Give customers what they want and they will keep coming back
It’s true that amazing customer service is timeless. In the age of the Internet, the experience and opinion of one person can influence hundreds through social media and thousands through review websites such as DealerRater and Yelp.
Great service creates return customers and advocates for your dealership. A 2015 survey by Autotrader found 66 per cent of more than 4,000 customers surveyed said they were more likely to buy from a dealership that offers their preferred customer experience.
But in the past few decades, what a customer wants while buying a vehicle has changed — and not every dealership has caught up. That same Autotrader study found only 17 per cent were satisfied with the current car buying process.
Consumers aren’t looking for a hard sell or a pile of paperwork anymore. They’re looking for a buying experience marked by efficiency, transparency, and authenticity.
Today’s new car buyer is busy with work, a family, or any of the countless other things on their plate. They don’t want to spend hours at the dealership. Any minute you can shave off the vehicle-buying process is another minute they can spend on other responsibilities.
This efficiency starts online. Your dealership’s website must be easy-to-use, and should seamlessly line up with your in-house experience. It should also be optimized for mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Timeliness in online customer service is important, too.
A recent study by Google Canada surveying 3,000 Canadians who bought cars in the past year found 74 per cent of searches for a new vehicle lead to an online interaction with a dealer, but only 68 per cent of consumers were satisfied with these web conversations. Most consumers wished for more prompt or higher quality responses.
On the sales floor, make every effort to understand what your customer wants. Research shows that customers often come in with one or two makes and models already in mind. Many negative reviews are caused when a consumer comes in set on test driving a certain model, but has to jump through hoops to do so.
The biggest gain in efficiency, however, might be in paperwork.
Accessories used to speed up the process, like tablets, are only logical. Instead of having a buyer spell out their last name, have them type it out on an iPad form. Instead of running off to scan their license, use a smartphone app, provided you meet provincial requirements.
Some dealers have gone as far as moving the entire paperwork process online.
In an industry sometimes plagued by a distrust of salespeople, transparency is also key.
According to a 2014 survey from J.D. Power, one in three shoppers use their smartphone to do research on a vehicle while at the dealership, and 96 per cent research prospective cars before they even step through the door. You can bet one of the main things they look up is the average selling price of their future vehicle.
Studies continue to prove that haggling is one of the most disliked parts of buying a car.
Consumers are increasingly shopping online or through third parties in efforts to bypass negotiation entirely. Some dealers and their OEMS have even introduced no-negotiation pricing in response.
Even if it’s not as drastic as a one-price policy, doing everything you can to make the negotiation process as transparent and understandable as possible will build customer trust and satisfaction. After all, no customer wants to spend their weekend pouring over an auto contract.
Perhaps the most important of the service trio is authenticity. This is customer service 101— consumers prefer a friendly face who genuinely wants what’s in their best interests.
“Friendly,” “sincere” or “goes above and beyond” may seem like buzz words, but they’re a common refrain in reviews of some of the top dealerships in British Columbia.
Though consumer preferences have differed throughout the years, customer service has always been about going the extra mile. Exceptional service truly boils down to having engaged employees who are passionate about providing a positive customer experience.
Just like every other facet of the auto industry, what consumers want when buying a car is changing. The key to keeping up is honest, knowledgeable and passionate employees and, of course, an eagerness to change along with them.
