Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 11

FIXED OPS JOURNAL

DEPTH PERCEPTION

 Is your service department adding to customers' fear of inconvenience?

f you ask car owners across America,
they will tell you the benefits of
vehicle ownership, such as the
positive impact it has on their
lifestyles.
Now, ask that same group what they
don't like about owning a car. They'll
probably cite going to a dealership to get
service as a major pitfall of their ownership
experience.
Studies suggest that some Americans
JIM
would rather get a root canal than take
ROCHE
their car to a dealership. Think about that:
Guest columnist
Why would someone rather be in a
dentist's chair than at your dealership?
You don't have to look past the lines outside service departments
each morning for your answer. Given retention statistics, if 10 cars are
in line, five of them probably aren't coming back.
You also don't have to look much further to know why they're not
coming back. They make appointments, yet wait in line. They believe
they'll pay more, in part because of upsells and not knowing the cost of
needed services.
They expect to get a call or text letting them know the status of their
vehicle, then get frustrated when the communications don't happen.
They expect they'll miss at least a couple hours of work because the
whole process is a hassle.
True or not, these are the perceptions of inconvenience that vehicle
owners bring with them when they come to your service department.
The key question: Are you working to ease these perceptions - or are
you affirming them?

Del Grande's way
Some might argue that dealers and their service directors have come
a long way when it comes to changing the service experience and
customer perceptions. I agree.
They're talking about guys like CEO Shaun Del Grande and COO
Jeremy Beaver of the Del Grande Dealer Group in California. They
understand that the opportunity for lower-cost repeat and referral
business rests on the experience they provide customers.
"Retention is the Holy Grail, and the experience is what drives
retention," Beaver says. As a result, he says, Del Grande has a laser
focus on designing, implementing and tracking world-class,
technology-enhanced experiences.
"You have to shift away from a 'visit' mentality and think about a
'lifetime value' mentality," he says.
In Del Grande service departments, the emphasis on technologyenhanced experiences has advisers and technicians doing the bulk of
their work with tablets.
"Advisers are probably on the phone one-third of the time compared
to the past," says Tully Williams, Del Grande's fixed operations director.
"The technology helps them work more efficiently, and spend more

FIXED OPS JOURNAL ILLUSTRATION

time with customers.
He adds: "The technology enhances the experience, but you start
with the fundamentals of people and process. You get those right and
then add the technology."

Tech cues
Today, nearly everyone has a smartphone, tablet or computer. We
need these devices to conduct much of our daily business.
It's all about ease, efficiency and convenience. Technology has
become so ubiquitous that its absence signals to many consumers that
the dealer experience won't be ideal.
Consumer preferences for technology-enhanced experiences didn't
come out of nowhere. They have been apparent since it became clear
that retailers were in trouble, thanks to the ease and convenience their
online competitors offered.
Today, many retailers have re-engineered their in-store experiences,
blending technology and amenities to keep customers coming back.
Dealers need to look outward and forward for inspiration, rather than
leaning on what they already know to shape the future of their service
departments.
It's difficult for some dealers and service directors to effectively give
up control and let customer preferences point the way forward. But
customers are just like you and me: We may not always know what we
want, but we most definitely know what we don't want.
Dealers and service directors have the choice whether to adopt a
more experience-focused approach to their service departments. No
one suggests that if you don't provide a more high-tech and high-touch
experience, your service business will dry up completely and you'll be
out of business.
This day of reckoning, though, is probably coming faster than many of
us would care to believe or think. The dealers who have already begun
the transition are reaping the rewards that flow naturally to early
adopters. 
Jim Roche is senior vice president of marketing and managed services at
Xtime, a Cox Automotive company. This essay is excerpted from his new
book, Fast Lane: How to Accelerate Service Loyalty and Unlock its
Profit-Making Potential.

FEBRUARY 2018

PAGE 11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018