when the salesperson does 'The Service Walk.' This normally follows the demonstration drive and the External Walkaround where the Customer gets a thorough presentation of everything the vehicle has to offer and hopefully takes mental ownership of the car before going in to negotiate the deal.

Industry surveys of buyers have determined that the three priorities for car shoppers are:

#1:? The Vehicle

#2. The Salesperson

#3. The Dealership

The Service Walk is critical to a successful sale because it is part of the Salesperson’s Process where the Customer is presented with reasons why they should buy the car from this Dealership.

This is where the salesperson will introduce the Customer to a Service Advisor or manager and, together, they will sell the Customer the fantastic service they can expect to receive if they buy their car here. It is a preview of how the service personnel will treat them whenever they come in for general maintenance or repairs for their new vehicle.

After the initial introduction where the salesperson introduces the Customer to the Service Advisor or manager, the service person may describe how they would go about making a service appointment, show them the easiest way to come into the Service Lane if they were coming in for service, and possibly tell them of the best times to come that would be most comfortable and efficient for the Customer to get their needs met in a timely fashion.

They might then take them on a tour of the Service Lounge and show them some of the plaques or certificates that demonstrate the professional training and abilities of their technicians and other personnel. If they have an Express Service Lane for oil changes and simple maintenance work, they might show them where to go when they come in for that kind of service.

The best-case scenario is when the Salesperson already prearranges these, and they are a standard procedure that is agreed upon by either an advisor or Service Manager. Something that they can expect to happen every time a salesperson reaches that step in their sales process with a customer before going into the closing booth for negotiations and their attempt to close the sale.

Too often, this step is neglected. It might be skipped by the salesperson, or the advisor or Service Manager who should be involved, but does not have the time or interest to do it properly. When they do participate, they may not make a concerted effort to perform the task adequately.

The reality is, this step in the sales process is often a high point that gives customers the impression that they can expect excellent service from the dealership for the care and maintenance of their vehicle if they decide to make a purchase

If your Service Advisors or managers are not prepared to really learn how to do this well, they should get with the sales department and work out a process for every to get a solid presentation from someone in the service department before heading for the closing booth.

This is a car Dealership, and selling cars is where it all starts. Yes, the Service Department is the backbone of the Dealership, but without cars being sold, much of the potential traffic coming into the Service Department might go somewhere else for their maintenance repairs.

This is one of the best ways to build Customer loyalty for both the front and the back end of your Dealership. It is a win-win for everybody including the Customer and is a major part of the success of any new car Dealership in the Fixed Operations Department.

In-Person Presentations

For a Service Advisor, one of their first opportunities to do an In-Person Presentation is during the Walkaround Inspection. Taking the Customer on a visible tour of their vehicle as they explain the various things that could be happening, and why, is a great opportunity for the Customer to actually gain some understanding on what things make what noises and vibrations, and why it is important to replace things like belts, filters or wiper blades before they break. ?

This is an important part of helping Customers understand how much they can save over the long run through regularly scheduled preventative maintenance and service.

Not doing the Walkaround Inspection with every Customer is a major Failure Point in a Service Advisors routine. It impacts the life of the vehicle, the cost of repairs, and the value that a proper in-person presentation brings to the Customer, the Service Advisor, and the Dealership.

The modern Service Department Customer lounge is not designed to be a place to do business as much as it is meant to be a place that provides a distraction for the Customer. Because most people suffer genuine anxiety when they go to a dealership to have their vehicles serviced, setting up a service waiting area with televisions, Wi-Fi, refreshments and, in some cases, children’s play areas, is all part of the process of helping distract them from what they often consider a negative experience.

Talking to the Customer about their vehicle service needs in the waiting area exposes them to observation by other people which may intimidate some Customers and make them feel like they are under pressure of some sort.

When the Service Advisor goes over the technician’s report and other suggestions they may have for the care of the Customer’s vehicle, it should be done in person and at the Service Advisor’s desk, away from where others might hear what they are saying to the Customer.

That is different from making a general presentation of tires or special things that may be visible in the service lounge for promotional purposes. For that, you may even want to have an audience, as it may appeal to anyone in the service lounge who might want to know about and consider those things for themselves.

However, when a Service Advisor is going over the technician’s response or reviewing their diagnostic /inspection report, you want to do that at the Service Advisor’s desk so that it can be professional, personal, and private. This shows the Customer that you respect their privacy, and it gives them a chance to ask questions or talk about costs and other things without being under the scrutiny of others.

This may often include using images or even videos you might have access to if you want to demonstrate their problem and how a proper solution is performed. Sometimes a customer may have questions about a timeline of the work you are recommending, and if it is possible to spread it out over several visits to break the cost into smaller increments to make it work better for them. This is sometimes an effective way to approach larger potential problems if they can be taken care of over time without risking the vehicles functionality or putting the driver and passengers at any kind of risk.

Another great way to communicate directly with the Customer about how to fix the problems they are facing is to take them directly to the vehicle where the technician is working on it. Have the technician explain the problem and demonstrate the condition of any parts that need to be replaced or services that need to be done using their own vehicle if possible.

There is no better way to show a customer what service needs to be done or what parts need to be replaced or fixed than to do it on the Customer’s own vehicle. Looking at a set of worn-out brake shoes or pads and severely worn rotors, it does not take much more than that for a customer to understand the need or the potential danger if the work is not done.

This is also a good place to compare worn-out parts to new ones with the Customer. This often creates a positive sense of well-being to the Customer knowing why they were having problems and how the fix that is taking place will make their vehicle run better, last longer and provide better service and safety to the Customer and their family.

It is not about shocking or pressuring the Customer into doing something that is going to cost them money. It is about doing the best thing you can to help them get the value and quality of service they deserve and desire for their vehicle.

Not performing the services for your customers when they are called for can be considered a Failure Point in your dealership Service Department.