Enhancing Customer Experience: The Synergy between Sales and Aftersales (Edition 01) 10 July 2024

In today’s competitive automotive industry, customer experience is paramount. A seamless synergy between sales and aftersales departments can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. As the Chief Visionary Officer of Evolve Consulting Services, I emphasise the importance of having a 360° view of each customer touchpoint. This comprehensive view, which includes interactions across omni-channel platforms, CRM systems, and in-dealership experiences, is a powerful tool that can enlighten us about our customers' needs and preferences.

How Well Are Processes and People Geared to Create Great Customer Experiences? As leaders in the automotive industry, you have the power to shape the customer experience. Your decisions and actions can empower your teams to create exceptional experiences for your customers.

Consider these critical questions:

? When was the last time a manager or leader personally booked a service at your dealership and experienced the process firsthand?

? Have you recently logged a complaint to understand how your team handles it?

As leaders, it's crucial to take responsibility for the actions of our teams. Understanding how complaints are handled can give us insights into areas that need improvement and ensure that our teams are delivering the best possible service.

? Are your teams fully aware of all available customer channels and feedback tools?

One of the key learnings as an aftersales leader was the power of “walking the business.” Being the first to arrive and the last to leave allowed me to engage with my team directly and address critical issues personally. Empowering our security guard, the first point of contact for customers, to provide feedback on customer experiences, whether positive or negative, also proved invaluable. This ground-level insight is essential for continuous improvement.

Tips for Enhancing Customer Experience:

1. Walk Your Business:

Regularly engaging with your team and being present on the ground allows you to identify and address issues as they arise. This approach, known as 'Walk Your Business ', fosters a culture of accountability and responsiveness. It means actively observing and participating in daily operations to better understand the customer experience.

2. Utilise Video Feedback:

If permissible by your country’s legislation, setting up a video camera to record customer interactions can provide invaluable insights. Conduct post-mortem analyses on these videos with your team to identify improvement areas and celebrate exceptional customer service moments. This practice, known as 'Utilise Video Feedback ', encourages continuous learning and development.

3. Implement a Sales and Aftersales Exchange Program:

Introducing a role exchange program, where service advisors and sales executives switch roles periodically, can significantly enhance the overall customer experience. This practice fosters collaboration and understanding between departments. However, planning and executing this carefully is essential to avoid potential pitfalls, such as pay discrepancies and personality mismatches.

4. Integrated Handover Processes:

A seamless transition from sales to service to accessories can build trust and optimise profit margins. For example, a customer who buys a car should seamlessly move into a positive service experience and receive personalised accessory recommendations. This integrated approach ensures that customers feel valued and understood while interacting with your dealership.

Focusing on these strategies can create a more cohesive and compelling customer experience, driving loyalty and long-term success.

So, what steps are you taking to enhance the synergy between your sales and aftersales teams?

How committed are you to employee and customer retention?

This weekly newsletter and articles will be geared at helping you navigate through automotive pitfalls and blindspots that we offer know about, but the effort or culture of the business will not allow.

I am Percy Fick Evolve Consulting Services here to help you redirect your automotive approach.