The Road to ROI with F&I

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.

Customer retention is vital to growing a dealership's business and profits. When a customer remains loyal throughout the life of a vehicle, it's a sign they trust a dealership.

Everyone in any industry that involves interaction with another human being can expect to, at some point, interact with an angry customer. This is no different at a dealership. Dealing with angry customers is a skill that employees and bosses should familiarize themselves with. Effectively handling angry customers will increase customer retention, reputation, and overall customer satisfaction. When dealing with an angry customer here's what you should do.

Car dealerships are faced with disadvantages in today's fast-paced market.  The belief that car purchasing can be a painfully long process is based on many old traditions at car dealerships that persist today.  Faster sales can be accomplished by improving in three different areas.  Each of these areas is based on building strong relationships and effective communication strategies:  

COMPETITION IS FIERCE

With customers preferring root canals and lines at the DMV over buying a car, Dealerships should be focusing more than ever on improving the customer experience. But when what the customer distrusts most are your F&I Department's policies and products, what can you do?