A lot of dealerships devote too much of their focus on attracting new customers whereas an equal amount of time should be invested into generating repeat business from existing customers and building up loyalty. Not only can this contribute massively to the revenue of your dealership, but the more loyal these customers are to your dealership, the higher the chance of them leaving positive reviews, giving you more auto leads, and telling their friends and family about you. This, in turn, can bring in new customers. In this article, we take a look at some of the best ways you can start marketing your dealership to generate repeat business for your dealership and increase loyalty with your brand at the same time.
Offer Incentives
Your existing customers will come back to you if they feel they are being rewarded for their loyalty. Otherwise, what’s the point? For some examples of how to create great customer service for your company, you could check here and build customer loyalty quickly. Aside from your excellent customer service, if they are being charged or getting the same package as a new customer for example with no additional benefits for their loyalty then, what is the point indeed! Instead, why not reward repeat customers for coming back to you. As an example, for an annual service provide a 10% discount? Or if they’re after a new set of tires why not offer them 4 for the price of 3? The savings may not be astronomical but the gesture of providing them with these incentives as an existing customer goes a long way.
Complimentary Services
No matter what industry you’re involved in, a customer always loves getting that something extra for free. And your auto dealership shouldn’t be any exception to this golden rule. So if customers are coming back to you why not give them that little something extra to thank them for their loyalty? Not only to increase the likelihood of them coming back again in the future but also to reward them for choosing you over your competitors. For example, when someone comes to buy a car from you, if they come back to you for your annual service why not throw in a free valet to ensure their car is sparkling clean upon returning it to them?
Reassure the Customer That They Know What They’re Getting
When finally delivering a vehicle to your customer, reassure them about the deal they’re getting and ensure they’re happy. Give them a thorough recap of everything that is involved in the price that they’ve paid, most importantly the parts of their package that are ‘added value’ for their custom or available to them in the future for their loyalty or recommendations. This includes any future annual services that are included in the price and gives them a breakdown of the payment. This is also the opportune time to ask them if they have any questions about aspects of the sale/aftercare such as the warranty. This reassures the customer that you don’t just complete the sale and disappear and will encourage them to do business with you in the future.
Take Care and Caution With Servicing
If your dealership offers other services in addition to buying and selling cars, this is a great area to make a real impression on the customer. When the customer hands over their vehicle to you they are trusting you to take care of it when performing any repairs or servicing. A great way to maximize the chances of them coming back to you in the future is to make them put their trust in you as a dealership and consider you to be the right choice. There are a number of ways to ensure that their car is as protected as possible when performing repairs or upgrades.
One such way is by using protective items such as disposable plastic car seat covers, gear shift covers, and steering wheel covers. These items ensure that if you’re performing any work on a customer’s car, any mess that is made as a result of the work won’t spoil any of the car’s interior. If you are using these types of products to protect your vehicle whilst carrying out a repair or service you should tell your customer when they bring their vehicle in for the work. Demonstrate to them before they leave their car with you that you will take the utmost care in performing the repair or service and you even use these protective products to protect their vehicle, giving them peace of mind and confidence in your dealership before you commence the work.
This maximizes the chances of them returning to you for future work or vehicle purchases as well as the likelihood they will write a positive review about you and tell friends or family members about the quality of the service they’ve received from you. For high-quality automotive protective products, consider visiting the following URL: https://mbrmarketing.com/service-department/steering-wheel-and-seat-covers which is the website of MBR Marketing, one of the leading suppliers of auto dealer products in the United States.
Stay in Touch With Your Customers
Another way to demonstrate to your customers that your dealership doesn’t just forget about them after a sale has been completed is to keep in touch. It also reinforces their recognition of your brand. You could consider hiring a customer service virtual assistant, a person who you only employ when you need to, who can assist with administrative tasks. For instance, they could work only a couple of days a week, spending time following up on customers and asking for feedback. This would make them feel heard and cared for, and more likely to return to your business. Other ways to keep in touch include asking for a review after they’ve purchased a vehicle or service from you. Another nice touch is to provide them with a courtesy email on their birthday or anniversary of their first purchase to show them that they’re a valued customer and remind them of your excellent customer service and attention to detail.
Ask for Reviews
A great way to discover customer insight and to improve your service is through reviews. Ask customers for feedback after they have purchased a vehicle from you or used one of your services. Ask them if they were happy with the service and what they weren’t happy with. This will not only identify areas for improvement but will also highlight areas where your dealership is currently meeting the customer’s needs. A great way to gain true feedback is also to incentivize the customer to provide a review through promotions or discounts as the more reviews you receive the better understanding you have of how your products and services are perceived by your customers.
Summary
If you have your own dealership you need to ensure you invest adequate time and resources into building your repeat business. Attracting a new customer is much harder than selling again to an existing customer who already knows you. Remember to communicate with your existing customers, make them feel special and rewarded for their loyalty and they will return time and time again potentially bringing friends or family members to your showroom as a direct result of your investment and interest in them.
