Automotive News - September 23, 2019 - Best Practices Supplement - A41

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 | 41
FRANK BOUCHER IMPORTS, RACINE, WIS.

'A MAGNET FOR KIDS'

Playground entertains
children, so parents don't
mind staying longer

Frank Boucher
Imports' playground
"has had an impact
on our service
business," says the
dealerships' platform
manager, Keith Zylka.

Published in Automotive News July 15, 2019

Hannah Lutz
hlutz@crain.com

t Frank Boucher Imports, a service customer and her three daughters often
voluntarily spend hours at the dealership, even after their car is ready.
They are among the many families that
spend much of their dealership visit on the
outdoor playground built by the Racine, Wis.,
retailer, which sells Kia, Volkswagen and Mazda vehicles from side-by-side dealerships.
"It's a magnet for kids," said Keith Zylka, platform manager of the stores. "As the word has
gotten out, it definitely has had an impact on
our service business. I've had numerous conversations with customers
commenting how much
they love us having that
system there and that they
come there, especially in
service, for that reason."
The playground, which
sits between the Mazda-Volkswagen store and
Miller: Customer the Kia store on the same
property, has helped the
retention rises.
dealerships boost service
business and customer satisfaction scores.
The play area features swings, a slide, a rock
wall, a playhouse and more. Frank Boucher
Imports installed it in 2013.

Comfortable waiting
Some customers choose the retailer's service lanes over quick-service competitors for
basic maintenance, such as oil changes, because of the playground, Zylka said.
"What fun is it for the kids to go to Jiffy Lube
or a Quick Lube or any other dealership ... as
opposed to coming to Boucher Mazda-Volkswagen-Kia? The kids look forward to going on
the playground," Zylka said.
The playground has also relieved some
stress from sales and service staff members
who are sometimes pressured by impatient
customers, said Chris Miller, service manager.
"A lot of our customers, instead of asking for
shuttle rides, or asking for rental cars or loaner

vehicles, are more comfortable waiting here
knowing their kids can be entertained on the
playground, especially on nice days," Miller
said.
Parents also rely on the playground to keep
their children busy while they shop or go
through paperwork.
The parents are still responsible for their
children when the kids play on the equipment, so typically, if two parents visit the retailer, one stays with the children while the
other works on the deal.

An outdoor playground at Frank
Boucher Imports in Racine, Wis.,
entertains children as their parents
shop for vehicles or get their vehicles
serviced and has boosted service
business and customer satisfaction.

Frank Boucher Imports sold about 700 new
and 700 used vehicles last year.

Kid-friendly status
The stores take their kid-friendly status seriously, even hiring a playground landscape expert to ensure the area had the right amount
and right type of mulch, Miller said.
The stores have always earned positive customer reviews, said Zylka. But since they added the playground, he's noticed that customers praise the feature in their online reviews
and automaker satisfaction surveys.
Children use the playground every day, he
added, even when the dealerships are
closed.
"Has it increased customer satisfaction and
customer retention? Absolutely," Miller said.
"It goes without saying, as a parent, if I'm going somewhere for service, I'm going to go
where my kids are going to be the most entertained." a

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