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To say that the auto industry is competitive is a major understatement. Not only is the forecourt where sales happen but now more people are buying online, or are at least using online resources to begin their buying journey.
Customer service best practices should be at the forefront of attention so as to attract and retain customer loyalty. In this article, you’ll read about seven things an auto dealership needs to be doing so that they can make their customer service second to none.
- Listen and Learn
One of the most important things you can do is to listen to your existing and potential customers. This may take the form of surveys or verbal feedback. You cannot fix what you do not know is broken.
In sales, it’s a natural tendency to talk a lot but try to spend more time listening than talking. Then you’ll know how to tailor your approach to customer needs. When you get things right, it’s as important to identify why, so make sure you ask why people are buying from you too.
- Don’t Be Satisfied With Satisfied
In today’s competitive market, satisfaction is not good enough. You need to aim to exceed expectations. Ask your customer service team, what can they do they will surprise and delight customers. Remember, satisfactory is forgettable and exceeding expectations is memorable.
- Show Appreciation
Everyone loves to be valued. Make sure your customers know that you value them by expressing it in a gift. If you can personalize the gift by adding their personal name etc, that will impress them, plus depending on the gift, they will continue to remember your service long afterward.
- Power of a Real Person
Although it’s true that people are using the internet more and more, when it comes to a high-value purchase don’t underestimate how valuable it is to speak to an actual person rather than a website bot. Make sure your dealership has a phone number that is accessible and that customers can talk to real people quickly and conveniently.
- Think Convenience
Sometimes, all customers want to do is schedule a service, or an appointment, in which case it may not be necessary or even desirable to take the time to call. Make sure you expand the options available by offering some ‘self-service’ options. This can be through your website, or even better, through a custom app.
- Add Value
You should use all channels available to communicate regularly with your client base. That means educational and informative content through your website and blog, and using social media to promote related activities such as the importance of service. Dealership service parts training is a helpful way to develop your staff.
Every time a potential or existing client enters your showroom, you want them to have a very pleasing experience. Premium furniture, free WiFi, and high-end coffee and refreshments will make their time in your showroom a pleasure, not an inconvenience.
- Reasons to Smile
A happy customer service team with reasons to smile will surely translate into happier customers. Genuinely happy employees affect other people in positive ways that aren’t always easy to quantify. Remember, that if you want to develop long term relationships with customers, you need to develop a sense of loyalty with employees.
Customer Service Best Practices — Worth Every Penny
While it’s true that you need to invest in your customer services, it’s not true that all improvements will cost a lot of money. Sometimes small things go a long way. Your skill will be identifying what really makes a difference, so make sure you have a formal comprehensive approach to managing the customer experience.
In this article, you’ve read about seven customer service best practices. Apply them to your business and you’ll start to see the benefits. Check out other great articles on our website.
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