FEATURE BY LAWSON OWEN SERVICE TOUCHPOINTS = CUSTOMER KEY POINTS Recon Workflow is a Major Indicator T oday's customers have high expectations - and they are getting higher. Across the globe, 54 percent of all consumers say they have higher customer service expectations than they did just one year ago. If we can't meet those expectations, customers will move on to the next dealership. If that sounds harsh, well, it is. We live in a hyper-competitive business environment where we are not just competing on product and price, but also on customer service. People want to give their business to dealerships that make it easy to get help, go above and beyond for them, and make them feel valued and appreciated. Place these soaring expectations up against current staffing shortages and things get even more harsh. The truth is the average dealership service department already does not answer 30 percent of inbound calls. Now with even fewer bodies to answer the phones, those rates are going up. At the same time, most service departments are slammed. Lack of new inventory means more people are holding onto older vehicles and/or deciding to fix an older vehicle instead of replacing it as they would have done in the past. Shops running at capacity are more likely to cut corners on customer service. What is the answer? Leverage technology to create best practices that help your staff deliver a great experience at every customer touchpoint. Here is how. 36