Customer service is an important but often overlooked aspect of running a successful dealership. Here are five ways to improve your dealership’s customer service.
Customer service begins the instant someone walks through the door. Let your customers know they are important to you. Greet them with a smile and give them your full attention. This gives your customer service an instant boost.
Hospitality is not just about greeting someone kindly (although that is a great start). Your space must be welcoming- after all, you want a potential customer to stick around, right? Some suggestions are to make sure temperature levels are comfortable. Offer plenty of seating. Have a clean, fresh bathroom available. You may even want to have complimentary coffee and tea.
Who knows best what the customer wants? The customer, of course! So getting their input is vital. Offer them an online questionnaire to fill out so they have a place to express their satisfaction or disappointment with your dealership. Be active about fixing any problems your customers may point out. In fact, be loud about it (this is where social media comes in). Let your customers know you care about their experience.
This point goes along with the previous point. Obviously, you want to listen to your customers if they voice a complaint. However, once you have that down, it is time to take it a step further. Ask your customers about themselves- and really listen. For instance, if you greet a customer with: “How are you doing today?” don’t look back at your computer before they can answer. Maintain eye contact and let them respond. This goes a long way in making customers feel comfortable and cared for.
Last but not least, you want to make sure your processes are as simple as possible for your customers. After all, no one wants to spend their day filling out paperwork. So adding a digital component to your finance and insurance process can help avoid that. Your customers are far more likely to work with you when they realize you are working to make things easier for them.
Running a dealership can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Contact us for more tips on how to improve your dealership.