A bit of extra time and effort can help set you apart
Like many people, I keep my car clean. Don’t even think about bringing fast food into my car, and sorry kids, no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on road trips.
I love Canada, I even love winter in Canada. But I really hate the crap it leaves all over my car, how it streaks my windshield and stains my clothes and shoes.
So you can understand why seeing salt and road slush splashed all over my car just about sends me over the edge. I’m sure I’m not alone.
That’s why I was pleased to hear about a couple of examples where dealers went the extra mile to ensure their customers could look at their car with pride after a vehicle service appointment. Not only did the dealers do a bang-up job washing the car, they also made the extra effort to tackle the salty residue on the floor mats, seats, and doors. You know, the white, chalky mess that we drag around from about December until April.
These service visits weren’t for detailing, they were simply for a routine oil change and a simple no-charge reset of a customer’s radio – but the cars were delivered back spotless. On a cold, slushy day in January, that’s a little extra sunshine that customers remember.
These small examples just help illustrate that it’s not always the big things that make all the difference to the success of your dealership. The mysteries of keeping customers happy aren’t always difficult to unravel. As with our own personal relationships, it’s always the small gestures that take a bit of extra time and effort that will help set you apart.
The quick oil change specialist that you compete with in the aftermarket might get the customers in and out quickly, and they might sip a free coffee or read a newspaper while they sit in their cars – but their cars don’t leave looking better than they arrived.
As more consumers look to the aftermarket for convenience and pricing advantages, dealers need to take advantage of their infrastructure investment and really leverage the advantages they have so that when customers pick up their vehicles, the last thing they think about isn’t the bill they just paid, likely on their already stretched-to-the-max credit card.
We at Canadian auto dealer magazine are always interested to hear about what dealers are doing to make a difference.
We believe it’s these types of positive steps that make all the difference. Your customers will reward those who go the extra mile. If you have stories to share about what your dealership is doing to make a difference, please send them to me, and we’ll share the best with the rest of Canada’s dealers.
