The Road to ROI with F&I

Running a dealership is not as easy as people on the outside may think. The profit margins aren't always high, but the competition is, which means that customer retention can be difficult, especially when they are looking for the lowest price every time. These five strategies will increase customer retention now and for generations of buyers to come.

Every so often, you'll hear about a customer who just purchased their umpteenth car from the same dealership. Chances are, if you read the story, the customer was overly impressed with their first purchase experience that coming back was easy. So how can you make the same experience a reality for your customers?

Bringing in new customers is always important but bringing back existing customers and building loyalty is even better. There are several ways to keep people coming back, and we'll look at 3 of the most important tips here to improve customer retention.

For your dealership to be successful, you need to master the art of continuously attracting clients and ensuring customer loyalty. In fact, it is much easier to retain your customer base than to attract a new lot of clients. Additionally, various reports state that increasing your customer retention by 5% is likely to increase your profitability by 75%. This just further proves how vital customer retention is. So, how do you achieve this?

Management of customer retention rates is one of the key pillars of successful dealership. Great research from Harvard Business School details that a 5 % increase in customer retention rate significantly improves the business profit from 25% to 95%. Also, the fact that it is five times more difficult to acquire new customers extends the need to have customer retention strategies. Therefore, mastering the art of customer retention is an imperative undertaking in dealerships. How then can you do this?

Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one. However, in a world where customers are more informed, more demanding and savvier than ever, retaining existing customers can be challenging.    

Customers need a good reason to come back to your dealer shop. You can provide it by offering an excellent customer experience. Statistics show that 84% of businesses that improve customer experience get higher revenue. A fantastic experience when buying a new car, accessories, or servicing a vehicle can keep the customers coming back. Here are five tips on how to increase customer retention

You see customers entering your dealership, and some buy cars while others don't. There are ways to get more customers in the door and improve your sell-through percentage. Your dealership has the vehicles people want in stock, but you are looking to increase your sales quota and grow your business. Improving your level of customer service and building long-term relationships can help. Here are a few ways to improve your dealership's customer service:

Repeat business is the proverbial 'bird-in-hand.' Your current customers are fertile ground for cross-selling. It's your golden opportunity to wow them beyond belief. Take the initiative, know your customers and understand their needs. Do this and your long-standing customers will remain loyal and your successes will continue to grow. 

Did you know that attracting a new customer is five times costlier than retaining an old one? Also, by increasing customer retention by only 5%, you can boost your profits by 25-95%. These statistics apply to all industries, including the automotive sector.

Dealerships are increasingly realizing that transactional, one-time business practices no longer work. They have to focus on strategies to not only attract but also retain customers. Customer retention has positive outcomes for dealerships, including reducing costs, enhancing customer lifetime value, increasing competitiveness, and boosting profitability. This article outlines four ways for dealerships to increase customer retention, and consequently harness its benefits.