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Prepaid Maintenance Plans: Revenue Protection or Margin Erosion?

Prepaid maintenance plans can look like an easy win for dealership fixed operations: lock in future service visits, generate predictable revenue, and give customers a reason to return rather than defect to an independent repair facility. But there is another side to the equation. A poorly structured dealership prepaid maintenance plan can discount future labor, parts, and fluids years before those costs are incurred. If the program is priced too aggressively, marketed incorrectly, or poorly administered, the dealership may secure the customer while unintentionally surrendering margin. That makes the real question for fixed operations leaders less about whether prepaid maintenance works and more about whether it protects enough long-term customer value to justify the short-term cost. The Real Value Is Retention—Not the Initial Maintenance Sale The strongest argument for prepaid maintenance is customer retention. J.D. Power notes that dealerships use prepaid maintenance programs to create a steady flow of customers into the service department and develop relationships that can carry into future vehicle purchases. For customers, the appeal includes discounted maintenance, predictable ownership costs, and convenience. That closely aligns with TVI MarketPro3's previous analysis of prepaid maintenance packages. TVI identified predictable revenue and customer loyalty as two of the primary potential advantages of these programs while emphasizing that their greater value may come from long-term customer relationships rather than from the profitability of the package itself. That distinction matters. The oil change included in a prepaid plan may generate limited gross revenue on its own. But that same appointment brings the vehicle back into the dealership, where the service team can: ~ Perform a multi-point inspection~ Identify legitimate maintenance and repair needs~ Maintain an accurate service history~ Build the advisor-customer relationship~ Create future customer-pay opportunities Every vehicle entering the service drive carries potential maintenance, safety, and future service needs. A consistent MPI process helps dealerships capture opportunities that otherwise go unidentified. Margin Erosion Begins with Poor Plan Design The financial risk arises when a dealership focuses so heavily on retention that it ignores the package's economics. TVI previously warned that pricing for prepaid maintenance packages becomes complicated because maintenance requirements vary by vehicle, including oil type, oil capacity, recommended service schedules, and other variables. There is also a timing problem. A dealership sells a plan based on today's labor, oil, and parts costs, but may perform some of those services years later. TVI points out that while the customer benefits from effectively purchasing future maintenance at earlier prices, the dealership still has to absorb the actual cost of performing that maintenance when the vehicle returns. That creates potential fixed operations margin erosion when pricing does not sufficiently account for: Plan price → future parts cost → future labor cost → administrative cost = actual plan margin The equation should not stop there, however. Leaders should also measure the downstream value generated by retained customers. A lower-margin prepaid oil change can still make financial sense if the program consistently leads to profitable maintenance, repair, tire, alignment, brake, or other customer-pay work later in the ownership cycle. The mistake is assuming retention automatically equals profitability. Utilization and Service Execution Determine the Outcome Selling the prepaid maintenance plan is only the beginning. Dealerships need to know whether customers actually redeem the services and whether those visits create a positive experience. TVI's article, Boosting Dealership Service Department Retention, highlights prepaid maintenance as a retention opportunity and suggests that dealerships consider offering such plans not only during vehicle sales but also to first-time service customers. The strategy gives customers an incentive to return for future routine maintenance. But locking a customer into future visits does not guarantee loyalty. Customers who have already paid for future service may have even less tolerance for a frustrating experience. Poor communication, excessive wait times, scheduling problems, or confusing plan exclusions can turn a retention tool into a source of dissatisfaction. That is why prepaid maintenance utilization should be managed alongside customer experience. The goal is not simply to sell more plans. It is to determine whether the plans are creating profitable retained customers. Protect the Revenue With Better Communication and Segmentation A surprisingly simple problem can undermine prepaid maintenance profitability: marketing services that customers have already purchased. Dealerships need to accurately identify prepaid maintenance customers and share that information with their marketing partners. Otherwise, a customer may receive an oil change coupon or a discounted maintenance offer for a service already included in the plan.  That does more than waste marketing dollars. It can make the customer question the value of the plan they purchased. Instead, dealership service marketing segmentation should recognize the prepaid customer's status and address the relationship differently. Measure Lifetime Value, Not Just Package Gross So, are prepaid maintenance plans revenue protection or margin erosion? They can be either. When plans are priced without regard for future costs, discounted too deeply, or poorly administered, they can compress fixed operations margins. But when strategically designed around dealership customer retention, service frequency, multi-point inspections, targeted service marketing, and future customer-pay opportunities, prepaid maintenance can help keep vehicles—and customers—within the dealership's ecosystem.

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Fixed Ops Retention Strategy Beyond 50K Miles

For years, dealership service retention has revolved around familiar maintenance intervals: oil changes, tire rotations, inspections, and factory-recommended service. But once a vehicle moves beyond the earliest stages of ownership, the retention strategy needs to evolve. Vehicles between 50,000 and 100,000 miles represent one of the most important opportunities in automotive fixed operations. These customers are entering the period when scheduled maintenance becomes more significant, wear items require attention, factory warranty coverage may be ending, and they begin deciding whether the dealership will remain their trusted service provider. Americans are holding onto their vehicles longer than ever. According to S&P Global Mobility, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads reached a record 12.8 years in 2025, creating an expanding opportunity for dealership service departments to retain customers well beyond the early ownership years.  For fixed operations leaders, the goal should no longer be simply getting the next repair order. The goal should be to create a five-year dealership customer retention strategy that keeps the customer connected through 100,000 miles and beyond. Treat 50K Miles as a Retention Milestone, Not Just a Service Interval Around 50,000 miles, the dealership-customer relationship begins to change. Warranty protection may be disappearing, maintenance needs are increasing, and customers often become more price-conscious. This is also when independent repair facilities, tire stores, quick-lube chains, and other aftermarket competitors become increasingly attractive. TVI MarketPro3 previously identified the months surrounding OEM warranty expiration as a critical retention window. The decision to remain with the dealership often starts before the warranty actually ends. Dealers that communicate proactively can reposition themselves from the place customers had to visit under warranty to the place they choose to visit afterward. That means the 50K customer should enter a structured retention journey built around: ~ Upcoming factory-recommended maintenance~ Vehicle age and mileage~ Previous service history~ Declined recommendations~ Wear item replacement cycles~ Warranty status~ Customer communication preferences Instead of sending another generic oil change offer, dealerships can begin telling the customer what the next several years of vehicle ownership may look like. Turn MPIs Into a Long-Term Service Roadmap A strong multi-point inspection process may be one of the most effective tools for retaining higher-mileage vehicles. At 50,000 miles and beyond, the MPI should do more than uncover additional work for today's repair order. It should establish a documented vehicle health history to help the dealership and customer anticipate future service needs. TVI MarketPro3's article on why some service departments resist video MPI emphasizes that customer communication should continue even when work is declined. Video documentation can help support follow-up, future repairs, and customer retention. Current J.D. Power research reinforces that strategy. In its 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index Study, 64% of customers said they prefer photo or video evidence with their MPI results, yet only 26% of mass-market customers reported receiving it. J.D. Power also found notably higher service advisor satisfaction when photo or video evidence was provided. For dealership service departments, that creates an opportunity. A customer who declined brakes today should not disappear from the DMS until the next generic service blast. That recommendation should be incorporated into a personalized follow-up strategy. For example: ~ Today: Front brakes measure 5mm.~ Next visit: Reinspect and update the customer.~ Future communication: Remind the customer when a replacement becomes necessary. That moves the dealership from selling repairs to managing vehicle ownership. Win the Years Between Major Repairs Customer retention beyond oil changes depends heavily on what happens between service events. TVI MarketPro3 has repeatedly emphasized that dealership retention is built through relationships, not simply transactions. In Strategies for Service Drive Success in 2025, TVI fixed operations specialists Sasha Savic and Pete Sidorowicz stressed the importance of advisor relationships, personalized communication, transparency, and consistent dealership-wide support for customer retention. For a 50K–100K-mile customer, retention communication should extend beyond "It's time for an oil change." Relevant messages might include: ~ Previously declined repair reminders and discounts~ Mileage-based service recommendations~ Tire or brake replacement reminders~ Seasonal vehicle checks~ Recall notifications~ Warranty-expiration communications~ “We miss you” reactivation campaigns The key is service marketing segmentation. A customer at 82,000 miles with previously declined suspension work should receive very different communication than a customer at 62,000 miles who just completed a major maintenance service. Own the Ownership Journey Vehicles are staying on the road longer, which means dealerships have more opportunities to serve customers throughout the ownership lifecycle—but also more time to lose those customers to the aftermarket. The dealerships that win 50K–100K-mile customer retention will not rely on oil change coupons alone. They will use customer data, multi-point inspections, declined service follow-up, personalized communication, warranty-expiration strategies, and strong advisor relationships to create a service experience customers do not want to leave. The question for fixed operations leaders is not just, “How do we get this customer back for their next oil change?” It is also, “How do we become their service department for the next five years?”

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Dealership Parts Matrix Pricing Strategies

Dealership leaders often scrutinize labor rates, technician productivity, and hours per repair order while allowing hundreds of parts prices each week to default to manufacturer list, a flat markup, or an employee’s individual judgment. Losing three or four dollars on a single repair order line may not attract much attention. Across thousands of customer-pay transactions, however, those small pricing gaps can add up to a substantial annual gross-profit loss. According to a PartsTech survey of 618 automotive repair shop owners and managers, 67% of respondents were not maximizing their parts profit potential because of insufficient markup practices. Discussing that survey, Cecil Bullard, owner and CEO of The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence, estimates that many automotive repair shops leave between $40,000 and $70,000 per year on the table due to inadequate parts markups. Although those figures include independent repair facilities, they demonstrate how quickly inconsistent pricing can affect profitability. A well-designed dealership parts matrix pricing strategy is not about charging the highest possible price for every component. It is about pricing parts intentionally and consistently enough to protect gross profit while remaining competitive, transparent, and defensible. Why Flat Markups and Manufacturer List Prices Leave Gaps A dealership's parts pricing matrix is a formula that determines a part’s selling price based on factors such as its cost, category, source, pay type, competitive sensitivity, customer type, and local market conditions. A basic automotive parts pricing matrix separates parts into cost bands and assigns a different markup to each band. Lower-cost parts generally receive higher percentage markups, while higher-cost parts receive lower percentage markups. This creates a descending markup curve rather than treating every part identically. As explained in the PartsTech Parts Markup Matrix Guide, this structure is designed to produce a healthy overall margin across the full mix of parts sold—not necessarily the same margin on every individual part. Low-Cost Parts Often Become Underpriced A flat markup may not generate enough gross profit on inexpensive parts to cover the dealership’s actual cost to sell them. Every part requires some combination of: ~ Ordering and receiving~ Cataloging and stocking~ Storage and inventory control~ Handling and delivery~ Returns processing~ Warranty administration~ Parts transfers~ Employee and management time A $4 part and a $400 part do not necessarily carry identical costs to serve. Applying the same percentage markup to both can leave the low-cost item underpriced while pushing the high-dollar item beyond what the market can reasonably support. For example, applying a 50% markup to a $4 part results in a $6 retail price and only $2 in gross profit. That may not adequately compensate the department for the time and administrative effort required to source, receive, handle, and bill the part. High-Dollar Parts Can Become Uncompetitive The opposite problem appears when an aggressive flat markup is applied to a high-dollar assembly. Customers can easily compare pricing for engines, modules, batteries, accessories, and other recognizable components against: ~ Nearby dealerships~ Independent repair facilities~ Online OEM parts sellers~ Manufacturer-suggested list prices~ Retail counter and wholesale alternatives That does not mean a dealership must match the lowest price a customer finds online. The dealership provides additional value by ensuring a proper fit, providing trained technicians, offering professional installation, providing warranty protection, offering diagnostic expertise, and ensuring accountability if the repair does not resolve the concern. Nevertheless, a pricing formula that doubles the price of an expensive component without accounting for market sensitivity can create an avoidable objection before the advisor has an opportunity to communicate that added value. Audit What the Dealership Actually Charges TVI MarketPro3 consistently encourages fixed ops leaders to evaluate performance beyond total sales. In its video, Understanding Financial Health in Fixed Ops, Vice President of Sales Nick Shaffer identifies gross profit by pay type as one of the essential measurements fixed ops leaders should monitor. The TVI article Cutting Costs in the Service Department also recommends tracking parts gross-profit percentage while managing phase-in and phase-out settings to improve inventory turn rates. Protect Margin Without Sacrificing Customer Trust Improving dealership parts gross profit cannot come at the expense of customer confidence. Customers can compare prices online within seconds. When they see an OEM part listed elsewhere for less than the amount on their repair estimate, the advisor must be prepared to explain what the dealership’s price includes. That value may include: ~ OEM-quality parts~ Correct part identification and fit~ Factory-trained technicians~ Professional installation~ Diagnostic expertise~ Dealership-backed warranty coverage~ Accountability for the completed repair~ Convenience and transportation options~ A documented service history TVI MarketPro3 addresses this directly in Winning Back Dealership Service Customers: “A higher price without clear communication of higher value can drive customers away.” The article explains that dealerships must be transparent about pricing while emphasizing the long-term benefits of OEM parts, trained technicians, and quality service. Likewise, the article Objections to Dealership Service Departments and How to Overcome Them recommends detailed invoices, transparent pricing, competitive offers, OEM parts, factory-trained technicians, and warranty coverage as ways to address perceived high costs. A matrix should create consistency—not confusion. The customer should not receive significantly different prices depending on the advisor, estimator, or department involved. Quotes, menu prices, repair orders, and final invoices should align. Review Pricing as an Ongoing Process A matrix is not a one-time DMS setup. It must be monitored as parts costs, competition, customer behavior, and departmental objectives change. Monthly reviews should include: ~ Gross by pay type~ Average parts gross per customer-pay RO~ Matrix utilization~ Override frequency~ Advisor discounting~ Competitive-item pricing~ Pricing complaints PartsTech similarly recommends reviewing and adjusting a matrix monthly or quarterly based on the gross margin the business is actually producing. The dealership should monitor both financial and customer-facing indicators. No single KPI tells the complete story. A higher gross percentage may look positive until leadership discovers that price objections, declined work, or customer defection are also increasing. The goal is sustainable profitability—not a temporary increase created by indiscriminate price changes. Stop Letting Margin Disappear One Line at a Time A parts pricing matrix cannot correct poor service, inconsistent estimating, weak advisor communication, or a broken customer experience. It can, however, prevent unnecessary margin leakage and provide the dealership with a consistent pricing foundation. The right question is not, “How much more can we charge?” It is: Are we pricing every category intentionally, consistently, and profitably—or are we allowing margin to disappear one line at a time? More gross per repair order matters, but so does bringing the right repair opportunities into the lane. TVI MarketPro3 uses dealership data to identify and engage customers with the greatest potential to return for service, helping fixed ops leaders generate profitable traffic instead of relying on blanket marketing or unnecessary discounting. Reach out to a TVI MarketPro3 Fixed Operations Marketing Expert today.

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Dealership Parts Obsolescence 12-Month Audit

A dealership’s parts shelves can appear full while failing to support the service drive’s needs. The problem is not simply clutter. Dealership parts obsolescence results in cash that cannot be reinvested, reduced storage capacity, slower inventory turns, and a greater risk of ordering parts that will not sell. NADA defines parts obsolescence as inventory aged more than 12 months with no demand. That makes the 12-month no-sale report an important management tool—but it should not be treated as an annual cleanup list. It should be the starting point for discovering how obsolete inventory entered the department and preventing the next wave of aging stock. What “12-Month Obsolete” Really Means A part with no demand for 12 months deserves immediate review, but age alone does not determine what should happen next. A thorough automotive parts inventory audit should consider: ~ Date of most recent sales, last stock, and last activity~ Current quantity on hand~ Monthly sales history and quarterly lost sales~ Reorder level, maximum stocking level, quantity on order, and quantity on back order~ Stock status, including whether the part is normally stocked, a special-order part, changed, or recently returned~ Return status~ Superseding and superseded part numbers~ Model-year fitment range~ Bin, shelf, and drawer location The difference between months no-sale and months no-receipt is especially important. Months no-sale shows how long it has been since customer demand occurred. Months no-receipt shows how long it has been since another unit entered inventory. Looking at both can reveal a damaging pattern: a part may not be selling, yet an automatic replenishment setting, a manual order, or an incorrect stocking level continues to bring additional units into the department. Not every 12-month no-sale part should be liquidated automatically. Legitimate exceptions may include required OEM stock, newly introduced models, safety or campaign components, low-frequency but operationally critical parts, and inventory reserved for an active repair. The audit helps determine which parts still support current or future demand.  Obsolete Inventory Freezes Working Capital Consider a dealership carrying $600,000 in parts inventory. If 10% of that stock has had no demand for more than 12 months, approximately $60,000 is tied up in inventory that may no longer support current operations. That money cannot easily be used to stock faster-moving parts, upgrade equipment, train employees, expand wholesale operations, improve customer transportation, or market the service department. Obsolete inventory also weakens dealership inventory turns. It increases the average inventory investment without a proportional increase in sales, leaving the dealership’s cash sitting on the shelf longer. NADA advises dealerships to evaluate inventory quality rather than relying exclusively on a broad months-supply calculation. Its dealership parts-management guidance emphasizes prioritizing fast-moving inventory while tracking obsolete and phase-out stock through DMS reporting. The Report Shows What Happened. The Audit Reveals Why. The 12-month report tells a dealership what has already gone wrong. A disciplined audit reveals why it happened and what must change. The goal is not to maximize the number of parts on the shelf, but to have the right parts available to support current repair demand while protecting the dealership’s cash. Is your service marketing generating demand that aligns with the customers and vehicles in your market? TVI MarketPro3 uses DMS data to identify and engage inactive, lost, and new VIN customers, creating measurable opportunities throughout fixed operations. Let TVI know how we can level up your service department marketing game.

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Google Reviews in Fixed Ops: Turning 3-Star Stores Into 4.6+ Machines

Your Customers Are Checking Reviews Before They Call Before a customer schedules service, visits your website, or speaks with an advisor, there's a good chance they've already checked your Google reviews. In today's digital-first environment, your Google rating has become one of the most visible indicators of your dealership's reputation. It influences customer trust, local search visibility, click-through rates, and whether customers ultimately choose your service department over a competitor. A well-managed Google Business Profile helps dealerships improve both online visibility and customer engagement. Why Google Reviews Have Become a Fixed Ops KPI Most service managers track: Repair ordersEffective labor rateCustomer-pay salesHours per RO But many overlook a metric that customers see before any of those numbers matter: Google reviews. A strong review profile impacts both consumer trust and local search rankings. Research consistently shows that the quality, quantity, and recency of reviews influence how prominently businesses appear in local search results. Customer retention increasingly depends on convenience, trust, and the overall experience customers receive throughout the service journey. Reviews serve as a public reflection of all three. What 4.6-Star Service Departments Do Differently The best-performing dealerships don't simply collect more reviews—they create better customer experiences. High-rated stores typically dedicate effort to: Consistent communicationCreating accurate expectationsFast response timesConvenient schedulingProactive service updates Customer feedback is often a direct reflection of operational consistency. In many cases, negative reviews aren't caused by repair quality—they stem from communication breakdowns, wait times, or unmet expectations. The good news? These issues are fixable. Building a Review Generation Machine Many dealerships hope satisfied customers leave reviews. Top-performing dealerships make it part of the process. That process often includes: Asking every satisfied customer for feedbackSending review requests via text or emailResponding to every review, positive or negativeMonitoring review trends monthlyRecognizing advisors who generate positive customer feedback According to Google, businesses that actively engage with reviews demonstrate responsiveness and build stronger customer trust. Consistent responses also signal to prospective customers that the dealership values feedback and the customer experience. The goal isn't simply to increase review volume—it's to create a sustainable system that continuously generates fresh, authentic customer feedback. Your Google Rating Is Telling a Story A 4.6-star service department isn't usually the result of a clever marketing campaign. It's the result of consistent execution. The dealerships with the strongest online reputations are those that communicate effectively, deliver a positive customer experience, and make it easy for satisfied customers to share their feedback. In today's fixed ops landscape, Google reviews aren't just indicators of customer satisfaction—they influence future customer decisions. The dealerships that treat reputation management as an operational priority will be better positioned to earn trust, improve retention, and grow service revenue.

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The Online Service Scheduling Impact

Not long ago, dealerships viewed online service scheduling as a competitive advantage. Today, it's an expectation. Most consumers can schedule nearly every aspect of their lives online—from doctor appointments and restaurant reservations to flights and home services. Automotive service is no different. According to research from Cox Automotive, more than 76% of customers who schedule service online say they would use the option again, highlighting just how quickly digital convenience has become part of the customer experience. However, as online scheduling becomes standard across the industry, dealerships face a new challenge. The question is no longer, "Do we offer online scheduling?" Instead, it's, "Are customers actually using it?" The answer matters more than many dealerships realize. Having Online Scheduling Isn't Enough Many dealerships invest in online scheduling technology and assume the job is finished, but a quick look at service appointment data often reveals that a large percentage of appointments are still being booked over the phone. That's not necessarily because customers prefer calling. In fact, industry research compiled by Rework suggests that nearly two-thirds of customers would prefer to schedule service digitally when given the option. The issue is often adoption, not availability. A scheduler buried deep within a website, a complicated booking process, or limited appointment visibility can discourage customers from using the tool. Simply offering online scheduling does not automatically create a convenient experience. The dealerships seeing the greatest success are those that actively encourage utilization by promoting scheduling links in service reminders, retention campaigns, recall communications, email marketing, text messages, and advisor conversations. Convenience Doesn't End at 5 PM One of the biggest advantages of online scheduling is that it allows customers to engage with the dealership on their own schedule. National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) research shows that nearly one-quarter of service appointments are scheduled outside normal business hours or when it’s simply inconvenient for the client to be on a call. Think about what that means: those customers aren't waiting until the next morning to call the dealership. They're booking appointments while watching television after dinner, during a lunch break at work, or after dropping their kids off at practice. If scheduling requires a phone call during business hours, the dealership is creating unnecessary friction in the customer journey. Every extra step increases the likelihood that a customer will postpone service—or choose a competing repair facility instead. Utilization Creates Operational Efficiency Increasing online scheduling utilization doesn't just benefit customers. It benefits the dealership as well. Every appointment scheduled online is one less inbound scheduling call that advisors or BDC agents must handle. Digital tools can help reduce administrative workload and allow dealership employees to focus on higher-value customer interactions. Rather than spending valuable time booking appointments, advisors can focus on: Building customer relationshipsExplaining repair recommendationsReviewing maintenance needsDelivering a better vehicle drop-off experienceImproving customer satisfaction Technology should not replace human interaction. It should create more opportunities for meaningful interaction. As discussed in TVI MarketPro3's article, The Core Fixed Ops Challenge in 2026, customer retention is influenced by both convenience and trust. Customers are more likely to return when scheduling is easy, communication is clear, and they have confidence in the people advising them—demonstrating that technology and human connection work best together. The Future Belongs to Convenient Dealerships Customers have more choices than ever when it comes to vehicle maintenance and repair. Independent repair facilities, quick-service chains, and competing dealerships are all fighting for the same service business. Convenience increasingly serves as the deciding factor. The dealerships that win aren't necessarily the ones with the largest facilities or biggest advertising budgets. They're the ones that make doing business easy. Online service scheduling is no longer simply a feature on a dealership website. It's a critical component of the customer experience, retention strategy, and overall service operation.

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Dealership Service Response Times: Why Every Minute Costs Revenue and Retention

In fixed operations, speed isn’t just a customer experience metric anymore—it directly influences trust, appointment conversions, retention, and long-term profitability. Today’s customers expect responses with the same immediacy they experience from retailers, food delivery apps, and online banking. Yet many dealership service departments still rely on overloaded advisors, manual follow-up processes, fragmented communication tools, and inconsistent ownership of customer interactions. The result? Delayed responses become lost opportunities. Whether it’s a missed service call, online appointment request, declined repair recommendation, recall notification, or text asking for a vehicle status update, the timing of your first response shapes how customers perceive your dealership. And increasingly, perception becomes retention. The New Customer Expectation: Fast, Convenient, Transparent Dealership customers have become less tolerant of friction in service experiences. Research from Cox Automotive found customer satisfaction drops significantly as inconvenience and delays increase, with longer wait times directly affecting whether customers return for future service visits. Consumers who spent 2.5 hours or less at the dealership reported the highest satisfaction, while extended delays pushed customers toward alternative providers (Cox Automotive Inc.). The expectation extends beyond time spent in the service lane. Customers increasingly expect: Immediate appointment confirmationsRapid responses to inquiriesFrequent status updatesConvenient digital communicationTransparency throughout the repair process According to CDK’s 2026 Service Shopper findings, convenience and existing relationships now outweigh price as major drivers of service loyalty. Younger generations in particular prefer digital-first interactions, with 40% of Gen Z scheduling service online instead of calling. If a dealership’s communication process doesn’t match customer expectations, independent shops often become the easier alternative. Delayed Follow-Up Creates Hidden Revenue Leaks Slow response times affect more than customer satisfaction scores. They also influence: Appointment show ratesRepair approvalsRecall completion ratesCustomer retentionFuture RO countCSI performanceLifetime customer value Each unanswered inquiry introduces friction, and friction compounds. A customer who submits an online appointment request at 7 PM and receives no acknowledgment until the next afternoon may: Book elsewhereDelay needed maintenanceLose confidence in future communicationView the dealership as difficult to work with These outcomes rarely appear as a single KPI, but collectively they erode long-term profitability. Fixed Ops Profitability Depends on Retention The importance of retention cannot be overstated. Research consistently shows that fixed operations drive a substantial portion of dealership profitability. NADA statistics cited by industry sources indicate that fixed ops contributes more than half of many dealerships’ gross profit. Meanwhile, as Chris Collins discusses in a January 2026 article entitled “Fixed Ops Metrics Your Dealership Needs for 2026,” customer satisfaction and retention directly influence future service visits and eventual vehicle purchases. The math is straightforward: Faster responses → Better experience → Stronger trust → Higher retention → More future ROs Service loyalty is built one interaction at a time. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops expert insights.

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Why Some Service Departments Resist Video MPI

Most dealership leaders understand the promise of video multi-point inspections (MPI) by now. Customers want transparency. Advisors need better tools to explain recommendations. Service departments are looking for ways to improve approvals, retention, and trust. And fixed ops leaders continue searching for opportunities to increase profitability while delivering a better experience. The technology exists. The benefits are widely discussed. Yet many dealerships still struggle to consistently embrace video MPI as part of everyday operations. Why? Because implementing software is relatively easy, but changing behavior is much harder. In a Dealership Guy article, Christian Crain, VP of Operations at Crain Automotive, points out the resistance: “We had an issue where the advisors didn't see the value… I mean, they should have because it was going to increase their hours per RO.” For some stores, technician participation remains inconsistent. Others struggle with advisor follow-through. Some have introduced video MPI but never integrated it into a larger communication process. And in many cases, leadership expectations around usage remain unclear. The result? Video MPI becomes another tool in the stack rather than a strategy for improving customer communication. That distinction matters because customers rarely judge dealerships based solely on recommendations; they judge them based on whether those recommendations feel credible, understandable, and trustworthy. A Video MPI Isn’t Just About Showing Problems. It’s About Building Trust. Dealerships often frame video MPI as a technology initiative, but customers experience it differently: to them, a thoughtful video can feel like transparency. Education. Proof. A technician who takes the time to explain service needs—rather than simply recommending add-ons—can shift how customers perceive the relationship. As Bruce Daugherty, President & Owner of ADO Consulting, shared during the TVI MarketPro3 YouTube episode, How Smart Dealers Are Winning with Fixed Ops Marketing Right Now, “You're developing a friendship with that customer. If they'll watch a video and they believe that you're trustworthy, honest, and you're imparting good information, then they're going to watch every video you send them.” He continued: “Those people will pay you a profit… if they believe in you. So a video is a great way to establish the relationship.” Notice what he emphasizes: Not software. Not technology. Trust. Because trust is often what drives approvals. Why Some Service Departments Resist Video MPI Adoption Resistance rarely comes from one issue. More often, it comes from layers of operational friction. Technician Pushback: “This Takes Too Long.” One of the most common objections is efficiency. Technicians may believe recording videos interrupts workflow or slows productivity. Leadership then faces an important question: Is a video MPI truly slowing operations, or has the process never been optimized? Lack of Accountability If participation isn’t measured, consistency often suffers. What gets discussed occasionally becomes optional, and what gets tracked tends to improve. Weak Process Integration Video MPI can’t succeed in isolation. Its impact diminishes if: Advisors aren’t referencing videos during conversationsRecommendations remain genericVideos are sent without explanation Leadership Inconsistency Employees tend to mirror expectations. If managers only occasionally treat video MPI as important, adoption becomes uneven. The Advisor Still Matters Video doesn’t replace communication; it strengthens it. Customers don’t simply need evidence. As Daugherty explains, they need understanding: “90% of the time, it's advisors. 90% of the time, it's poor communication. So that's where, if that same [advisor]walked out with a video of the leak and said, ‘Sir, I'm sure you've seen the drops in your garage and on the driveway, and let me show you a video as to why. And then I'll explain what we've got to do to fix it and why it's going to be better for your car.’” Then he added: “If you do it that way, you're going to sell the work 80% of the time.” It isn’t just about creating more videos. It’s about creating better communication. Video MPI May Influence More Than Immediate Approvals The strongest dealerships understand that customer communication doesn’t end when work is declined. Video can also support retention, follow-up, and future appointments. In the TVI article Winning Back Lost Service Customers: Where Strategy Meets Execution, Joe Pistilli, Customer Success Director at TVI Unotifi, shared: “Being able to follow up with a customer due to a decline and give them informational videos… is key. We can bring 10% of the customers back that declined originally with a good informational video.” That insight highlights something important: Video isn’t only about selling today’s recommendation. It may influence whether customers return tomorrow. More Adoption Isn’t Automatically Better This conversation shouldn’t become: 100% participation = success Because rushed videos don’t build trust. Low-quality explanations don’t improve understanding. Poor communication doesn’t strengthen relationships. The goal isn’t merely adoption. The goal is: Consistent adoption + quality + advisor engagement + process alignment That combination creates stronger experiences. Questions Fixed Ops Leaders Should Be Asking Instead of asking: "Do we have video MPI?" Ask: Are technicians consistently using it?Are advisors incorporating videos into conversations?Are customers actually viewing videos?Do approval rates improve when videos are used?Is customer satisfaction increasing?Are declined services decreasing?Is video MPI measured as a KPI?Does leadership reinforce expectations consistently? Because implementation isn’t the finish line. Behavior change is. Final Thought: Video MPI Isn’t a Technology Initiative Dealerships that are seeing the greatest impact from video MPI may not have the latest software. They may simply have stronger processes, clearer expectations, better communication, and a commitment to making transparency part of the customer experience. Because at its core: Video MPI isn’t about recording inspections. It’s about helping customers understand, trust, and move forward confidently, and that’s exactly why some service departments are still stiff-arming it. Not because the technology lacks value, but because adopting tools is easier than changing habits.

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Service Department Dispatching Models

How Workflow Control Impacts Productivity and Profitability Your Dispatch Strategy Is Either Feeding Productivity—Or Starving It Walk into any service department, and you’ll see it: the board. Names, ROs, jobs, technicians. It looks operational. It feels routine. But here’s the truth: your dispatch strategy is either feeding productivity—or starving it. The board isn’t just a tool for organizing work. It’s one of the most underestimated profit levers in fixed operations. And how it’s controlled can determine whether your shop runs efficiently—or steadily bleeds hours every day. Why Dispatching Matters More Than You Think Dispatching sits at the center of everything that drives service lane performance. It directly impacts: Technician efficiencyCycle timeHours per RO When dispatching is done well, technicians stay productive, workflows move consistently, and the shop operates at capacity. When it’s done poorly, technicians wait, jobs stall, and the entire system moves in slow motion, or even no motion. And here’s the key connection most dealers miss: idle time = lost billable hours and reduced overall production. While dispatching doesn’t directly change your effective labor rate, it limits the number of billable hours your shop produces—ultimately capping your total labor revenue regardless of your pricing strategy.  Every minute a technician isn’t turning hours is a minute you can’t recover. Technician efficiency doesn’t just affect productivity—it directly impacts revenue per labor hour, making dispatching a critical driver of overall profitability. Signs Your Dispatch System Is Broken You don’t need a report to know when your dispatching isn’t working—you can see it in the day-to-day operation. Technicians are waiting around for work. Hours are uneven across the team. Advisors feel overwhelmed. Jobs sit idle, waiting for approvals or parts. These aren’t isolated issues—they’re symptoms of a broken system. Waiting, whether for approvals, parts, or direction, kills productivity and drags down overall labor performance. Small delays stack up quickly, turning into lost hours that can’t be recovered. How Shops Are Actually Dispatching Today There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to dispatching, but in today’s service departments, most operations are trending toward two primary models, with some variation depending on shop size, technician skill level, and overall workflow. As TVI’s Eric Hawkes explains, the goal isn’t to find the “perfect” system—it’s to find the one that best fits your operation. 1. Lateral Support (Team-Based Dispatching) In this model, the advisor writes the RO and hands it off to a Team Leader (TL)—typically an “A” technician responsible for a small group of technicians (usually 3–6). From there, the Team Leader: Assesses the remaining scheduleConsiders the promised delivery timeMatches the job to the appropriate skill level Based on those factors, the TL either: Keeps the jobOr dispatches it to a technician on their team If the TL performs the work, they’re paid for the hours spent on the RO. If they dispatch it, they receive a small override—typically $0.50–$2.00 per hour put in by the technician. But the role goes beyond dispatching. The TL is also responsible for: Supporting diagnosticsAnswering technician questionsKeeping workflow moving Why it works:It creates accountability within the shop and leverages your strongest technicians to manage workflow in real time. Where it can break down:Without strong leadership at the TL level, it can lead to inconsistency or internal imbalance. 2. Manager-Controlled Dispatch (Centralized in the Shop) A growing trend—especially in high-performing stores—is for the Service Manager or Service Director to take direct control of dispatching. In many cases, leaders are physically moving their offices closer to—or into—the shop, shifting their focus toward: Maximizing technician efficiencyMonitoring workflow in real timeEliminating delays as they happen Why it works: Reduces favoritismMinimizes “shop politics.”Creates a more balanced, objective distribution of work The trade-off:This approach requires significant time and attention from leadership. It can “tie down” the Service Manager or Director, pulling them deeper into daily operations. What About Hybrid or Digital Dispatching? Many shops layer in: Hybrid approaches (blending team-based and centralized control)Computerized dispatching systems But even with technology, the same truth applies: The system only works if the process behind it is strong. The Real Takeaway As Eric Hawkes puts it: There is no single “best” dispatching method. The right system varies depending on: Shop sizeTechnician skill levelsWorkload consistencyLeadership structure Like so many things in fixed ops, success doesn’t come from the model—it comes from how well it’s executed. What the Best Shops Actually Do High-performing service departments don’t get stuck debating who controls the board. They focus on something more important: ConsistencyVisibilityAccountability Because the real issue isn’t control—it’s execution. It’s best to remove variability from the process. Everyone knows how work is assigned, what the priorities are, and how decisions are made. When dispatching becomes predictable, productivity becomes scalable. The Profit Impact You Can’t See on Paper Poor dispatching doesn’t always show up clearly on a report—but it shows up in your numbers. It leads to lower total hours produced, reduced technician efficiency, and increased payroll waste. Why? Because you’re still paying technicians for their time—whether that time is productive or not. In fact, technician productivity is defined as the percentage of time spent on active, billable work. When technicians are waiting on work, parts, or approvals, those hours aren’t producing revenue—reducing total billable output for the shop. In hourly or guaranteed-pay environments, this also creates direct payroll inefficiency, as the dealership is paying for time that isn’t generating income. In flat-rate environments, the cost shifts to lost production opportunity—fewer hours turned and lower overall shop output. Workflow delays—such as poor communication, missing parts, or disorganized job flow—have been shown to directly reduce shop profitability by limiting billable output. Because labor costs are partially fixed—and often difficult to flex in real time—every unproductive minute compounds into lost revenue that can’t be recovered later. Which leads to one unavoidable reality: Every idle minute is unrecoverable revenue. Conclusion Dispatching isn’t just about assigning work—it’s about controlling productivity. The model you choose matters. But how consistently you execute it matters more. Because when the board is managed well, everything improves—efficiency, output, and profitability. Control the board, control the outcome. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more Fixed Ops Insights

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Effective Labor Rate vs. Door Rate

The Truth Behind the Gap Your Labor Rate Isn’t What You Think It Is Ask most dealers what their labor rate is, and they’ll reference a standard door rate—$150, $165, maybe even $180. But that number isn’t what you’re actually collecting. Profit doesn’t live in your posted rate—it lives in your effective labor rate (ELR). If your door rate is $150 and you’re only collecting $105, the real question becomes: where’s the other $45 going? In some cases, that difference is intentional—driven by pricing strategy, technician compensation structure, or work mix. But without visibility into it, you can’t tell whether it’s by design or by default.  Understanding the Gap Between Posted Rate and ELR At its core, the difference is simple but critical: your posted rate is what you intend to charge, while your effective labor rate is what you actually collect per billed hour. As defined by Brady Ware & Company, ELR represents “the actual revenue earned per billed hour.” The formula is straightforward—total labor sales divided by total billed hours—a standard echoed by Chris Collins Inc. However, the simplicity of the formula is what makes the gap so dangerous. A shop with a $120 posted rate collecting just $85 isn’t slightly off—it’s losing nearly 30% of its potential revenue on every hour sold. Same technicians, same hours—completely different financial outcome. Where the Revenue Leakage Happens When unmanaged, this gap often comes from small, consistent breakdowns across the operation. Discounting is often the first culprit. Well-meaning advisors, trying to build trust or close the sale, shave dollars off here and there. Individually, it feels insignificant. Collectively, it drags your entire rate down. Factor in warranty and internal work—both necessary but reimbursed at lower rates—and your average drops even further. Then there’s menu pricing that doesn’t accurately reflect technician time, inconsistent pricing across advisors, and an imbalanced work mix that relies too heavily on low-margin maintenance rather than higher-value customer-pay repairs. As noted by ASE Automotive Academy, ELR erosion is driven by “discounts, promotions, and warranty/internal pricing differences.” In other words, it’s built into the system unless you actively control it. It’s also important to evaluate this alongside technician gross profit. A lower effective labor rate doesn’t always mean poor performance—if technician gross profit remains strong, that ‘gap’ may be part of a deliberate pricing model. The real issue isn’t just the difference between posted rate and ELR—it’s whether each hour sold is producing the profit your operation is designed to generate. The Most Misunderstood KPI in Fixed Ops What makes ELR especially dangerous is how often it’s overlooked. Dealers tend to focus on visible metrics—RO count, traffic, appointment volume—because they’re easy to measure and feel like progress. However, those metrics don’t tell you how efficiently your shop is generating revenue—ELR does. You can be fully booked, have a packed drive, and still be underperforming financially. because the issue isn’t always volume—it’s yield. You don’t have a car count problem—you have a yield problem. According to Best Auto Pros, ELR is one of the clearest indicators of both profitability and operational health, yet it’s rarely given the attention it deserves. On its own, ELR is powerful—but only when viewed in context alongside technician productivity, labor mix, and gross profit.  The Hidden Cost of Ignoring ELR The cost of ignoring ELR isn’t theoretical—it’s measurable and significant. Small gaps in ELR compound across every technician, every bay, every day. What looks like a minor shortfall per hour can add up to tens of thousands of dollars over the course of a year. And because the shop still feels busy, the problem often goes unnoticed. Advisors are working, cars are moving, the schedule is full—but the margins are quietly eroding. In fact, Brady Ware & Company estimates that poor ELR management can cost more than $20,000 per bay annually. That’s not a pricing issue—that’s a system issue. How Top Dealers Close the Gap Top-performing dealerships understand that closing the gap isn’t about working harder—it’s about controlling the variables. They implement strict discounting guidelines so pricing decisions are intentional, not emotional. They hold advisors accountable to menu pricing and consistency. They adopt segmented pricing strategies that reflect the type of work, the customer, and the vehicle. Most importantly, they track ELR in detail—not just as a single number, but broken down by customer-pay, warranty, and internal work. That’s where real insight—and real opportunity—lives. Where Strategy Comes Into Play While much of ELR is managed inside the service lane, the foundation is built long before the customer arrives. With the right database targeting, dealers can prioritize out-of-warranty vehicles, declined services, and lapsed customers—shifting the work mix toward higher-value customer-pay repairs. Campaign alignment ensures you’re not just driving traffic, but driving the right traffic. And when messaging clearly communicates value, price sensitivity decreases, reducing the need for discounting in the first place. The Bottom Line At the end of the day, your posted rate is just a number—it’s what you hope to earn. Your effective labor rate is the truth. It reflects your processes, your discipline, and your ability to convert time into revenue. Your posted rate is marketing. Your ELR is reality. Ready to Close the Gap? If your service department is busy but not producing the profit it should, the issue may not be your pricing, but your strategy. At TVI, we help dealers do more than drive traffic—we help you drive the right traffic. Through advanced database targeting, strategic campaign alignment, and messaging that builds value before the customer ever walks in, we help diversify your work mix opportunities. Improving your ELR isn’t about working harder—it’s about using an effective strategy that builds consistent customer pay. Let’s turn your posted rate into real revenue.

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Service Lane Mistakes That Destroy Trust

In fixed operations, trust isn’t lost all at once—it erodes moment by moment, interaction by interaction. And sometimes, it only takes a few poorly handled visits to lose a customer for good. That’s exactly what TVI MarketPro3 Fixed Operations Specialist Elizabeth Dera uncovered during a recent dealership visit. What she heard wasn’t just a one-off misstep—it was a breakdown in process, communication, and customer-first thinking that ultimately cost the dealership far more than a single repair order. A Missed Opportunity from Day One The customer’s journey began with a simple expectation: a routine 5,000-mile service under their brand-new vehicle’s ToyotaCare policy. Instead, Elizabeth explains, they were immediately met with an upsell that made no sense. “The service advisor tried to actually sell tires to the customer… 5K, brand-new… and the advisor is like, well, you know, sometimes the tires on these new vehicles are pretty soft.” For a customer expecting a complimentary service, this interaction didn’t feel helpful—it felt opportunistic, and it set the tone for everything that followed. When Recommendations Stop Making Sense At the 10,000-mile visit, things escalated. The customer received a multi-point inspection (MPI) report showing no urgent issues—but was presented with a list of over $350 in recommended services, including multiple fuel system treatments, A/C cleaning, and filter replacements—for a 10,000-mile vehicle. Elizabeth was shocked at this encounter, to say the least. “[There are] no red items, but there are three yellow items on a vehicle with 10,000 miles, which is kinda ridiculous, right?” Even more concerning? These recommendations weren’t explained. The customer received a digital report with no conversation, no context, and no guidance. Just a list of charges. The Breaking Point: Contradictions Kill Credibility By the time of the 15,000-mile visit, the customer was already skeptical—but still open. They expected to possibly need filters this time, especially after prior recommendations. Instead, they got something far worse: inconsistency. * Previously recommended services disappeared* New or repeated chemical services reappeared* Most damaging of all—a clearly inaccurate alignment recommendation The dealership’s own alignment scanner showed the vehicle was perfectly aligned, but the MPI said otherwise. “When the customer pulled in, the alignment [report] was completely green… But when they got their inspection report back, [the advisors] are now recommending an alignment.” That moment didn’t just create doubt—it destroyed trust. Where the Process Broke Down According to Elizabeth, the issue wasn’t just bad recommendations—it was a systemic failure. No Communication with the Customer “They send you the inspection… but nobody comes to talk to the customer,” she emphasizes. The customer was expected to approve or decline services without any explanation of: * Why the service was needed* What value it provided* Whether it was urgent or preventative Lack of Consistency Across Visits Each visit told a different story: * Services recommended → then removed later* New services introduced without context* No reference to prior deferrals or service history Possible Overemphasis on Product Sales In this customer’s account, Elizabeth noticed the effort put into selling a particular brand of products: “I think there is a huge incentive to sell chemical  products at this store.” Whether intentional or not, the recommendations appeared more sales-driven than need-based—especially for a vehicle with such low mileage. What High-Performing Stores Do Differently Elizabeth didn’t just identify the problem—she pointed to the solution. Top-performing service departments take a completely different approach: They Communicate—In Person “You walk to that lounge, you explain the MPI to the customer… You have those interactions.” They Educate, Not Just Sell Customers understand: * What’s needed now vs. later* Why a service matters* What to expect from the next visit They Build Continuity * Deploying the same advisor whenever possible* Reviewing prior recommendations* Creating a consistent ownership experience They Use MPI as a Trust Tool. Not a sales tool. The Real Cost: More Than a Declined RO This customer declined every recommendation. But the bigger loss? “The customer’s lost faith in this dealership and won’t be back.” That means: * No future service visits* No long-term retention* No future vehicle purchase What could have been a lifetime customer was lost in three visits, and a customer that might have raved about their service is now more likely to steer their friends and family away from this dealership. The Fix: Where Dealerships Should Start If this scenario feels uncomfortably familiar, the solution starts with two critical areas: Training on Process & Integrity * Align advisors and technicians on what should be recommended—and when* Reinforce that credibility matters more than short-term sales Prioritize Communication “That was one of the biggest issues… communication and validation of what really needed to be done,” Elizabeth stresses. Every MPI should include: * A conversation* A clear explanation* A reason the customer should trust the dealership Final Thought: Every Interaction Either Builds or Breaks Trust Dealerships don’t lose customers because of one bad recommendation. They lose them because the experience stops making sense. When recommendations feel inconsistent, unclear, or excessive, customers don’t just decline the service; they decline the relationship. Once that trust is gone, it’s almost impossible to win back. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops success strategies.

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Winning Back Lost Service Customers

Every dealership has them: customers who used to frequent the service drive…  then quietly disappeared. No complaint. No confrontation. Just gone. While most stores try to win these customers back with a quick campaign or a discount, the reality is this: Reactivating lost customers isn’t a marketing tactic—it’s a system. To understand what actually works, we brought together two perspectives from the front lines: Joe Pistilli, Customer Success Director at TVI Unotifi, and Scott Kelford, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3. Their insights reveal where dealerships fall short and what it really takes to bring customers back. Where Reactivation Breaks Down: No Process, No Priority Ask most dealerships about their reactivation strategy, and you’ll get the same responses: “We send reminders.”“We run campaigns.” According to Scott, that’s exactly the problem. “The main theme across the country is that there are no processes in place to really impact these lost customers in a positive fashion. Therefore, it does not yield subsequent service visits.” In other words, it’s not that dealerships aren’t trying—it’s that they’re not structured. Scott explains that without clear visibility and prioritization, lost customers remain exactly that—lost: “At MarketPro3, we provide identifiers with intelligent mail and email that show the dealer’s employees how long it has been since the customer last visited the dealership for service. The dealer must put high priority on these lost customers and give them more reasons to come back.” Joe reinforces that even with the right tools, results depend on what happens inside the dealership: “A Unotifi store that treats [its] customers well… will have a much better response rate [from] the same communication. I have high-retention stores that will get 40% [response]… compared to a bad-retention store that will get 8% with the same text [campaign].” Takeaway:If there’s no process—or priority—within a service drive, reactivation efforts will always underperform. What Actually Brings Customers Back: Relevance Over Reminders One of the biggest misconceptions in fixed ops marketing? That frequency equals effectiveness. However, both Joe and Scott point to the same truth: Relevance beats repetition. “Sending the right message to the right customer at the right time gives them a reason to come in as they see value in the timing of their service,” Scott shares. That “right time” isn’t random—it’s driven by real data. Joe explains how TVI builds messaging around actual service needs: “The biggest difference between us and everyone else is that we use time, mileage, and opcodes to market [to] people.” Instead of generic “you’re due” messaging, this allows dealerships to communicate: What service is neededWhy it mattersExactly when it’s relevant Even more powerful? Following up on what the customer already declined: “Being able to follow up with a customer due to a decline and give them informational videos… is key. We can bring 10% of the customers back that decline originally with a good informational video.” Takeaway:Customers don’t respond to reminders—they respond to well-timed messages that make sense. The Missing Link: Marketing + Service Lane Alignment Even when dealerships get the messaging right, many still struggle to convert that into actual service visits.  Why? Because marketing and the service lane aren’t aligned. “Giving a customer access to a good service offer at their time of service is key,” Scott highlights. However, it doesn’t stop at the message. The real impact happens when the in-store experience matches the promise: “When the dealer aligns their process… with the customer’s reactivation visit and exceeding their expectation is [when] it all really starts.” Joe echoes this from a lifecycle communication perspective: “If a customer does not make an appointment… we will continue to communicate by text several more times and then give it to the BDC to call the customer if that is what the dealer wants for their process.” This creates a seamless pipeline: Marketing identifies the opportunityAutomation maintains consistent communicationThe BDC engages directlyThe service lane delivers the experience Takeaway:Reactivation fails when marketing and operations are disconnected—and thrives when they work as one system. Precision Targeting: Why VIN-Level Strategy Wins Another major gap in most dealership reactivation efforts? They target customers too broadly. Scott explains how MarketPro3 flips that model with game-changing precision: “Targeting customers by individual vehicle identification numbers versus targeting them [only] as a household is what drives the message home.” MarketPro3 targets by both household and VIN and will not send multiple marketing pieces to the same household if they have several target VINs in the driveway. Scott adds another layer that strengthens follow-up and accountability: “Providing each individual customer with their own customer website is what separates MarketPro3 from other marketing providers.” This gives dealerships: Clear visibility into customer engagementBetter tracking of response behaviorStronger BDC follow-up opportunities Joe’s lifecycle approach complements this perfectly: “This is a continuous market plan for the customer’s service life… No one else does this automatically for the life of the customer.” Takeaway:The more precise your targeting, the more powerful your message, and the stronger your results. Consistency Wins: The Power of Follow-Up Most dealerships stop communication too quickly: One message, maybe two, then nothing. But Joe shares a critical statistic that stores can use to market strategically: “We make more appointments off of the third text than the first two combined.” Unotifi builds persistence into the process: Ongoing communicationStructured cadenceEscalation to human follow-up Combined with MarketPro3’s targeting and visibility, this creates a system that doesn’t rely on chance. Takeaway:The fortune isn’t just in the follow-up—it’s in consistent follow-up. Final Thought: Reactivation Isn’t a Campaign—It’s a Commitment Lost customers aren’t gone forever. They’re still driving, maintaining, and spending money on their vehicle. The question is whether they’re doing it with you or someone else. As both Scott and Joe make clear, winning customers back requires more than effort. It requires alignment: Process that prioritizes lost customersData that drives precise timing and messagingTechnology that sustains communicationPeople who deliver an experience worth returning to The question isn’t whether lost customers will come back. It’s whether you’re giving them a reason to. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops marketing insights.

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Service Menu Pricing Strategy

If your service department is busy but gross profit feels flat, your pricing structure may be the problem. Not your advisors. Not your technicians. Not your car count. Your service menu pricing strategy. Many dealerships unintentionally suppress profitability with outdated, defensive, or inconsistent pricing models. The issue isn’t volume; it’s structure, and structure determines margin. The Illusion of “Competitive Pricing” Most dealerships price reactively. They look at: Independent repair shopsQuick lube chainsCompetitor mailersOnline oil change pricing Then they decrease their prices  to stay “competitive.” However, competitive pricing without a strategic structure creates three problems: It reduces the dealership’s profit on each repair order, and those losses add up over time.It trains customers to expect discounts.It creates inconsistencies among advisors. In fixed operations, pricing should not be a defensive tactic—it should be a lever for controlled growth. What a Service Menu Is Actually Supposed to Do A well-designed service menu should: Standardize how services are presentedProtect the effective labor rateAnchor perceived valueCreate bundled service opportunitiesReduce advisor pricing variance When menus are structured correctly, they increase consistency across advisors and reduce the need for discounting. When they’re not, they slowly reduce your profit. The Four Most Common Pricing Mistakes 1. Flat Pricing Across All Models Many dealerships price oil changes, brake services, and interval packages at one flat rate across all vehicle types. But labor times, parts costs, and complexity all vary. If your pricing doesn’t reflect the actual labor and parts structure by VIN, you are either underpricing complex jobs or overpricing simple ones and losing volume Both scenarios hurt long-term performance. It’s more effective to adjust pricing by vehicle type so you don’t lose money on more complex jobs. 2. No Tiered Service Options Consumers respond to choice, yet many menus only offer one price per service. A strategic menu should use a Good / Better / Best model: Value option (meets minimum need)Recommended option (balanced value)Premium option (maximum protection) Without a tiered structure, advisors are forced into price-based conversations rather than value-based ones. And price-based conversations lead to discounts. 3. Outdated Labor Time Calculations Some menus are built on labor times set years ago. However, in recent years, we’ve seen: Technician efficiency changesOEM procedures evolvingTechnology leading to increased complexity If your menu pricing doesn’t reflect current labor realities, your effective labor rate will erode over time. This is not a technician problem. It is a leadership review issue. 4. Discount Dependency If every service requires a coupon to close, your pricing is not structured correctly. Discounting masks weak pricing models. When you build discounts into culture, advisors begin leading with price instead of value. Over time, this reduces the perceived worth of your service department. Gross profit disappears slowly—not dramatically, and that’s what makes it dangerous. Conclusion: Busy Isn’t the Same as Profitable If your service drive is full but your gross isn’t growing, the problem likely isn’t effort—it’s structure. Car count can’t fix weak pricing, technicians can’t out-produce poor margins, and advisors can’t consistently sell from an inconsistent menu. Your service menu isn’t just a price sheet. It’s a profitability system.  Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops solutions.

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Increase Shop Hours Without Hiring More Technicians

In many service departments, the conversation around growth often centers on one question: Do we need to hire more technicians? But what if the real opportunity is process, not staffing? Across the industry, dealerships with similar technician counts often maintain dramatically different labor hours per repair order (RO). Some stores average around 1.4 hours per RO, while others consistently achieve 1.8 hours or higher with the same staffing levels. The difference rarely comes down to culture alone. More often, it’s the result of operational discipline, training, and communication inside the service process. According to Ken Pletcher, a Fixed Operations Specialist at TVI MarketPro3, the root cause usually reveals itself quickly. Where the Breakdown Typically Starts When hours per RO are low, the issue often surfaces before a technician ever turns a wrench. When Ken walks into a dealership and sees low labor hours per RO, the first thing he usually finds is “untrained service advisors and/or technicians, or a busy shop.” Training and workflow management play a significant role in whether service opportunities are discovered and communicated—or missed entirely. Untrained advisors may struggle to ask the right diagnostic questions during the write-up. Technicians may rush inspections in high-volume environments. And when the shop becomes overwhelmed, the inspection process often becomes the first casualty. The result: vehicles leave the dealership with unresolved needs that could have been identified and addressed. What High-Performing Stores Do Differently Operationally, the difference between a 1.4-hour store and a 1.8-hour store often comes down to how the service process is executed. Ken notes that higher-performing stores tend to have advisors who understand both the customer and the vehicle. “A 1.8 [hour] store may have properly trained service advisors that listen to the customer’s needs, understand why the vehicle is being serviced at that location, and the maintenance needs of the vehicle,” Ken says. But the advisor conversation is only one piece of the equation; the technician inspection process is equally critical. “The technicians would be [recording] a thorough MPI video explaining items that need attention and applauding items that are being maintained properly,” Ken explains. Importantly, the inspection should occur before the technician begins the requested repair. “This inspection should be completed first, then perform the other items the guest brought the vehicle in for,” he adds. This sequence ensures the advisor has a complete picture of the vehicle’s condition before discussing recommendations with the customer. The Operational Details That Quietly Drive Hours Beyond advisor training and inspection quality, many of the biggest contributors to higher hours per RO are operational efficiencies inside the shop. Ken highlights several workflow factors that directly influence technician productivity and inspection consistency: Technician efficiencyWhether a porter moves vehicles to the bayParts delivered directly to the technicianOrganization and variety of shop toolsCommunication between technicians, advisors, and parts “How is communication happening in the shop?” Ken asks. “Does the technician stay in their work bay, or do they visit the parts department or service advisors?” Every unnecessary trip across the shop floor reduces productive time. When technicians remain focused on diagnostics and repair—and the rest of the system supports them—hours per RO naturally rise because inspections are more thorough and opportunities are discovered earlier. The Biggest Misconception About Increasing Hours One of the most common mistakes fixed ops leaders make is assuming the answer is simply to sell more services. Ken cautions against this mindset. “The biggest misconception is to sell more ‘stuff’ that may not be needed or benefit the guest,” he says. Examples often include blanket recommendations like: Annual wheel alignmentsEngine oil treatmentsFuel system treatmentsTransmission fluid additives While these services may have legitimate use cases, recommending them without proper inspection or context can erode customer trust. Another tactic Ken sometimes sees is artificially inflating labor hours on common jobs to raise the hours-per-RO metric. “A fixed operations leader may also increase hours sold for common jobs to inflate hours per RO without monetary gain,” Ken explains. “This could add technician cost to inflate an hours-per-RO measurement.” In other words, the metric improves—but profitability and customer value do not. Understanding the Customer’s Situation Instead of focusing solely on selling more services, Ken emphasizes understanding the customer’s relationship with the vehicle. “Understanding if a guest purchased the vehicle, leased it, or is the second or third owner will help determine which path makes the most sense,” he explains. Maintenance recommendations should reflect how the customer uses the vehicle and their long-term ownership goals. Ignoring those factors can have lasting consequences. “Service retention is a great indicator if a guest’s needs are not being considered during a service visit,” Ken says. When customers feel recommendations are relevant and transparent, they return. When they feel pressured into unnecessary services, they don’t. The Real Path to Higher Hours Per RO Increasing hours per RO without adding technicians isn’t about selling harder. It’s about discovering legitimate service opportunities through better processes. Dealerships that consistently outperform in this metric tend to focus on: Advisor training and discovery conversationsThorough technician MPI videosEfficient shop workflowStrong communication between the service and parts departmentsCustomer-focused maintenance recommendations When these operational fundamentals are in place, the hours-per-RO rate naturally increases because more of the vehicle’s real needs are identified and addressed. That means better profitability for the dealership, better efficiency for the technicians, and better transparency for the customer, which is the goal of every high-performing service department. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more expert insights on fixed ops.

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Declined Work Recovery: The Hidden Profit Center in Your Service Lane

Every service director knows the feeling: The MPI is clean. The advisor presented well. The need is real. And still… the customer says, “Not today.” Many dealerships treat declined work as a dead end. High-performing fixed ops departments treat it as a pipeline. Declined work recovery is about more than chasing lost dollars. It’s about improving customer retention, increasing repair order value, and building long-term trust. When done correctly, it can become one of the most consistent drivers of fixed ops growth. The Size of the Opportunity Industry research consistently shows that customer retention drives profitability more than almost any other metric. According to Bain & Company, increasing customer retention by just 5% can increase profits by 25%–95%. (Bain & Company) Now apply that to fixed ops. Every declined repair is: -A safety issue left unresolved-A future breakdown waiting to happen-A trust opportunity not yet closed-Revenue deferred, not lost If you’re not systematically recovering declined work, you’re leaving retention and gross profit exposed. Why Customers Decline Work Deferrals usually fall into five categories: 1. Timing: “I don’t have time today.”2. Budget: “I can’t afford it right now.”3. Trust Gap: “I’m not sure this is necessary.”4. Communication Gap: They didn’t fully understand the consequences.5. Sticker Shock Without Framing: The value wasn’t contextualized. None of these reasons means “never.” Most mean “not yet.” The Operational Problem In many stores, declined work recovery looks like this: -The advisor writes it on the RO.-The customer leaves.-Nothing happens.-Six months later, the vehicle goes somewhere else for service. That’s not a recovery strategy, it’s a documentation strategy. High-performing departments treat declined work like a lead list, not a lost sale. What Strong Declined Work Recovery Looks Like Capture It Properly If the deferral isn’t documented cleanly (with labor, parts, pricing, and notes), it can’t be recovered effectively. Declined work should be: -Categorized (safety, maintenance, repair)-Priced accurately-Time-stamped-Assigned to a follow-up workflow If it only lives in the advisor’s memory, it will die there. Reframe the Conversation Declined work recovery should not sound like: “Just following up to see if you want to schedule that repair.” It should sound like: -“I wanted to make sure you had clarity on the brake measurement we discussed.”-“We noticed the manufacturer interval is approaching.”-“We’re seeing that part failure causes larger issues if delayed.” Education builds trust. Pressure destroys it. Trust is imperative in the sales process, and there are many techniques that can establish trust quickly and more efficiently. Use Multiple Channels Customers respond differently to: -Text-Email-Phone-Video MPI reminders McKinsey research shows customers now expect omnichannel communication experiences and respond better when businesses meet them on their preferred channel. A modern declined work strategy includes: -Automated text reminders-Personalized follow-up-Digital inspection resends-Repriced estimates if applicable The Culture Component Declined work recovery fails most often because of culture, not process. If advisors feel: -“They already said no.”-“It’s awkward to call.”-“I don’t want to seem pushy.” Then recovery never happens. But when the culture is reframed as: “We are helping customers protect their vehicles and avoid bigger costs in the future.” Follow-up becomes service instead of selling. What the Best Fixed Ops Leaders Do High-growth fixed ops leaders: -Measure the weekly work recovery rate-Assign ownership (BDC or advisor hybrid)-Track contact attempts-Incentivize recovery performance-Integrate it into the retention strategy-Review the aging declined work in the manager meetings They don’t leave it to chance. They build it into rhythm. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops insights.

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The Personality Profile That Promotes Fixed Ops Growth (And the One That Quietly Kills It)

In fixed operations, the metrics are unforgiving: labor efficiency, effective labor rate, hours-per-RO, menu adoption, retention, and more. But what determines whether those numbers climb or crater usually isn’t a “service knowledge gap.” It’s a leadership personality gap. A service department is a high-velocity ecosystem—customers, advisors, technicians, parts, warranties, CSI, production, OEM programs, and a thousand daily micro-decisions. When the person in charge doesn’t have the right traits, they don’t just struggle personally… they subconsciously build a culture that repels accountability, coaching, and improvement. Below are traits that consistently show up in business leaders who grow, plus some traits that are a poor fit (even if the person is smart, experienced, and well-liked)—backed by respected leadership research and frameworks. Personality traits that grow a fixed ops department 1) Humble confidence (low ego + high standards) The best fixed ops leaders aren’t “soft.” They’re humble and relentless—they can look in the mirror when results are bad and look out the window when results are good. That paradox is at the heart of Jim Collins’ “Level 5 Leadership”: personal humility + indomitable will. (Jim Collins) How it shows up in a service lane: -Owns misses without theatrics: “That one’s on me. Here’s what we’re changing.”-Gives credit fast and publicly; upholds standards quietly and consistently.-Doesn’t need to be the hero—needs the store to win. Why it matters:Ego makes everything political. Humility makes everything coachable. 2) Emotional intelligence (especially self-control + empathy) Fixed ops leaders work in an environment of constant friction: upset customers, stressed advisors, comeback conversations, dispatch tension, warranty battles, and more. Lauren Landry’s conclusion is clear: “Emotional intelligence is one of the most sought-after interpersonal skills in the workplace.” (Harvard Business School) How it shows up: -Self-awareness-Self-management-Social awareness-Relationship management 3) Learning mindset (coachability + curiosity) The service department is too complex for “I already know.” The strongest leaders treat problems like a system to be understood, not a person to be blamed. Amy Edmondson’s psychological safety research shows that teams learn and perform better when people can speak up about issues, mistakes, and risks—without fear of humiliation. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) How it shows up: -Invites bad news early: “Where are we breaking the process?”-Asks better questions than they answer.-Treats mistakes as data and still enforces accountability. 4) “Humble, Hungry, Smart” (a shockingly accurate hiring filter) Patrick Lencioni’s model for an ideal team player is simple: -Humble: not status-driven-Hungry: self-motivated, driven-Smart: people-smart, good judgment in interactions (See Table Here) How it shows up: -Hungry: pushes the scoreboard forward without being pushed.-Smart: can confront without creating enemies.-Humble: doesn’t protect their image at the expense of the operation. In fixed ops, this trifecta predicts whether someone will build alignment across advisors, techs, parts, and leadership—or constantly trigger conflict. 5) Leads through changes (urgency without panic) A growing service department is always changing through inspection adoption, pricing strategy, dispatch discipline, staffing plans, retention workflows, pay plans, and training rhythms. Kotter’s change framework emphasizes building urgency and aligning people around a clear direction. (Kotter International Inc) How it shows up: -Creates urgency with purpose (“here’s why it matters”), not fear.-Communicates direction repeatedly.-Builds coalition: advisors + techs + parts + management rowing together. Personality traits that are a poor fit (especially in fixed ops) 1) Ego-driven / status-protecting (“the alpha”) This is the leader who must be right, must be seen as the expert, must win every conversation. Impact: -People hide problems.-Advisors/techs stop bringing ideas.-Processes don’t improve because the truth is filtered. This is the opposite of the “humility + will” pattern Collins found in top-performing transformations. (Jim Collins) 2) Conflict-avoidant (“the nice guy”) Niceness is not the same as leadership. Impact: -Standards become optional.-Top performers resent the lack of consequences.-Culture drifts toward mediocrity.Problems grow. (Harvard Law School) Fixed ops requires the ability to hold the line and keep relationships intact—an emotional intelligence skill, not a personality preference.  3) Absent/disengaged leadership (“the autopilot”) One of the most overlooked warning signs of a struggling department head is a lack of presence. Leaders who are not physically and mentally engaged with their team send an unintended but powerful message: “What’s happening here isn’t my priority.” Impact: -Advisors feel unsupported during difficult customer conversations.-Technicians feel invisible.-Small process breakdowns compound because no one is watching the system in real time.-Morale drops quietly—and so does performance. In a service department, presence equals alignment. When the leader is consistently visible, asking questions, reinforcing standards, and coaching in the moment, the department feels supported and accountable at the same time. 4) Lone-wolf mentality (“the hero”) This leader personally fixes everything… and unknowingly prevents the department from developing. Impact: -Bottlenecks form around one person.-Coaching doesn’t scale.-Systems remain informal (“ask Jim”) rather than being operationalized. Kotter’s distinction between aligning people vs. just executing tasks matters here—service growth requires leadership that scales through others. (MBS Accountancy Corporation) 5) Authoritarian / Control-First Leadership (“the dictator”) What feels like strong leadership in fixed ops can quietly become what Saqib Mansoor Ahmed calls “Authoritarianism Syndrome”—excessive control, distrust of delegation, rigid decision-making, and top-down communication. In a service department, this shows up as micromanaging advisors, second-guessing technicians, dictating every process detail, and responding to mistakes with punishment instead of coaching. Impact: -Slower productivity-Lower morale-Reduced creativity-Higher turnover-A leader trapped in daily minutiae instead of driving strategy Authoritarian leaders believe control ensures perfection. In reality, it creates bottlenecks, burnout, and fear-driven performance. (Authoritarianism Syndrome in Leadership) The healthiest fixed ops leaders control standards—not people. They build trust, delegate responsibly, focus on outcomes, and coach toward growth. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops insights.

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The Core Fixed Ops Challenge in 2026

As dealerships head into 2026, one reality is becoming impossible to ignore: Customer-pay RO counts are shrinking. Yes, average repair orders are higher. Yes, labor rates and parts margins have increased. But underneath those gains lies a more fragile truth: volume is down. And relying on bigger tickets to offset fewer visits is not a long-term strategy. Across fixed operations leadership, sales experts, and field specialists, there’s strong agreement on what this means: Dealers can’t price their way out of this problem. Retention and experience have to do the work. Fewer Visits, Bigger Tickets—A Risky Equation Ken Pletcher, Fixed Operations Specialist at TVI MarketPro3, sees the trend clearly when working with stores across the Pacific Northwest: “Customer-pay R.O. count has been trending down the last three or four months… I'm concerned that's going to continue into 2026, and I feel stores should be really focused on retention and keeping the customers with their store as opposed to… letting the new car sales come in and fill that void or gap.” Higher average RO numbers can mask declining traffic for a while—but not forever. When customers stretch service intervals, skip visits, or opt for independent services, the math eventually breaks. Scott Kelford, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, stresses that you can raise labor rates and parts markups to keep up with costs, but “[you’ve] just got to make sure that you're providing a world-class experience.” Retention Is Now the Real Battleground The consensus across the team is clear: retention isn’t a marketing metric—it’s an operational outcome. Tyler Parker, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, puts a strong emphasis on retention. “Retention is important because you're always going to go backwards if you can't keep your own customers.” And it’s not driven solely by reminders or discounts alone. It’s driven by how customers feel when they interact with the service department—how easy it is to schedule, how clearly recommendations are explained, and whether they trust the people advising them. Experience Is the Only Sustainable Lever Left Robert Morris, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, brings the conversation back to first principles: “My job is to put more cars in the [dealer] client's service lane. Really, that's about it. How we do that is complicated, and it's data-driven, but the core focus itself is relatively straightforward and easy.” That complexity lives in experience: reducing friction, building trust, and making every visit worth repeating. When dealerships get that right, higher ticket numbers become a byproduct—not a crutch. Scott Kelford sums it up with a philosophy many fixed ops leaders are rediscovering: “Customers don’t mind paying full price if you provide full service.” The Fixed Ops Reality for 2026 The challenge ahead isn’t subtle—and it isn’t temporary. Customer-pay RO counts are under pressureVolume decline can’t be offset by higher pricing foreverRetention and experience are no longer just “nice to have” They are the strategy. Dealerships that win in 2026 won’t be the ones squeezing more out of fewer visits. They’ll be the ones earning more visits in the first place and keeping customers returning by making service easier, more transparent, and more customer-centric. Reach out to the fixed ops pros at TVI MarketPro3 to discuss your 2026 strategies.

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AI Is the Fixed Ops Tool—Not the Strategy

Artificial intelligence has become the loudest phrase in fixed operations. Walk the floor at NADA Show 2026 (or any trade show), sit through a vendor demo, or scroll LinkedIn, and you’ll hear the same promise repeated: AI will fix it. However, industry leaders closest to dealership reality are saying something far more nuanced: AI matters—but only when it’s used with intention. When it’s treated as a replacement for people or processes, it fails. When it’s used to remove friction and support real teams, it becomes a multiplier. Where AI Breaks Down The breakdown rarely starts with technology. It starts with expectations. When AI Is Treated as an “Easy Button” Nick Shaffer, Vice President of Sales at TVI MarketPro3, sees this misconception often: “Some technologies are game changers, but some of these technologies have existed for a while. What’s game-changing is learning how to leverage them better.” AI doesn’t solve broken workflows—it exposes them. If calls aren’t being answered, appointments aren’t being followed up on, or advisors aren’t being trained, automation simply exacerbates the problem. When AI Replaces Human Connection Joe Pistilli, Client Success Director at UNOTIFI, puts it plainly: “Unless you’re talking about a very simple operation... customers are getting frustrated because [AI is] not as smart as what everybody makes it out to be, where the human factor right now is still the strongest factor.” Dealers experimenting with AI-only solutions are learning the same lesson customers already know: convenience matters—but being heard matters more. Where AI Actually Wins Despite the hype, leaders who are seeing success with AI aren’t chasing novelty. They’re using it to solve very specific problems. Reducing Friction in the Service Lane Lauren Marzella, Vice President of Growth and Client Success at UNOTIFI, explains where AI delivers real value: “It’s increasingly more important that the experience that a customer has while they're not in the dealership is just as good as the experience that they have while they're in the dealership.” That experience comes down to timely responses and meeting customers where they want to communicate. AI works best when it: Answers missed calls.Responds to texts quickly.Helps customers schedule without delay. Not replacing people—supporting them. Supporting the BDC, Not Eliminating It Tyler Parker, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, has seen both sides: “[AI can help] the customer get handled right away, and they can get an appointment right away because at dealerships, we all know we get busy.” Used correctly, AI absorbs volume, allowing BDC teams to focus on quality conversations instead of a backlog. Fixing the Foundation First Ian Favre, Director of Digital Marketing at TVI MarketPro3, brings a crucial reminder from the digital side: “Before you go down the rabbit hole… of the latest and greatest AI software, check and see if you’re doing the fundamentals well. Fix the foundation before we go out and put all of these fancy tools in place.” AI can’t compensate for poor websites, unworked leads, or disconnected systems. When the basics are solid, automation amplifies results. When they aren’t, it magnifies waste. The Real Differentiator: Culture and Intent Bryan O’Reilly, Fixed Operations Specialist at TVI MarketPro3, brings the conversation back to what actually drives performance: “Good dealers have been doing this forever. It's a culture. It's from the top, from the bottom, from everyone in the dealership. It’s consistency.” It’s keeping the customer’s perspective in everything. AI doesn’t replace culture; it reflects it. Dealerships that struggle with trust, communication, or retention won’t fix those issues with software alone. However, dealerships that already value experience, training, and transparency can amplify these strengths with the right tools. The Fixed Ops Reality Check for 2026 The most successful dealerships won’t be the ones with the loudest AI story. They’ll be the ones that: Fix their processes before automation.Train people before replacing tasks.Use AI to remove friction—not relationships. It’s all about action over words: growth comes from volume, retention, and trust, not shortcuts. AI is the tool. Strategy is still human. And in fixed operations, that’s not a trend—it’s the timeless and everlasting essence of the industry. Ready to discuss a strategy that will set you up for AI success? Meet our expert team at the NADA Show 2026 in Booth #5159W, or reach out to a fixed operations professional today!

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Dealership Technician Retention and Recruitment

The technician shortage isn’t just a staffing inconvenience; it’s one of the biggest threats to dealership profitability in 2026. With technician demand far outpacing supply and an aging workforce exiting the industry, dealers who fail to build intentional, people-first retention strategies will struggle to maintain throughput, CSI, and revenue. The NADA estimates an annual shortfall of about 37,000 trained techs. The gap is widening faster than schools can fill it, and dealerships must become more creative, strategic, and genuinely human in their approach to retaining great techs in the shop. To understand what’s actually working on the ground, we spoke with two TVI MarketPro3 Fixed Operations Specialists, Ken Pletcher and Bryan O’Reilly, who shared the realities behind technician motivation, culture, and long-term loyalty. Start With Understanding the Technician as a Person Ken Pletcher stresses that the most effective retention strategy begins with something surprisingly simple: meeting with your technicians and understanding their personal goals. “To help prevent the erosion of your technician team, meet with them. Find out what their goals are,” Ken explains. “If you have a technician whose goal is just to maintain their household and they're not looking to be 120 or 130% efficient… You have to understand their needs and goals.” This is where many service departments fail. Managers often assume all technicians are motivated by the same things: hours, efficiency, and productivity bonuses. But the new generation of technicians values: Work-life balancePredictable hoursSkill developmentA respectful cultureOpportunities for growth National surveys support this finding: The Motorist Assurance Program reveals that young technicians prioritize clear growth paths over pay and say the shop environment influences their career decisions more than compensation alone. Ken agrees: “Pizza parties once a month or once a week isn’t [the solution]. It’s got to come from a truly caring place… Technicians are people, and we have to hear and feel what their needs are.” In other words: build a culture, not a gimmick. Align Technician Goals With Department Goals Once you understand what motivates each technician, your next step is alignment. “Usually their goals line up with the service manager,” Ken notes. “How [efficiently] can we get a job through your bay? How many hours can we help you produce? How many obstacles can we remove out of your way?” Helping technicians reach their goals, not just the store’s, creates mutual investment. When techs see managers removing barriers (parts delays, unclear dispatching, insufficient tools, inaccurate repair information), loyalty grows naturally. Culture and Career: The Two Words That Matter Most Bryan O’Reilly emphasizes that pay issues didn’t create the technician shortage; it was created by the industry’s failure to offer technicians a career, not just a job. “It has to be approached by the owner, by the managers, that this is a career, not a job,” Bryan says. “We had technicians that made fabulous money… but it's about the culture of the store. It's about the facility. It's about how they're treated.” Even worse, techs often leave for only a few more dollars per hour because they don’t feel connected to their workplace. Bryan captures this perfectly: “To lose a great tech for a couple of bucks… It’s a shame because it really is beyond that.” What does “beyond that” mean? Culture. Respect. Modern facilities. Clean workspaces. Good communication. Being included in decisions. Transparent leadership. Real recognition. These aren't “soft” factors; they are retention drivers. The Most Successful Technician Recruitment & Retention Strategies for 2026 Drawing from Ken, Bryan, and current industry trends, the dealerships winning the technician war are doing the following: 1. Building mentorship and apprentice pipelines Partnerships with local tech schoolsSponsored tuition or tool-purchase assistanceApprenticeship programs with experienced mentorsGuaranteed pathways to full-time employment This directly reflects Bryan’s point about treating the job as a career from day one. 2. Making retention a leadership responsibility, not an HR checklist Ken’s approach: meeting with technicians individually fosters trust and identifies obstacles that impact performance and satisfaction. 3. Investing in modern facilities and equipment Outdated and cluttered facilities can reduce technician satisfaction and productivity. Shops that invest in layout, lighting, tools, and technology have a better chance of keeping their techs long-term. 4. Creating transparent growth paths Level systems (Tech I, II, III, Master)Training roadmapsCertification incentivesQuarterly review check-ins Technicians want to know the next step—and how to get there. 5. Prioritizing work-life balance Younger techs overwhelmingly reject the “60-hour shop week” culture. Policies that help include: Flexible shift optionsFour-day workweeksPredictable schedulingRotational Saturdays 6. Compensation that rewards skill, not just speed Some stores are shifting from pure flag-hour structures to hybrid models that include: Hourly guaranteesProduction bonusesFixed Right First time incentives This reduces burnout while still rewarding excellence. The Bottom Line In 2026, the dealerships that win the technician war aren’t the ones offering the biggest sign-on bonuses. They’re the ones providing the strongest culture, communication, clarity, and career development. Technician retention isn't an HR project. It’s a leadership philosophy, and the dealerships that embrace it will dominate service performance for the next decade. Grow Your RO with TVI MarketPro3.

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Trustworthy Selling in Fixed Operations

Trust is the currency of every successful service department. When a customer pulls into the drive, they’re not just looking for repairs—they’re looking for honesty, transparency, and confidence that their advisor has their best interests at heart. To uncover the most effective ways to recommend additional repairs without compromising customers’ trust, we spoke with Bruce Peters, Fixed Operations Specialist, and Heather Gregg, Associate Regional Sales Manager, both from TVI MarketPro3. Their insights reveal that selling with integrity isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business. Transparency Through Technology For Bruce Peters, one of the most powerful ways to earn and maintain customer trust is through video multi-point inspections (MPIs). “I think the video multi-point inspections are the most important thing for a customer to be able to see what's going on with their vehicle,” Peters said. Video MPIs allow customers to see what the technician sees, bridging the gap between technical jargon and tangible understanding. When a service advisor sends a personalized video explaining a needed repair, it shifts the perception from “upselling” to educating. “Also, having the advisors prioritize repairs,” Peters continued. “If there's a long list, people may not be able to complete all of the repairs that are recommended, but having them prioritized is Okay. This one can wait until your next service or until next month. But this one needs to be done now, or it can cause this additional problem and expense to you.’” That prioritization gives customers a sense of control. Rather than feeling pressured to approve every line item, they can make informed decisions that fit their budget and needs—knowing exactly what’s urgent and what can wait. “Doing the [inspection] videos and then prioritizing repairs for a customer makes it so that they can make the best decision for them,” Peters concluded. Honesty Builds Loyalty Heather Gregg echoed the importance of transparency and went a step further—emphasizing honesty as the foundation for long-term customer relationships. “To be honest, your customers have to trust you,” Gregg said. “So if they need additional work, just be honest and tell them what it is. Be very upfront. ‘This is what the cost is.’” Honesty disarms skepticism while building confidence in the dealership’s recommendations. Customers don’t want sugarcoating—they want clarity. At the same time, Gregg recommends that advisors resist the urge to overwhelm customers with every possible recommendation. “If there are things that you notice on the MPI, tell them what they are, but prioritize,” she explained. “‘Hey, this is a safety issue. This probably needs to be done right now, but you know what? You can hold off on this one.’” It’s this balance—between candor and consideration—that turns a routine service visit into a relationship built on mutual respect. “Don’t try to overwhelm them with every possible thing their car needs,” Gregg cautioned. “Because that’s one of the perceptions that people have about auto dealerships: that they’re going to oversell. So just be honest with what’s needed and when those things need to be done.” From Selling to Serving When customers see the truth behind a recommendation—through video, clear prioritization, and honest communication—they stop feeling sold to and start feeling served. The result? Greater satisfaction, higher approval rates, and stronger long-term retention. Because in fixed operations, trust isn’t a sales tactic—it’s the ultimate service.

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How to Optimize a Dealership BDC for Fixed Operations

In many dealerships, the service department generates the majority of revenue and drives long-term customer retention. Yet the fixed ops department often doesn’t get the same BDC attention as sales. An optimized BDC can increase service appointment volume, reduce no-shows, and boost retention by ensuring every customer interaction is consistent, professional, and productive. 1. Set Clear Goals for Service Growth Define what you want your fixed ops BDC to achieve. Common objectives include: ~Increasing service appointment bookings ~Reducing no-shows and cancellations ~Improving customer retention through timely reminders ~Driving service-to-sales opportunities Missed follow-up is costly: nearly 23.5% of leads lack a 24-hour response, and 13.3% never enter the CRM. Service BDCs must close these gaps to protect revenue. 2. Build the Right Team for Service Fixed ops BDC agents need different strengths than sales. They must: ~Be excellent listeners ~Understand service menus, maintenance schedules, and recall processes ~Balance empathy (customer inconvenience) with urgency (booking an appointment quickly) Managers should coach continuously, reviewing calls and ensuring agents follow the process. Specialization can help: inbound agents manage calls, while outbound reps focus on appointment reminders, recall campaigns, and declined service follow-up. 3. Standardize Process & Workflow Consistency is critical. Every call, text, or email should guide the customer toward an appointment. Proven tactics include:Scripts & Flows: ~Agents should always confirm vehicle details, check for recalls, and request an appointment. ~Routing Rules: Prioritize urgent repairs and recall customers; build outbound campaigns for lost customers and declined services. ~Follow-Up Cadence: Multi-channel reminders (SMS, email, calls) reduce no-shows and late arrivals. ~Seamless Handoffs: Service advisors need full notes from the BDC to avoid making customers repeat themselves. 4. Leverage Technology A service BDC must integrate seamlessly with the DMS and CRM. Key tools include: ~Automated reminders for appointments, recalls, and maintenance intervals ~Customer data platforms (CDPs) to personalize outreach ~AI chat/text assistants to handle after-hours booking requests When agents have real-time access to service capacity, promotions, and recall data, they can book confidently without over-promising. 5. Track Metrics & Continuously Improve Service BDC success is measurable. Track these metrics: ~Response time to inbound calls/texts ~Appointment set rate ~Show rate/no-show rate ~Follow-up on declined services ~Customer retention rate Regular audits and call monitoring identify weak spots. Align feedback loops between BDC and advisors to ensure that appointments are qualified and well-prepared. Conclusion A fixed ops BDC isn’t just about booking oil changes—it’s about building lifetime value. With clear goals, trained staff, consistent processes, the right technology, and a tight partnership with advisors, your service BDC becomes a retention engine that fuels dealership profitability well into the future. Learn more fixed ops solutions and strategies here.

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The Value of the Dealer-Technician Relationship

When it comes to fixed operations success, many dealers focus on big-picture investments—new diagnostic tools, expanded service bays, or upgraded customer lounges. But as Fixed Operations Consultant Joe Sassin points out, the most critical opportunities for improvement often come from the people on the front line: your technicians. One dealership Joe consulted with uncovered a shocking problem—over $50,000 worth of broken equipment was sitting unused in their service department. The dealer had no idea because the issues never reached his attention. Technicians had reported problems, like a broken tire machine and multiple nonfunctional diagnostic computers. Still, managers brushed them off with instructions to “just work around it” since the budget was tight. When the dealer finally learned what was happening, he immediately approved the repairs. The response was dramatic: productivity surged in the very first month. More importantly, the technicians felt valued. They saw leadership taking their needs seriously, which boosted morale as much as efficiency. This story highlights a truth many dealerships overlook: your technicians are key to service department efficiency and profitability. Without their input, you may be throwing money into upgrades that don’t solve the real problems—or worse, letting expensive productivity killers go unnoticed. Why Dealer-Tech Communication Matters 1. Uncovers Hidden Productivity Barriers Broken lifts, outdated tools, or malfunctioning diagnostic computers can silently drain hours of productivity. Techs often “work around” these issues without escalating them, meaning leadership may not realize how much money is lost until it’s too late. 2. Boosts Technician Morale and Retention When technicians feel heard, they feel valued. Addressing their concerns shows that leadership invests not just in tools, but in the people using them. This directly impacts job satisfaction and reduces turnover—an especially important factor in today’s competitive labor market. 3. Protects the Bottom Line Every hour wasted due to broken or outdated equipment translates to lost revenue. Communication ensures that resources are allocated for upgrades and repairs that directly improve efficiency, throughput, and CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) scores. 4. Improves Shop Safety Ignoring damaged equipment isn’t just a productivity problem—it’s a safety risk. Consistent communication ensures issues are flagged and resolved before they cause accidents or liability concerns. How Dealers Can Work These Conversations Into Their Busy Schedules We know your time is limited. But investing a few minutes in direct communication with your service team can pay back tenfold. Here are some practical ways to fit it in: Walk the Shop WeeklySpend 15 minutes each week walking through the service bays. Ask your techs what tools or equipment slow them down. A simple question like “What’s not working right now?” can reveal thousands of dollars in hidden inefficiencies. Host a Monthly Tech RoundtableGather your technicians for a short lunch or coffee break. Use it as a safe space for them to share frustrations, needs, and suggestions. Keep it informal but consistent. Create a Clear Reporting ChannelSometimes managers become a bottleneck. Consider a direct, anonymous reporting tool (like a digital form or suggestion box) where techs can flag equipment issues without worrying that it will be ignored. Tie Feedback to ActionThe fastest way to lose trust is to ask for input and then do nothing with it. Even if you can’t fix every issue immediately, update your team on what’s being prioritized and why. The Takeaway Before spending money on shiny new upgrades, take a step back and listen to your technicians. Their insight will help uncover hidden inefficiencies, boost morale, and protect your bottom line. As Joe Sassin’s story proves, simply fixing overlooked equipment can spark immediate gains in productivity and technician engagement. Click HERE for the complete interview with TVI MarketPro3's Nick Shaffer and BCJS Enterprise owner, Joe Sassin. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops solutions.

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Warranty Work Without the Wait

For many dealerships, warranty work is a double-edged sword. It brings in essential revenue and keeps customers tied to the brand—but it can also clog up the shop, strain resources, and frustrate both staff and customers if the process drags on. In today’s market, speedy and efficient warranty repairs aren’t just nice to have—they’re a competitive advantage. Faster turnaround means higher customer satisfaction, stronger OEM relationships, and better profitability. The Business Challenge of Warranty Work Warranty repairs come with unique hurdles that can slow things down: Parts availability: OEM backorders or long lead times Approval delays: waiting for manufacturer authorization Administrative complexity: strict documentation and claim submission rules Technician scheduling conflicts: warranty work often pays less technician flat rate time than Customer-Pay jobs, making prioritization tricky When these factors aren’t managed proactively, warranty jobs can pile up, creating longer customer wait times and reduced shop efficiency. Why Faster Warranty Turnaround Matters From a business standpoint, speeding up warranty work offers clear benefits: Higher CSI Scores: Customers judge the service department by how quickly and smoothly issues are resolved. Increased Capacity: Faster completion means more ROs processed and higher revenue potential. Stronger OEM Relationships: Meeting manufacturer performance metrics can lead to better support and incentives. Customer Retention: A seamless warranty experience increases the likelihood of customers returning for maintenance and future purchases. Strategies to Streamline Warranty Repairs Build a Warranty-Only Workflow: Create dedicated processes, bays, or even a team for warranty jobs. This keeps warranty work from competing with high-margin customer-pay work for shop time. Managing incoming appointments is imperative. The scheduler should consider how many specific warranty jobs the shop can handle so that the work mix scheduled matches the work mix that the shop can produce. Strengthen OEM Communication Channels: Assign a staff member to maintain regular contact with OEM warranty departments. Having a strong point of contact often results in faster approvals and claim resolution. Track and Optimize Turnaround Metrics: Monitor KPIs such as time-to-RO-close and claim submission-to-payment. Use this data to spot bottlenecks and fix them quickly. Train Advisors and Admin Staff on Warranty Procedures: Small mistakes in paperwork or coding can cause considerable delays. Regular training ensures compliance with OEM requirements and minimizes rejections. This also minimizes the likelihood of an OEM audit or chargeback Keep Your Parts Departments in the Loop: Close collaboration between service and parts ensures the right components are ready when the vehicle hits the bay. The Competitive Advantage Dealerships that master efficient warranty processing stand out. Customers appreciate a hassle-free experience, OEMs notice compliance and performance, and the service lane stays productive. It’s not just about “getting the job done,” it’s about building a reputation for reliability, speed, and professionalism that keeps customers and manufacturers happy. Conclusion Warranty work will always have its own set of challenges, but it doesn’t have to be slow or inefficient. By refining workflows, improving communication, and using data to eliminate delays, fixed ops leaders can transform warranty repairs into a streamlined, profitable part of their business. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops insights.

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The Real Cost of Lost Service Customers

Losing a service customer doesn’t just mean missing out on one oil change—it means losing thousands of dollars in potential revenue over the life of their vehicle. Yet many dealerships don’t fully calculate the impact, and even fewer have a strategy to bring those customers back through the doors. Let’s break down the real cost—and then look at proven ways to re-engage lost customers before they’re gone for good. The Financial Impact of a Lost Customer A single service customer represents more than just the labor and parts from their last visit. Consider the bigger picture: Average annual service spend: $600–$1,600 per vehicle, depending on brand.Average ownership length: 8.4 years.Potential service revenue per customer is greater, as many individuals own more than one vehicle.Additional impact: Loss of upsells, parts sales, and potential future vehicle purchases. When a customer defects to an independent shop or another dealer, you’re not just losing today’s ticket—you’re handing years of revenue to a competitor. Why Customers Leave Understanding the “why” is key to winning them back. The most common reasons include: Perceived high prices compared to independent shopsLong wait times for service appointments or repairsPoor communication about status updates and timelinesNegative past experiences with staff or service qualityLack of perceived value in coming back to the dealership The High Stakes of Customer Retention According to industry research, increasing customer retention by just 5% can boost profits by 25–95%. In fixed operations, retention is the difference between a thriving, profitable department and one that is constantly scrambling to fill the lane. How to Win Back Lost Service Customers Here are five proven strategies dealerships can use to re-engage lost customers and rebuild loyalty: Identify and Track Lost Customers: Use your DMS and CRM tools to create a “lost customer” list: customers who haven’t visited in a defined period of time. This allows for targeted outreach.Create a Win-Back Offer: Discounted oil changes, free multi-point inspections, or bonus loyalty points can be the nudge a customer needs to return. The key is making the first visit back low-risk and high-value.Personalize the Outreach: Generic email blasts won’t cut it. Use the customer’s name, reference their vehicle, and acknowledge their absence. Example: “Hi Sarah, we haven’t seen your Camry in a while, and we’d love to help keep it running like new.”Address Their Pain Points: If feedback shows that wait times were an issue, promote express service or online scheduling. If pricing was their concern, highlight your competitive service packages.Follow Up After the Visit: Once a lost customer returns, the real work begins. A friendly follow-up call, thank-you email, or loyalty incentive can ensure they don’t disappear again. Conclusion Every lost service customer is a missed opportunity—not just in today’s dollars, but in years of potential revenue. By tracking who’s leaving, understanding why, and creating strategic win-back campaigns, fixed ops leaders can turn lost business into renewed loyalty. At TVI MarketPro3, we specialize in helping dealerships implement retention strategies that deliver guaranteed ROI. We don’t just fill the service lane—we keep it full. Let’s discuss how we can help you win back your lost customers. Contact us today to get started.

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Workforce Strategy for Fixed Operations

The automotive service industry is standing at a crossroads. As technology advances at breakneck speed—think EVs, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and software-driven diagnostics—the demand for highly skilled, tech-savvy technicians is skyrocketing. Yet dealerships find it more challenging than ever to attract, train, and retain the people they need to stay competitive. The old ways of hiring and training no longer cut it. To win the workforce battle, fixed operations leaders must embrace bold, forward-thinking strategies to close the skills gap, future-proof their teams, and position their service departments as magnets for top talent. 1. The Skills Gap Like many technical sectors, the automotive service industry faces intense competition for skilled labor. An emphasis on four-year degrees has led to declining trade school enrollment. With EVs, ADAS, and software diagnostics reshaping fixed ops, the demand for tech-savvy technicians is higher than ever. 2. Upskilling & Reskilling: A Non-Negotiable Due to automation and evolving technologies, 50% of employees globally will require reskilling by 2025. In fixed ops, this translates to training traditional mechanics on EV systems, high-voltage safety, ADAS calibration, and digital diagnostics tools. Best practices: Structured onboarding (classroom + hands-on labs + mentoring) boosts retention by up to 50%.Global leaders show that 85% of firms prioritized upskilling between 2025 and 2030, with 87% in high-income countries. 3. Training Methods: Immersive & Personalized Immersive VR/AR training is gaining ground for simulating complex vehicle systems in risk-free environments. VR adoption in technical training is growing each year, making it ideal for EV circuit training, ADAS alignment, and software diagnostics.Personalized learning paths—spanning technical, analytical, and soft skills—enhance performance (+56%) and decrease turnover (–43%). 4. Mentorship & Career Ladders Apprenticeship and mentorship programs are proving powerful. TVI MarketPro3 highlights that pairing new hires with seasoned mentors leads to faster skill mastery and high retention.High-performing companies create clear upward and lateral promotion paths, boosting retention among program participants. Investing in management and leadership training ensures succession pipelines remain intact. 5. Retention—The Cost of Turnover Replacing a technician can cost 50–60% of their annual salary, factoring in hiring, training, and lost productivity. Key retention levers include: Early onboarding & integrationFlexible schedules and work-life balance 6. Data‑Driven Talent Management Leveraging AI and analytics provides early warning signs of attrition and informs targeted engagement strategies. AI-based attrition models have helped companies detect flight risks proactively.HR analytics also facilitate skills-gap identification, enabling tailored development programs aligned with business goals. Why This Matters Investing in training, mentorship, and people analytics transforms fixed ops from firefighting units to future-ready service centers. Technicians are empowered, retention improves, and productivity increases—positioning your dealership as a destination employer.

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Digital Solutions Transforming Fixed Operations

Forward-thinking dealerships use innovative tools to reimagine everything from scheduling and communication to workflow and marketing. These digital solutions aren’t just upgrades—they’re strategic necessities that increase efficiency, boost profitability, and elevate the customer experience in every department. If you’re looking to outperform the competition and future-proof your service department, here’s how the right technology can deliver results that matter. 1. Online Scheduling & Smart Capacity Management Let’s face it—nobody wants to play phone tag just to book a service appointment. With 24/7 online scheduling and automated reminders, your customers can book at their leisure, and your team gets a more predictable, manageable schedule. Add smart capacity management, and you’re on your way to becoming a well-oiled machine that keeps techs productive and service bays flowing. 2. Clear, Automated Customer Communication Customers today expect updates—instantly. Just like they track a pizza delivery, they want to know what’s happening with their vehicle. With automated real-time status updates, digital repair orders, and even photos or videos of needed repairs, you’re keeping them in the loop, building trust, and helping them say “yes” to the work that needs to be done. 3. Smarter Decisions Through Data Want to spot inefficiencies before they become costly? Data makes that possible. With the right analytics, you can track everything from technician productivity to customer trends. That means fewer surprises, better decisions, and a shop that runs on insight—not guesswork. 4. Digital Marketing That Actually Drives Traffic Good marketing doesn’t just talk—it connects. By using your customer data wisely, you can deliver personalized offers, send timely service reminders, and run targeted campaigns that bring people back into your service lane. Branded, consistent content across email, social, and digital ads keeps your dealership top of mind.  TVI MarketPro3 provides an array of targeted marketing solutions across multiple channels. 5. A Seamless, Touchless Experience Today’s service customers want their experience to be as quick, easy, and efficient as possible. With options like digital check-in and checkout, online payments, and even vehicle pickup and delivery, you’re removing friction and giving people another reason to choose your dealership over the competition. 6. Workflow That Works Behind-the-scenes efficiency matters, too. With automated workflows, integrated systems, and smoother communication between departments, your team can spend less time chasing paperwork and more time focusing on what moves the needle—serving customers and generating revenue. The Bottom Line: Why Digital Solutions Matter in Fixed Ops Faster Service, Less ChaosWhen you automate the routine processes and manage your resources more effectively, things just run more smoothly. Technicians stay productive, downtime drops, and you keep the service lane moving. Happier, More Loyal CustomersGive your customers what they want—easy online scheduling, real-time updates, and the option to go completely contactless. It’s simple: the better the experience, the more likely they will return. Better Revenue with Less EffortDigital tools help reduce no-shows, increase lines per RO, and get the most out of your team’s time. The result? A healthier bottom line without needing to hustle harder. A Brand People TrustWhen everything runs like clockwork and communication is clear, customers take notice. Digital transparency builds trust, and trust builds long-term loyalty. Final Thoughts Going digital in fixed ops isn’t just the latest fad—it’s a serious advantage. The right tools don’t just make life easier for your team; they help you serve customers better, work more efficiently, and boost your bottom line. Whether you’re just starting to dip your toe into digital or ready to upgrade what you already have, it’s time to take a good, hard look at where your service department can level up in digital solutions.

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Cutting Costs in the Service Department

As profit margins tighten and customer expectations rise, cutting costs in the service department has become a top priority for fixed operations managers and service directors. But reducing expenses doesn't mean sacrificing customer satisfaction or service quality. The most successful fixed ops leaders are streamlining operations while improving both efficiency and profitability. Here’s how to cut costs in your service department—strategically. 1. Audit Your Fixed Operations for Inefficiencies Before making any changes, conduct a thorough fixed operations audit. Identify bottlenecks, wasted technician hours, overstocked inventory, and underutilized tools. Pay close attention to: ~Parts procurement inefficiencies~Technician productivity and time management~Warranty claim processes~Aging work-in-progress (WIP) By analyzing real data, you can pinpoint where your service department is losing time and money. 2. Optimize Technician Workflow Every minute a tech isn’t turning a wrench, you’re losing revenue. Improving technician efficiency directly boosts your bottom line. Consider: ~Introducing dispatcher systems or lane coordinators~Training advisors to write more detailed repair orders~Pre-pulling parts before appointments~Reducing walk-arounds that waste timeEmploy parts runners. Consider a dedicated QA technician to confirm corrections. Have porters bring vehicles into the technician stalls. Also, meet with your technicians regularly. Ask them for their biggest causes of inefficiency. They usually have the answers. 3. Embrace Digital Inspections and Communication Manual processes waste time and resources. Switching to digital vehicle inspections (DVIs) and automated status updates improves transparency and speeds up approvals, leading to more upsells and fewer delays. These tools also reduce paper waste and administrative overhead. 4. Rethink Parts Management Poor parts inventory management is one of the most considerable hidden costs in any dealership service department. Avoid overstocking and obsolescence by: ~Using just-in-time inventory systems~Identifying fast and slow-moving parts. Strategically manage phase-in and phase-out settings to optimize inventory turn rates.~Monitoring return rates~Partnering with vendors for better pricing Work with your parts manager to forecast demand accurately and improve parts-to-labor ratios. Reduce Overtime and Increase Scheduling Efficiency Labor is one of your largest expenses. Eliminate unnecessary overtime by: ~Better forecasting your daily workload~Improving appointment scheduling practices~Leveraging shift-based scheduling~Cross-training support staff Cutting overtime doesn’t just lower payroll—it reduces burnout and turnover. Train Advisors on Upselling Without Overselling One often-overlooked strategy to lower per-unit cost is increasing per-RO revenue. With proper training, your service advisors can confidently: ~Present maintenance packages~Explain recommended services~Overcome common objections~Convert declined services into future appointments A small investment in training can dramatically improve revenue per RO, reducing the need to focus solely on expense cutting. Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) It’s important to take a deep dive into fixed operations KPIs like: ~Hours per RO~Effective labor rate~Parts gross profit percentage~Customer pay~Productivity Real-time dashboards allow service directors to make data-driven decisions and identify areas for immediate cost savings. Consider Outsourcing Certain Services Not every task needs to be completed in-house. Consider outsourcing things like: ~Shuttle or rideshare services~Call handling or appointment setting~Marketing and customer follow-ups Outsourcing is often cheaper and more effective than hiring full-time staff for non-core functions. Boost Retention With Preventative Maintenance Packages It costs far more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. Offering preventative maintenance packages increases return visits and reduces churn, keeping your service bays full without the added marketing expense. Final Thoughts: Cutting Costs Is a Continuous Strategy Trimming the fat in the service department isn’t a one-time task for fixed operations managers—it’s a continuous optimization process. With the right tools, training, and strategy, you can reduce expenses while actually increasing customer satisfaction and profitability.

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From Boss to Coach: Transforming Fixed Ops Management with People-First Leadership

The traditional management approach in fixed operations was a top-down structure for years: "Do as I say." But today’s most effective fixed ops leaders are rewriting the playbook. They’re trading in the title of "boss" for something far more impactful: coach. This shift toward people-first leadership is more than a trend. It’s a strategic transformation that boosts morale, deepens trust, improves technician and advisor retention, and directly impacts bottom-line performance. Let’s explore what this transformation looks like—and how you can lead it. The Problem with "Old-School" Fixed Ops Management Fixed ops departments have long been driven by performance metrics: hours per RO, CSI scores, and effective labor rate. While these numbers still matter, the way to achieve them is changing. Old-school management styles—command-and-control, fear-based motivation, and reactive discipline—may get short-term results, but over time, they lead to burnout, low engagement, and costly turnover. According to Gallup, fewer than one in four U.S. employees strongly trust their organization’s leadership. In fixed ops, where skilled technicians and advisors are in high demand, trust isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Coaching Is the New Leadership What’s the difference between a boss and a coach? A BossA CoachGives OrdersGives FeedbackDemands ResultsDevelops PeopleAssumes ControlBuilds Trust Today’s most successful fixed ops leaders are shifting from micromanagement to mentorship. They’re walking the shop, listening to their teams, addressing roadblocks, and creating environments where employees feel heard, valued, and supported. Leadership expert Dr. Brené Brown puts it this way: “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”— Dare to Lead by Brené Brown Coaching leadership means having direct, honest conversations, not just when someone is underperforming but also when they’re succeeding. It means providing feedback that fuels growth, not fear.Think of it like the MPI service advisors should be presenting to clients. A best practice is to always present the green items. Letting a client know which components of their vehicle are in good working order build trust. Offering affirming feedback to an employee for the aspects of their job they are performing well does the same.  Build Trust. Boost Retention. In a service department, trust isn’t built in one meeting. It’s earned over time through consistent, empathetic leadership. Simon Sinek, renowned leadership author, explains: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”— Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek When your advisors and techs know you care about them as people, not just producers, they’re more likely to stay. And in today’s technician shortage, retention is a competitive advantage. According to a 2017 Cox Automotive report, employee turnover remains one of the most expensive problems facing dealerships, especially in service. Replacing a single technician can cost thousands in recruiting, onboarding, and lost productivity. Coaching Improves Performance Some leaders worry that a people-first approach will lead to lower accountability. In reality, the opposite is true. Google’s massive leadership study, Project Oxygen, found that the most effective managers are: Good coachesEmpowering, not micromanagingInvested in team members’ success and well-being A technician who feels valued is more likely to go the extra mile. An advisor who feels supported is more confident in upselling services. A team that trusts its leader doesn’t just meet expectations—it exceeds them. How to Make the Shift From Boss to Coach Ready to transform your fixed ops leadership style? Here are a few action steps: 1. Start with One-on-Ones Regular, structured check-ins with each team member allow you to listen, give feedback, and set goals collaboratively. 2. Ask More Questions Coaches don’t give all the answers. They ask the right questions to help people think critically and solve problems independently. 3. Celebrate Wins (Big and Small) Recognition is fuel for motivation. Highlighting progress—not just perfection—builds morale and momentum. 4. Invest in Development Provide training. Offer mentorship. Encourage certifications. When people see a future with you, they stick around. 5. Model the Culture You Want Your team mirrors your mindset. If you lead with humility, empathy, and accountability, they’ll do the same. Final Thoughts The service department isn’t just about cars—it’s about people. Your leadership style sets the tone for how your team performs, grows, and stays. By becoming a coach instead of a boss, you’ll do more than hit numbers—you’ll create a culture of trust, excellence, and loyalty that drives long-term success. For more fixed ops insights, visit TVI Market

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Optimizing Dealership Websites to Increase Service Traffic

Your dealership’s website isn’t just a showroom for new car sales—it’s a 24/7 digital service advisor. If your online presence is focused solely on vehicle inventory, you're leaving serious money—and customer retention—on the table. With a majority of today’s service customers starting their journey online, optimizing your website for fixed operations is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase your service drive traffic and build long-term loyalty. Here’s how to turn your website into a service traffic magnet. 1. Make Your Service Menu Front and Center Too often, dealership websites bury their service department under layers of sales-focused content. If your customer has to dig to find your oil change pricing, you’re already losing them to the aftermarket. Action Step: Add a clearly labeled "Service" tab in your main navigation bar.Include an interactive service menu with transparent pricing, descriptions, and timing for common services like oil changes, brake inspections, tire rotations, etc.Use schema markup so Google can pull service info into search results. Why It Works: Today’s customers want price transparency, convenience, and speed. Make it easy, and they’ll choose you over the quick-lube down the street. 2. SEO That Speaks Service When did your SEO vendor last audit your site for fixed ops-specific keywords? Optimize for local, intent-driven searches like:“Oil change near [Your City]”“Check engine light diagnosis in [Your City]”“Brake repair specials in [Your City]”Create individual service pages targeting each keyword, rather than one generic “Service Department” page.Create GMBs for each department (sales, service, parts, body shop). Each Google My Business profile allows the business to list five purposes for their business. If a dealership has one GMB for the whole dealership, the five purposes are naturally new car sales, used car sales, parts, service, and either finance or collision. If there is a GMB for each department, each GMB gets its own five. Service department GMB purposes could be express maintenance, diagnostic, diesel, hybrid, etc. This will provide better organic search results and the added benefit of each department's own Google star rating. Why It Works: Google rewards relevance. Pages tailored to specific services and neighborhoods help your dealership appear in more local search results—and drive in customers actively looking for service today. 3. Add Online Service Scheduling (That Actually Works) Today’s customers expect to schedule everything online—from doctor’s appointments to dinner reservations. Your dealership should be no exception. Integrate a real-time service scheduler (not just a contact form).Keep it mobile-friendly and easy to complete in under 2 minutes.Send automated confirmations and reminders via text and/or email.Refrain from requiring the customer to enter cumbersome information (eg, VIN) Why It Works: Reduces phone call friction, prevents no-shows, and improves CSI. Plus, Google favors sites with interactive functionality. 4. Promote Fixed Ops Specials With a Purpose Most dealership service specials look like an afterthought. Instead, use them as strategic conversion tools. Feature rotating seasonal offers with urgency (Example: “Winter Battery Check – Ends Jan 31”).Use clear CTAs like “Schedule Now” or “Claim Offer.”Promote offers across landing pages, popups, social media, and email. Why It Works: Timely, well-promoted specials drive urgency and increase average RO. 5. Add Trust Signals and Service Reviews Think of your website like your service drive lobby—it should inspire confidence. Display certifications, OEM logos, warranty info, and technician credentials.Embed genuine Google reviews or other testimonials, especially for service-specific keywords. However, you must monitor these reviews, especially if they’re embedded into your website from another site. It’s tempting to set it and forget it, but there’s nothing worse than having a negative review on your home page for all the world to see.Create a “Why Service With Us” page highlighting key differentiators, such as free multi-point inspections, express service lanes, or shuttle availability. Lean heavily into amenities that promote client convenience, like mobile service or pick-up/delivery. Why It Works: Social proof and transparency reduce hesitation. Customers want to know that your service team is trustworthy and competent before handing over the keys. 6. Leverage Video to Humanize Your Team A 60-second video introducing your service manager or showing a typical visit can go a long way toward building trust. Include videos on service pages and in appointment confirmation emails.Use video content in Google Business Profile and embed YouTube videos on applicable pages for added SEO. Why It Works: People want to do business with people, not just brands. Videos increase time on your website, conversions, and overall engagement. 7. Track, Analyze, and Adjust Set up Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console to monitor: Traffic to service-related pagesConversion rates on appointment formsKeyword rankings for fixed ops termsBounce rates and time on page Why It Works: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Data shows you what’s working—and what needs fixing. Final Thought: If you're investing thousands to bring customers through the showroom door, why neglect the service drive, where long-term profits live? A dealership website optimized for fixed ops isn't just a "nice to have"—it’s a profit strategy. Treat your website like your best-performing service advisor, and watch your service lane fill up with loyal, high-value customers. Explore TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops marketing strategies.

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Behind the Scenes at TVI MarketPro3: Meet the Tech Team Driving Real Results

At TVI MarketPro3, innovation doesn’t just happen—it’s engineered by a team of passionate, skilled professionals working tirelessly behind the scenes. In a recent conversation, Trey Foster, Head of Technology, and Brianne Nunnelley, Software Engineer, pulled back the curtain on what powers the tools and technology that make TVI a standout in the fixed operations marketing space. More Than Just Software—It’s a Mission Brianne puts it simply: “We work to make all the fun apps and tools our sales team uses to sell our products.” But as the conversation unfolds, it’s clear that the work is about far more than apps. It’s about building solutions that streamline workflows, increase accuracy, and ultimately, help dealers thrive. Trey Foster, who joined TVI in 2019 as a software engineer, now leads the tech team with a vision that blends practical know-how and a deep understanding of dealers’ needs. “My role is basically to ensure that technology is a success, the way we process and analyze data for our clients.” Trey explains, “... as well as help develop our technology personnel.” Data-Driven, Dealer-Focused Dealerships run on data, and TVI’s tech team treats that data with care. From reporting suites to contact databases, every tool is built to save time and increase efficiency. “ I worked… this year, primarily, with onboarding,” says Brianne, “making sure we have good data from the dealers, as far as their contacts are concerned.” Brianne explains that when TVI’s team knows who to talk to about billing, marketing, or digital efforts, they save time and make life easier for everyone. That efficiency ripples outward, allowing the team to respond faster and serve dealers more effectively. Trey adds, “The data we collect—from clients, from business partners, from integrations— [it] drives the reliability in the service department, how often we're contacting customers, how often customers are contacting us, which in turn drives RO success in the fixed ops department of the dealership.” The Secret Sauce: Culture and Communication At the core of TVI’s success is a team culture rooted in trust, accountability, and genuine care. “A lot of companies say [they] have a family culture,” Trey says, “but at TVI, that’s not just word sauce. That’s reality.” Trey further explains that whether it’s fixing a bug or responding to a dealer concern, the team can “just hop in a room and hash it out.” And that’s not limited to the tech team. “Everyone is really good at what they’re good at,” Brianne says. “When I ask someone a question, that’s the right person and they’re gonna do their best.” This tight-knit collaboration leads to lightning-fast response times—something that often surprises new clients. This is reflected in dealer reactions of “‘Wait, you fixed that already?’” Trey laughs. “ It's just such a staggering difference from what they're used to in the industry.” Accountability with Heart The culture of care doesn’t stop with speed. It extends into ownership and empathy. The entire team takes accountability seriously. Brianne says that if someone makes a mistake, they own it, fix it, and move on. That level of responsibility builds trust and keeps things moving. More importantly, the entire TVI team genuinely cares. The agents and support staff know dealers by name. They build real relationships. Brianne adds,  “If [our dealers] knew how much [we] cared about them behind the scenes and how hard [we] were working to solve their problems, they would be very happy.” How Dealers Can Help Themselves—By Helping TVI One thing both Trey and Brianne agree on? The more information dealers can share upfront—especially contact details—the better TVI can support them. If the entire TVI team knows who to talk to from the beginning, they can solve problems faster and keep things running smoothly. The Takeaway: A Team Worth Trusting Behind every dashboard, tool, or report TVI provides is a team of committed technology experts like Trey and Brianne—people who care deeply about the dealerships they serve and are always looking for ways to improve. Whether consolidating contact data or building smarter reporting systems, everything they do is driven by a simple goal: helping TVI’s dealer partners succeed. If you’re a current dealer partner or considering working with TVI, know this—you’re not just getting marketing services. You’re gaining a team that’s got your back and is ready to go the extra mile at every turn.

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Mastering Dealership Service Customer Conversations

In the fast-paced automotive service business, every customer interaction is an opportunity to build trust, enhance perceived value, and drive long-term loyalty. Whether it’s the first phone call, explaining a necessary repair, or handling price objections, the right words can make all the difference. This guide breaks down some effective service advisor “spiels” for frequent scenarios and the common missteps that can cost you customers. Get ready to fine-tune your dealership service customer conversations into a win! Answering the Phone – First Impressions Matter Effective Spiel: "Thank you for calling [Dealership Name] Service Department! This is [Your Name]. How can I help you today?" Why It Works: Warm, professional, and engaging.Clearly states the dealership name and advisor’s name.Invites the customer to share their needs. Ineffective Spiel: "Service department." or"[Dealership Name]?" Why It Needs Improvement: Sounds impersonal and unprofessional.Leaves the caller unsure if they reached the right dealership or department.Lacks warmth, which can turn off potential customers. Checking in a Vehicle – Setting Expectations Effective Spiel: "Good morning, [Customer’s Name]! I see you’re scheduled for an oil change today. We’ll also perform a complimentary multi-point inspection to ensure everything is in top shape. While we work on your vehicle, would you prefer to take advantage of our courtesy shuttle or wait in our lounge with complimentary Wi-Fi and coffee?" Why It Works: Uses the customer’s name to build rapport.Reassures them that their appointment is on track.Adds perceived value with a free inspection.Provides comfort options to enhance the experience. Ineffective Spiel: "Keys? Okay, we’ll call you when it’s done." Why It Needs Improvement: Cold and uninviting.Misses an opportunity to set expectations.Ignores potential upselling or customer engagement. Selling Additional Repairs – The Value Sell Effective Spiel: "Our technician performed the multi-point inspection and found that your [brakes/fluids/tires] are due for attention. I want to show you what we found and explain why addressing this now can help prevent more costly repairs down the road. May I go over the details with you?" Why It Works: Presents the findings as a benefit to the customer.Uses visuals to build trust.Seeks customer permission, making them feel in control. Ineffective Spiel: "Your brakes are bad. Want us to fix them?" Why It Needs Improvement: Creates fear without context.Doesn’t explain why the repair is important or the consequences of ignoring the issue.Sounds like a sales pitch rather than a service recommendation. Handling Price Objections – Building Value Over Cost Effective Spiel: "I completely understand—nobody likes unexpected expenses! The good news is that we use OEM parts designed specifically for your vehicle, ensuring safety and longevity. Plus, our certified technicians perform the work with precision, which can save you money in the long run by preventing repeat repairs. And, if your car is no longer under warranty, the OEM parts will carry their own warranty. Let’s go over the options and see what makes the most sense for you." Why It Works: Acknowledges the customer’s budgetary concerns.Reinforces the value of quality parts and service.Offers options instead of pushing a hard sell. Ineffective Spiel: "That’s just what it costs." or"Well, you won’t get good service somewhere else." Why It Needs Improvement: Dismisses the customer’s concerns, making them defensive.Sounds aggressive and pushy.Increases the likelihood of the customer servicing with a competitor. Calling a Customer with an Update – Keeping Them Informed Effective Spiel: "Hi [Customer’s Name]. I want to update you on your vehicle. We’re on track to complete your oil change as planned, but our technician noticed that your battery is testing below recommended levels. I want to make sure you don’t run into issues down the road. Would you like me to go over the details with you?" Why It Works: Proactively keeps the customer informed.Frames additional findings as a benefit, not an upsell.Keeps the customer engaged in the decision-making process. Ineffective Spiel: "Hey, we found other issues." Why It Needs Improvement: Vague and unhelpful.Sounds like an afterthought rather than customer care.Leaves the customer with unanswered questions. Delivering the Vehicle – Closing the Experience on a High Note Effective Spiel: "Your vehicle is ready, and we’ve completed all services as requested! We also performed a courtesy multi-point inspection, and everything looks great except for [minor issue], which we’ll keep an eye on for next time. Here’s your invoice with a breakdown of everything we did today. If you have any questions, I’m happy to discuss them with you." Why It Works: Reinforces what was completed.Includes a positive note by mentioning what’s in good condition.Keeps the door open for future service. Ineffective Sspiel: "Here are your keys. Pay inside." Why It Needs Improvement: Cold and transactional.Misses an opportunity to explain services or build loyalty.Doesn’t encourage future visits. Handling an Upset Customer – Diffusing the Situation Effective Spiel: "I hear your frustration, and I want to make this right. Let’s go over what happened so I can understand your concerns and find the best way to resolve this for you." Why It Works: Acknowledges the customer’s emotions without being defensive.Shows a willingness to listen and fix the problem.Keeps the conversation solution-focused. Ineffective Spiel: "That’s not our fault." or"Well, the fine print says..." Why It Needs Improvement: Immediately dismisses the customer’s feelings.Escalates the situation instead of de-escalating it.Damages the dealership’s reputation and customer retention. Bonus: After any interaction, keep the communication door open with this magic question: “What other questions can I address?” This question assumes the customer has further questions and gives them space to think of what those might be. It encourages them to ask more rather than to leave the conversation wanting or needing more. It shows that you are not rushing them out the door and are genuinely concerned about the quality of the interaction. Utilizing this one question at the end of any customer service interaction almost always leaves the customer with a positive final impression. Learn more industry insights at TVI MarketPro3.

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Fixed Ops Revenue Streams Beyond Maintenance

Expanding your dealership's fixed operations (fixed ops) revenue beyond traditional maintenance services is essential in today's competitive automotive landscape. By diversifying your service drive’s offerings, you can enhance profitability, improve customer retention, and position your service department as an industry leader. Below are several strategies to consider: 1. Advanced Diagnostics & Software Updates Modern vehicles are equipped with sophisticated technology, necessitating services like software updates and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) calibrations. Positioning your dealership as an expert in these areas can attract customers seeking specialized services that independent shops may not offer. Fortune Business Insights projects the global automotive diagnostic scan tool market to grow from $36.36 billion in 2024 to $60.66 billion by 2032, indicating a significant opportunity for dealerships to invest in advanced diagnostic tools. 2. Vehicle Customization & Accessories Offering OEM-backed accessories and customization options, such as performance tuning and aesthetic modifications, can help your dealership meet the growing demand for personalized vehicles. This approach ensures quality and compatibility, encouraging customers to choose your dealership for customization needs. 3. Subscription-Based Prepaid Maintenance Plans As discussed in previous articles, implementing prepaid maintenance packages can lock in future service appointments, provide revenue predictability, and enhance customer loyalty. These plans offer customers a convenient way to manage maintenance costs over time. Monthly subscription service plans that cover routine maintenance, minor repairs, and exclusive discounts can also appeal to customers seeking predictable expenses and added value. This model aligns with the growing subscription economy trend. 4. Fleet & Commercial Vehicle Services Partnering with local businesses to service fleet and commercial vehicles can establish a steady stream of high-value work for your service drive. This positions your dealership as a trusted maintenance provider for businesses requiring regular vehicle servicing. 6. Tire & Alignment Programs Creating structured tire and alignment programs, including price matching and seasonal promotions, can drive increased traffic and revenue. Effectively marketing these services ensures customers think of your dealership for their tire needs. 7. Express & Mobile Service Options Offering mobile or express service options caters to customers' desire for convenience. Services like on-site oil changes and minor repairs can differentiate your dealership from competitors. 8. Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Service Programs Enhancing your CPO program with exclusive service incentives, extended warranties, and discounted maintenance packages can strengthen customer relationships and increase fixed ops revenue. The Bottom Line Diversifying your fixed ops revenue streams is crucial for long-term success. By embracing advanced diagnostics, subscription services, fleet programs, and express options, your service department can increase revenue, enhance customer satisfaction, and stay ahead of the competition. Ready to Optimize Your Fixed Ops Revenue? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your service department’s profitability soar. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more fixed ops success strategies.

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Technicians’ Impact on Dealership Retention: The Secret to Long-Term Success

In today’s competitive automotive industry, dealership retention is more critical than ever. While sales teams often take center stage, the service department plays a pivotal role in retaining customers. Technicians are the often-overlooked heroes of the customer experience, shaping how customers feel about your dealership long after driving off in their freshly maintained or repaired vehicle. As Nick Shaffer, Vice President of Sales at TVI MarketPro3, points out, even the smallest action a technician takes can significantly impact the customer’s perception. It’s about more than just fixing the vehicle—it’s about creating positive interactions that ensure customers return for future services. Here’s how technicians can contribute to dealership retention and why they’re critical to your dealership’s success. 1. Creating a Positive Customer Experience Customer experience is the heart of dealership retention, and the service department plays a huge role in shaping that experience. Every interaction with a technician can influence a customer’s perception of your dealership. For example, Shaffer points out that technicians leaving greasy handprints on a customer’s car or neglecting to reset the maintenance light after service can be seen as a sign of carelessness. As Shaffer explains, these negative interactions can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. On the other hand, a technician who ensures the vehicle is clean and all systems are correctly reset demonstrates attention to detail and respect for the customer’s vehicle. A friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable technician can turn a routine service appointment into a positive experience that customers remember. These small efforts go a long way toward building trust and satisfaction. 2. Building Trust Through Expertise and Communication Consumers highly value expertise when it comes to their vehicles. TVI MarketPro3 Regional Sales Manager Robert Morris points out, “Techs are crucial to maintaining retention, but it’s really in the area of fixing it right the first time.”. However, they also act as a trusted advisor, explaining the work done in a way customers can easily understand. As Shaffer adds, technicians must take the time to write clear, thorough notes on the repair order (RO) to reflect the work performed. This ensures transparency and keeps the customer informed, building confidence in the dealership’s service department. Well-written and comprehensive notes also ensure the technician’s work is documented properly, which is essential for customer communication and any necessary follow-up. When technicians go beyond the basic work and clearly communicate why specific services are needed, they contribute to a more positive customer experience and build long-term trust with the customer. 3. Encouraging Repeat Visits with Maintenance Recommendations Technicians play a key role in encouraging customers to return for regular maintenance, which helps to increase dealership retention. When technicians perform routine services, they have the opportunity to spot issues that could lead to more significant problems down the road. Technicians who recommend routine services like oil changes, tire rotations, and brake checks and explain their importance help keep customers coming back. This proactive approach fosters a relationship of trust, where customers know their technician has their best interests at heart. As Shaffer emphasizes, technicians can go the extra mile by recording a video multi-point inspection (MPI) of the customer's vehicle. Narrating their observations clearly and in a friendly, informative way provides customers with a visual representation of the work done and helps them understand what to prioritize for future services. 4. Personalizing the Service Experience Personalization is another important aspect of customer retention, and technicians are in a perfect position to provide it. Customers feel valued when technicians remember their vehicle's history, preferences, and past service needs. A technician who recalls that a customer recently replaced their tires and asks how the new tires are riding shows they care about the customer’s experience beyond just completing a service. Moreover, Shaffer advises if a technician is asked to road test a car with a client for drivability concerns, they should be professional, friendly, and informative. This interaction, often one-on-one with the customer, can leave a lasting impression. A positive road test experience demonstrates that the technician is technically proficient, approachable, and attentive to the customer’s needs. Personalization creates a deeper emotional connection between the customer and the dealership, ultimately leading to repeat visits and greater loyalty. 5. Minimizing Downtime and Reducing Stress Customers value efficiency, especially when it comes to vehicle service. No one enjoys being without their car longer than necessary, and technicians play a vital role in minimizing that downtime. Technicians who work efficiently, communicate realistic timeframes, and complete repairs on schedule contribute to a stress-free customer experience. Moreover, keeping customers informed with timely updates about service progress, potential delays, and part shortages can alleviate concerns and reduce customer anxiety. These interactions show that the dealership values their time and is committed to delivering the highest level of service. 6. Engaging with Technology and Innovation As the automotive industry embraces new technologies, technicians must stay current with the latest diagnostic tools and service innovations. Customers increasingly expect cutting-edge solutions, and technicians who can deliver fast, accurate diagnostics and repairs using advanced tools enhance the customer experience. When technicians leverage technology to their advantage, they increase efficiency and demonstrate their expertise. As Shaffer points out, technicians should be able to narrate their multi-point inspections clearly and informatively, explaining to customers what items need attention and why. This helps educate the customer and solidifies the technician’s role as a knowledgeable advisor. Morris agrees with Shaffer, reinforcing the idea that the advent of video MPIs “is forcing techs to become more communicative as they verbalize what a customer is looking at on the video.” 7. Enhancing Loyalty by Educating Customers Customer education is a powerful tool for building long-term loyalty. Technicians who take the time to explain the importance of various repairs and maintenance steps ensure the vehicle is in top condition and empower customers to make informed decisions. As Shaffer emphasizes, a technician’s ability to clearly explain what has been done and why it’s important can significantly impact a customer’s satisfaction and trust in the dealership. Whether explaining the benefits of replacing a part or showing the importance of preventative maintenance, customer education strengthens the relationship between technician and customer, making the customer more likely to return for future services. Conclusion: Technicians as Brand Ambassadors Technicians are not just car repair experts—they are vital brand ambassadors who are crucial in driving dealership retention. From creating positive customer interactions and offering personalized service to staying informed about the latest technologies and educating customers, technicians contribute to building long-lasting relationships with customers. By investing in technician training, empowering them to engage directly with customers, and encouraging them to be thorough and communicative, dealerships can build customer loyalty far beyond the service appointment. When your technicians shine, your dealership shines, too—and your retention rates will reflect it. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more retention strategies and insights.

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Transparency: The Key to Winning Fixed Ops Customers in 2025

The fixed operations industry has faced significant shifts in recent years. From supply chain disruptions to rising operational costs, dealerships have had to adjust quickly. But as we look ahead to 2025, one priority stands out: customers demand transparency more than ever. TVI MarketPro3 has covered the topic of price transparency on more than one occasion, but service drive transparency goes beyond pricing. Zach Pirkl, Fixed Operations Director at The McGrath Automotive Group, stresses the importance of openness in pricing and communication, stating, "I think industry-wide, customers just want to see transparency from us the most. We've gone through a couple of years now of the big hot topic being inflation and everything costs more than it used to cost." With inflation impacting every industry, consumers are scrutinizing prices more than ever. In fixed ops, it’s not just about offering competitive pricing—it’s about clearly explaining what customers are paying for and why. Pirkl emphasizes that breaking down these costs is essential: "I think it's big [to be] being transparent in our pricing—why stuff might be priced the way it is, why stuff might have gone up in price in the last 12 to 24 months. And when you actually start breaking down the ways you have to operate a business—insurance went up X amount… employee compensation went up a certain percent, the oil we're paying for, the parts we're paying for—everything went up just like everybody's experienced in the grocery store or at Target or Walmart. So I think being transparent and open and honest with that stuff really is what customers want to see out of dealerships in 2025." Using Technology to Build Trust Customers aren’t just asking for transparency—they expect proof of value. To meet this demand, Gary McGrath Automotive Group has implemented a system where technicians record multi-point inspection videos, providing customers with a clear view of the work being done on their vehicles and explaining any recommended services. Pirkl explains, "Our technicians are required to take multi-point inspection videos to actually show what's going on with the car. And on top of that, the really savvy ones are showing—let's say if they're doing brakes—there’ll be a video from the multi-point inspection that shows brakes that need to be done. Then the technician will take another video showing that it's done, what it looks like when it's done, so the customer can actually see what happened, how it changed, how the rotor looks different after it's cut." Dealerships help customers understand the value of the services they receive by giving customers a visual confirmation of the repairs. Pirkl notes that this is especially important for repairs that may not result in immediately noticeable changes. "Most people wouldn't even know the difference if they got the brakes done or not. They think the car drives the same, so they just spent $500 for what? They can't see, touch, [or] feel normally. So… when there are questions and concerns about, ‘Well, why did your oil change go up $10 from last year or two years ago?’—being able to explain away the rising costs of the whole world have gone up and how that goes into operating our business." The Competitive Edge of Transparency For fixed ops leaders, transparency is more than a customer expectation—it’s a strategic advantage. As customers demand more visibility into pricing and services, dealerships that proactively communicate and utilize technology to showcase their work will earn stronger trust and loyalty. Service departments can turn transparency into a powerful differentiator by implementing multi-point inspection videos, clearly explaining pricing changes, and addressing customer concerns head-on. In an industry where trust is everything, dealerships that prioritize openness and honesty will be the ones that stand out and succeed in 2025. Zach Pirkl, Fixed Operations Director at Gary McGrath Automotive Group, stresses the importance of openness in pricing and communication, stating, "I think industry-wide, customers just want to see transparency from us the most. We've gone through a couple of years now of the big hot topic being inflation and everything costs more than it used to cost." With inflation impacting every industry, consumers are scrutinizing prices more than ever. In fixed ops, it’s not just about offering competitive pricing—it’s about clearly explaining what customers are paying for and why. Pirkl emphasizes that breaking down these costs is essential: "I think it's big [to be] being transparent in our pricing—why stuff might be priced the way it is, why stuff might have gone up in price in the last 12 to 24 months. And when you actually start breaking down the ways you have to operate a business—insurance went up X amount… employee compensation went up a certain percent, the oil we're paying for, the parts we're paying for—everything went up just like everybody's experienced in the grocery store or at Target or Walmart. So I think being transparent and open and honest with that stuff really is what customers want to see out of dealerships in 2025." Using Technology to Build Trust Customers aren’t just asking for transparency—they expect proof of value. To meet this demand, Gary McGrath Automotive Group has implemented a system where technicians record multi-point inspection videos, providing customers with a clear view of the work being done on their vehicles and explaining any recommended services. Pirkl explains, "Our technicians are required to take multi-point inspection videos to actually show what's going on with the car. And on top of that, the really savvy ones are showing—let's say if they're doing brakes—there’ll be a video from the multi-point inspection that shows brakes that need to be done. Then the technician will take another video showing that it's done, what it looks like when it's done, so the customer can actually see what happened, how it changed, how the rotor looks different after it's cut." Dealerships help customers understand the value of the services they receive by giving customers a visual confirmation of the repairs. Pirkl notes that this is especially important for repairs that may not result in immediately noticeable changes. "Most people wouldn't even know the difference if they got the brakes done or not. They think the car drives the same, so they just spent $500 for what? They can't see, touch, [or] feel normally. So… when there are questions and concerns about, ‘Well, why did your oil change go up $10 from last year or two years ago?’—being able to explain away the rising costs of the whole world have gone up and how that goes into operating our business." The Competitive Edge of Transparency For fixed ops leaders, transparency is more than a customer expectation—it’s a strategic advantage. As customers demand more visibility into pricing and services, dealerships that proactively communicate and utilize technology to showcase their work will earn stronger trust and loyalty. Service departments can turn transparency into a powerful differentiator by implementing multi-point inspection videos, clearly explaining pricing changes, and addressing customer concerns head-on. In an industry where trust is everything, dealerships that prioritize openness and honesty will be the ones that stand out and succeed in 2025. See more of what our TVI MarketPro3 Partners have to say.

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The Impact of Rising Interest Rates on Service Retention

Higher interest rates don’t just impact car sales. They also change how customers think about vehicle maintenance. Car owners delay non-essential repairs as borrowing costs rise and monthly expenses get tighter. They may stretch service intervals or forgo routine maintenance altogether. This economic shift brings challenges and opportunities for fixed ops directors and service managers. The question is: How can your service department keep customers engaged and ensure they prioritize maintenance, even when their budgets are tighter than ever? With consumers keeping their cars longer because of high financing costs, dealerships must adapt their service strategies. This can help them retain customers and raise profits, even during tough economic times. This article will explain how rising interest rates affect service behavior and share the best strategies to keep your service bays busy without using deep discounts that hurt revenue. Economic Context: Rising Interest Rates in 2025 The Federal Reserve is working hard to fight inflation, which has caused interest rates to rise steadily. This change affects many industries, including automotive fixed operations. As of early 2025, borrowing costs for auto loans, mortgages, and credit cards are still high, greatly affecting how consumers spend their money. Higher Interest Rates Mean Higher Monthly Expenses The average interest rate on new auto loans is over 7%, and used car loan rates are even higher. Many consumers find their monthly payments push their budgets to the limit. This financial strain makes them less willing to spend on non-essential services, including routine vehicle maintenance. Extended Vehicle Ownership as a Byproduct of High Costs Since buying a new or used vehicle costs more, many people keep their current cars longer. According to S&P Global, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads is now over 12 years. This means many more high-mileage cars require regular maintenance. This change gives dealerships a chance to teach customers about preventive care. It is better to fix small problems before they become expensive, time-consuming repairs. The high cost of financing a new vehicle means more consumers are holding onto their current cars longer than ever. While this presents an opportunity for dealerships to provide ongoing maintenance and repairs, many customers prefer postponing service visits to cut costs. A 2021 Aftermarket Matters report revealed that 64% of drivers are currently putting off some sort of vehicle maintenance, with 58% stating they could not afford an emergency car repair costing more than $1,000. Deferred Maintenance: A Growing Concern for Dealerships When money is tight, consumers focus on their immediate needs instead of the long-term health of their vehicles. Drivers often put off service, leading to more breakdowns, shorter vehicle life, and safety risks. Dealerships can use these points to stress the importance of timely service. Minor issues escalate into major repairs as customers stretch service intervals or ignore warning signs. Skipped oil changes, delayed brake replacements, and ignored transmission servicing can lead to higher repair costs and reduced vehicle longevity. While this may mean increased repair revenue for dealerships in the short term, it also increases the likelihood of customers seeking cheaper alternatives outside the dealership. Impact on Vehicle Maintenance and Service Retention Rising interest rates stretch consumer budgets, so dealership fixed-ops departments face increasing service retention challenges. Customers who once adhered to routine maintenance schedules are now delaying or skipping essential services, forcing dealerships to rethink their approach to engagement and retention. More Customers Are Seeking Cost-Conscious Alternatives With economic uncertainty looming, price sensitivity is at an all-time high. Many customers are turning to: Independent repair shops that offer lower labor ratesAftermarket parts instead of OEM replacementsDo-it-yourself (DIY) maintenance for minor services like oil changes and filter replacements This shift threatens dealership service retention, making it more important than ever to reinforce the value of certified technicians, OEM parts, and dealership expertise. The Service Retention Challenge: How Can Dealerships Respond? While economic pressures drive customers to reduce service spending, dealerships that adapt their strategies can still retain long-term customer relationships. The key is offering affordable, flexible, and value-driven solutions that align with today’s financial realities. Strategies for Dealerships to Enhance Service Retention Amid Rising Interest Rates As interest rates rise, consumer budgets are getting tighter. Dealerships need to change how they keep customers coming back for service. Customers want to save money, and if dealerships don’t reach out, they might go elsewhere or even skip maintenance completely. Here are some ways fixed ops directors and service managers can respond to these trends and keep customers coming back for service. Offer Flexible Payment Options Financial constraints are a key reason customers delay service. Dealerships can remove this barrier by offering flexible payment plans such as: Deferred payment programs that allow customers to spread out the cost of repairs0% interest financing for major repairs through partnerships with lendersSubscription-based service plans that bundle routine maintenance into predictable monthly payments By making service more financially manageable, dealerships can encourage customers to stay on track with maintenance instead of delaying critical repairs. Emphasize Preventive Maintenance as a Cost-Saving Measure Many customers view routine maintenance as an extra cost instead of a must-have. This maintenance can help avoid higher costs later. Dealerships should teach customers how regular service can save money by preventing costly breakdowns. Use data-driven service reminders to highlight vehicle-specific maintenance needs.Show real-world examples of customers who avoided costly repairs by staying on schedule.Train service advisors to frame maintenance as a budget-friendly decision rather than an upsell. Customers who understand that spending a little now can save them thousands later are more likely to prioritize service. Create Exclusive Loyalty Programs A good loyalty program can encourage customers to return and use dealership services. Here are some effective strategies: Points-based rewards that can be redeemed for future service discountsFree or discounted maintenance services for repeat customersTiered VIP memberships that offer perks like free inspections, priority scheduling, or reduced labor rates By making dealership service more rewarding and convenient than independent shops, dealerships can foster lasting relationships that can survive tough economic times. Market the Value of Certified Technicians and OEM Parts With inflation and high interest rates pushing customers toward cheaper alternatives, dealerships must reinforce the value of certified service over independent shops or DIY repairs. Highlight technician expertise and factory training to build trust.Emphasize OEM parts’ superior quality and warranty protection.Share real-life case studies of customers who faced costly repairs after choosing aftermarket parts or unqualified service. By showing that dealership service is a smarter and safer choice, dealerships can keep customers. This helps prevent them from looking for cheaper options. Leverage Data-Driven Retention Campaigns Personalized, timely communication is key to keeping customers engaged with dealership service. AI-driven service reminders can alert customers when they’re due for maintenance based on mileage and history.Targeted email and SMS offers can provide customized discounts based on customer behavior.Follow-up calls from service advisors can reinforce the importance of overdue maintenance. By leveraging CRM tools and data analytics, dealerships can anticipate customer needs and proactively encourage service visits before problems arise. Final Thoughts As interest rates affect consumer spending, dealership service departments need to change their strategies to keep customers. Dealerships can turn challenges into chances by focusing on flexibility, education, loyalty rewards, and personalized marketing. This will help keep service bays busy and revenue strong in 2025 and beyond. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more on service drive retention and other fixed ops insights.

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Navigating Fixed Ops Challenges: Insights from Ron Blum at NADA Show 2025

At this year’s NADA Show, Scott Kelford of TVI MarketPro3 sat down with Ron Blum, Platform Manager at McGrath Auto Group, to discuss the evolving challenges in the automotive fixed operations space and how dealers can stay ahead in a post-COVID world. The Post-COVID Shift in Customer Behavior According to Blum, one of the biggest challenges facing dealerships today is the shifting mindset of consumers. Retention has become increasingly difficult as customers’ lifestyles and priorities have changed. In the wake of COVID-era supply chain issues, many customers are keeping their vehicles longer—on average, 12 years—which means service retention beyond the initial five- or six-year period is more critical than ever. To address this, McGrath Auto Group is focusing on creating a comprehensive service experience that meets all customer needs in one place. Whether it’s vehicle reconditioning, routine maintenance, or purchasing a new car, the goal is to be a one-stop shop. A key factor in their success has been their strategic marketing partnership with TVI MarketPro3, ensuring that communication with customers remains consistent and engaging. The Importance of Culture and Leadership in Customer Retention A strong dealership culture plays a vital role in customer retention. Blum highlighted McGrath Auto Group’s emphasis on fostering an environment where both employees and customers feel valued. However, he pointed out a growing challenge in today’s workforce—the generational gap in work ethic and expectations. “One of the strengths of our organization has been the tenure of our people, and we're very proud of that. But it's also our Achilles heel at the same time,” Blum explained. He says, “McGrath is working to build and groom the next generation to lead,” which often requires teaching basic work ethic. This shift requires more effort in onboarding and training, making it crucial for leadership to actively engage in building a customer-centric culture. The Evolving Customer Mindset One of the most pressing issues in fixed operations today is the evolving customer mindset. The shift toward an “instant gratification” society has made it more difficult to manage customer expectations regarding service timelines. Many customers now expect their vehicle service experience to be as seamless and fast as ordering an online package for next-day delivery, but providing a quality service experience takes time. It’s not a 20-minute process—it’s about getting it right the first time and communicating that with the customer. The Key to Continued Growth in Fixed Ops Despite these challenges, McGrath Auto Group has continued to thrive, even achieving double-digit growth in 2024—a feat that many dealers were unable to accomplish. Blum attributes this success to the group’s proactive approach to adapting to new consumer behaviors, investing in its service teams, and maintaining strong marketing strategies that keep its brand in front of customers. “The speed of the team is the speed of the leader,” said Blum. Leadership needs to be actively involved in driving the right culture and ensuring that every touchpoint with the customer is a positive one. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, McGrath Auto Group’s approach serves as a model for dealerships looking to navigate post-COVID challenges in fixed operations. By focusing on retention, culture, and service excellence, dealerships can set themselves apart and build long-term success. See More TVI MarketPro3 Expert Interviews Learn more about TVI MarketPro3 Solutions

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The Fixed Ops Assassin Strikes Again: Joe Sassin on Transforming Service Departments

The automotive industry has long emphasized training for sales teams, ensuring they have the tools and techniques to close deals and drive revenue. But what about the service drive? According to Joe Sassin, owner of BCJS Enterprises, the lack of consistent training for service advisors and managers is one of the biggest opportunities—and challenges—facing dealerships today. At NADA Show 2025, Robert Morris of TVI MarketPro3 sat down with Sassin, known in the industry as the "Fixed Ops Assassin," to discuss the state of fixed operations, the crucial role of service advisors, and how BCJS Enterprises is helping dealerships maximize their service potential. Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Service Performance One of the most common frustrations in the industry is that dealerships invest in marketing to drive customers into the service lane but don’t always see a significant lift in revenue. “The number one reason that we don’t see a lift in business,” Sassin explained, “is because we’re not training.” Morris echoed this concern, pointing out that marketing can bring in customers, but if the service team isn’t equipped to handle them properly, the program's success can be undermined. Instead of blaming the marketing efforts, Sassin believes the industry needs to focus on equipping service advisors with the same level of training (or better) that sales teams receive. Why Service Advisors Need Sales Training Sassin highlighted a major discrepancy in dealership training approaches: Dealerships train their sales teams almost daily, but they rarely consistently train their service advisors. This lack of training is a fundamental flaw in the industry. Service advisors often see 15 to 25 customers per day—far more than the average salesperson—yet they rarely have the tools and techniques to effectively sell service and repairs. Service advisors sell parts and service just like salespeople sell cars, “but we've never taught the service advisors [it’s] the same road as selling a car where you're selling parts and service to the customer,” Sassin said. “They always try to sell from their own pocket. They're uncomfortable telling somebody they need $3,000 for the work on the vehicle.” BCJS Enterprises’ Hands-On Training Approach BCJS Enterprises tackles this issue head-on by offering hands-on, in-lane training for service advisors. Unlike traditional classroom training, BCJS focuses on real-world interactions, coaching advisors on how to overcome objections, build value, and confidently present necessary repairs. Sassin’s team does very little classroom training. “We do hip-to-hip training right on the service lane,” Sassin explained. Beyond service advisor training, BCJS Enterprises has expanded its offerings to include parts inventory management, service manager training, and fixed ops performance groups. They aim to provide comprehensive solutions for dealerships looking to optimize their operations. Embracing Technology: The MPI Process and Digital Transparency Another area where dealerships are missing opportunities is their adoption of digital tools like photos and videos in the multi-point inspection (MPI) process. Sassin emphasized the inconsistency between sales and service departments when it comes to using digital assets: dealers wouldn’t dream of selling a car online without photos and videos, yet many service departments still aren’t utilizing them. By incorporating videos and photos into the MPI process, service advisors can build trust and transparency with customers, leading to higher approval rates for recommended repairs. Sassin says, “Seeing is believing,” and that when customers can see exactly what’s wrong with their vehicle, they’re far more likely to authorize the repair. The Future of Fixed Ops Training As dealerships continue to evolve, the need for consistent, high-quality service training will only grow. BCJS Enterprises is leading the charge, helping dealerships develop skilled, confident service advisors who can maximize every customer interaction. For dealerships looking to boost their service revenue and improve customer retention, the message from the Fixed Ops Assassin is clear: train your team, embrace technology, and treat the service lane with the same strategic focus as the sales floor. With companies like BCJS Enterprises and TVI MarketPro3 working together to drive both traffic and training, the future of fixed operations has never looked brighter. Get more info on TVI MarketPro3 Solutions

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Customer Feedback Shaping Service Departments

In 2025, customer expectations are evolving faster than ever, and dealership service departments must face the challenge of meeting and exceeding these expectations. Actively seeking and leveraging customer feedback is one of the most effective ways to refine and improve service processes. Feedback is a goldmine of insights, allowing dealerships to align their operations with customer needs, enhance satisfaction, and boost retention rates. Here’s how to make the most of this invaluable resource, with insights from TVI MarketPro3 Vice President of Sales Nick Shaffer and Fixed Operations Specialist Steve Coad. 1. Create Multiple Feedback Channels Accessibility is key when collecting customer feedback. Service departments should provide customers with various ways to share their opinions, such as: Surveys: Send post-service email or SMS surveys to gauge customer satisfaction.On-Site Forms: Offer physical or digital forms at the service desk or waiting area.Online Reviews: Monitor platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook for insights.Social Media: Engage with customers who share feedback or concerns via social media platforms. The more options customers have, the more likely they are to share their experiences. 2. Understand the Levels of Listening Nick Shaffer highlights three levels of listening to client feedback: No Listening: This occurs when a business ignores feedback entirely, leaving clients feeling undervalued.Half-Hearted Listening: Feedback is often used to manage an online presence or respond to negative experiences superficially. While this may create the appearance of attentiveness, it lacks the depth needed for meaningful improvement.Intent Listening: This is the gold standard! Intent listening involves actively monitoring customer satisfaction surveys and online reviews and measuring KPIs such as wait times, appointment lead times, and service completion times. This approach holds service operators accountable and ensures the business remains client-centric, respecting clients’ time and experience. Steve Coad expands on this concept, admitting he’s personally operated at all three levels throughout his career. “When I first started, I thought listening to clients was waiting until somebody was angry and came in to say something,” he reflects. “Eventually, you learn that you have to shape your whole customer experience by their feedback. If you know what your customers are saying about you, how you’re performing, and what they want, you can make their experience so much better.” 3. Analyze Feedback for Actionable Insights Collecting feedback is only the first step. Service departments must analyze this data to identify trends and actionable insights. Categorize Comments: Group feedback into categories such as wait times, communication, service quality, or pricing.Identify Patterns: Look for recurring themes to pinpoint common pain points or areas of excellence.Use KPIs: Connect feedback to key performance indicators (KPIs) like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) to quantify customer sentiment. For example, if customers frequently mention long wait times, it may signal a need to review scheduling practices or staffing levels. 4. Close the Feedback Loop Responding to positive and negative customer feedback demonstrates that the dealership values customer input. Closing the feedback loop can be achieved by: Thanking Customers: Always acknowledge and thank customers for taking the time to provide feedback, whether positive or negative.Providing Updates: Share how their feedback has influenced changes in the service process. For instance, let customers know if a new express service lane was implemented due to feedback.Resolving Issues: Address negative feedback promptly by contacting dissatisfied customers to resolve their concerns. 5. Train Staff Based on Feedback Customer feedback can serve as a roadmap for staff training and development. Use feedback to: Enhance Communication Skills: If customers report unclear explanations, train advisors to provide more detailed and transparent communication.Improve Technical Proficiency: Use feedback about recurring service issues to ensure technicians receive training in those areas.Boost Empathy: Train staff to handle complaints or dissatisfaction with professionalism and empathy. Empowered staff are better equipped to deliver a seamless and satisfying service experience. Celebrate Successes Feedback isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s also about recognizing and celebrating what’s working well. Share positive feedback with your team and spotlight employees who consistently receive praise. This boosts morale and reinforces behaviors that contribute to a great customer experience. Measure the Impact of Changes Once changes are implemented based on feedback, measure their effectiveness. Compare CSI scores, NPS, or repeat business rates before and after the changes to evaluate their impact. These measurements ensure the dealership continues to move in the right direction. Conclusion Customer feedback is more than a collection of opinions; it’s a strategic tool for shaping the future of dealership service departments. As Steve Coad aptly puts it, “If your customers aren’t here, there’s no point in even unlocking the door.” By actively listening, analyzing, and responding to feedback—with intent—dealerships can create a service process that delights customers, strengthens loyalty, and drives business growth. In the end, a customer-centric approach isn’t just good service—it’s smart business. Check Out TVI MarketPro3 for More Expert Insights.

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Dealership Parts and Service: 2 Departments, 1 Team

One of the most significant challenges across any company is getting multiple departments working as one team. Even with some of the hardest-working team members, most keep their heads down and grind through their tasks without considering their impact on other departments. Department leaders are often sincere but misguided in their attempts at creating harmony. The automotive industry is not immune to this leadership faux pas, and the two departments that most need to be in sync, parts and service, are often out of alignment.  For a dealership to succeed in fixed ops, these two departments must collaborate to optimize efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. While the parts and service departments have distinct roles, their success is interdependent, and fostering a unified team mindset can significantly enhance dealership performance. Understanding the Divide Each department has distinct roles and responsibilities when meeting dealership goals. The parts department oversees inventory management, timely procurement, and accurate fulfillment. Meanwhile, the service department is busy diagnosing, repairing, and ensuring vehicle performance and customer satisfaction. Since these two departments don’t always work side by side, it can be easy to miscommunicate about parts’ availability or delays. Frustrated technicians who rely on these parts may lash out at the parts team, leaving them feeling unappreciated. Although this is internal friction, the disconnect inevitably impacts customer satisfaction and, ultimately, the dealership’s bottom line. Why Unity Matters Operational Efficiency Many companies hold team-building exercises or send their team to a ropes course or retreat. That’s fun and can certainly improve relationships, but fixed operations departments can only attain operational efficiency if a precise system is in place and regularly inspected by fixed operations leaders. While it’s essential that each team enjoys the other, setting them up with a proven system prevents finger-pointing. If everyone follows the system to a tee, the fingers can instead point to the system when issues arise. The team can then resolve issues through tweaking and testing the system. Customer Experience Two departments running on the same cylinders create a seamless customer experience. You might be tempted to think the customer is oblivious to the disjointed workflow behind the scenes, but the evidence will always rear its ugly head. Whether the repair takes longer and costs more than expected, or the service advisor seems stressed or frustrated because their team is acting out, the customer feels the impact of inefficiencies and infighting behind the scenes. We all know that happy customers lead to repeat business and higher retention rates, and it is almost certain that retention rates suffer when the service and parts teams struggle to align. Financial Performance The more efficient parts and service teams are in their processes, the more effective they are in reducing downtime, leading to higher productivity and profitability. Effective inventory handling reduces overstock and waste, but both teams must work to meet these standards. Strategies for Building One Team Communication and Collaboration Communication is the foundation of strong fixed operations leadership. Parts and service directors can improve communication by implementing regular cross-department meetings to align goals and address issues. Technology can also enhance this communication if the departments use shared tools and platforms for real-time updates on parts’ availability and job status. Cross-Training Allotting time for parts staff to train on service processes and vice versa should enhance a mutual understanding between the two. Shadowing their counterparts builds empathy and strengthens the desire for teamwork. Shared Goals and Incentives Create KPIs to encourage collaboration, such as minimizing repair cycle times or improving customer satisfaction scores. Introduce team-based bonuses tied to overall fixed ops performance. Leadership Support Fixed ops directors and managers must foster a culture of teamwork. They must consistently inspect what they expect and hold each team member accountable for their role in the system of success. In doing so, they must lead by example and promote interdepartmental respect and collaboration. Conclusion If a dealership fails to get these two fixed ops teams to work in unity, it will ultimately fail its service customers by negatively impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Whether through better communication, shared goals, or leadership initiatives, dealerships need to ensure the steps are in place for the fixed ops department to align their parts and service teams. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more valuable industry insights.

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Measure Your Service Advisors' Success

Service advisors are vital in shaping the customer experience and driving dealership success. Strong service advisors provide customer satisfaction and contribute to higher retention rates. To measure performance, fixed ops directors and managers must implement data-driven, real-time key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect advisors' effectiveness and guide improvement efforts. Why Measure Service Advisor Success? Service advisors are the first point of contact between customers and the service department. They meet customers’ needs, build relationships, and recommend services—ultimately impacting customer retention and the dealership's bottom line. Measuring advisor performance using objective metrics helps managers identify advisors’ strengths and areas needing improvement, ultimately increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction. Key Metrics for Measuring Service Advisor Success Customer Satisfaction Scores and Retention Rates Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores reflect the service advisor's ability to meet and exceed customer expectations. High scores indicate positive experiences, which improve customer retention—a crucial factor in building long-term revenue. Regularly survey customers and monitor feedback after each service appointment. CSI and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) are popular metrics that gauge loyalty and satisfaction, offering a direct view of advisor impact. Repair Orders (ROs) Per Advisor Tracking the number of repair orders each advisor handles highlights their efficiency and helps balance workloads. Managing RO flow can prevent service bottlenecks and ensure each advisor provides quality attention to their customers. How to measure: Calculate the total number of repair orders completed per advisor on a daily or monthly basis. Consider related metrics, like time spent per repair order, to balance productivity with customer care. Effective Labor Rate (ELR) Effective Labor Rate (ELR) is a key indicator of revenue per labor hour, reflecting the value advisors add by recommending appropriate services. Monitoring ELR helps identify pricing and service gaps that affect the bottom line. Total labor sales are divided by hours sold , providing a snapshot of advisor productivity and profitability. High ELR values suggest that advisors make effective service recommendations, while lower rates indicate room for improvement. Sales Per Repair Order (Upsell Performance) Advisors handle both service and upselling. Measuring sales per repair order provides insight into an advisor’s ability to recommend necessary add-ons or upgrades, which can influence customer experience and dealership revenue. Track sales generated from each advisor's repair orders. Higher sales per RO indicate a successful upsell strategy, while lower numbers suggest opportunities for sales training. Post-Service Follow-Up Success Rate A well-executed follow-up can turn a satisfied customer into a loyal one. Following up post-service ensures customers are content with their experience, provides an opportunity to resolve lingering issues, and encourages return visits. Track the rate at which advisors follow up with customers within 24-48 hours after service completion. A high follow-up rate shows attentiveness and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Dealership Reports that Offer Valuable Insights Daily Repair Order Count Offers a real-time snapshot of completed repair orders, including advisor productivity and possible service bottlenecks. Review this report daily to identify high-performers and reallocate resources if certain advisors are overwhelmed. Customer Retention Customer retention tracks the number of repeat customers and measures long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty, helping determine if advisors are effectively fostering trust and relationships. Set monthly or quarterly retention goals and analyze advisor-specific data to identify best practices or training needs. Service Advisor Sales Performance This report evaluates upsell success and compares sales targets across advisors, providing insight into advisors' sales strengths and areas for improvement. Use sales data to set individual sales targets and monitor performance against these benchmarks. This practice can guide targeted coaching efforts. Labor Efficiency and Productivity Tracking labor hours relative to repair order revenue demonstrates time efficiency and output per advisor. Regularly evaluate these reports to identify advisors needing training in time management or workflow efficiency. Customer Feedback and Satisfaction This report consolidates customer feedback, highlighting positive and negative experiences across advisors. Monthly reviews of feedback reports can identify specific training opportunities and enable managers to reinforce good performance or address areas for improvement. Analyzing Reports to Drive Improvement With the right insights from reports, managers can take steps to support service advisors and enhance performance: Enhancing Customer Experience: Use customer satisfaction reports to identify patterns and make customer-focused adjustments. Improving service speed and quality can increase satisfaction ratings and repeat visits. Identifying Training Needs: Performance reports reveal gaps where additional training could help. If an advisor consistently struggles to meet their effective labor rate, focused coaching on service upselling may help improve this metric. Leveraging Data for Process Optimization: Real-time KPIs allow managers to optimize repair order flow, address bottlenecks, and ensure advisors balance productivity and quality customer service. Conclusion Dealerships must prioritize data-driven metrics and consistent training to maximize the effectiveness of service advisors. By closely monitoring and actively improving key KPIs such as customer satisfaction, repair orders per advisor, and effective labor rate, fixed ops managers can ensure that advisors contribute meaningfully to customer loyalty and overall dealership success. Real-time insights and a commitment to advisor growth can transform the service department into a vital driver of dealership success.

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Dealership Service Mileage Reminder

Little Sticker, Huge Potential It's easy for customers to overlook the routine maintenance that keeps their vehicles running smoothly. Dealerships know this all too well, and while digital reminders, phone calls, and emails have their place, one tried-and-true method often gets overlooked: the humble mileage reminder sticker. Yes, that little sticker placed on the windshield after service may seem like a small touch, but it holds huge potential for boosting customer retention, increasing revenue, and building brand loyalty. Here's why this simple tool is one of the most effective ways to keep your service lanes full and your customers happy. The Psychology Behind the Sticker There’s something uniquely powerful about a physical reminder. That small sticker becomes a constant visual cue as drivers go about their day-to-day lives. Every time they glance at the windshield, they’re reminded of the dealership that serviced their car—and, more importantly, when they need to return. This subtle reminder works psychologically, embedding your dealership's name and service in their minds. When the mileage approaches the number on the sticker, you're the first place they think of. Encouraging Timely Maintenance A mileage reminder sticker doesn’t just tell customers when their next oil change is due; it emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance. Many drivers wait too long between services, which can lead to costly repairs and a lower resale value. By nudging them with a clear, visible reminder, you’re doing them a favor—and positioning your dealership as the proactive, trusted expert in vehicle care. A Gateway to Upselling While the primary goal of the mileage sticker is to remind customers about their next service, it also opens the door for upselling additional services. When customers return for their scheduled maintenance, it’s an opportunity to evaluate the vehicle for other service needs. Whether it’s tire rotations, brake inspections, or even more significant repairs, the initial visit triggered by the mileage reminder can lead to a more comprehensive service—and more revenue. Building Trust and Loyalty Trust is paramount in the automotive service industry; consistent reminders of your dealership’s value can build lasting relationships. The mileage reminder sticker demonstrates that you care about the longevity of your customer’s vehicle and that you’re invested in keeping them on the road safely. The sticker also improves trust as the customer cannot see if you changed their oil or rotated their tires. They are taking it on blind faith. The sticker offers visual affirmation that the service was completed, further building trust. Over time, these consistent reminders help establish your dealership as their go-to for all service needs. As trust builds, so does customer loyalty, turning one-time visitors into repeat clients. Low-Cost, High-Impact Marketing Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of mileage reminder stickers is their cost-effectiveness. Compared to traditional advertising and marketing campaigns, these stickers are an incredibly low-cost way to keep your brand top-of-mind. They require minimal investment but have a long-term impact, working as a persistent, visible reminder that delivers returns long after the customer has left the lot. A Seamless Experience for Customers Integrating mileage reminder stickers into your service process creates a seamless customer experience. After every service, they leave with a clear idea of when they should return, removing any guesswork on their part. For those with busy schedules or limited knowledge about vehicle maintenance, this added touch simplifies their service schedule and alleviates concerns about missing vital check-ups. The Anatomy of the Maintenance Reminder Sticker How can you take advantage of every inch of real estate this tiny sticker offers? Prominently feature your company’s branding so customers can easily recall where they last received service. The mileage must be legible and accurate, or the sticker does more harm than good. And why not add a QR code that takes them straight to the scheduler or, better yet, provides a special offer for their next service? Sticker Accuracy While it seems pretty straightforward, the stickers are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Many cars these days have oil-life indicators. The maintenance reminder sticker should say "15% oil life" instead of a prescribed mileage for these vehicles. This prevents inaccuracies from the mileage on the sticker versus what the vehicle actually needs. Selling the Sticker While most people will see the reminder sticker and know why it's nestled in the top left corner of their windshield, most don’t consider its powers. When delivering the vehicle, be sure to point the sticker out to your customer and let them know about the QR code and the convenience or value it will provide when scheduling their next service. This will increase the likelihood of them actually using this code in the future. Turning Reminders into Results The next time you hand back the keys after a service, think about the power of that little sticker on the windshield. It's more than just a reminder of the next appointment—it's a silent salesperson working to bring your customers back through the doors.  By leveraging mileage reminder stickers, your dealership can create consistent touchpoints, encourage timely maintenance, and offer opportunities for upselling, all while building trust and loyalty with your customers. This little sticker could be the difference between a one-time service visit and a long-term customer relationship. In short, don’t underestimate the potential of that tiny piece of adhesive. It might just be the most effective tool you’re not using to its fullest.

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Comparison of Dealership Service Communications

Dealership service communications are key to customer satisfaction, and dealers constantly seek the best communication methods. One of the most significant shifts we've seen is the increased use of video communication alongside traditional communication interactions, like phone calls, in service departments. But which method reigns supreme? The answer depends on several factors, including customer preference, dealership goals, and each channel's overall experience. Let's break down the pros and cons of each to see how they compare. The Rise of Video Communication Convenience and Time Efficiency Video consultations offer unparalleled convenience. Customers can receive visual updates about their vehicle’s service from the comfort of their home or office. This allows busy customers to get a quick overview from the technician, see the problem firsthand via video, and authorize repairs all in real time. Enhanced Transparency With video, service departments can build customer trust by visually showing their vehicle’s trouble spots. Rather than trying to explain complex mechanical issues over the phone or during a brief interaction at the service counter, customers can see the problem themselves. This transparency often leads to a higher approval rate for recommended repairs because customers better understand the need for the service. Expanding Digital Engagement Incorporating video into service delivery can help dealerships modernize and create a more tech-savvy brand image. It caters to the growing number of customers who prefer digital communication. By offering virtual service updates, dealerships can expand their reach, appealing to customers who value digital convenience. However, video communication does have its limitations. The Drawbacks of Video Communication: Lack of Personal Connection: While video offers convenience, it lacks the warmth of more personal phone interactions. For some customers, the human touch and personal connection they get from speaking directly with a service advisor is irreplaceable.Technical Challenges: Not all customers are comfortable with or can access the necessary technology. Video updates may feel more cumbersome than helpful in areas with poor internet connectivity or for less tech-savvy individuals. The Value of Personal Interactions Building Stronger Relationships Nothing beats the personal touch of direct interactions, especially when building trust. Customers often feel more confident when asking questions, getting answers directly, getting immediate feedback, and building rapport with the service advisor. Personal phone calls provide more relationship-building opportunities, which can translate into higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. Clearer Communication Direct communication allows for a clearer understanding of complex issues. The tone of voice can help service advisors convey the urgency or significance of a repair. It also allows customers to ask follow-up questions more fluidly than they might in a video format, ensuring they leave the dealership fully understanding the service performed on their vehicle. Challenges of Phone Interactions: Time-Consuming: While phone interactions are valuable, they often require more time from the service advisor. They involve looking up the client, finding the contact info, and often leaving a message just to play phone tag in the middle of a busy workflow.Communication Barriers: A customer can learn only so much from a phone call. Repair explanations can be confusing for many customers with no technical background or understanding of a vehicle's inner workings. Without a visual aid, such as a video or seeing the vehicle in person, the explanation goes in one ear and out the other. Which is Better for Your Dealership? The reality is that neither method is definitively better—they both have unique benefits and challenges. Dealerships that want to stay ahead of the curve may consider offering a hybrid approach. Give customers the option to choose the method that best suits their preferences. Those who value convenience and efficiency can opt for video updates, while customers who appreciate personal interactions can request a phone consultation. Additionally, dealerships can use both methods to enhance each other. For example, a video communication could be followed up with a phone consultation for more complex issues, or phone interactions could be supplemented with video recaps for customers to reference later. Conclusion In the fixed operations industry, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Video and phone communication offer different benefits. The key is understanding your customers and offering a flexible, customer-centric approach that leverages the strengths of both methods. By doing so, your dealership can enhance customer satisfaction, increase repair approval rates, and position itself as a leader in service innovation. Get More TVI MarketPro3 Insights

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Best Practices for Dealership Service Coupons

Today’s competitive automotive market requires dealership service departments to find creative ways to attract new customers and retain loyal ones. One highly effective strategy is using dealership service coupons for oil changes, tires, brakes, and batteries. These essential services are key to customer acquisition, but simply offering a discount isn’t enough. To maximize your dealership’s coupon campaigns, here are some best practices to ensure success. Clearly Define the Offer and Value Customers need to know exactly what they’re getting. Vague coupon descriptions don’t inspire confidence or urgency. Instead of writing, "Present this coupon for a % discount on service," be specific: “Get $20 off a synthetic oil change (normal price—$99.95 / coupon price—$79.95).” When you clearly state the value and service, you eliminate confusion and make the offer more enticing. Always outline the savings and emphasize the benefits of choosing your service department–why buy here? Use Attractive Images and Humanize Your Coupon In an article entitled "How to Create Effective Coupons," Indoor Media points out that coupons are more than just text; they represent your dealership. Use high-quality images that draw attention, such as pictures of customers enjoying their newly serviced vehicles. A well-designed coupon with bright colors and visually appealing elements can make your offer stand out in a crowded inbox or stack of mail. For example, incorporate your dealership’s logo, add icons of car services, and choose colors that reflect your brand identity. Adding a human element, like a happy customer driving away in their car, can make your coupon more relatable and engaging. Craft a Compelling Call to Action (CTA) A strong call to action (CTA) goes beyond a simple percentage discount. Encourage further engagement with lines like, “Sign up for our VIP service program and receive $20 off your next oil change.” This approach incentivizes customers to use the coupon and opens the door for long-term loyalty by getting them involved in ongoing service or promotional programs. Include an Expiration Date for Urgency No coupon is complete without an expiration date. Deadlines create urgency, which pushes customers to take immediate action. For example, “Offer valid through October 31st” clearly informs the customer that they must act soon, ensuring your service bay stays booked with appointments. Incorporate a Barcode or Redemption Code Tracking the success of your coupon campaigns is essential. By adding a barcode or DMS discount opcode, you can measure response rates and identify the most effective distribution channels. This data is valuable for future marketing efforts, allowing you to refine your campaigns based on real results. If you’re distributing coupons across multiple platforms (email, social media, print), use different promotional codes for each channel. This allows you to track the performance of each distribution method and gain detailed insights into where your audience is most responsive. This data helps you allocate resources efficiently and optimize future campaigns. Ensure Your Coupon Is Easy to Read and Understand Design is important, but readability is paramount. Use clear, concise language and make the text large enough to read easily. Your dealership’s logo should be visible but not overpowering, and the text should explain the offer in a straightforward manner. Customers should be able to quickly glance at your coupon and know exactly what the offer is, how to redeem it, and when it expires. Choose the Right Distribution Channels The effectiveness of a coupon often depends on how and where it’s distributed. Consider your audience and their preferences. For instance, printed coupons might work well for local mailers, while digital coupons can be emailed or shared on social media. You can also hand out physical coupons at events or during routine service visits. The key is distributing your coupons where your target customers will see them. Test Different Elements for Optimal Performance A/B testing is crucial to maximizing the impact of your coupons. Try different headlines, subheadings, images, and offers to determine what resonates best with your audience. Small adjustments to the text or design can significantly improve response rates and profit margins. Conclusion Coupons can be a powerful tool for increasing traffic to your dealership’s service department. By following best practices—clearly defining offers, using engaging visuals, crafting effective CTAs, and testing and tracking results—you can drive more customers to your service bays and keep them returning for future maintenance. Check out TVI MarketPro3 for more marketing insights.

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Steering Dealerships Toward Express Service: A Missed Opportunity?

Steering Dealerships Toward Express Service: A Missed Opportunity? In an increasingly fast-paced world, customers expect convenience, efficiency, and competitive pricing—especially when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Yet many dealerships still fail to meet these expectations, consequently missing out on opportunities to attract and retain customers with express services for routine maintenance like oil changes, tire replacements, and even minor repairs.  A recent customer testimonial highlights why dealerships might lose business to their markets’ Walmarts, Discount Tires, Jiffy Lubes, and independent repair shops. The story illustrates how some dealerships’ pricing strategies and failure to streamline services can turn customers away. But what’s driving this issue? And could an express service lane be the solution? A Real-World Scenario Here’s a quick summary of the customer’s experience: A tire sensor alert came on, and the customer postponed repairs after learning that replacing all four sensors at their local Discount Tire would cost $250.The customer then went to a dealership for recall repairs and requested a quote for the sensor replacement while the car was already in the shop.The dealership quoted twice as much as Discount Tire, including a $250 diagnostic fee. The drive-out price was over $600.The customer declined and eventually found a solution at Walmart, where the sensors were replaced for just over $80. While the situation ended well for the customer, the dealership missed a golden opportunity to provide express service and retain a satisfied client. What went wrong? And why aren’t dealerships offering express services to address such basic repairs? Dealers and the "Cost-Up" Pricing Model TVI MarketPro3 seasoned fixed ops expert Nick Shaffer shares an insightful perspective: "Dealers price themselves from a 'cost-up' point of view." In other words, dealerships typically look at their costs to provide a service or part and add their expected profit margin on top. This pricing strategy often leads to higher prices than competitors that don't reflect customer expectations.  Shaffer points out that most dealers don’t perform "mystery shops" to check how they stack up against competitors like Discount Tire, Walmart, or the dozens of independent repair shops in their market. This failure to stay competitive results in customers opting for alternative, more affordable solutions, even for something as simple as tire sensors.  The larger issue here is not just pricing. Shaffer adds, “Dealers also seldom analyze their business from the vantage point of making the client's life more efficient.” This mindset shift is crucial. Rather than focusing solely on margins and operational efficiency, dealerships need to prioritize customer convenience. An express service lane for routine jobs could address this issue head-on. The Diagnostic Fee Dilemma One of the key frustrations voiced by customers is the diagnostic fee—an issue that Kurt Hankey, another TVI MarketPro3 fixed operations expert, highlights. Hankey remarks, “Dealers typically worry more about getting that diagnostic fee than they do [about] competitively pricing the repair.” This is a critical misstep. By quoting a hefty diagnostic fee upfront, dealerships might scare off customers before they even set foot in the service bay. While diagnostic fees can be justified in cases of complex repairs, applying them to straightforward issues like tire sensors, oil changes, or brake replacements feels like an unnecessary barrier. It not only discourages customers but also gives the impression that the dealership is more concerned with protecting its margins than providing value. Hankey poses an interesting question: How many appointments are lost simply because customers are turned off by diagnostic fees mentioned over the phone? A dealership's focus on upfront diagnostic charges could be costing them far more in missed opportunities for routine service revenue as many independent shops capitalize on this by offering basic diagnostic as a complimentary service. A Need for Flexibility in Diagnostics Tyler Parker, long-time fixed operations pro and Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3 brings another important perspective to the conversation. He acknowledges the need for diagnostics but highlights the problem of charging for them before gaining customer approval. Parker comments, “If you ask [a dealership] to replace your sensors, they do it, and it ends up being something else, it is unfortunate for everyone. But for them to try to charge for diagnostics before it’s approved by the customer is not cool.” It’s also not legal! Parker’s point underlines the need for a more customer-centric approach. Diagnostics are necessary in some situations, but presenting them in a rigid, all-or-nothing manner can lead to friction. Offering transparency and flexibility around diagnostics—especially for routine services that don’t require deep analysis—could go a long way in building trust with customers. Why an Express Lane Is the Missing Piece Given these customer pain points, it’s clear that many dealerships are missing out on a huge opportunity to implement express service lanes. Fast, convenient, competitively priced services are in demand, and by not offering them, dealerships leave money on the table. Here’s why an express service lane makes sense: Customer Convenience: When consumers can get groceries delivered in under an hour and book mobile service providers for brake repairs, why should routine vehicle maintenance be any different? Express service lanes offer quick, hassle-free maintenance, keeping customers in the dealership and opening the door for future, higher-ticket repairs.Competitive Pricing: By offering transparent, no-surprise pricing for basic services, dealerships can compete directly with chains like Discount Tire, Walmart, and independent garages. A lower-priced, no-frills express service offering could act as a customer acquisition tool, bringing people in for oil changes or tire rotations, and building loyalty for their future service needs.Improved Customer Relationships: Offering express services can enhance the customer experience, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. If a customer can get a quick tire sensor replacement at your dealership for a fair price, they’re more likely to return when it’s time for bigger repairs. Embrace the Opportunity The automotive service landscape is evolving, and customer expectations are changing. Dealerships must adapt by offering express services that cater to time-strapped, price-conscious customers. As Nick Shaffer, Kurt Hankey, and Tyler Parker all point out, there’s a growing disconnect between what customers want and what dealerships offer. Addressing this gap could not only drive revenue but also foster long-term relationships that pay off in bigger ways down the road. Dealerships that recognize this shift and prioritize the customer experience—rather than rigid pricing structures and diagnostic fees—will position themselves for success in an increasingly competitive market. Now is the time to steer toward express service lanes, capturing the revenue and loyalty that’s currently slipping through dealerships’ fingers. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more expert insights.

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Automotive Service Department Training: Inside Job or Outsourced?

There you are with your team in front of you. They’re bright-eyed and ready to learn straight from the horse's mouth. Yes, that horse is you, and you’re starting your current training session. There’s something about looking your team square in the eye with hope for understanding and a strong sense of accountability. But wait! Who has time to squeeze in quality training with all the other time-consuming and equally important tasks on service leaders' plates? A Forbes article, The Eternal Question: What Type Of Training Should I Provide My Staff, reviews all the training company leaders should be covering. It’s a lot! Service managers and fixed operations directors constantly face a critical decision: Should this training be handled in-house, or is it better to lean on external expertise? Whether you’re training your technicians or your service advisors, determining how your team will receive their training greatly impacts the success of your dealership’s service drive. The Case for In-House Training: Building a Cohesive Team Customized Training Tailored to Your Dealership's Needs: One of the primary advantages of in-house training is its ability to be highly customized. You know your dealership inside and out—its strengths, weaknesses, and unique challenges. In-house training allows you to design programs that address specific issues within your service department. This customization fosters a deeper understanding of your dealership's standards and procedures, leading to a more cohesive team. Strengthening Internal Culture: Conducting training in-house reinforces your dealership's culture and values. Service advisors and technicians receive consistent messaging that aligns with your business’s mission, enhancing overall morale. A well-structured in-house training program can also create a sense of ownership among employees as they see their direct involvement in the dealership's success. Cost Efficiency Over Time: While the initial setup of an in-house training program may require a significant investment of time and resources, the long-term benefits can outweigh the costs. Once established, the program can be repeated, refined, and adjusted without incurring additional expenses. In the long run, in-house training can be more cost-effective than continually outsourcing to external trainers. The Case for Outsourced Training: Accessing Expertise and Fresh Perspectives Bringing in Industry Experts: Outsourcing your training allows you to take advantage of a pool of industry experts with a wealth of knowledge and experience. These professionals are often up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the automotive service industry. Their fresh perspectives can introduce new ideas and innovative solutions that may not be readily apparent to those entrenched in daily operations. Focused Learning with Fewer Distractions: External trainers often conduct sessions in a controlled environment, minimizing workplace distractions. This focused learning environment can lead to higher information retention and more effective skill development. With the guidance of an experienced trainer, your service department can quickly adapt to new tools, technologies, and procedures. Flexibility and Scalability: Outsourced training programs offer flexibility in terms of scheduling and content. External providers can tailor their services to your needs, whether you need a one-time intensive workshop or ongoing support. Additionally, they often have the resources to scale training across multiple locations, ensuring consistency throughout your dealership network. The Verdict: A Balanced Approach? Ultimately, the decision to train in-house or outsource may not be a strict either/or scenario. Many successful dealerships might opt for a hybrid approach, combining the best of both worlds. For instance, you might develop an in-house training program that covers the foundational aspects of your service department while bringing in external experts for specialized topics or introducing new technologies. By carefully considering your service department's specific needs and your dealership's goals, you can create a training strategy that maximizes efficiency, enhances expertise, and ultimately drives customer satisfaction. Check out the TVI MarketPro3 website for more valuable fixed ops insights.

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Direct Mail for Dealership Service Departments

A Vital Gear in Your Dealership's Service Marketing Machine In automotive marketing, where digital strategies often dominate the conversation, it’s easy to overlook the importance of direct mail. However, a well-oiled marketing machine requires all its gears to work in harmony—and direct mail is one of those crucial gears. It might not be as flashy as the latest digital tools, but it is essential in driving your dealership’s success. Let’s explore why direct mail is a key component of your marketing machine and how it integrates seamlessly with other channels to create a powerful, unified strategy. A Key Gear in Your Marketing Machine Imagine your dealership’s marketing strategy as a finely tuned machine. Digital channels like social media, email, and online ads are the high-tech gears that drive speed and agility, quickly engaging with your audience. However, direct mail is another critical gear in this machine, and it is equally important for maintaining smooth and efficient operations. Without it, the entire mechanism could lose balance, impacting overall performance. While it may not always garner the same attention as digital innovations, direct mail is indispensable in keeping your marketing machine running at total capacity. The Tangible Strength of Direct Mail Direct mail brings a personal touch that digital methods often lack. As Kurt Hankey, Corporate Account Manager at TVI MarketPro3, notes, there’s a continual need to highlight the value of direct mail over less costly alternatives like text messages and emails. Direct mail physically reaches your customers, making it a tangible and memorable form of communication. It’s like the sturdy gear in your marketing machine that provides reliable strength, creating a lasting impression that digital interactions alone might not achieve. Precision Targeting and Measurable Outcomes A common concern about direct mail is its perceived cost compared to digital methods. Nick Shaffer, Vice President of Sales at TVI MarketPro3, believes dealers object to direct mail because “it is expensive per touch point.” However, the investment is often justified by the results. Direct mail allows for precise targeting based on customer data, such as service history, vehicle ownership, and change of address information. This targeted approach ensures that each mail piece reaches those most likely to respond, similar to how the gears in a machine must be precisely aligned for optimal performance. Despite the higher cost per touchpoint, the return on investment can be substantial due to the high engagement and conversion rates that direct mail often delivers. Enhancing Customer Loyalty and Retention Direct mail is a powerful tool for building and maintaining customer relationships for a dealership's service department. Regular service reminders, special offers, and loyalty rewards sent through direct mail help keep your dealership top-of-mind. Direct mail helps build a personal connection with customers that digital ads alone might struggle to achieve, bolstering loyalty and retention. Addressing Common Objections: Direct Mail vs. Digital Dealerships may hesitate to invest in direct mail due to its higher costs and perceived obsolescence. But there is an answer that addresses these objections. Cost vs. Value: While direct mail may seem more expensive, its targeted approach often results in higher response rates and better conversion, making it a worthwhile investment. When executed properly, this strategy’s higher cost per touchpoint can more than justify the expense. Perceived Obsolescence: Direct mail is sometimes seen as outdated compared to digital innovations. However, as Kurt Hankey suggests, every marketing channel has “strengths and weaknesses.” Direct mail becomes part of a more comprehensive and effective marketing strategy when used alongside digital channels. Additionally, direct mail can lean into digital enhancements such as QR codes that link to websites with tracking oversight.  Integrating Direct Mail with Digital Strategies Integrating direct mail with digital efforts is essential to maximize your dealership's marketing effectiveness. Here’s how to create a cohesive strategy: Segment and Personalize: Use customer data to tailor direct mail pieces to specific needs, such as service reminders or special promotions based on vehicle history. Synergize with Digital Channels: Combine direct mail with email campaigns, social media promotions, and online ads. For instance, include a QR code in your direct mail that directs recipients to an exclusive online offer, blending the physical and digital experiences. Track and Optimize: Implement tracking methods to evaluate the success of your direct mail campaigns. Analyze response rates and customer feedback to refine your approach and improve future efforts. Conclusion Direct mail may not always be the most talked-about marketing tool, but it is a crucial gear in the well-oiled machine that is your dealership’s marketing strategy. As Nick Shaffer and Kurt Hankey from TVI MarketPro3 emphasize, direct mail provides customers with a reliable and personal connection that digital methods alone can’t achieve. Integrating direct mail with your digital marketing ensures that your dealership’s service department operates smoothly and effectively, capturing attention and engagement from every angle. Don’t let your marketing machine run with missing gears—embrace the full spectrum of tactics to drive balanced and successful outcomes. Contact TVI MarketPro3 today to see how direct mail can boost your service drive traffic.

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Should Dealerships Bundle Services? Pros and Cons

In the competitive landscape of the automotive industry, dealerships constantly seek innovative strategies to attract and retain customers. One such strategy is service bundling. Bundling-related services can offer numerous benefits, but they also present potential drawbacks. Let’s explore the pros and cons of bundling services in automotive fixed operations. Daniel Liberto with Investopedia describes bundling as a pricing strategy companies utilize to package several of their products or services “as a single combined unit, often for a lower price than they would charge customers to buy each item separately.” Pros of Bundling Services Increased Customer Convenience Bundling services can simplify the customer experience. When multiple services are combined into a single package, customers can address various maintenance and repair needs in one visit. This convenience can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. For instance, a bundled package might include an oil change, tire rotation, and brake inspection, saving the customer time and effort. Higher Perceived Value Customers often perceive bundled services as offering better value. By packaging several services together at a discounted rate, dealerships can create an appealing offer that customers find hard to resist. This perceived value can drive higher sales and increase the average transaction value, boosting the dealership's revenue. Streamlined Operations Service bundling can lead to more efficient operations within the service department. With predetermined packages, service advisors can quickly present options to customers, reducing the time spent on individual service recommendations. This streamlined process can improve workflow, minimize wait times, and enhance productivity. Competitive Advantage Bundling services can differentiate a dealership from its competitors in a crowded market. Unique and attractive service packages can attract new customers and retain existing ones, providing a competitive edge. Dealerships that effectively market their bundled services can stand out as convenient and cost-effective choices for vehicle maintenance. Cons of Bundling Services Perceived Lack of Customization One potential drawback of bundling services is that some customers may feel their needs are not being addressed. While bundles offer convenience, they may not always align with individual customer preferences. For example, a customer who only needs an oil change might not see the value in a package that includes additional services they don't require. Complexity in Pricing Creating and managing bundled service packages can be complex. Dealerships must carefully consider pricing strategies to maintain profitability while offering genuine value to customers. Mispricing bundles can lead to diminished margins or customer skepticism about the actual value of the offer. Inventory Management Challenges Bundling services may require dealerships to maintain specific parts and supplies in larger quantities. This can complicate inventory management, especially if certain services within a bundle are not in high demand. Effective inventory control and forecasting are essential to avoid overstocking or stockouts. Potential Overextension of Resources If not appropriately managed, service bundling can strain dealership resources. High demand for bundled packages might lead to an increased technician workload and longer customer wait times. Dealerships must ensure adequate staffing and resources to handle the increased volume without compromising service quality. Conclusion Service bundling offers advantages and challenges for dealerships in the automotive fixed operations industry. While it can enhance customer convenience, increase perceived value, streamline operations, and provide a competitive edge, it also requires careful consideration of customer needs, pricing strategies, inventory management, and resource allocation.  Dealership leaders, fixed operations directors, and service advisors should weigh these pros and cons to determine if bundling services aligns with their overall business strategy and customer service goals. By finding the right balance, dealerships can leverage service bundling to attract and retain customers while maintaining operational efficiency and enhancing service offerings to meet their customers' evolving needs better. For more expert insights, check out tvi-mp3.com

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Enhancing Safety Compliance in the Service Drive

Safety compliance in the service drive is crucial for maintaining a productive, efficient, and secure working environment. Fixed operations directors, service managers, and other dealership leaders must prioritize the well-being of their employees while balancing departmental profitability, customer satisfaction, and employee morale. This article unpacks insights from industry experts Scott Kelford and Tyler Parker, Regional Sales Managers with TVI MarketPro3. Let’s explore the importance of safety compliance and provide actionable steps to enhance safety protocols in your dealership. The Importance of Accountability in Safety Compliance Leadership and Accountability Accountability is paramount in any dealership. Kelford emphasizes the challenge of ensuring that employees adhere to established policies and procedures without ruffling feathers. Leadership must consistently enforce these policies to foster a safety culture. This consistency protects employees and shields the dealership from potential fines and legal issues. Understanding Regulations Keeping up with ever-changing safety regulations can be daunting. Parker points out the difficulty of staying updated with codes and laws. Kelford agrees that regular training and consultation with compliance experts like Kip Prahl Associates can help dealerships remain compliant. These experts provide comprehensive evaluations, documentation, and actionable recommendations to ensure your facility meets all regulatory requirements. Practical Safety Measures in the Service Drive Proper Use of Equipment and Tools Ensuring the proper use and maintenance of equipment is critical. Kelford recalls incidents where he observed unsafe practices, such as using bungee cords on lifts without safety latches. Regular inspections and maintenance of equipment like lifts, electrical cords, and battery containment systems can prevent accidents and injuries. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Providing and enforcing the use of PPE is essential. Standard-issue PPE should include hearing protection, eye protection, gloves, and proper footwear. Clear signage should indicate areas where PPE is mandatory. Regular checks should be conducted to ensure that all employees are using the appropriate safety gear. Hazard Identification and Communication Effective communication about potential hazards is vital. Properly labeling fluids and containers and maintaining clean and organized workspaces can prevent accidents. Implementing a system where hazards are regularly identified, documented, and communicated to the team is a proactive approach to safety. Training and Continuous Improvement Employee Training Regular training sessions, both in-person and online, are crucial for keeping safety top of mind. Parker notes that explaining the reasons behind safety measures increases compliance. Training should cover the practical application of safety protocols and the potential consequences of non-compliance, emphasizing the protection of both employees and the dealership. Consistent Meetings and Culture Building Safety should be an integral part of the dealership’s culture. Consistent meetings to discuss safety issues and updates ensure the message stays relevant. In meetings, Kelford advises making safety a regular topic to prevent it from becoming "out of sight, out of mind." This practice fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Delegating Safety Responsibilities Assigning specific safety responsibilities to dedicated personnel ensures that safety checks are consistently performed. These individuals can oversee tasks such as inspecting washing machines for solvent levels, ensuring proper labeling of containers, and verifying the use of PPE. This delegation not only spreads the workload but also reinforces the importance of safety at all levels of the organization. Conclusion Creating a safe and compliant service drive requires a proactive approach and a commitment to continuous improvement. Dealership leaders can protect their employees and businesses by fostering a culture of accountability, staying updated on regulations, and implementing practical safety measures. Regular training, clear communication, and consistent enforcement of safety protocols are the cornerstones of a successful safety compliance strategy.  Remember, a clean, safe, and well-organized shop enhances employee satisfaction and boosts overall productivity and customer satisfaction. Prioritize safety compliance to create a thriving, risk-free environment in your dealership. Check out tvi-mp3.com for more expert insights.

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Dealership Profits with Mobile Service Solutions

The automotive industry is evolving rapidly, with mobile service in car dealerships emerging as a significant trend. Mobile service offers a convenient and efficient way to provide vehicle maintenance and repairs at the customer's location, enhancing the overall customer experience. Understanding Mobile Service in Car Dealerships Mobile service involves dispatching trained technicians to perform maintenance and repairs at the customer’s preferred location, whether at their home, workplace, or another convenient spot. This approach contrasts with the traditional method, where customers bring their vehicles to the dealership for service. Mobile service offers customers and dealerships flexibility, convenience, and time savings. Benefits of Mobile Service for Dealerships Enhanced Customer Convenience Mobile service provides unparalleled convenience for customers by eliminating the need to travel to the dealership and wait for their vehicle to be serviced. Scott Kelford is a Regional Sales Manager for TVI MarketPro3 and a longtime fixed operations expert. Kelford highlighted this point, explaining, "We get to put that message out to the general public that doesn't know that they don't have to drive to the dealership... people need to understand that the mobile service is mobile, right?" This on-site service reduces customer downtime, making it an attractive option for busy individuals. Increased Customer Loyalty This offering can significantly boost customer loyalty. Personalized, at-home service experiences create a strong competitive advantage, encouraging customers to return for future needs and recommend the dealership to others. Robert Morris is also a Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3 and has decades of automotive expertise. He emphasized the competitive advantage, stating, "[Mobile service] also creates customer loyalty... it's a competitive advantage because once somebody utilizes it, they're going to get hooked." Additional Revenue Streams During on-site visits, mobile car maintenance and repair programs open new opportunities for upselling additional services and products. The convenience of being home rather than stuck at a dealership during these additional services makes it easier to say “yes.” Moreover, dealerships can save on overhead costs while maintaining large service bays, further enhancing profitability. As Morris noted, "Some [dealerships] are much more aggressive with it than others in terms of actually providing vehicle stipends... paying for tools is a line item reimbursement for an oil change, for example, things like that." Implementing Mobile Service in Your Dealership Steps to Integration Assess Dealership Capabilities and Resources: Evaluate your dealership's infrastructure, staff, and financial capacity to support the program. Training and Hiring Mobile Service Technicians: Recruit skilled technicians or provide additional training to existing staff to ensure they can handle the unique challenges of mobile service. As Kelford mentioned, "You have to have a guy with a pretty good skill set... you’ve got to have a person that works well with minimum supervision." Investing in Necessary Tools and Technology: Equip your mobile service units with the tools, diagnostic equipment, and technology to effectively perform a wide range of services. Logistics and Operations Efficient scheduling and dispatching are critical to the success of a mobile service program. Implementing a robust management system ensures timely service delivery and consistent quality control. "You start out small at one, five, ten-mile radius... But now you're starting to see that perimeter scale outward," says Kelford. Overcoming Challenges in Mobile Service Common Obstacles Initial Investment Costs: Setting up a mobile service unit requires an initial investment in vehicles, tools, and technology. Logistical Complexities: Managing a fleet of mobile service units and coordinating schedules can be complex and requires careful planning. Solutions and Best Practices Strategic Planning and Phased Implementation: Start with a pilot program to test and refine your mobile service operations before scaling up. Leveraging Technology for Efficient Management: Utilize advanced scheduling and dispatch software to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Future of Mobile Service in Car Dealerships As technology advances and customer expectations evolve, mobile service is poised to become integral to the automotive service landscape. Embracing this trend can provide long-term benefits for dealerships, including enhanced customer loyalty, additional revenue streams, and operational efficiencies. Fixed operations managers and service directors should explore the potential of mobile service in their dealerships. By investing in the right resources and adopting best practices early on, dealerships can stay ahead of the curve and meet the growing demand for convenient, high-quality automotive services. Morris emphasizes, "It's all about the people. You know, if you have the right person, you're going to be successful. With the right tools and the right equipment, the right customers and the right marketing, all that funnels together." Check out more fixed ops insights at TVI MarketPro3.

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Transparent Pricing in the Service Drive

In today's highly competitive automotive service industry, transparent pricing has become a cornerstone of successful dealership operations. Customers are more informed than ever and often wary of bait-and-switch tactics employed by some aftermarket competitors. For fixed operations directors, service managers, and dealership leaders, establishing a reputation for honesty and openness is crucial to gaining and maintaining customer trust. Here’s why transparent pricing is vital and how to effectively implement it in your service drive. Understanding the Importance of Transparent Pricing Building Trust and Avoiding Bait-and-Switch Tactics Customers today are keenly aware of deceptive practices. As Kurt Hankey, Corporate Account Manager at TVI MarketPro3, points out, "Customers are very aware today of bait-and-switch tactics. And quite frankly, some of the aftermarket competitors do that. It's a low price to get them in. And then it's upsell, upsell, upsell." Transparent pricing involves presenting realistic prices upfront, which helps build long-term trust with customers. Honesty Even When Prices Aren't Ideal Ken Pletcher, Fixed Operations Specialist at TVI MarketPro3, emphasizes the importance of honesty: "Even if you have a price you're not proud of, still put it out there so that [the customer] knows what the price is before they're coming in." Hiding prices can lead to suspicions of hidden fees and erode trust. Instead, being upfront about higher costs can foster a sense of reliability and transparency. Implementing Transparent Pricing in Your Dealership Clear and Comprehensive Pricing It’s essential to provide clear, all-inclusive pricing. Hankey suggests, "If you know an oil change is going to be... $24.95, it's $24.95 plus tax. So you're not going to add a bunch of other fees to that." This approach prevents customers from experiencing unpleasant surprises when they receive the bill, enhancing their trust in your dealership. Educating Your Advisors Your service advisors play a crucial role in communicating the value behind your pricing. Hankey notes, "Have you educated your advisors on how to sell the value of the price that you've set?" Customers often perceive dealer services as more expensive. Advisors must be able to clearly explain the benefits, such as technician training, quality parts, and the efficiency of using factory components, which all contribute to the overall cost. Emphasizing the Value Proposition Dealerships often provide superior value compared to independent shops. Pletcher highlights, "Factory parts, lifetime warranties... the turnaround time to fix a car is less because you're using the right part." Although the hourly rate at an independent shop might be lower, the overall cost can be higher due to inefficiencies and less specialized knowledge. Effective Communication with Customers Providing Upfront Diagnostic Fees Transparency should start with the diagnostic fee when dealing with more complex repairs. Hankey advises, "Give [customers] the price... don't tell them we need to get the car in and see." Customers appreciate knowing the initial cost and potential additional expenses before committing to a service. This clarity helps them manage their expectations and avoid feeling cornered into unforeseen expenses. Detailed Estimates and Regular Updates For more extensive repairs, ensure customers understand the possible outcomes and costs. Pletcher explains the importance of keeping customers informed: "You need to inform your customer as much as possible. Without you, they can't predict the future." Customers can make informed decisions without pressure by having a technician explain the diagnostic process and potential findings. The Competitive Edge of Transparent Pricing Overcoming Perceptions of Higher Costs One of the biggest challenges is the perception that dealer services are more expensive. Hankey discusses the importance of understanding and communicating your competitive edge: "Do the dealer personnel understand that they are competitive?" Dealerships offer comprehensive services, including warranties on parts and labor, while many independents do not. Building Long-Term Customer Relationships Transparent pricing is not just about the immediate sale; it's about building long-term relationships. Hankey concludes, "Our pricing, transparency, and value of the pricing to the customer just all boil down to good communication and confidence." Customers who trust your dealership are more likely to return for future services and recommend you to others. Conclusion Transparent pricing in the service drive is a powerful tool for fixed operations directors, service managers, and dealership leaders. By being upfront and honest about costs, educating your advisors, and effectively communicating the value of your services, you can build lasting trust and loyalty with your customers. In an industry where reputation is everything, transparency is not just a strategy—it's a necessity. Check out our blog for more valuable Fixed Ops insights.

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Sales Funnels for Dealership Service Departments

Developing efficient sales funnels for dealership service departments is crucial. A well-structured sales funnel attracts and retains customers, boosting profitability and customer satisfaction. This guide will walk you through creating a robust sales funnel tailored to your dealership's service department's unique needs. Understanding the Sales Funnel A sales funnel illustrates the customer journey from awareness to decision-making. This journey involves several stages for dealership service departments: Awareness: Potential customers become aware of your services. Interest: They express interest in learning more. Consideration: They compare your services with those of your competitors. Intent: They decide to choose your service department. Purchase: They book a service appointment. Loyalty: They return for future services and recommend your dealership to others. Step 1: Attracting Potential Customers The first step in creating an effective sales funnel is attracting potential customers. You can draw customers in through a combination of marketing strategies: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Optimizing your dealership's website for search engines is crucial. Use keywords relevant to your services, such as "car maintenance," "oil change," "brake repair," and "auto service near me." Ensure your website content is informative, engaging, and regularly updated to improve your search engine ranking. Content Marketing Create valuable content that addresses common automotive issues and maintenance tips. Blog posts, how-to guides, and video tutorials can drive organic traffic to your website. For instance, an article titled "How to Maintain Your Car's Engine" can attract car owners seeking advice and introduce them to your service department. Social Media Marketing Leverage social media platforms to reach a broader audience. Share content that showcases your expertise, special offers, and customer testimonials. Engage with your audience through comments, messages, and live Q&A sessions. Paid Advertising Invest in paid search advertising and social media ads targeting local car owners. Use geo-targeting to ensure your ads reach potential customers in your dealership's vicinity. Direct Mail Seeing your advertisement in print can be more impactful for a portion of your customer base, but you must take a targeted approach to get the most out of this marketing channel. TVI MarketPro3 uses a proprietary database system that identifies customers at every stage of vehicle ownership and maintenance interval. This data-driven strategy helps increase repair orders for our dealer partners nationwide. Step 2: Nurturing Interest and Consideration Once you've attracted potential customers, the next step is to nurture their interest and move them closer to choosing your service department. Email Marketing Collect email addresses through website forms, service promotions, repair order generation, and CRM data entry. . Send regular newsletters with maintenance tips, special offers, and reminders for upcoming services. Personalized emails can significantly increase engagement. Customer Reviews and Testimonials Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Positive reviews build trust and influence the consideration stage of the sales funnel. Service Specials and Promotions To incentivize potential customers, offer limited-time promotions and service specials. Highlight these offers on your website, social media, email, and direct mail campaigns to attract attention. Step 3: Driving Intent and Conversion At this stage, potential customers are considering your service department. The goal is to convert their interest into action. Online Booking System Implement an easy-to-use online booking system on your website. The convenience of booking a service appointment online can significantly increase conversion rates. Service Advisors Ensure your service advisors are trained to provide excellent customer service. They should be knowledgeable, approachable, and able to address customer concerns effectively. Follow-Up Communication After initial contact, follow up with potential customers through phone calls or emails. Address any potential questions and provide additional information to help them make an informed decision. Step 4: Building Loyalty Customer retention is vital for long-term success. Focus on building loyalty to ensure customers return for future services and recommend your dealership to others. Customer Satisfaction Surveys After each service visit, send a satisfaction survey to gather feedback. Use this feedback to improve your services and address any issues promptly. Be sure to follow up on these completed surveys promptly to resolve any lingering issues. Responsiveness is key. Loyalty Programs Implement a loyalty program offering repeat customers discounts, free services, or other perks. Rewarding customers will encourage them to return and increase their lifetime value. Regular Communication Keep in touch with your customers through regular communication. Send reminders for upcoming maintenance, service due dates, and special offers. Conclusion Creating an effective sales funnel for your dealership's service department requires a strategic approach. You can enhance customer satisfaction and boost profitability by attracting potential customers, nurturing their interest, driving conversion, and building loyalty. Implement these steps to develop a robust sales funnel that meets the unique needs of your service department and stays ahead in the competitive car repair market. Subscribe to our blog for more insights and tips on optimizing your dealership's service department and staying updated with industry trends.

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Financing in the Service Department

In the competitive automotive repair industry, fixed operations directors, service managers, and dealership leaders continually seek innovative ways to boost revenue and customer satisfaction. One such strategy that has gained traction is offering financing options in the service department. Below, TVI MarketPro3’s industry experts share their thoughts on the pros and cons of financing from both the dealership and customer perspectives and when it might not be advisable to encourage financing a repair. Pros for the Dealership Increased Revenue - Offering financing options can significantly increase revenue for the service department. Customers who might have otherwise delayed or skipped necessary repairs due to cost concerns are more likely to proceed when financing is available. Bruce Peters, Fixed Operations Specialist at TVI MarketPro3, highlights that this approach “keeps customers from shopping around.”Enhanced Customer Loyalty - Financing options can also enhance customer loyalty. When customers know they can rely on your dealership for flexible payment solutions, they are more likely to return for future services. This dependability can improve customer retention rates and foster long-term relationships.Competitive Advantage - Offering financing can give your dealership a competitive edge in a saturated market. Many customers prefer dealerships that provide financial flexibility, positioning your business as a more attractive option compared to competitors who don't offer similar services.Improved Cash Flow - Financing programs can improve dealership cash flow. Instead of waiting for complete customer payments, dealerships can receive immediate payments from finance companies, ensuring a steady cash flow to support operational expenses and investments.Incremental Business - Robert Morris, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, notes that customers can get preapproved for a dollar amount before visiting the dealership, leading to significant incremental business. For example, a customer who received the financing information via a TVI MarketPro3 mailer got preapproved for $2000. “This is incremental business the service department wouldn’t have had otherwise,” says Morris. Cons for the Dealership Administrative Burden—Implementing and managing a financing program can be administratively burdensome. It requires additional paperwork, staff training, and potentially new software systems to efficiently handle financing applications and approvals. However, some companies partner with dealerships for a fee to process applications.Monthly Fees and Service Charges - A notable drawback is the fee that dealerships must pay to participate in these programs. Some even have fees if no customers use the service that month. Additionally, as Peters mentions, a percentage of the repair cost is charged to the dealer as a fee. These fees can add up and have a decent impact on profit margins.No Participation in Financing Revenue - The dealership benefits from increased repair sales but does not receive financing revenue. Morris explains that the financing company takes 5% of the RO. However, though the dealer loses this percentage, it gains from larger repair jobs that would otherwise be declined. Pros for the Customer Financial Flexibility - For many customers, financing provides much-needed financial flexibility. It allows them to spread out the cost of expensive repairs over time, making it more manageable within their budgets. This financing option can be particularly beneficial for those facing unexpected repair costs. Peters highlights that customers can maintain their budgets while paying for emergency repairs.Immediate Access to Repairs - Financing enables customers to get immediate repairs without waiting until they can afford the full cost. Their vehicles then remain safe and operational, which is crucial for daily commuting and overall convenience.Safety-Related Repairs - Nick Shaffer, Vice President of Sales at TVI MarketPro3, emphasizes that financing allows the customer “to say ‘yes’ to safety-related repairs (tires, brakes, battery) that they otherwise would not have been able to afford.” Potential for Better Deals - Some financing programs offer promotions such as interest-free periods or low interest rates. In this case, financing is an attractive option for customers. These deals can further reduce the financial burden of repairs. Cons for the Consumer Interest and Fees - One of the main drawbacks of financing for customers is the additional cost of interest and fees. Peters points out that these costs can accumulate if the balance is not paid before the introductory short-term rate expires. This will make the total cost of the repair significantly higher than if it were paid in full upfront.Risk of Overextension - Financing can lead to overextension if customers take on more debt than they can comfortably manage. This can result in financial strain and potential defaults, negatively impacting their credit scores.Complex Terms - Financing agreements can sometimes be complex and difficult to understand. Customers might not fully grasp the terms and conditions, leading to misunderstandings and dissatisfaction if unexpected costs arise. When Financing Is Not a Good Idea While offering financing options has numerous benefits, there are times when it might not be advisable: High Interest Rates - If interest rates are excessively high, financing a repair might not be in the customer’s best interest. High interest rates can significantly increase the overall cost, leading to a poor customer experience and financial hardship.Short-Term Financial Instability - Taking on additional debt can be risky for customers already experiencing financial instability. In such cases, discussing alternative solutions that do not involve financing might be more ethical.Minor Repairs - It may be unnecessary to encourage financing for minor repairs that are low priority when it comes to safety or further damage to the vehicle. Customers may prefer to pay out-of-pocket for smaller expenses over dealing with the complexities of a financing agreement.Unclear Financial Benefits - If the customer does not clearly understand the financial benefits, it’s better to avoid pushing for financing. Transparency is crucial to maintaining trust and ensuring customers make informed decisions. Final Thoughts Financing in the service department offers a range of benefits for both dealerships and customers. These include increased revenue and customer loyalty, financial flexibility, and immediate access to necessary repairs. However, it also presents challenges such as administrative burdens, potential defaults, and additional consumer costs. By carefully considering the pros and cons and assessing individual customer situations, dealerships can strategically implement financing options. As fixed operations directors, service managers, and dealership leaders, understanding the intricacies of financing can help you make informed decisions to drive success and build lasting customer relationships. On a final note, Tyler Parker, Regional Sales Manager at TVI MarketPro3, states, "The stores I know that use service department financing all love them."

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Mastering Sales in Dealership Service Drives

Mastering sales in dealership service drives is pivotal to dealership success. While many dealerships focus primarily on showroom sales, the service department presents a significant opportunity to increase sales. By enhancing customer loyalty and driving dealership profitability, fixed operations teams can master sales in the service drive. However, accomplishing this goal will require a strategic approach that prioritizes customer experience, service advisor training, data-driven insights, and innovative sales techniques. Understanding the Service Drive Sales Process The service drive sales process encompasses various stages, each crucial for maximizing revenue and customer satisfaction. Every step contributes to dealership success, from the initial customer interaction to presenting service recommendations and closing the sale. Service advisors are the frontline ambassadors, guiding customers through their vehicle maintenance journey and ensuring a seamless service experience. Strategies for Maximizing Service Drive Sales Training Service Advisors: Thorough training programs help service advisors develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. By mastering customer service, product knowledge, and sales skills, well-trained service advisors can engage customers, increase sales, and build loyalty.Utilizing Technology: Using technology like CRM systems, digital inspection tools, and appointment scheduling software improves efficiency and streamlines operations. These tools enable service advisors to deliver personalized recommendations, track customer preferences, and optimize service appointments for increased sales and customer satisfaction.Creating a Customer-Centric Environment: Building trust and rapport with customers is essential for driving dealership success. Dealerships can create loyal customers by educating them about car maintenance, providing personalized advice, and being transparent in their services. These strategies will encourage customers to return for service and recommend the dealership to others.Incentivizing Sales Teams: Recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance motivates service advisors and technicians to achieve sales targets and deliver exceptional customer service. Performance-based bonuses, recognition programs, and team competitions encourage collaboration and drive dealership sales growth. Measuring and Tracking Service Drive Sales Performance To effectively monitor service drive sales performance, dealerships must employ data-driven insights and key performance indicators (KPIs). Metrics such as average hours sold per repair order, effective labor rate, and customer satisfaction scores provide valuable insights into sales effectiveness and customer experience. Implementing tracking systems and reporting tools enables dealership management to identify areas for improvement, celebrate successes, and drive continuous sales growth. Customer Retention and Loyalty By prioritizing customer retention and loyalty, dealerships can create a committed customer base that generates consistent revenue and referrals. A TechTarget.com article entitled  6 Ways Customer Experience Can Increase Sales points out that customer retention costs less than acquisition. Providing exceptional service experiences, proactive communication, and personalized recommendations incentivizes customers to return for service and strengthens their allegiance to the dealership. Overall, mastering sales in the dealership service drive is essential for maximizing revenue, enhancing customer satisfaction, and driving dealership success. By implementing strategic initiatives, investing in service advisor training, leveraging technology solutions, and prioritizing customer-centricity, dealerships can increase sales, foster customer loyalty, and thrive amidst inventory shortages and market fluctuations.

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Google Business Profiles for Fixed Ops

Establishing a robust online presence in this digital era is essential for businesses across industries, including automotive services. Google Business Profile is a pivotal platform for dealership service departments seeking heightened visibility and customer engagement. This guide explores SEO strategies designed to propel dealership service departments to the forefront of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Let's explore the benefits and optimization best practices when creating a Google Business Profiles for Fixed Ops. An optimized Google Business Profile becomes invaluable as consumers increasingly turn to the internet to research and schedule automotive services. A Google Business profile goes beyond offering essential details like location and operating hours. It also serves as a virtual showcase, spotlighting the department's services, facilities, and expertise.  Service departments can seize prime positions in local searches by: ~implementing targeted keywords~optimizing visual content~managing reviews~leveraging local SEO These actions will expand their online presence and attract qualified leads. Dealers should have a basic understanding of how to effectively utilize their service departments' Google Business Profiles utilizing this checklist. A Profile that Performs Accuracy is paramount to maximize the effectiveness of a dealership service department's Google Business Profile. Ensure to maintain the following fundamental details consistently: ~dealership's name~address~phone number (NAP)~hours of operation~website URL Additionally, providing comprehensive service details is essential for informing potential customers about the department's offerings. Include a detailed list of services provided, highlighting any specialties such as luxury car servicing or expertise in hybrid vehicles. Offer convenient service appointment scheduling options to streamline the customer experience. Adding strategic keywords to the business description enhances the profile's visibility and relevance in search results. Identify and integrate relevant keywords to reflect the service offerings. This practice will boost the service department's chances of appearing prominently in search engine queries. It is essential to incorporate keywords naturally into the description to maintain readability and remain authentic. Seeing is Believing Quality reigns supreme when adding visual content to a dealership service department's Google Business Profile. Uploading professional photos of the service department leaves a lasting impression on potential customers. These photos should showcase the facilities and equipment and the friendly staff, creating a welcoming atmosphere. It’s also essential to highlight waiting areas, amenities, and customer service features to set the service department apart. In addition to photos, engaging videos play a central role in capturing viewers' attention. Virtual tours of the service center provide an immersive experience. It allows customers to familiarize themselves with the facilities from the comfort of their homes. Demonstrations of standard maintenance procedures educate customers and instill confidence in the department's expertise and professionalism. By leveraging high-quality visual content, dealership service departments can effectively communicate their value proposition. The Invaluable Word of Mouth Testimonials from satisfied customers are crucial in bolstering the credibility and reputation of a dealership service department. By showcasing positive experiences shared by previous clients, potential customers are reassured of the department's reliability and quality of service. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews is essential for cultivating a robust online reputation. This is achievable through strategic review request strategies, such as follow-up emails or in-person requests, and incentivizing feedback submission. Managing customer reviews effectively is integral to maintaining a positive online presence and fostering trust with prospective customers. Fixed ops leaders should respond promptly to all reviews, positive or negative. A speedy reply demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction and acknowledges the importance of customer feedback. By addressing concerns and expressing gratitude for positive feedback, dealership service departments can showcase their dedication to delivering exceptional service. Monitoring and analyzing review trends enables departments to identify areas for improvement. The insights learned from studying reviews allow them to continuously refine their service offerings and enhance the overall customer experience. Get Local Local SEO strategies are paramount for dealership service departments to ensure maximum visibility within their target region. After all, you don’t need someone across the country to find your service drive. Instead, your focus should be on attracting those in your own backyard.  Begin with optimizing for local search keywords, including location-specific terms in the business description. Be sure to also add geo-targeted keywords into service offerings. Aligning content with local search intent can help service departments to target customers in their vicinity. Building citations and backlinks from local directories and influential websites further enhances the service department's online presence and credibility. Listing the dealership on local directories and automotive forums increases visibility within the community and boosts local search rankings.  Additionally, earning links from reputable local websites signals to search engines the department's relevance and authority within the local market. Dealerships can solidify their position as a valuable community resource with local-focused content like blog posts and articles. Keep It Active and Up-To-Date Incorporating Google Posts into promotional strategies allows dealership service departments to connect with their audience and drive engagement. Service departments can provide value to their audience and promote their services by creating the following informative and engaging posts: ~announcements of service specials~service promotions~maintenance tips or advice By strategically incorporating relevant keywords and hashtags into posts, service departments can increase visibility for target keywords. They can also enhance post-discoverability, maximizing the reach and impact of their promotional efforts. Monitoring post-performance and adjusting strategies based on engagement metrics allow departments to refine their approach over time. This practice ensures their Google Posts effectively capture their audience's attention and drive desired actions. Monitor and Adjust Utilizing Google My Business Insights provides dealership service departments with invaluable data to gauge the effectiveness of their online presence. Monitoring visibility, engagement, and audience insights allows departments to gain a deeper understanding of their customer base. They will also be able to identify trends for improvement.  Regular SEO audits ensure the dealership's information remains accurate and allow for performance evaluations against competitors. Service departments should stay responsive by implementing feedback-driven improvements based on customer suggestions. Adjusting SEO strategies based on analytics will also allow them to stay responsive to customer needs. On Track for Google Business Success The optimization of Google Business Profiles is critical for the success of dealership service departments. Following these guidelines will set service departments up for enhanced online visibility. However, it's essential to recognize that the digital landscape constantly evolves. It requires ongoing optimization and adaptation to changes in the automotive industry and search engine algorithms. By remaining proactive, dealership service departments can thrive and provide unparalleled value to their customers in the automotive market. For more fixed ops expert industry insights, visit TVI MarketPro3

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Prepping Technicians for Smart Automotive Tool Purchases

A wide-eyed young guy or gal walks through your service drive door, ready for their first day as a technician. They’re excited to embark on their automotive career and make real money for the first time in their life. However, they still feel overwhelmed and lost. They are looking to you, their service department leader, to steer them in the right direction. You’ve got a detailed path for them to follow regarding their position as a tech.  But should leaders reach a bit further to help these youngsters make wise choices when spending their hard-earned money? Too personal? Maybe. But you are asking them to purchase their own tools to do the job you hired them to do. Young, inexperienced techs need a path for when to purchase which tools. Without direction, they can easily swim in the wrong direction and find themselves in a sea of tool debt. This can cause undue stress and have them questioning their career path. There should always be a line between employee decisions and personal decisions. However, since dealers require such a significant investment from technicians to fulfill their duties, fixed ops leaders should set clear guidelines. The goal is to prevent these impressionable employees from what many seasoned professionals describe as the “mine is bigger than yours” game. Providing clear expectations on necessary tools while lending advice on responsible spending fosters a culture of professional and personal success that could ultimately help with technician retention.  Opportunity for Financial Success Trade schools are stepping into the spotlight as viable options and a more prudent path than a four-year degree. Two of the greatest benefits of a trade school are cost and time. Students pay exponentially less than they would for a four-year college or university and gain marketable skills in a much shorter period. In less than two years, students should be able to start making money in their trade while continuing to gain experience that will further their careers. Indeed reports that the average starting wage for automotive technicians nationwide is $25.52 per hour. On top of that, many techs are getting an average of $5,000 of overtime per year. Imagine having no debt and making between fifty and fifty-five thousand dollars annually. Many of these jobs even come with matching 401(k) plans.  So, let’s add a little investment strategy to this scenario. Plugging in conservative numbers into the Dave Ramsey Retirement Calculator reveals that a technician, in this case, would have over a million dollars at retirement age. And that’s if they invest a relatively conservative amount each month and remain debt-free. They also have the option of investing outside of their 401(k) with the guidance of a financial advisor.  If a technician ties up his or her paycheck up in unnecessary tool purchases or other types of debt, their trajectory for personal financial success diminishes greatly. Dealership leaders should recognize that when employees are debt-free, they have much less stress to interfere with their performance. What Industry Pros Have to Say We had a handful of automotive professionals share their thoughts.  TVI MarketPro3 Regional Sales Manager Robert Morris says that providing your own tools is “the cost of admission” for a starting technician. However, he says technicians can acquire a toolbox valued anywhere from ten to twelve thousand dollars if they’re not careful.  BestColleges.com says starter tool sets should range anywhere from “one to four thousand dollars.” So why do technicians feel the need to spend so much more on tools? The consensus is that the culture of dealership service departments often causes tool purchases to spin out of control for a young, inexperienced technician. TVI MarketPro3 Vice President Nick Shaffer and Regional Sales Manager Scott Kelford both describe a culture that encourages impulse buying to keep up with the other techs. Tool trucks come to a dealership lot on the same day and time each week with overpriced tools and high-interest rate financing. Former Fixed Operations Director David Lantz says that in his more than 30 years of fixed ops experience, he’s “seen a lot of good people get buried by the debt, almost as bad or worse than student loans.” A Path to Tool Selection Success So, what do young technicians do when required to purchase their tools? Here are three ways fixed ops leaders can steer their young technicians in the right direction. Timeline for Tool Purchases Create a list of the exact tools techs will need when they start and with each advancement. You can even create a subcategory of a la carte or one-off tools they might need for jobs outside the timeline. To help your technicians create a budget, you can set a price range and provide a brand recommendation for each tool listed.  They must learn that the most expensive tools are rarely necessary to complete the job. A 2020 article by Tomorrow’s Tech provides a list of quality tools that won’t “break the bank.” This article is a good starting point for fixed ops leaders looking to create their own guide. Such a guideline removes some pressure to keep up with fellow technicians and their toolboxes. Teach Them to Resist the Tool Truck Our fixed ops pros all agree that steering clear of the tool truck is an excellent first step to prevent impulse purchases. Lantz encourages young techs not to “get caught up in the Snap-on/Mac tool truck hype,” and Shaffer stresses that these tools “cost about five times what they would cost if [techs] went to Sears and bought a Craftsman thing. Or went to Harbor Freight and bought a different brand. They are genuinely better, but not five times better.”  When the tool guy whispers in their ear that they can load up their toolboxes if they’re willing to pay hundreds of dollars per month for the rest of their lives, many of these technicians fall into the trap. But the more they understand they don’t need all the tools right now, the less susceptible they are to the slick sales pitch and the shiny new tools.  Advise Techs to Avoid Taking on Debt to Purchase Tools Delayed gratification is a challenging concept for some to grasp, especially for young professionals making a decent wage. But as Kelford says, “Just because you can finance things from your local vendor or tool truck does not mean you need to load up on tools that you might not need for a couple of years, or at all.”  Lantz agrees and reminds technicians to “save [their] money starting out. Financing it all sounds good until [they] are paying $20 a week forever.” Some Final Thoughts Kelford reminds new technicians that “[they] are embarking on a pretty big financial investment, not only with essential tools but also diagnostic equipment.” He says it’s all about finding guidance and knowing the right timing. “It is not about buying cheaper tools or equipment. It is more about buying what you need when you need it. The right tools at the right time is key.” Shaffer echoes this sentiment: “The more entry-level your job is as a technician, the fewer the tools that you need.” Techs can also look for dealerships that “have a fast start program where they might provide [techs] with [their] essential tools up front and provide a payroll deduct option for [the] tools,” says Kelford. These programs are also something more dealerships should consider offering as an incentive to combat technician turnover. We’ll tie things up with this last bit of advice from Kelford: “Start slow, spend slow, and build slow.” If industry leaders can pass along this basic concept to the next generation of technicians, we might see increased individual success, which could lead to improved service department success overall. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more industry insights.

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AI and Cameras in Dealership Service Departments

Dealership service departments are constantly seeking to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction. The integration of cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) technology has emerged as a game-changer, offering unprecedented insights and efficiencies that drive success. Embracing these advancements can catapult a dealership to new heights of excellence and profitability. As we mozied around NADA Show 2024 in Las Vegas, we bumped into Skaivision’s Dan Dillingham. The conversation was so compelling that we invited him to our booth to discuss his company's solutions further. These solutions are fascinating and should be very exciting for dealerships - you can see the interview here.  Skaivision taps into cameras that already exist in the dealership’s service department. Combined with AI, these cameras feed real-time information to service department leaders. This is a huge benefit to busy leaders who wish they could clone themselves to catch all inefficiencies as or before they occur, but like any technology, it can also be abused. When utilized incorrectly, it can have the opposite effect. The Role of Cameras and AI in Dealership Service Departments Imagine a service department with finely tuned operations, seamless customer interactions, and perfectly optimized resources. This vision is not far-fetched with the integration of cameras and AI. These cutting-edge technologies work harmoniously to monitor workflows, analyze data, and suggest actionable insights for improvement. From tracking service bay utilization to optimizing technician schedules, the possibilities are endless. Benefits of Integrating Cameras and AI Camera and AI integration in dealership service departments offers countless benefits. Firstly, operational efficiency skyrockets with streamlined workflows and the identification and elimination of bottlenecks. This translates into reduced customer wait times and increased throughput for the dealership.  Secondly, these integrations help dealerships elevate the customer experience with faster service turnaround times and personalized interactions. Behind the scenes, data-driven insights empower dealership leaders to make informed decisions, leading to cost savings and strategic improvements. Best Practices for Implementation Transparency and communication are paramount when implementing camera and AI technology in dealership service departments. When dealership leaders engage employees in the process and establish clear policies and guidelines, they foster a culture of trust and collaboration.  Providing comprehensive training and support ensures employees understand the benefits of the technology. They also feel empowered to leverage its capabilities. By prioritizing transparency and accountability, dealership leaders lay the foundation for a successful integration that maximizes the potential of cameras and AI. Ethical Considerations and Transparency with Employees As dealership leaders, it is essential to navigate the ethical considerations surrounding the use of cameras and AI in service departments. Balancing the benefits of increased efficiency with employee privacy and autonomy requires careful deliberation and open dialogue. Dealership leaders must demonstrate their commitment to ethical practices and employee well-being by fostering transparency and involving employees in decision-making. Through collaboration and mutual respect, dealership service departments can harness the power of technology while upholding the highest ethical standards. Cons of Camera and AI Integration While the advantages of integrating cameras and AI in dealership service departments are undeniable, it is essential to acknowledge potential challenges and drawbacks. Increased efficiency and productivity are significant advantages, but privacy concerns and employee resistance may arise. However, with proactive communication, training, and a commitment to transparency, fixed ops leaders can address these challenges effectively, paving the way for a successful integration that benefits employees and customers alike. Embrace the Possibilities The integration of cameras and AI technology represents a transformative opportunity for dealership service departments. By embracing innovation, fostering transparency, and prioritizing ethical practices, dealership leaders can revolutionize efficiency and elevate the customer experience tot unprecedented levels of excellence. Dealership and service department leaders have the power to lead their dealerships to thrive in the era of technological advancement. As we mozied around NADA Show 2024 in Las Vegas, we bumped into Skaivision’s Dan Dillingham. The conversation was so compelling that we invited him to our booth to discuss his company's solutions further. These solutions are fascinating and should be very exciting for dealerships - you can see the interview here.  Skaivision taps into cameras that already exist in the dealership’s service department. Combined with AI, these cameras feed real-time information to service department leaders. This is a huge benefit to busy leaders who wish they could clone themselves to catch all inefficiencies as or before they occur, but like any technology, it can also be abused. When utilized incorrectly, it can have the opposite effect. The Role of Cameras and AI in Dealership Service Departments Imagine a service department with finely tuned operations, seamless customer interactions, and perfectly optimized resources. This vision is not far-fetched with the integration of cameras and AI. These cutting-edge technologies work harmoniously to monitor workflows, analyze data, and suggest actionable insights for improvement. From tracking service bay utilization to optimizing technician schedules, the possibilities are endless. Benefits of Integrating Cameras and AI Camera and AI integration in dealership service departments offers countless benefits. Firstly, operational efficiency skyrockets with streamlined workflows and the identification and elimination of bottlenecks. This translates into reduced customer wait times and increased throughput for the dealership.  Secondly, these integrations help dealerships elevate the customer experience with faster service turnaround times and personalized interactions. Behind the scenes, data-driven insights empower dealership leaders to make informed decisions, leading to cost savings and strategic improvements. Best Practices for Implementation Transparency and communication are paramount when implementing camera and AI technology in dealership service departments. When dealership leaders engage employees in the process and establish clear policies and guidelines, they foster a culture of trust and collaboration.  Providing comprehensive training and support ensures employees understand the benefits of the technology. They also feel empowered to leverage its capabilities. By prioritizing transparency and accountability, dealership leaders lay the foundation for a successful integration that maximizes the potential of cameras and AI. Ethical Considerations and Transparency with Employees As dealership leaders, it is essential to navigate the ethical considerations surrounding the use of cameras and AI in service departments. Balancing the benefits of increased efficiency with employee privacy and autonomy requires careful deliberation and open dialogue. Dealership leaders must demonstrate their commitment to ethical practices and employee well-being by fostering transparency and involving employees in decision-making. Through collaboration and mutual respect, dealership service departments can harness the power of technology while upholding the highest ethical standards. Cons of Camera and AI Integration While the advantages of integrating cameras and AI in dealership service departments are undeniable, it is essential to acknowledge potential challenges and drawbacks. While increased efficiency and productivity are significant advantages, privacy concerns and employee resistance may arise. However, with proactive communication, training, and a commitment to transparency, fixed ops leaders can address these challenges effectively, paving the way for a successful integration that benefits employees and customers alike. Embrace the Possibilities The integration of cameras and AI technology represents a transformative opportunity for dealership service departments. By embracing innovation, fostering transparency, and prioritizing ethical practices, dealership leaders can revolutionize efficiency and elevate the customer experience tot unprecedented levels of excellence. Dealership and service department leaders have the power to lead their dealerships to thrive in the era of technological advancement. Check out more TVI MarketPro3 industry insights

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Saving in Service Departments: Trim Cost, Not Quality

The automotive industry relies on precision and efficiency, and fixed operations directors and service managers are continuously seeking strategies to cut costs without compromising on quality. Finding the delicate balance between cutting costs and maintaining top-notch quality is a challenge faced by all dealership leaders. However, like all other areas of management,  Identifying Areas of Waste Personnel Optimization The backbone of any service department is its workforce. Some dealerships have robust service teams while others struggle to keep adequate staffing. In either account, it is important to strategically streamline staffing levels and cross-train employees to maximize versatility without compromising the quality of service. It’s a delicate balance, as being understaffed can cause you to lose business, and being overstaffed causes waste. The first step towards optimizing your workforce is a careful examination of staffing levels. Consider the specific needs of your service department and evaluate whether your current staffing structure aligns with the demands of the business. Are there areas where roles might overlap, creating redundancy? Are certain positions consistently underutilized? If you find that certain tasks can be efficiently handled by cross-trained employees or shared among team members, restructuring roles can lead to a more efficient and cost-effective workforce. Perhaps a valet can take on additional tasks such as installing wiper inserts, washing cars, answering phones, or pre-booking repair orders. This allows these individuals to provide additional value to clients and the service department during down time. These strategies have always helped to solve staffing challenges, but absenteeism has increased post COVID requiring approximately 10% more staff than before. The more you prepare your service team to take on tasks across the board, the less impact these absences will have on business. Inventory Management An optimized parts inventory is the key to a thriving service department. The key is to strike the right balance between having enough stock to meet customer demands promptly and avoiding the pitfalls of excess inventory. Regularly analyze historical usage data to identify trends and forecast future demand accurately. Dealerships must optimize the inventory for the high-demand items, ensuring availability without tying up capital in slow-moving parts. Parts managers should also stay on top of obsolete stock, which ties up valuable shelf space and capital, impacting the bottom line. Implementing just-in-time inventory practices ensures that parts arrive precisely when they are needed, minimizing the need for extensive on-site storage. This approach reduces carrying costs and the risk of parts becoming obsolete before they are used. Equipment and Technology Investigate how evaluating the efficiency of current tools and investing in cost-effective, high-quality technology can not only enhance productivity but also contribute to long-term cost savings. Technicians can actively assess the speed and accuracy of their current tools to determine if there is more efficient equipment on the market, but service managers have the ultimate responsibility to stay abreast of the new tools and technology available. Upgraded technology can significantly reduce diagnostic times, increase technician productivity, and enable proactive identification of potential issues. Benefits can include reduced labor expenses, heightened service capacity, and preventive maintenance opportunities. Improving Operational Efficiencies Streamlining Workflow Efficient service processes are the heartbeat of a successful department. Mapping and optimizing these processes, along with implementing efficient scheduling systems, will help your team reach its full potential. This commitment to process optimization and strategic scheduling empowers the team to operate cohesively and increases reliability and customer service operation within the dealership’s service department. Preventative Maintenance Explore the benefits of regular equipment maintenance and the implementation of predictive maintenance strategies to prevent costly breakdowns, ensuring your service department operates seamlessly. By adhering to a proactive schedule of inspections and upkeep, the department can avoid these predicaments.  TVI MarketPro3’s Vice President of Sales, Nick Shaffer, recommends service leaders stay on top of the following inspections: calling out annual inspections of vehicle liftsregular calibration of emissions equipmentcleaning brake latheskeeping software updated on all PCsconfirming proper operation of all safety equipment especially fire extinguishers and eye wash stations. This practice ensures that every piece of equipment operates at peak efficiency, minimizing downtime, and maximizing overall productivity. Cost-Effective Training Continuous employee training is an investment in long-term success. Delve into strategies for leveraging online resources and in-house programs to keep your team skilled and adaptable, contributing to sustained cost savings. Sustainable Cost Reduction Negotiating with Suppliers The relationships you build with suppliers can significantly impact your bottom line. Learn how to secure better deals and establish long-term partnerships, creating a foundation for sustainable cost reduction. Shaffer recommends starting with your aftermarket chemical supplier, detail department supplier, and oil supplier. Energy Efficiency By incorporating energy-saving initiatives and embracing eco-friendly practices, your dealership not only cuts operational costs but also aligns with the growing consumer preference for environmentally conscious businesses, showcasing a commitment to sustainability that resonates positively with customers and stakeholders alike. SlipNGrip.com suggests some ways to help in these efforts such as buying in bulk, using products made from recycled material, using energy efficient lighting and equipment, properly disposing of hazardous materials, and using non-toxic paint, cleaners, and other chemicals. Proven Marketing Strategies Customer Retention Programs Explore the importance of retaining existing customers through loyalty programs and incentives. Strategies that foster long-term profitability by creating a loyal customer base will boost your revenue. Targeted Marketing Save marketing dollars with data-driven marketing strategies. In other words, don’t cast a wide marketing net hoping to draw in your ideal customer. TVI MarketPro3 uses the power of data to find the customers in your market that drive your dealership’s make of vehicle, then reaches them with customized offers. This proven strategy ensures dealerships are getting the most out of their marketing investment. Balancing Cost-Cutting with Revenue Growth Dealership leaders must understand the importance of strategic decision-making and discover areas where cutting costs can enhance overall service quality. It’s a strategic approach to achieving sustained profitability for your dealership. By embracing these strategies, dealership leaders can confidently steer their service departments toward success.

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Tackling Customer Wait Times in Fixed Ops

The Road to Swift Service "Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend." - Theophrastus Car maintenance and repairs shouldn't break the bank, but in today's economic landscape, even routine maintenance tasks like an oil change can feel like a financial strain on your customers' monthly budgets. The real challenge, however, extends beyond mere monetary costs – it's the invaluable commodity of time. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, finding a window for basic car maintenance becomes a formidable obstacle for your busy customers. This is especially true for those juggling multiple responsibilities after a hectic workday. Imagine the frustration of being without a vehicle because a dealership can't accommodate you immediately or lacks the necessary parts for a repair, causing a ripple effect on your customers' financial well-being. It's not just about the dollars spent; it's the immeasurable impact on their precious time and overall convenience. Navigating the Complex Landscape of Customer Wait Times While dealerships can’t prevent all hurdles that cause lengthy or delayed repairs, it’s important to address any of the areas that will keep these delays to a minimum. When the delay can’t be avoided, communication must be on point to encourage customer understanding and patience. Here are some things to consider for improved wait times and the overall service customer experience. Identifying the Root Causes It can be difficult to narrow lagging repairs down to a glaring cause, as multiple issues are typically in play. Fixed ops leaders must be willing to consistently audit their processes and evaluate their teams to identify areas for improvement. In addition to making your own observations, many dealerships can lean on data collected in their manufacturer’s customer satisfaction (CSI) surveys to find where their opportunities are. These surveys often measure wait times dropping off, wait times picking up, and total completion time. Increased Vehicle Complexity Manufacturers continue to increase the complexity of vehicle design, and in doing so, are making them more difficult to repair. A Wired.com article points out that ”each vehicle is now studded with sensors, packed with hundreds or thousands of computer chips, and controlled by software.” While the resulting product might benefit vehicle sales, the unintended consequences of computerized cars are taking a toll on service departments. Repairing these complicated vehicles requires greater expertise that is pricy to attain, and many repairs take much longer to complete even with adequate knowledge. Dealerships should invest in ongoing technician training to keep up with the latest advancements in vehicle technology. The more skilled a team is, the easier it’ll be to provide the most efficient repairs. Staffing Shortages Most dealerships are no strangers to staffing shortages and are well aware that a low technician headcount can lead to longer customer wait times. The question is, what is actively being done to recruit and keep talented techs? At TVI MarketPro3, we discussed this topic at length with many of our dealer partners. The interviews covered the challenges of staffing shortages and the many different ideas these fixed ops pros implemented to solve the problem. A few highlights include: partnering with schools to recruit and grow techs immediately upon graduation, mentorship programs, and creating a clear and transparent path to career success. Inefficient Workflow Chick-fil-A is known for being one of the most efficient fast-food restaurants in the country, and that’s no accident. The method to their magic includes training, technology, drive-through design, and planning. Focusing on each of these pillars for your service drive will create a more efficient workflow, but planning is imperative to true improvement. Chick-fil-A even has its own innovation center based in Atlanta, from which it can test and implement innovations to help it combat problems. Dealership leaders can create similar innovation systems by implementing the following steps: Observe: Fixed operations managers and service directors should have designated times to watch their processes and players and take notes on any points that seem to lag.Determine Causation: Find the cause of any issues impacting efficiency. Was it an issue with equipment access, or was it a team member who wasn’t confident enough for a specific repair?Gameplan: Discuss with the team possible ways to prevent the slowdown going forward.Practice: Carve out time to run through the new process multiple times with all team members.  All of the above actions take time that fixed ops leaders simply don’t have if they aren’t intentional. Whether it’s once per week or per month, taking the time to assess the service drive’s situation is the only way to overcome these challenges. Communication is Key Even when dealer leaders do all they can to create efficient processes, there will still be surprise hurdles that will slow things down. In this case, the focus should be fixing the problem as quickly as possible and communicating with the customer. There are a couple of ways to ensure communication is easy and accurate. Setting Realistic Expectations Service advisors need to give the most accurate service time estimates possible. There are software programs that help service departments produce accurate labor times on maintenance or repair jobs. Something like this would be a good technological investment. But even with the best predictions, the unexpected will still happen, and when it does, clear communication channels are a must. Leveraging Technology Communication is much quicker and easier with text and email capabilities. Service advisors are able to keep the customer in the loop throughout the repair process. There are also online service status trackers that keep the customer apprised, much like pizza ordering apps. This is a more automated system that takes care of the updates for you. Frequent and consistent communication using these tools prevents undue frustration and worry. It also allows the customer to make accommodations around the absence of their vehicle.  Customer Comfort Oftentimes, a customer without alternative transportation will be forced to wait at the dealership. Imagine if you could change the word “forced” to “get.” You can! Dealerships have the ability to change the hours-long wait at a dealership from an inconvenience to an opportunity.  Transportation Uninterrupted Transportation provisions are the ultimate way to ensure a service customer’s day isn’t thrown too far off track by car repair or maintenance. However, events over the past few years have decreased the number of available loaner cars. While this situation slowly improves, dealerships still face the challenge of providing temporary transportation for their service customers. Some dealers have even added restrictions on what repairs qualify for loaners. Shuttle services and rideshare vouchers are helpful but not always available to every dealer. When rides are not available, the dealer has one option. Comfort and Amenities Make the customer’s stay as welcoming as possible. Give your customers the opportunity to enjoy your coffee bar, fully stocked with coffee brewed to perfection and a variety of sweeteners and creamers. Did the customer miss out on their Starbucks run? Not a problem. You even have pastries in case they need a little something to hold them over. Have a seat in the comfortable lounge, equipped with tables and Wi-Fi, so they can crack open their laptop and get some work done. Some dealership lounges even offer barbers, manicures, massages, putting greens, and cardio machines. Think outside the box! Digital Access Whether your customer needs to work or just needs to unwind while waiting, your lobby’s digital game needs to be up to speed with easily accessible, complimentary Wi-Fi, phone charging ports, and outlets for laptops and other devices. These relatively inexpensive conveniences make the car repair process a lot easier to stomach for busy clients. Awareness Having these luxuries makes no difference if you don’t consistently promote them at every opportunity. Show your customer the experience by including pictures of your waiting room on your mail pieces and email promotions. Tell them about the amenities as you schedule their next service, and ensure your website and online scheduler paint the picture as well. These reminders need to be integrated into all communication so your customers can envision a positive experience if they have the privilege of spending their day with you. Do you see the spin? Steering Towards Success Minimizing customer wait times not only enhances customer satisfaction but also gives a competitive advantage within the uniquely challenging landscape of the fixed operations industry. By efficiently managing service timelines, fixed operations leaders position their dealerships for success and customer loyalty. This commitment to streamlined processes not only addresses immediate concerns but sets the stage for an improved customer experience in the future. As fixed operations leaders navigate this problem-solving path, they pave the way for continued success and prosperity for both their teams and the entire dealership.

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Optimizing Parts Inventory in Fixed Ops

A Roadmap for Success In the fast-paced and highly competitive automotive industry, dealerships must deliver exceptional customer experiences. Just as important is maintaining cost-efficiency and driving profit. At the heart of achieving this delicate balance lies the often-overlooked but pivotal task of optimizing parts inventory.  The strategic management of parts inventory directly impacts customer satisfaction and financial success. Understanding the interplay between inventory management, customer satisfaction, and overall success is critical for dealerships seeking a sustainable competitive advantage.  Assessing Current Inventory The first crucial step on the journey to parts inventory optimization is conducting a comprehensive parts inventory audit. Technological advancements are driving unprecedented changes in the automotive industry, and utilizing cutting-edge technology is imperative for an accurate assessment. Dealerships can leverage comprehensive inventory management software and tracking systems to gain real-time visibility into their parts inventory. This allows for precision in tracking stock levels to create seamless data integration. . Strategic evaluation is paramount when executing parts inventory audits. Dealerships must define and analyze key metrics to gauge the health of their inventory. The turnover rate is the speed of parts sales and replenishment. It serves as a critical indicator of inventory efficiency.  Simultaneously, assessing the degree of obsolescence guards against carrying outdated and unsellable stock, while monitoring stockouts helps prevent missed sales opportunities. This meticulous examination forms the foundation for informed decision-making in subsequent stages of the optimization process. Utilizing Advanced Inventory Management Systems Dealerships are increasingly turning to cutting-edge inventory management systems to increase operational efficiency. Advanced inventory softwares offer a host of features and benefits that redefine how dealerships manage their parts inventory. Real-time tracking provides instantaneous visibility into inventory levels, enabling dealerships to make informed decisions promptly. This capability enhances responsiveness to customer demands and minimizes the risk of stockouts and associated revenue loss. Demand forecasting, another vital feature of advanced inventory software, empowers dealerships to anticipate market trends and customer needs proactively. Dealerships should leverage historical data and market insights to optimize stock levels and reduce excess inventory. These preemptive measures ensure the right parts are available at the right time.  Integrating these systems with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) platforms establishes a seamless flow of information. The enhanced communication and coordination between the dealership and OEM streamlines the ordering process. It also ensures that the inventory aligns with the latest models and specifications. The ultimate result is a more responsive and customer-centric operation. Planning for Precision Developing a strategic parts procurement plan is essential for effective parts inventory optimization. It begins with the establishment of robust relationships with reliable suppliers. Vendor relationships are pivotal in maintaining a healthy and efficient parts supply chain. Strong connections with trusted suppliers ensures a steady and reliable stream of quality parts and facilitates open communication channels.  This collaboration proves invaluable in navigating supply chain challenges, addressing potential disruptions, and maintaining a responsive inventory that aligns with customer demands. These symbiotic relationships allow dealerships to employ negotiation strategies, but ultimately, the partnership is a win-win scenario for both parties. The implementation of Just-In-Time (JIT) has emerged as a strategic imperative for inventory practices.  A 2023 article by Ineak.com, entitled How Toyota’s Just-in-Time System Revolutionized Manufacturing, claims that JIT practices reduce overstock and holding costs. Dealerships can order and receive parts precisely when needed for service or sale. This ability minimizes the financial burden associated with excess inventory.  Simultaneously, JIT practices ensure parts availability when required, preventing stockouts and potential disruptions to customer service. This delicate balance between cost reduction and service reliability positions JIT inventory practices as a linchpin in the overarching strategy for parts inventory optimization. Training and Empowering Staff Ongoing parts and service team training plays a pivotal role in ensuring adaptability and excellence. Cross-training is invaluable in a field that increasingly demands interdisciplinary skills. It equips team members with a broader skill set and fosters a deeper understanding of the entire fixed operations process.  This holistic approach enables employees to seamlessly collaborate across departments, enhancing operational efficiency and customer service. Cross-training initiatives promote a workforce that is agile, versatile, and capable of meeting service and parts challenges. Equally critical is keeping teams informed about new technologies. In an industry consistently facing technological advancements, staying ahead of the curve is not just advantageous but imperative. Technology training ensures that employees are well-versed in the latest diagnostic tools, repair techniques, and inventory management systems.  This knowledge allows team members to navigate modern vehicle complexities, provide enhanced customer service, and optimize advanced inventory management systems. Technical expertise and practical application position the dealership to meet current customer expectations and anticipate and adapt to future industry trends. Monitoring and Adjusting the Inventory Strategy Regular reviews of  KPIs serve as the compass guiding the dealership through market trends. Tracking metrics (turnover rates, stock levels, and customer satisfaction scores) give dealerships real-time insights into their inventory performance. This proactive approach identifies emerging market trends and empowers the dealership to adapt swiftly. Customer demands in the automotive industry are ever-changing, and dealerships must remain attuned to these evolving preferences. Changes in vehicle models and technologies require a dealership to be agile in updating its inventory strategy. Anticipating and proactively responding to these changes aligns dealership inventory with the latest automotive innovations. Planning for Parts Parts managers and other dealership decision-makers must apply these strategies to optimize their fixed operations for efficiency and customer satisfaction. This journey isn’t a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment to excellence. It will ultimately position dealerships as leaders in the ever-evolving automotive marketplace. Check out TVI MarketPor3 for more industry insights.

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Fixed Operations Marketing: Strategies for Success

Despite the significant role fixed operations plays in a dealership, fixed operations marketing often takes a backseat compared to other marketing efforts. Fixed operations is a unique part of a dealership with a different target audience than that of the sales department. It also presents specific challenges and needs a customized approach. Therefore, fixed ops leaders should ensure the marketing is multifaceted and comprehensive, targeting the right audience at the right time. Challenges in Fixed Operations Marketing Fixed operations marketing faces several unique challenges. Unlike marketing to new vehicle sales, marketing to fixed operations requires targeting a different audience segment. Customers are often limited in their awareness of the range of services and parts available. Moreover, the perceived high cost of dealership services and parts can dissuade customers from choosing these options over independent service providers or aftermarket alternatives. Overcoming these challenges demands innovative strategies. The Need to Adapt In today's digital age, where customers have access to vast amounts of information and options, traditional marketing approaches alone may not yield optimal results. While marketing through channels like direct mail still packs a significant punch, a strong digital strategy must be implemented to stay competitive and maximize revenue in fixed operations. Fixed ops leaders should embrace technology, leverage data and analytics, and deliver individual customer experiences through digital channels. Key Strategies for Success in Fixed Operations Marketing Transforming fixed operations marketing requires adopting key strategies that align with the evolving needs of customers. Let's explore some of these strategies: Utilizing Data and Analytics Data and analytics play a crucial role in understanding customer behavior, preferences, and trends. By leveraging data from various sources, businesses can identify patterns, segment their customer base, and develop targeted marketing campaigns. Analyzing data can also help identify gaps in service offerings, allowing businesses to tailor their operations to meet customer demands more effectively. Implementing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) A robust CRM system can streamline customer interactions, improve communication, and enhance overall customer experience. By implementing a CRM platform, businesses can track customer interactions, manage service appointments, and tailor marketing messages based on individual preferences. This customized approach can foster stronger relationships with customers and increase their likelihood of choosing your dealership for services and parts. Embracing Digital Channels Digital channels provide a vast landscape for reaching and engaging with customers. From social media platforms to paid search marketing, businesses can leverage these channels to promote their fixed operations. Creating compelling content, such as informative blog posts, engaging videos, and interactive quizzes, can generate interest and drive engagement. Additionally, online advertising campaigns can target specific demographics and geographic areas, maximizing the impact of marketing efforts. Creating Personalized Customer Experiences Customers today seek experiences that cater to their unique needs and preferences. To deliver such experiences, businesses can implement online appointment scheduling systems and offer tailored service packages. Using customer data, dealerships can proactively reach out to customers for service reminders or provide individual offers based on their vehicle's maintenance history. These personalized touches can create a sense of exclusivity and build stronger connections with customers. Building Strong Partnerships Collaborating with other businesses in the automotive industry can yield significant benefits in fixed operations marketing. By partnering with complimentary service providers, businesses can expand their service offerings and reach new customer segments. The Future of Fixed Operations Marketing As the automotive industry continues to evolve, so too will marketing for the parts and service departments. Here are some aspects to consider for the future: Emerging Trends and Technologies Advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, are taking marketing to once-unimaginable possibilities. Chatbots, for instance, can provide instant support and answer common customer queries, enhancing the overall customer experience. Additionally, predictive analytics can anticipate maintenance needs, allowing businesses to proactively reach out to customers before issues arise. Changing Consumer Behaviors Consumer behaviors and expectations are constantly evolving. To succeed in fixed operations marketing, businesses must stay attuned to these changes and adapt their strategies accordingly. For example, as more customers embrace electric vehicles, businesses must consider how this shift impacts their service offerings, training programs, and marketing messages. Continued Evolution and Innovation Fixed operations marketing will continue to evolve as businesses push the boundaries of innovation. From experimenting with new marketing channels to exploring creative service offerings, the industry will constantly seek ways to better connect with customers and exceed their expectations. A Marketing Alignment Cutting-edge fixed operations marketing is essential for businesses seeking to thrive in the automotive industry. By understanding the importance of fixed operations, recognizing the challenges, and adopting innovative strategies, businesses can maximize revenue, boost customer engagement, and increase brand loyalty. The future of service drive marketing holds immense potential for those willing to embrace emerging trends and technologies while continuously evolving to meet changing consumer behaviors.

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In With the Old: The Hidden Gems of Fixed Ops

In the dynamic world of the automotive industry, where the spotlight often shines brightly on the latest car models, it can be easy to overlook a goldmine of opportunity right in front of you: marketing to older model vehicles. Fixed operations leaders, responsible for the service and maintenance that keep vehicles on the road, should take note of the value in this often-neglected market segment. The Changing Automotive Landscape The automotive landscape is changing, and it's vital to adapt your marketing strategies accordingly. Older model vehicles are becoming increasingly prevalent on the road. Recent statistics indicate a steady rise in the average age of vehicles. According to new data from S&P Global Mobility, the average age of light vehicles (cars, utility vehicles, and light trucks) is now up to 12.5 years. More people are holding onto their cars, opening doors to new possibilities for fixed operations. Moreover, there's a growing demand for affordable and reliable transportation. In uncertain economic times, many individuals seek cost-effective solutions, and older model vehicles, when well-maintained, fit the bill perfectly. These vehicles represent a lifeline for budget-conscious consumers. Shift in Demographics of Vehicle Ownership Another key factor to consider is the shifting demographics of vehicle ownership. As the population ages, many individuals find comfort in the familiarity of the vehicles they've owned for years. This demographic trend further emphasizes the importance of targeting older model vehicles. Advantages of Marketing to Older Model Vehicles Marketing to owners of these vehicles offers a range of advantages. It allows you to expand your customer base by reaching budget-conscious consumers actively looking for cost-effective repairs and maintenance. By showcasing your ability to provide high-quality, affordable services for older vehicles, you can attract customers who value both quality and value. Building Trust and Loyalty Additionally, marketing to older model vehicles offers the opportunity to build trust and loyalty. Establishing long-term customer relationships is a cornerstone of any successful business. By catering to the needs of older vehicle owners, you can create lasting bonds that extend beyond the life of a single car. These loyal customers often become your most enthusiastic brand advocates. Demonstrating Commitment to All Customers Demonstrating your commitment to serving all customers, regardless of their vehicle's age, builds trust and customer loyalty. It showcases your dedication to providing reliable and customer-focused services, an attribute that resonates strongly with consumers. Challenges and Strategies However, it's essential to acknowledge and address the challenges that come with marketing to older model vehicles:  Parts Availability and Compatibility Sourcing parts for discontinued models can be a hurdle, but building relationships with suppliers specializing in older vehicle components can mitigate this issue. Offering alternative solutions, such as reconditioned or aftermarket parts, can also be valuable. Evolving Technology and Expertise Keeping up with evolving technology and expertise is crucial. Invest in ongoing training and resources to ensure your technicians are well-versed in older vehicle technologies. Equipping your team with the skills to service a variety of vehicles, regardless of their age, is a strategic move that pays off in customer satisfaction. Tailored Marketing Approaches Tailored marketing approaches are key to success in this endeavor. Creating customized service packages specifically designed for older models demonstrates your expertise in maintaining and repairing them. Crafting marketing campaigns that resonate with older vehicle owners, highlighting the value and reliability of your services, is equally essential. A Path to Success Marketing to older model vehicles in fixed operations is more than a strategy; it's a necessity for long-term success. By recognizing the growing market for older vehicles, understanding the advantages of targeting this segment, and addressing the associated challenges, fixed operations leaders can position their businesses for sustainable growth.  As you plan your marketing strategies, remember that older model vehicles are not just a part of your customer base; they are a cornerstone of your success in the automotive industry. Embrace this opportunity, and you'll not only expand your customer base but also solidify your reputation as a trusted, customer-centric service provider, ensuring a prosperous future for your business. Check out more industry insights at tvi-mp3.com.

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Charging Ahead: Equipping Technicians for an EV Adventure

As the automotive industry accelerates towards a future defined by electric vehicles (EVs), the road ahead is not just paved with innovation, but also opportunity. In this electrifying era of transportation, preparing for change is not merely a choice—it's a necessity. Today's landscape demands that we arm both the next generation of mechanical students and the more seasoned technicians with the knowledge and skills to navigate the intricate realm of EV maintenance and repair. From the halls of mechanic schools to the service bays of established dealerships, automotive leaders should equip their technicians to become the front runners of the EV explosion. Preparing Future Techs A 2022 Newsweek article highlights a Texas college as the first in the nation to offer an electric vehicle automotive technician certification program. This emphasizes the move to prepare budding technicians for the automotive landscape of the future. Since then, a multitude of schools and manufacturers have created similar programs. EV technology programs are still in their developmental state across the US, but as a Midtronics article reveals, “they aren’t standardized as of yet.”  These schools’ general training covers “the basics of electric vehicle technology and how it differs from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.” Technician students will learn how to diagnose, repair, and maintain electric vehicles, including their battery management systems, charging infrastructure, and vehicle control systems. Most dealerships are in desperate need of technicians, and therefore, might hire students that do not yet have EV certifications. While it’s not a bad idea to snatch up these valuable employees while they’re available, it would behoove dealerships to offer and/or require EV certification through their own manufacturer (or a local school) as part of a hiring agreement. Level Up Your Pros Working a full-time job (especially with dealership hours) can make the idea of further education unappealing to technicians already in the workforce. Dealerships should do everything possible to accommodate technicians in achieving this goal. After all, the more EV education a technician has, the more valuable they become to the dealership.  It’s imperative to get these professionals on board for the coming shift to EVs and help them see the value in adapting to the EV landscape. You can start by addressing the knowledge gap and dispelling misconceptions about EV maintenance. For example, some may believe that repairing an EV is more difficult than a gas-powered vehicle. A Vehicle Service Pros article highlights that ”electric vehicles are no more difficult to repair than their gas-powered counterparts because EVs have fewer moving parts.” That being said, there is a learning curve that can be supported with specialized training programs and workshops for experienced technicians. Such workshops should include: ~ Transferable skills from internal combustion engine (ICE) repair to EV repair ~ In-depth understanding of EV-specific maintenance schedules and components ~ Advanced training in battery health assessment, repair, and replacement As you prepare your technicians with training, you’ll need to ensure they have the necessary diagnostic and repair tools for EV systems. You should also implement a long-term plan for ongoing education to ensure your service department keeps up with evolving EV technology. Power Up In the evolving EV landscape, preparing technicians is crucial. Well-trained techs will play a pivotal role as dealership service departments shift to the EV era. Education investment nurtures skilled technicians and elevates satisfaction, reputation, and EV market growth. See more EV stories and other automotive insights at tvi-mp3.com.

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Unlocking the Potential of Gen Z in the Automotive Service Industry

Over the last few years, the automotive service industry has adapted to some incredibly challenging times. While many of those challenges continue to linger, there are still new and exciting challenges to come. As we usher in an increase in electric vehicles (EVs) and an expansion of technology-driven service drives, dealership leaders are looking to their teams to embrace and thrive with the inevitable change.  Cutting Edge Technicians Training is the number one way to ensure your service drive stays ahead of the technological curve. Everyone on the team, no matter how seasoned or how green, should strive to be an expert on EV maintenance and repair and other digital platforms. Adding new technicians to your team with strong technological backgrounds will also have a positive impact. This is where Gen Z takes center stage. A Kasasa article defines Generation Z as "the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012," or between 11 and 26 years old. Since the dawn of time, older generations have thumbed their noses at the "young whipper snappers" and carried on about how much better things were "back in their day." This judgmental stance prevents us from facing the truth that no matter the industry, we as a society need Gen Z, and the automotive industry is no different. What Does Gen Z Bring to the Service Drive? Any time you welcome the next generation, you also welcome their fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Most of these valuable individuals were raised with computers in their hands. Technology has evolved at an accelerated rate in their short lives, so they are not typically intimidated by new digital platforms.  Gen Z also sees the world differently than older generations. While some of their predecessors are limited to thinking up primarily manual solutions, Gen Z knows there is a quicker, easier digital solution out there. Being open to these suggestions will keep service departments at the cutting edge of technology, where customers expect them to be. Integrating Gen Z technicians into automotive service departments should align with their distinctive characteristics. According to Indeed, an online job-seeking site, business leaders can leverage Gen Z's entrepreneurial mindset and business savvy to innovate within the department. Their intolerance for authoritarian environments underscores the importance of respectful and supportive management. Flexibility is vital to accommodate their aspirations for work-life balance and stability, while their competitive nature and desire for recognition align with clear performance expectations and avenues for advancement. Gen Z Technicians and EVs: A Match Made in Automotive Heaven Gen Z's influence on the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) within dealership service departments will be pivotal. As digital natives, these young technicians are well-equipped to embrace the intricate systems of EVs, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and automotive maintenance. This generation's adaptability, combined with their eagerness to contribute to environmentally conscious shifts, positions them as the driving force behind the seamless integration of EVs into dealership service. Embrace the Differences It's easy to mistake inexperience for an inability to contribute, but this is a huge mistake. Technicians from all walks of life have something valuable and unique to contribute, and your Gen Z technicians are no different. The best thing you can do for the future of your service team is to foster relationships across all team members, regardless of background, age, or experience level. Create a culture where everyone feels comfortable to teach and learn from one another, irrespective of what label comes with the period in which they were born. Check out the TVI MarketPro3 website for more industry insights.

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Navigating Customer Interactions in the Service Drive

As fixed operations and dealership leaders, you understand the critical role that service advisors play in ensuring exceptional customer experiences. Service advisors are at the frontline of customer interactions. Their ability to navigate complex and tense situations can make all the difference between a satisfied customer and a lost one. Here are some key strategies for service advisors to resolve conflicts and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The Impact of Difficult Interactions on Customer Satisfaction Challenging customer interactions can have a profound impact on customer satisfaction. Customers become frustrated and dissatisfied when they feel a business needs to address their concerns more adequately. As a result, they may be less likely to return or recommend your dealership to others. It's crucial to recognize the significance of these interactions and work towards resolving them effectively. Critical Strategies for Dealing with Challenging Customers Practicing Active Listening and Empathetic Communication Active listening is a fundamental skill that service advisors must master when dealing with demanding customers. It involves giving your full attention to the customer, focusing on their words, and showing genuine interest in understanding their perspective. By actively listening, service advisors can create a sense of empathy, which builds rapport with the customer. Turning Complaints into Opportunities for Improvement Every complaint is an opportunity for growth. Instead of being defensive, service advisors should view customer complaints as valuable feedback that can help identify areas for improvement. Service advisors can transform a negative experience into a positive one by acknowledging the customer's concerns and demonstrating a willingness to address them. Setting Realistic Expectations and Managing Customer Frustrations In the service drive, managing customer expectations is crucial. Sometimes, customers arrive with unrealistic expectations regarding the time it takes to service their vehicle or the cost of the repairs. Service advisors should communicate clearly and honestly, setting realistic expectations to prevent potential frustrations. The Role of Body Language and Non-Verbal Cues Effective communication goes beyond words. Service advisors should be mindful of their body language and non-verbal cues when dealing with difficult customers. A reassuring smile and eye contact can help ease tension and create a more positive atmosphere during the interaction. Collaborative Problem-Solving Techniques Encouraging customers to be part of the solution can be a robust conflict resolution strategy. Service advisors should validate their opinions and concerns by involving them in problem-solving and decision-making processes. This collaborative approach can lead to win-win resolutions that satisfy both the customer and the dealership. Types of Difficult Customers Understanding the different types of challenging customers can be beneficial when tailoring your approach to each situation: The Agitated Customer: This customer may be frustrated on arrival due to previous negative experiences. Active listening and empathy are crucial to address their concerns.The Perfectionist: Perfectionist customers have high expectations and may be dissatisfied with minor details. But details that the dealer perceives as minor are important to the customer. Managing their expectations and demonstrating attention to detail can help alleviate their concerns.The Sensitive Customer: This customer has a hard time hiding their emotions, and a pricey repair or feeling they’re being taken advantage of might be enough to get the waterworks flowing.  Approach the Emotion Remember, you're dealing with emotions, not just a customer. And unlike cars, you can't just fix the feeling. When approaching an elevated situation, you must remove your repair hat and put on your empathy hat. Remind yourself that people often have more going on in their lives than what's on the surface. Before approaching a customer, ask yourself what emotion you might encounter and how you might empathize. Once service advisors identify emotions, they should remain calm and composed throughout the interaction. De-escalation techniques, like a soft and understanding tone, can help diffuse emotionally charged situations. This demeanor will help steer the conversation toward resolution. Learning from Difficult Interactions for Continuous Improvement Each customer interaction presents an opportunity for growth and improvement. Dealership leaders should encourage service advisors to collect feedback from these interactions. They can use this invaluable information to enhance processes, training, and customer service approaches. Conclusion In the dynamic world of fixed operations, service advisors are the linchpin of exceptional customer experiences. Service advisors can effectively handle all types of customers by mastering the art of conflict resolution. And there's nothing like transforming challenging interactions into opportunities for improvement.  Remember, it's not just about resolving conflicts but building lasting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Ultimately these efforts contribute to the overall success of your dealership. A proactive and empathetic approach allows service advisors to foster positive customer interactions. This approach will create a thriving service drive that sets your dealership apart. Visit our website for more valuable fixed ops insights.

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Key Traits of High-Performing Fixed Operations Managers

Congratulations… You're it! Whether your company promoted you from within or you were hired on from another dealer, here you sit. Your name is on the door or a placard across your desk. You are excited about the title and prestige of leading a team.  You're ready to positively impact your dealership's service and parts department. You want to inspire and motivate your team to achieve great results. You are on fire as you step into the position of Service Manager, Parts Manager, Service director, Parts Director, Fixed Ops Director, or whatever title rests beneath your name on that placard. The various titles all mean the same thing: YOU ARE THE LEADER. With that comes many possible benefits: maybe a bump in pay, the freedom to make decisions, and the ability to implement changes. You are living the dream. But the title also comes with great responsibility. Mishandling these responsibilities can cause your dream to turn into a nightmare quickly. Everything that occurs in your department falls on your shoulders.  The decisions of your team of technicians and service advisors point directly to your ability to lead. The administrative work is already piling up, and you are still determining how to get through it all. You feel like you may never get to the big goals you have for your department. Take a Deep Breath You're here for a reason. Your company leaders saw something in you that convinced them you are the one for this position. Let's examine the five traits of high-performing fixed ops managers. Trait 1: Strong Leadership Skills You didn't need a title for this one. You were always the one who dropped what they were doing to teach a new tech how to complete a repair. You encouraged and motivated your co-workers to work efficiently and effectively. You lead by example with integrity and enthusiasm for the job.  When it came to quitting time, you stayed to help complete the long overdue tasks sitting on the back burner. Your communication and decision-making skills are on point, and you've always set clear goals for yourself. You are still that leader, and while the title comes with many worries, it doesn't change who you are. Designate a specific time each day to position yourself, shoulder to shoulder, with your team. They must see you turn a wrench, break a sweat, solve a problem, and lead by example. But this will only be possible if you are a pro at managing your time, which brings us to the next trait. Trait 2: Exceptional Time Management Leaders often need to have a beginning-of-the-week meeting with themselves. Prioritizing tasks and managing the workload requires some self-discussion. In this meeting, you'll write out your weekly to-do list. The list can be on paper, a dry-erase board, sticky notes, or even a fancy task management app like Trello. A plan for your tasks will allow you to delegate responsibilities and empower your team members. Delegating with a solid plan or system will prevent frustration and make you seem more capable in front of your team. They are looking to you for guidance; concrete plans and set strategies will allow you to guide them effectively and efficiently. A leader must also be flexible and able to adapt to changing priorities. Your plan is essential, but it is only a starting point. Your week will seldom go as planned. Being able to change course when needed is imperative for any leader. Trait 3: Strong Customer Focus Customer satisfaction is essential for fixed operations success. You know that already, or you likely wouldn't be in your position. If you want your team to provide top-notch customer service, lead by example. Build relationships with customers, and ensure you do all you can to meet their needs.  Show that you respect customer complaints and resolve them with urgency. Always handle these problematic situations professionally in front of the customers and in their absence. Venting to your team about an unreasonable or irrational customer gives them unspoken permission to disrespect and dismiss future issues. They need to know that the customer is always important, not just when standing before you. Trait 4: Continuous Learning and Adaptability While you've reached the top of your department, there is always more to learn.  Intelligent people are typically curious about everything and eager to learn. Make it a priority to stay up-to-date on industry trends and technological advancements. Always stay updated on new tools through industry forums and social media groups. These mediums can offer a multitude of solutions for your service drive. You should also seek opportunities for professional development and acquiring new skills. While leadership is natural for some, it is also full of skills you can learn. Surround yourself with other strong leaders, and find seminars to help you build on your natural leadership skills. Trait 5: Effective Team Management Your ultimate goal as a leader is to build a cohesive and high-performing team. You can do this by providing team members guidance, support, feedback, and mentorship. Strong leaders ask their team about themselves, their families, and their interests. They also seek out each team member's ideas and solutions. This communication makes the team feel valued and respected, and it's a great way to find real solutions. Recognize and reward achievements and foster a positive work culture. Everyone likes recognition for a job well done. Make an asserted effort to track the number of times you compliment or reward each team member.  It can be easy to focus on the squeaky wheel or the shining star technician that makes your job easy, but you should engage with each team member, from the valet to the service advisor. They are all valuable players, and failure to let them know will have them looking for a new service drive. Remember Your Purpose Management and leadership are not fix-it-and-forget-it endeavors. Whether you've been leading for ten days or ten years, there is always a new path ahead. The journey is full of new challenges to overcome, with solutions you must work to provide. Cultivating the qualities you already have with ongoing development will keep the job fresh and exciting. Click here for more fixed ops insights from TVI MarketPro3.

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Unlocking Revenue Potential: Innovative Marketing Tactics for Fixed Ops

There’s no need to convince fixed ops leaders of the importance of marketing for service departments. As McLarty Diversified Holdings chairman and CEO, Franklin McLarty, put it, fixed operations is the “firm foundation of the dealership."  But if dealerships want to overcome the negative impacts of interest rates and inflation in 2023, their marketing strategies must be aligned for fixed ops success. Understanding the Fixed Ops Customer Journey  The fixed ops customer journey starts with the customer's initial need for vehicle maintenance or repairs, followed by researching and selecting a dealership. The customer then schedules an appointment, arrives at the dealership, and engages with the service advisor. The customer journey concludes with the completion of service, payment, and post-service follow-up. Each step of this journey presents opportunities for the dealership to provide exceptional customer service, build trust, and foster long-term relationships. Find Marketing Opportunities Throughout the Customer Journey Each of these steps also presents touchpoints and opportunities for marketing engagement. Here are some recommended marketing strategies for each stage: Awareness and Research: Implement search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to ensure the dealership's website appears prominently in search results. Develop informative and engaging content, such as blog articles and videos, that address common customer pain points and offer solutions. Utilize social media advertising and targeted paid search campaigns to increase brand awareness and attract potential customers. Appointment Scheduling: Provide an easy and convenient online appointment scheduling system on the dealership's website. Utilize mail, email, and SMS marketing to remind customers of upcoming service intervals and encourage them to schedule appointments. Arrival and Intake: Enhance the physical dealership experience by providing clear signage and welcoming waiting areas. Utilize personalized greetings and ensure service advisors are well-trained and knowledgeable. Use signage, brochures, and digital displays to highlight current promotions, service offerings, and loyalty programs. Service Engagement: Offer personalized service recommendations based on the customer's vehicle history and current needs. Utilize digital tools such as tablets or mobile devices to visually demonstrate repair or maintenance needs. Implement customer-centric communication channels, such as text messaging or mobile apps, for real-time updates and two-way customer communication. Completion and Payment: Provide transparent and itemized invoices to communicate the breakdown of services performed and associated costs. Offer convenient digital payment options, including contactless payment methods and digital wallets. Utilize post-service surveys or feedback forms to gather insights and promptly address potential issues. Post-Service Follow-Up: Implement automated email or SMS marketing campaigns to request customer feedback and reviews. Offer incentives, such as discounts on future services or referral programs, to encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Engage with customers through personalized thank-you messages and exclusive service offers to foster long-term relationships. By strategically implementing these marketing engagement strategies at each step, fixed ops leaders can enhance the overall customer journey, drive customer satisfaction, and increase customer retention.

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ChatGPT in the Service Drive: Are You On Board?

Do you ever feel like you need to clone yourself to manage the daily operations of your service department? Well, fear not! The future of the automotive industry is here, and it comes in the form of an AI-powered assistant that doesn't need a lunch break, a bathroom break, or a vacation. Introducing ChatGPT, your new best friend in the service department. This generative AI-powered assistant can handle all sorts of tasks that will make your life easier, giving you more time to enjoy a cup of coffee without interruptions. The Future of Appointment Management ChatGPT can automate appointment scheduling and reminders, so you no longer have to worry about forgetting to remind customers about their appointments. ChatGPT will take care of it for you! And if customers have any questions about their appointments or services, ChatGPT can answer them promptly and accurately. How to Integrate ChatGPT Integrating ChatGPT with your scheduler requires a few steps, but it can be relatively straightforward with the right tools and resources. Here are some general steps to consider: Determine your scheduling needs. Before integrating ChatGPT with your scheduler, you must define your scheduling needs, including the types of appointments you need to schedule, the scheduling rules you want to follow, and any other special requirements or considerations. Choose a chatbot platform. To integrate ChatGPT with your scheduler, you'll need to choose a chatbot platform that supports integrations with third-party scheduling software. Several options are available, including Dialogflow, Botpress, and Rasa. Be sure to choose a platform that aligns with your business needs and technical requirements. Connect your scheduler to the chatbot platform. Once you've selected a chatbot platform, connect it to your scheduler. This process involves integrating the chatbot platform and your scheduling software using an API or webhook. Your chatbot platform should provide documentation or tutorials on how to set up the integration. Create custom dialogues. Once you connect your chatbot platform to your scheduler, create custom dialogues that allow customers to schedule appointments. You will develop prompts, questions, and responses that guide customers through scheduling. You'll also need to ensure the chatbot collects all necessary information, such as the appointment date and time, customer contact information, and additional details. Test and refine the integration.  Once you've created custom dialogues, you must test the integration to ensure everything works correctly. Be sure to test different scenarios, such as rescheduling or canceling appointments, to ensure the integration is robust and reliable. You will continue refining your dialogues and making adjustments based on customer feedback. Optimize Your Service Capacity But that's not all! ChatGPT can also optimize service capacity by analyzing historical data on appointment scheduling and service utilization. By analyzing this data, ChatGPT can identify patterns in customer demand and service utilization. For example, ChatGPT can analyze historical data on the number of appointments scheduled for each day of the week and at different times. Based on this analysis, ChatGPT can identify peak demand periods and adjust the service capacity accordingly. This analysis can help service departments avoid overbooking during peak periods and underutilization during slower periods. ChatGPT can also analyze data on service utilization to identify opportunities to boost service capacity. For example, if data shows that certain services are underutilized, ChatGPT can recommend promoting those services or adjusting the pricing to incentivize more customers to use them. Bonus! If all that isn't enough to convince you, ChatGPT can also enhance the customer service experience by providing instant answers to queries and offering personalized recommendations for additional services. It's like having a customer service superhero on your team! This technology's ability to analyze historical data and identify patterns in customer demand and service utilization can help service departments improve their efficiency and profitability. Inventory Management ChatGPT can be a game-changer regarding inventory management in the parts department. By leveraging its AI capabilities, ChatGPT can analyze historical data, customer demand, and other relevant factors to optimize inventory levels and ensure the availability of necessary parts.  With its ability to understand and process natural language, ChatGPT can handle inquiries from technicians and service managers regarding part availability, pricing, and ordering processes. It can provide real-time updates on stock levels, lead times, and alternative part options, helping the parts department streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Moreover, ChatGPT can automate parts ordering and replenishment tasks, reducing the manual effort and potential errors associated with traditional inventory management methods. By integrating with suppliers' systems and utilizing predictive algorithms, ChatGPT can generate accurate forecasts for parts demand, enabling proactive ordering and minimizing the risk of stockouts or excess inventory. This predictive capability optimizes inventory levels and contributes to cost savings and improved cash flow for the dealership.  Additionally, ChatGPT can assist in tracking and monitoring parts usage, identifying patterns of high-demand items, and suggesting adjustments to stocking strategies to align with changing customer needs. With ChatGPT as a virtual assistant, the parts department can efficiently manage inventory, reduce waste, and ensure that the correct parts are available at the right time, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and customer service. The Human Touch If you're worried AI is coming for your job, take a deep breath. People still crave positive human interaction, something AI cannot and hopefully will never be able to emulate. It doesn't have feelings, empathy, or human experience. It can't truly relate to your customer's pain points, even though it seems that way sometimes. People will never stop needing people, so rather than stiff-arming AI technology altogether, embrace it! Be the fixed ops leader that utilizes all tools to make face-to-face interaction a personal and invaluable experience when the customer brings their car in. Looking for more ideas to boost your service business? Visit TVI MarketPro3.

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Automotive Social Media: What’s Your Plan?

It’s no secret that social media is a vital component of any solid marketing strategy, but there are so many social media channels. It’s sometimes difficult to determine which one is most effective for each campaign. Your dealership is likely using social media to some extent, but without an in-depth plan that maps out all the different avenues to reach your target customer, you are most certainly missing the mark.   Inversely, when you create and follow a plan derived from an end goal, you will grow your audience, keep your followers engaged, and ultimately influence them to frequent your dealership for their car buying and servicing needs. Know Your Customers Digital marketing, like all marketing, starts with your audience. You must know your audience to reach your audience. The best way to know your audience is to ask. A survey to current customers asking for anonymous answers to a quick survey will help you understand (in general) what type of customer does business with your dealership. Hubspot outlines ten steps to creating a customer profile and focuses on three main categories: demographics, psychographics, and behavior. Essentially, you want to give your target customer a face, name, home, career, hobby, and personality. This customer profile won’t be the same across the automotive industry. Instead, it will be unique to the dealer’s location and the different makes of vehicles on the lot. By surveying your current customers, you will better learn who your average customers are and the marketing language and design elements that will best reach them.   Types of Car Buyers Because nearly everyone needs a vehicle, car buyers are as varied as the cars they purchase. For example, your average luxury car buyer in California will likely have a higher income and enjoy the finer things in life, such as upscale hotels and five-star dining.  In contrast, your domestic car buyer in a small town in Oklahoma might prefer a more casual approach to life. These are just two examples, but the variety of car-buying customer types should dictate how and where you communicate on social media platforms. Types of Service Customers If you’re planning a service drive social media campaign, you need to define your customers similarly to sales. But, you’ll need to profile the vehicle they drive as well. Identifying the car your customers drive (make, model, and age) will tell you a lot about your customer and the most effective way to reach out to them. Social Media Marketing Strategy Once you have a solid customer profile, you’ll need to develop a strong social media strategy. The questions you need to address are: What social media channel does my target customer utilize the most? How will I best be able to convey the dealership’s message? What day and time am I most likely to get in front of them? Social Media Users Sprout Social outlines the demographics in this March 2022 blog post. They report that Facebook has 2.91 billion monthly users, most between the ages of 35-44. Instagram follows with 2 billion monthly users, but the largest age group here is younger than Facebook, ranging from 25-34 years of age.   TikTok has only a billion monthly users, but has seen the most growth since 2020. The platform hones in on a younger age range, with ages 10-19 being the largest group of Tik Tok users, not a likely target for the automotive industry, but these younger social media users are just around the corner from making big life moves and finding a reliable establishment to service their car. Twitter has over two million daily users, with its most active age group between 18 and 29. Sprout Social points out that most Twitter users are college-educated and make over $75K a year, making it an ideal space for automotive advertisement.   No matter which platform you use in your marketing efforts, each social media page must speak the language of that platform. For example, Twitter is all about quick, short messages and ongoing conversations, while Instagram remains a visual platform that grabs the attention with graphics, photos, and videos. If you’re using social media scheduling software, avoid posting the same content on all your social media channels. Social Media channels If you want your social media marketing campaigns to be effective, you must have a presence on multiple channels. Instagram business profiles and Facebook pages are great places to get your social media foothold. As we mentioned earlier, these two platforms have billions of users. You can grow an organic following by engaging with customers through contests, shared testimonials, team member profiles, blog posts, and educational videos. Be sure you consistently post valuable content to help your followers know what to expect. You can also boost your reach with paid Instagram or Facebook Ad campaigns.  Campaigns for Service and Sales An auto dealership’s social media can be a challenging balance to strike. Essentially you have two businesses under one roof: sales and service. When creating content for car dealers, be sure to cover all departments.  You may target Facebook users hoping to buy a car or Twitter users ready for an oil change. But, you must represent the entire dealership across all social media sites. You might successfully attract customers for a test drive, but they may never know to bring their vehicle back. You must consistently remind them with a solid service drive social media campaign.

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Digital Fixed Ops for Customer Reach and Experience

Although most dealerships bumped their digital fixed ops game to the next level in the last couple of years, many dealers still aren’t hitting the digital sweet spot when it comes to their fixed operations. Sales departments continue to steal the spotlight while fixed ops peek around the curtain, trying to get the customers’ attention. To get this attention, fixed ops leaders must ensure both their marketing and customer experience have the digital edge, even shared with the rest of the dealership. You must ensure the following three areas are polished up if you want to improve your digital master plan: FIRST - The customer must be able to find you. SECOND - You must be able to find the customer. THIRD - You must be able to keep the customer. The Customer Must Be Able to Find You Having a digital presence boils down to two main factors, search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search advertisement. Both of these start with knowing which keywords your customers are looking for when needing a repair.   Strong SEO focuses on the value websites offer to users through long-tail keywords, the quantity and quality of website content, and images relative to the content. Dealership websites must have a clearly defined portion of their site dedicated to the service bays, and the information on your website must be up to date. Websites are not the only place you can boost your dealership’s SEO. Larry Hourcle, a NADA Academy Instructor, reminds us that Google My Business Pages can increase your local SEO.  “More than 50% of online searchers will stop on a dealership Google My Business page [if they think you aren’t open] and never make it to your dealership website,” Hourcle insisted at his 2020 NADA Webinar, Proven Fixed Ops Strategies During COVID-19. He stresses, in the webinar, the importance of keeping a dealer’s Google My Business Page Up to Date. You Must Be Able to Find the Customer Once your service department has strong SEO, you need to create a strategy to find your customer. You must know where they are through targeted service marketing. Digital marketing encompasses a multitude of platforms beyond paid search. Digital ads are available on many social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and will effectively drive service business to your dealership. Not only should you be advertising on social media, but you should also be engaged and interactive on social media. Your followers are looking for valuable content to like and follow, so this must be your priority with social media. Once you provide such content and have an attentive audience, you can announce your next promotion or big sales event. You Must Be Able to Keep the Customer If you cover all the above goals, you should have a good customer base with which to work. While it’s imperative to continue attracting new customers, you must also keep customers through digital strategies. Retaining customers depends primarily on the customer experience. The customer must have a smooth, transparent service if you want to keep them coming back. Many different digital tools can help service department leaders meet this goal. Tools you can implement right away are automated emails and texts or even a service customer app that integrates both email and texts notifications. These tools allow a customer to track their service history, view service pricing, and easily make future service appointments from the convenience of their smartphone or computer. Many of the apps allow for video and photo uploads of their vehicle’s issues.   Digital tools create convenience, but they, more importantly, create transparency which in turn earns trust. Trust and transparency are the keys to ongoing customer relationships. Learn more about digital channels for your service drive.

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Automotive PPC Advertising for Your Marketing Arsenal

Does your dealership's website appear on page one of a car buyer's Google search results? If your answer to that question is yes, congratulations!  Now, think about your service drive for a minute. Does your dealership show up on search engines when someone searches for oil changes near me or car repair near me? You might be shaking your head no.   You are not alone. Many dealerships get lost in the sea of search engine results as they are not participating in paid search activities or are struggling with competition from other dealerships and independents. Paid search campaigns bridge the gap in your digital marketing strategies, providing the right message at the right time to the right consumer.  Pay-per-click or PPC ads are an ideal strategy to ensure your dealership owns as much real estate as possible on the first search engine results page (SERP), but you want to be sure you understand PPC and have a solid plan before jumping in.  Why paid search campaigns? Paid search campaigns offer qualified leads. We are only generating leads off of terms specifically designed for the dealerships’ benefit.  There is a branding aspect, but that is a secondary benefit.  Our main objective is to target a specific set of keywords that will convert customers and get them to a dealership’s service drive.  We strive to increase click-through rates to car dealers’ websites and of course more phone calls for the service drive.  But all of this relies on targeted PPC campaigns with enticing ad copy.   These days, most people are going to do online research. 76% of new and used vehicle shoppers run a search before buying. Automotive consumers overwhelmingly turn to search engines to find dealerships and get answers to their questions. (Source: LSA)Car buyers spend an average of nearly 14 hours online during their search. To appeal to the “always connected” shopper, you must optimize the car-shopping experience across all devices. (Source: Cox Automotive)Nearly 25% of all automotive searches are parts, services, and maintenance related. (Google 2017) It’s all about getting in front of customers as often as possible when they make a qualified search. There is an aspect of owning the first page and pushing your competition down that page.  At the most fundamental structure, paid search is designed to generate leads for dealerships, be it front end or fixed ops and it is a component of the complete strategy. Paid search for automotive parts and services has extremely measurable results, especially for what we are doing.  It’s about fishing where the fish are first.   Paid search versus organic search Paid Search campaigns allow a business to participate in an auction, per se, to serve their ad when someone does a qualified search. Organic search listings are the free results that appear based on a web page’s relevancy to a specific search query.  For a dealership’s fixed operations department, the more space they can take up on that search results pages the better. Push competitors down in the search results and increase their chances of generating an ad click. Paid search and organic search are two completely different things. In organic search, we are not paying for clicks the way we are with paid search, and organic search is a very long-term effort in the sense that you cannot impact organic search results overnight. Organic search results come from quality content and search engine optimization of your website. Conclusion All dealerships should consider utilizing PPC advertising as a valuable marketing channel not only for sales but specifically for fixed ops as well. It will complement and extend your branding and increase customer retention. And it has measurable results to help get the best ROI from your marketing efforts.  Learn how TVI MarketPro3’s Paid Search program can help you meet your fixed ops goals.

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Balanced Approach: Car Dealership Instagram Marketing

Follow any car dealership on social media, and you will notice a lop-sidedness to their digital marketing strategy. The majority of dealerships are almost all, if not entirely, car sales focused. It is especially true when scrolling through Instagram. Most posts target car buyers rather than potential service customers. It is understandable how a dealership might keep the shiny objects upfront and center on Instagram. After all, Instagram is primarily a visual platform. The pretty stuff gets the likes and attracts the followers. But once you have earned these followers, you must consistently remind them of your entire dealership, especially the service drive. After all, customers who do business in your service department regularly are more likely to purchase their next car from your dealership. When utilizing Instagram, auto dealerships should focus on both the sales and the fixed operations sectors of the dealership. Balance both these departments in your Instagram strategy to ensure you are branding your entire dealership. Setting up an Instagram Account If you have not already set up your account, download the Instagram app from the App Store or Google Play Store, or you can use a computer to get started. If you use a computer to set up your account, remember that many Instagram features are only accessible in the app, so you will need to download this either way. Create a username and password, then complete the dealership's profile information. Since this is a company account, be sure the email is a neutral email that will allow multiple people access. You never know when an employee will depart, so it would be a mistake to have everything under an individual's account. Auto Dealer's Instagram Profile Once you set up your account, create a profile. Your profile should reflect your brand, so you are easily recognized, and potential followers can trust that it is your dealership. Your logo should be here, but you must ensure it fits properly. If you do not already have one, have your graphics team create a logo image that is 320 x 320 pixels. Be sure you thoroughly complete the other profile information. Your bio should be similar to a mission statement. And, it should tell potential customers how they will benefit from following your page.   Remember to cover both your sales and service departments in your bio. Never pass up an opportunity to remind your customer that you both service and sell cars. Instagram Feed It is always best to create a plan for Instagram posting. Your feed should include regular postings mixed with photos and videos. Think about the impression you want to make, how often you would like to post, and what days and times you will post.   Hubspot shows the highest engagement to be between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. And Hootsuite recommends posting to your Instagram feed 2-3 times per week and no more than 1x per day. You may post stories more frequently. Regardless of the days/time, you choose to post, create a consistent schedule. Once you have created a posting routine, you can tweak the posting schedule to test engagement rates. Instagram Stories According to Social Insider, Instagram stories should be a prominent part of a business Instagram strategy. Stories offer many benefits beyond your everyday feed, and they allow you to promote your brand, products, or services as much as you want throughout the day. Some benefits of Instagram stories are improved brand visibility and lead generation. Stories also offer high engagement that results in instant feedback to improve the interaction with your audience. You can repurpose your blog content by creating videos of someone highlighting the bullet points from the blog. Or you can put your blog highlights into a graphics slideshow. Instagram stories allow for real-time marketing and advertisement to a target audience. Remind potential customers that you have a tire sale coming up or a special on an oil change that ends today. This messaging allows your service drive to stay top of mind even if Instagram users pass on the promotion at the moment. Hash it Out Hashtags are are the secret to Instagram marketing success. They expand business reach and help grow its audience. However, many people do not know how to use them properly and might even question whether or not they work. When you use a hashtag, you show up on that hashtag page. So when people search for topics related to a specific hashtag, there is a better chance you will catch their attention. You can use up to 30 hashtags in the comment of your post and three hashtags in video descriptions and stories.   A general rule of thumb is to use 15-20 hashtags per post, but you can do more as long as you use them strategically. You must use relevant hashtags for your particular post or business. For example, if you post about your service drive, you might include #carrepair, #oilchange, or #mechanic. These terms all represent your business, and a user might search for them when looking for automotive services. Conclusion The bottom line is your dealership should have a strong presence on Instagram, and it should evenly distribute the spotlight between sales and service. After all, if both customer types matter, then your Instagram and all other social platforms should reflect that. For more fixed ops marketing tips, visit TVI MarketPro3’s Solutions page.

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Leveraging VIN Info for Car Service Data

Are you using all of your car service data when implementing marketing strategies? The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) can be a powerful tool for a vehicle service department. But just having this information is not enough. It is how this information is leveraged that will make an impact on a dealer service drive. What the VIN tells us The VIN is assigned by a vehicle manufacturer when it comes off the production line. We capture a lot of information by just dissecting the VIN. That information includes year, model, make, trim, and even engine type. Therefore, a dealership service department can leverage this data to ensure it provides the right marketing message to the right vehicle owner.  The VIN helps a service adviser determine engine type. He can tell if it is a vehicle with a diesel engine needing a particular oil or if it is an electric vehicle that needs no oil at all. The variances within that VIN allow us to understand what marketing messages to communicate. Collecting VIN Data We capture VIN information within an automotive dealership management system. It is no different than an individual Social Security number here in the United States. The 17-digit key is unique to a single vehicle as it comes off the production line. The VIN tracks transactional history and change of ownership of a vehicle. It does not capture any transactions performed for repair service at a dealer or an independent facility. To gain further information from the VIN, you would use services like CARFAX and other vendors. These vendors provide a vehicle history report using the VIN as a way to track it. The VIN allows the dealership service department to determine vehicle health and repair costs. Combining and Cleaning data This clean key in a database is easily trackable. It is a much better way to track information than just a name, address, or email. Home and email addresses can change, become obsolete, and have typing errors. Typically VINs are mostly accurate within database systems. The last seven digits on 90% of the VINS processed are unique in and of themselves. Marketing companies can dedupe this data when there are multiple transactions for one VIN. The analysts narrow data down to the most accurate data point for all transactions during the life of a vehicle. Leveraging VIN data to market effectively With the VIN’s valuable information, one can identify open recalls and engine types to help make marketing strategy decisions. Without this information, marketers may unintentionally waste money or a customer’s time.  They ultimately market to the masses in a given area rather than specific customers in need of certain services. This vehicle data allows a dealership the necessary information to deliver the best offer to the right vehicle owner. It is vital to the success of all dealership service departments when making marketing strategy decisions. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more pro marketing information.

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Fixed Ops Digital Map for an Enhanced Experience

When’s the last time you thought about your service department’s customer experience? We’re not just talking about dropping off and picking up, but the experience from the very beginning. How is the customer repair journey from the very first time your dealership’s name popped into the customer’s mind? How did they come across you, and what was the entire experience from that point? As you envision this, think about the digital tools that played a role in enhancing this experience. Are there enough tools, and if not, what more could you add? Here we explore where and how digital tools can take your customer’s car repair journey to the next level. Let technology take the wheel. Technology should drive your service solution decisions. There should be digital tools for each leg of the journey, a digital map to guide customers through the processes of the fixed ops department.   The map starts at the acquisition phase and goes all the way through to the customer satisfaction survey. You should complement each leg of the journey with digital tools. Enhance with email AWeber’s 2020 Small Business Email Marketing Statistics reflects a survey of a thousand small businesses. The report shows that “60% of small businesses say their email marketing strategy is effective or very effective.” Effective email should be personal and targeted and should carry the customer throughout the entire repair or service process. When marketing with email, be sure to create emails that address the readers’ objectives and overcome their objections. Strong content will encourage the reader to open future emails as they will find the content valuable. The more often customers open your emails, the more likely they are to schedule an appointment with your dealership. Email is also a great way to remind customers about their appointments and can also be used to deliver inspection results and costs of recommended services. Email your customer when the service is complete, and of course, follow up with a customer satisfaction survey. Service drive social media There are many social media platforms dealerships can utilize to stay engaged with their customers. The key is to figure out which platforms your target audience frequents and set up camp. Learn the language of your preferred social media platforms. Not all social media outlets speak in the same style or format. The more you peruse and engage, the more you’ll understand how your audience receives messages from each site. Utilize all tools available on social media. Paid ads are a great way to target an audience by a specific age, gender, and location. Platforms like Facebook provide great analytics for their ads allowing you to measure the effectiveness of each ad posted. Woo them with your website Your website is the face of your business and should be maintained as frequently as the dealership facilities. Websites allow dealerships to boost transparency with their service customers. Keep service pricing up to date on your website and allow customers to determine how competitive your dealership is in the market.   Include a detailed description of each service as well as any warranties included. A customer can use this information to compare apples to apples from your dealer to other dealers and independent shops. What’s the point of a website if it doesn’t show up when your target customer searches for “car repair near me”? Use strong search keywords throughout your site to ensure your website shows up in search engine results pages (SERP). Search engine optimization (SEO) requires keyword research and the ability to weave the keywords seamlessly into your website content. Applicable applications Spending time on car maintenance or repairs is an unwelcomed challenge for most car owners. Make the process easier by giving them the ability to schedule online through an app. The customer should also have the ability to check in using the same software. Keep the customer informed with automated notifications for confirmed appointments, pending payments, job approvals, and upcoming services. Moreover, use the same app to communicate with the customer during the service. An inspection could include videos, pictures, and a checklist of recommendations and pricing, all uploaded to the app for the customer’s review. Signing off on the work and making the payment digitally should all be integrated. Top off a service customer’s experience with a “thank you” message, and request their feedback all through the app. Some top apps or software used by the car repair industry include Shopmonkey, Auto Repair Cloud, and Tekmetric, to name a few. Find the software that is the best fit for your service department, learn how to use all of its features, and prepare to teach your customers to do the same. It won’t take long for your service team and your customer base to get on board once they see how much easier life is with these digital tools. Conclusion Increased digital tools will mean increased service business for your dealership. You will see an increase in customer-pay repair orders when utilizing digital tools to enhance the car repair journey. You will also get the added benefit of more time to get more vehicles through your service drive. Click here for more industry insights.

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Automotive Marketing by Area: Fixed Ops Focused

Online marketing is constantly evolving for all businesses, including those in the automotive industry. Auto marketers have a unique challenge when it comes to marketing for a dealership. There are several entities under one umbrella, and they each have target customers they need to reach using unique strategies. Fixed operations departments have an even heftier challenge as they are not only competing with other dealers for repair service customers, but they must also stand out amongst the droves of independent repair shops and quick lubes in their market.   Therefore, dealership service departments should not rely solely on the overall dealership marketing to increase their repair order counts. They must have a customized strategy that targets their specific customers. Local marketing should take precedence rather than attempting to reach a large geographical area.   Fixed Operations Marketing Prep Before committing to marketing services or strategies, a dealership should explore a few areas about its target audience. What is a complete customer lifecycle? Effective marketing goes beyond acquiring a customer. Dealers must ensure the customer experience encourages return visits, and customer retention increases when marketers know the right time to extend an offer. And marketers must present coupons and other promotions that will attract the customer back to the dealership. Who is your fixed operations customer? Car owners come from all walks of life and a wide range of ages and economic circumstances. So it can be a challenge to define a car repair customer. But breaking these customers into segments is a great place to start.   Did they recently purchase a brand new car or a used vehicle? Did they come in for a costly repair or regular maintenance? Do they have multiple children and need their minivan to continue running safely for as long as possible, or are they single and trade in their vehicles regularly?   Knowing these details about your customers not only tells you how to treat them in your service drive, but it also reveals what offers to extend to them for future service. Take a Data-Driven Marketing Approach With Dealership Management Systems (DMS), we have a lot of information about the customers and their vehicles. But go beyond this to ensure you’re reaching the right customer at the right time with the right offer.   TVI MarketPro3 extracts data from multiple databases and merges this information with a dealership’s DMS. TVI uses this information to create an automotive marketing strategy that pinpoints where customers are and where they are in their vehicle ownership. It also allows us to find those customers that may have never entered a particular dealership. What social media platforms do your customers frequent? Do you shy away from social media marketing? Maybe you dabble in some platforms but aren’t interested in a social media deep dive. You might want to reconsider as Facebook alone touts more than 3 billion users.  You can bet a good chunk of these users consists of your current potential customers. Ensure your dealership has the right social media business pages set up and that each of these pages produces effective and relevant content regularly. Post stories and news events your followers will like, comment on, and share. These posts will not always be about your business. Balance the content between sharing other compelling posts, behind the scene videos, and attractive products or offers. Email marketing is still an effective and direct way to remind your current customers that you are there for vehicle maintenance and repairs. Provide valuable email content and follow it with irresistible offers to get more vehicles to your service drive. Use your website as an online compass. Keep your customers in mind when designing your website for both personal computers and mobile devices. Ensure your fixed operations have a bold presence on your dealership website. Also, be sure to publish the dealer address in the header and footer of the site.   Let’s Get Local! Now that you’ve defined your basic customer approach, it’s time to get local. Car dealership marketing must establish a local presence. Think about how potential customers find you and meet them there.   Search engines are the number one way customers seek out car repair services, so why is it when we google “car repair near me” dealerships are not popping up? The search engine results pages (SERP) are full of independent mechanics and other car care providers, but dealerships rarely land at the top of the list.   It even seems as though many car dealers aren’t even reaching the top SERPs when someone searches “for car sales near me.” How does a customer know that local car dealers provide car repairs and car sales when they don’t appear in their online search?   This challenge is due in part to the dealerships having multiple departments that provide different services. Ensuring a dealership’s online optimization is locally focused will attract the customer for a test drive or a vehicle repair. Google My Business (GMB) for the Auto Industry Dealerships must be one with google, and there is no better way to accomplish this marriage than to claim and optimize your Google My Business Profile. Google My Business puts your dealership in a prime position on search results pages. But more importantly, it puts your dealership on the map, the Google Map. Your company or organization information appears in the 3-pack (the top 3 locations) on local search results. These come just below the cost-per-click (CPC) ads that appear at the top of a search results page. Some companies spend thousands of dollars to show up with CPC ads. These ads are one of the best ways to ensure you're found on Google. However, with a highly optimized GMB profile, your business can appear near the top of search results for nothing. These results also have a more organic feel than CPC ads. Take a minute to search for your dealership anonymously. Use an incognito window or tab in Google Chrome or other browsers to prevent your search history from being a factor in your search results.   Try several different key phrases to see where your dealership falls in SERPs. You might be surprised that you have to dig through several pages to find where your dealership is parked. If this is the case, you know your marketing focus should be to optimize your local SEO. Discuss these goals with your marketing team.Learn more on how to be found on search engines; visit TVI MarketPro3.

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Automotive Marketing Services Expectations

Car dealerships have a multitude of choices when it comes to selecting the right marketing company. You must know what you’re looking for before you start interviewing for the company that best fits your dealership’s marketing needs. Before you shop The first step is to define your dealership’s marketing challenges. Then determine the marketing solutions that fit your budget. No two dealers are alike, so specifying your goals before reaching out to marketing companies will help you get through the weeds a lot faster.  Are you a destination dealership located off the beaten path? You likely want to convince your target customers that your dealer is worth the long drive. Perhaps you have a newly established dealership just getting off the ground. Your focus will be on acquiring new customers in the area.  Are you a long-standing established dealer with a full-service drive? Your outreach will be very different in this case. Defining your needs is key to communicating with a marketing team, so they can best serve you. Understanding the industry The automotive industry has unique challenges apart from other industries. The marketing company you bring on board must be knowledgeable about these intricacies. They also need to be aware of the different nature between the sales and the service departments. Marketing these two departments with the same broad brush typically fails to attract business to the service department. Choosing the method and platform Marketing agencies also vary when it comes to the tools and platforms they use to market. Print-focused marketing agencies design and print mailers, magazines, or newspapers. Some companies will send these out to a wide area, and others will hone in on specific targets. Digital marketing companies focus on web services and design and search engine optimization (SEO). They also email offers and promote them across some or all social media platforms. Again, some will cover a large and unspecified audience while others target defined customers. A full-service marketing company is just that. They serve all industries and use a wide array of tools and platforms. While this is convenient, a dealer should ask questions about the company structure. For example, who oversees each strategy or platform? Learn what systems and marketing strategies the company has to ensure nothing slips through the marketing cracks. Look at each area of the company for its successes as well as the company’s success overall. Conclusion Dealerships spend a great deal of money on marketing, so it’s imperative they get a positive return on their investment. Regardless of what type of company you partner with, you must review the company’s track record. Ask to see results from specific campaigns, testimonials from past clients, and references to call. These actions will give you peace of mind that the company will represent your dealership as though it were their own. Click here for more automotive marketing resources.

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Recall Marketing for Dealership Service Departments

As of January 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 70,900,000 current recalls in the automotive industry. Hence, there are millions of vehicles on the road that are unsafe and needing repair.  It also means that customers are out there waiting for a notice about a recall. After all, this manufacturer-paid repair is a no-brainer, and if you reach these customers at the right time, they’ll likely choose your services for this repair. What is recall marketing? Recall marketing uses vehicle data to reach out to drivers who have active recalls on their vehicles and invite them into your service drive for the repair. It is an often-overlooked automotive marketing strategy, but dealers miss out on a great opportunity when they fail to reach these vehicle owners. Safety recalls are a top priority for drivers. Take these recalls, for example, NHTSA reports that tens of millions of vehicles with Takata airbags are under recall because long-term exposure to high heat and humidity can cause these airbags to explode when deployed. There’s also a recall for the hood on certain 2013-2018 Nissan Altimas. The hood could unexpectedly open while the vehicle is moving because of an issue with a secondary hood latch. These are safety concerns, so a dealership is providing a much-needed service when making drivers aware of these recalls. If the information to call and schedule an appointment is right there on the notice, and the customers see the repair is of no cost to them, why would they not call? Where do you find recall information? The Recall Management Division (RMD) of the NHTSA maintains the administrative records for all safety recalls. But there are other data sources.  The NHTSA database provides information such as the vehicle owner, the vehicle identification number, and open recalls.  At TVI MarketPro3, we merge this data with other sources to reach the current owner at the correct address. Why you should use recalls as a marketing tool Getting customers through the door is the primary goal when marketing for the service drive. Dealers do this through a discounted oil change, a free tire rotation, and many other promotions and discounts. So why not try to rein in guaranteed paid repairs?  Dealers should not underestimate the value of getting the customer in, so they can experience outstanding service. Some people never consider using a dealer to service their vehicle. Service advisors must show them what they have been missing out on and entice them to return for future service. How to reach the recall customers Vehicle owners receive recall notices from manufacturers. But the manufacturer is limited in what they know about who currently owns the vehicle and where they live. People sell or trade in their cars, and people move to a new home on a fairly regular basis. So the manufacturer may be sending the notice to an incorrect address. Dealers can be the recall heroes. Merging and scrubbing data from multiple sources allows a dealer to reach the current owner at their current address. The physical address is the most useful information gathered. So sending a postcard or a letter with this news about their vehicle is the most direct way to reach these customers. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive service marketing solutions.

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Vehicle Dealership Management System: A Marketer's Tool

The automotive industry takes in a lot of information with each transaction. Organizing and storing this data is critical for any car dealership. Dealers rely on the vehicle dealership management system (DMS) to best serve and market to their customers.  A DMS is a single, cloud-based, platform that dealers use for inventory management, car sales, customer information, credit reports, and printing paperwork. Dealer management software solutions allow dealers to manage their entire business in real time from a single login platform. A DMS is the control center for the whole dealership. These systems walk the customer’s information from lead generation through the sales process and then on to the service department. The core applications of a DMS are accounting, payroll, accounts payable, parts inventory and invoicing, service merchandising and invoicing, vehicle management, and F&I. These come standard with most systems. What information do dealers extract from the Dealer Management System (DMS)? The data found in a DMS reveals every time a client visited the dealership to spend money. You can filter clients by the type of service work they ordered, parts they bought, vehicles they purchased, and many other areas. For example, if you wanted to look at repair orders for everybody who spent over a thousand dollars in customer-pay labor, you could extract this data from the DMS. How can a dealership get the most out of its DMS? To maximize your DMS capabilities once you have all the necessary tools and add-ons, you must be sure to enter information consistently and accurately. Input is critical to a successful DMS, as you can only get out of the system what you put into it. Like duplicate customer entries, oversights can cause dealers to market to the same customer multiple times. The service advisor will have difficulty determining past repairs if there are data-entry mistakes. It helps to search the system by customer name, telephone number, and VIN. However, telephone numbers change occasionally, and customers often arrive with a new or different vehicle than the one they previously had serviced. Cross-checking data before inputting a new customer will prevent duplicate entries. Ensuring Accurate Data Entry On the service drive, systems today scan the VIN. It is one of the most foolproof methods for the service department, but you still need to review all the other information with the customer to be sure they don’t have two separate accounts in your system. A dealer’s leadership needs training and accountability to ensure the entire team handles customer input similarly. It should be set up in writing as a step-by-step process to follow. Getting everybody into the CRM system and then getting your salespeople to adhere to your follow-up schedule are also important uses of the DMS. Dealers also use a DMS to track inventory by the number of days a car has been on the lot. Marketers should make decisions specifically accounting for these factors.  DMS Use in the Parts Department The parts department is probably the most cut-and-dry regarding DMS use. The parts department uses the computer more than any other department in the dealership. You may have 250,000 part numbers. Manual processing of parts inventory would be a massive task. A DMS tracks the monthly parts in stock. Using an automated parts system helps determine lost sales within the department. Learn more on how TVI MarketPro3 extracts and uses valuable DMS data.

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Automotive Direct Mail Marketing

The automotive industry has a vast array of options when it comes to marketing. Marketing campaigns include emails, social media, radio, and tv ads. However, do not overlook the power of the printed word. Direct mail is still a viable and cost-effective tool for targeting customers.  What is Direct Mail Marketing? Direct mail marketing is a printed piece that is sent and delivered to a home or business. There are many types of direct mail pieces that you can send, and there are various mail services. United States Postal Service is the most common and frequently used among marketing agencies in the United States.  Effectiveness of Direct Mail Marketing A customer.com case study for a large regional bank revealed direct mail is a viable source of acquiring accounts. The right combination of components in the campaign could improve response rates above 25 percent. The results can also occur in automotive marketing. Checking mail is something most people do daily, and many companies continue to send bills through the mail. Therefore, it is likely your mailed pieces will reach the hands and eyes of your customer. When it does, it will allow them to see your brand and your contact information. Therefore, your marketing messages must be well-planned to get the most out of your mail campaign.  Direct Mail Design To make your mail piece stand out from the bundle of mail people receive regularly, there are a few things you need to consider. First, think about what typically catches your attention as you are filtering through your mail. What do you put aside? What do you throw something away, and what makes you stop and look? Size matters, so you want to make sure that you avoid mail pieces that are too small or too big. If it is too small, it might get caught between a magazine or folded grocery offers. If it is too big, the consumer may not want it taking up counter space, so it will quickly find its way to the circular file. Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to overwhelm the potential customer with too much text. Your messaging should be short, concise, and properly spaced from the other elements on the mailer. Mailing allows the sender to use bright and bold colors that are more forgiving in print advertising. Using vivid colors on an email tends to strain the viewer's eyes, but this is not the case for printed pieces. Any images and logos you use must be sharp and clear to make a good impression. Make sure that you're purchasing and using stock images that are high resolution. A blurry photo, or an image that is not scaled proportionally, can jeopardize the legitimacy of your mailer. If you have a folded mail piece or an enclosed piece, make sure the outside gives your recipient a clue as to what is inside. Add a message to the outside that will encourage the recipient to open your delivery?  Targeted Solutions While direct mail is highly effective, it can often cast a wide net onto an undefined audience. Targeted direct mail will always bear more results as you are mailing the right message to the right customer at the right time. It ensures the mailer money goes to the intended customer. Learn more about targeting automotive customers.

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Automotive Retention Rate for Dealers

The customer retention rate is a measurement all dealerships pay close attention to. Retention reflects the customer experience and ultimately affects the bottom line for the dealership. Both the sales and service departments seek high customer retention rates. Calculating Customer Retention Rate There are no standard calculations for dealership retention. Every manufacturer has a specific method for calculating retention, so dealership leaders focus on these metrics. It is imperative that fixed ops leaders consistently review their performance and work to find ways to improve their scores. Finding Retention Rate Data for Sales Finding the dealership’s sales retention rate depends on the manufacturer they represent. Some manufacturers may not even measure retention. When manufacturers measure retention, they provide this information on the internal dashboard within the dealer network. Finding Retention Rate Data for Service Every manufacturer measures retention rates for the service department. The district parts and service manager will often provide these reports directly to the dealership service manager via email. Typically, they're available monthly in the dashboard that the manufacturer provides the dealers. Calculating the Retention Rate for Dealerships The retention rate is automatically calculated for dealers in the metric from the manufacturer. Calculations vary from one manufacturer to another. Typically dealerships track customers that have one customer-pay repair or warranty repair order in a rolling 12 months. Some also track customers that have two or more customer-pay or warranty repair orders in this same period. What is Considered a Good Retention Rate? A good retention rate depends on the type of car line, which can be segmented into three categories. Category number one covers all domestic lines of cars. Category number two is the import car line, while category number three includes highline cars. Surveys of various dealers show that domestic stores define a successful retention rate as retaining 55% of their service clients. These are clients who have been in one or more times within the last 12 months. For import carlines, the threshold would be 60% or better. Highline cars would need 65% or better to be declared a success. There are a handful of reasons for these differences. One reason is that certain carlines have done a better job branding themselves to help customers identify with the brand. This influences a customer to return to the dealership to have their car serviced. Another aspect of it is the maintenance intervals. Domestic vehicles often have the shortest maintenance interval between minor services. Import vehicles tend to have slightly longer maintenance intervals. Luxury cars like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audis have the longest maintenance intervals in between minor services. Domestic vehicles might need service every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, while imported vehicles need service every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. Some of the highline vehicles can go 12,000 to 15,000 miles in between maintenance intervals. Conclusion A winning dealership relies heavily on returning customers, especially in the service department, but knowing your customer retention rate will help you set goals for your dealership in both the sales and the service departments.  Meeting these goals can have a great impact on the success of the dealership as a whole, so it’s imperative to review and analyze these numbers regularly, allowing for adjustments to be made throughout the year. Learn more about measuring your marketing success.

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Car Dealership Marketing: The Digital Basics

Car dealership marketing strategies need to focus on targeting potential customers. However, dealerships have multiple customer types that range anywhere from car buyers to parts and service customers. Marketing to this range of customers must be specific to customer needs for it to be effective. Not only must you define and customize your marketing to a specific customer, but you must also customize your marketing according to your platform. This is particularly so when using digital marketing platforms.  The Right Message for the Right Customer A customer going through the buying process is different than one who needs repair or maintenance. Car dealers need to recognize these differences and ensure they are speaking their customer’s language. A customer who is not in the market for a new car still needs service, but they tend to overlook dealerships for their service needs. It’s no surprise, however, as dealerships tend to focus more on car sales when marketing. Auto dealerships must have a focused strategy for their service department that is independent of their sales department. And both departments must use multiple platforms to get the message out to these target customers. Automotive Digital Marketing Strategies In the automotive industry, both the service and sales departments must utilize the many platforms offered in the digital realm to reach their target audience. There are many platforms to choose from, but you can sort them into four categories: website, online reviews, emails, and social media. Website Design Dealership websites must be designed and optimized for both PC and mobile devices. It should be easy to navigate, and the messaging should be clear and concise. Ensure the site is segmented and organized so that the user knows exactly where to go to get answers and learn more about your dealership and its services. Website Content The website content is just as important as the design. A beautifully designed website with weak content is like a fancy car with no engine. Ensure your website is full of information your target customer would be seeking. Help them find your site easily by adding enough SEO keywords on every page. Website SEO Search engine optimization (SEO) is imperative if you want your dealership to show up on the search results page. It should be optimized for sales, but also for service if the goal is to gain traffic in your service drive. Don’t overlook your local SEO. This is how customers find your dealership by location on applications like google maps. Glowing Reviews Ensure your online reviews represent you in a positive light. Reviews are huge for the automotive industry, as customers are very wary of incompetence and fraud. Word of mouth is very influential, and online reviews are the digital word of mouth.  Increase your positive reviews by asking a satisfied customer to leave a quick review. Make it easy for them by dropping the link in an email or even a text if you have a texting system. A happy customer is generally delighted to leave a review when it’s only a click away. Email Essentials Add email to your marketing “to-do” list. Send emails consistently, and ensure the subject line and call to action lead the customer to open the email and click through to your website. The customer becomes more familiar and thereby more comfortable with your dealership through well-written and designed emails. Provide a variety of emails that include welcome messages, value offers, and promotions. Changing the emails up will increase the likelihood they will be opened and maybe even enjoyed by your customers. If you send the same type of email over and over again, you are telling the customer it’s okay to send your emails straight to the trash. Welcome Emails Welcome emails are just that; you’re taking a minute to welcome a customer to your facility and thank them for allowing you to serve them. Go easy on the graphics on this one, so it feels as close to a handwritten letter as possible. It should make the customer feel like the sales or service manager took the time to reach out personally. Value Emails Value emails provide information the customer needs and will find valuable. Maintenance schedules that show what services to plan and budget for are gold for a service customer. Reminders to schedule that next service will also keep the customer clicking. For your past sales customers, entice them to open their emails by letting them know what deals you have coming up and any exclusive service events that might benefit them. Promotional Emails Yes, the promotional emails are at the bottom of the list for a reason. They are not less important, but it does keep your customer from feeling bombarded by promotions. A customer’s inbox is already overwhelmed with these types of emails. To stand out, encourage your customer to open and enjoy your emails before asking them for something. Social Settings Social media is a must if you want to stay in front of your target audience. The most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so be sure you or a team member is comfortable and competent in using these communication applications. Conclusion Auto dealers cannot overlook the marketing capabilities that are right at their fingertips. A thorough marketing plan and schedule for all marketing efforts will help dealers effectively reach the ideal customers. Click over to TVI MarketPro3 for more marketing tips and information.

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Recall Data Management for Dealership Service Drives

The difference between recall versus an open recall A recall would be a defect that the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has deemed a manufacturer must remedy, fix, or resolve for the customer. Hence manufacturers file recalls on vehicles and appliances throughout the United States. An open recall is a recall that has not been remedied or repaired by that manufacturer. So, any "open recall" means the recall repair still needs to be performed.  Targeting open recalls The automotive industry finds open recalls by identifying VINs that still have recalls not yet repaired. You can do so by sourcing the data through multiple vendors, checking manufacturer websites, and the NHTSA website. There are multiple data points out there that allow various dealership service centers to verify completed repairs for an open recall.  How recalls help the bottom line for fixed operations So the benefit from a financial perspective or the bottom line for a dealership is that recalls cost the consumer nothing. And the dealership is paid per their agreement with the manufacturer for flagged hours, parts, and those reimbursement rates set in place. A dealership targeting lucrative recalls can enhance its profits and bottom lines for fixed operations.  Dealership focus on open recalls The focus on getting recall customers through the door is specific to each dealership. Some dealerships are very strong at making sure they have processes to identify every recall that comes into the drive. In addition to this, multiple states now require recalls for vehicle sales. Undoubtedly there is a strong focus in the automotive industry on resolving recalls.  Attracting recall customers Dealerships have a lot of tools at their fingertips to help resolve these issues. First of all, your local marketing company or your preferred service marketing company should have access to recall data. Many dealerships source or file a list through Business Development Centers (BDC). This list can be provided by mining your Dealership Management System (DMS) data. Also, a dealership can have a marketing company or manufacturer produce a target list. The BDC can call this list, or the service advisors can utilize some downtime to reach out to these recall customers.  Conclusion Attracting recall customers can be a valuable way to increase traffic in your service drive. Dealers can do this through direct mail and email marketing and making actual live phone calls through your BDC or advisor team. Once you get these customers in your drive, the goal will be to influence return visits for future maintenance and repair services. TVI MarketPro3 has a robust recall marketing strategy. Learn more.

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Measuring Dealership Retention and Customer Loyalty

What is retention? In the automotive industry, retention defines the dealer's ability to generate real, authentic loyalty with its customers. Retention is a factor now more than ever. The industry has finally realized the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) is not necessarily an indicator of business growth. Dealerships can have a fantastic CSI result and still have a decline in business. And conversely, you can have a dealership with atrocious customer satisfaction results, but their business continues to grow. Customer retention is a great equalizer because you cannot fake this measurement. Retention performance only comes when you service a customer multiple times within a certain period. Having good retention and customer loyalty is required for sustained growth. If you lose a customer for every customer gained, you break even. Is retention more of a factor in sales or service? Both are required for a dealership to prosper, but if you have to pick, it is more necessary to retain service customers than sales customers. Dealerships that sell a hundred new cars per month will service roughly 1500 vehicles in the same month. Keeping 70% of 1500 customers is much more impactful than retaining 70% of the hundred new sales customers. Measuring Dealership Retention Every manufacturer measures retention differently. Some manufacturers want one repair order in 12 months, and others look for two repair orders in 15 months. This difference in measuring retention carries over to sales as well.  Manufacturers each have their methods of tracking retention, which is why TVI created a retention report that can be applied to every dealership, regardless of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). This report is one of our foundational True Market Study reports. Marketing Strategy from Service to Sales The marketing strategy dealers use for sales department retention is vastly different than that of service department retention. Dealers should examine retention goals from an overall dealership standpoint as well as within each department.  It has to be part of the store culture from the dealer principal down to the lot porter. Everybody has to care about retaining their clients. The dealership must have the right culture with the right people in place doing the right things. It is all about customer experience! Customer retention comes down to one main idea: the customer must have an overall fabulous experience. It is not enough to settle for a good experience anymore. To stand out in this vast market, you must earn customers that will continue to come back. Not only should they return, but they should also rave to their friends and family about their experience.  The area to focus on for customer satisfaction is the timeliness of getting the customer in and completing the repair. A dealer also needs to ensure their pricing structure is competitive and transparent. A clean facility and a customer-friendly team also have an impact on retention. When it comes to retention, the ideas may seem simple, but it takes a good leader and lots of discipline to execute them. If a dealership leader can create the right culture, the customers will keep coming back time and time again. Click here for more valuable automotive marketing insights.

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Increase Your Reach with Car Dealership Facebook Ads

Many if not most car dealers have a Facebook page for increasing brand awareness, but not all of these businesses utilize Facebook ads as part of their digital marketing strategy. With billions of monthly active Facebook users, how does a business owner know an advertisement will not get wasted on droves of users who could or would never use their products or services?  One thing is for sure, a large segment of your dealership audience is on Facebook. And Facebook has tools to help you find and send the right message to this audience. These ads and messages will motivate them to visit. The first step to getting the most out of Facebook Ads is understanding the vast capabilities Facebook offers when it comes to delivering your marketing message.  Setting your Facebook Ad Goals Facebook offers multiple advertising objectives, so dealers can customize ads to meet business goals. Selecting the right objectives will help reach these goals no matter if the goal is to increase engagement, encourage users to click through to the dealer website, or find new leads for car sales and services. Facebook Ad Basics There are four basic ways to advertise on Facebook. ~ Boost a post.~ Create a page ad.~ Create a website ad.~ Promote your call-to-action button. These are all great ways to reach and engage with your desired audience. Advanced Facebook Ad Options A dealer can use Ads Manager to create and manage the ads it pays for on Facebook. Ad creation will allow a dealer to access more ad types than are offered from their page. It is where one can find lead ads for lead generation as well as conversions and brand awareness. Ads for the overall dealership Trish Fleming of TVI MarketPro3 has spent years researching automotive Facebook Ads, and she says creating the right ad for a dealership “depends on the objective.” For example, some dealerships would like to use Facebook to brand their name and products. So ads with high impression objectives or high reach objectives are the perfect ads for those customers. Fleming personally finds the ads that produce leads are more beneficial in the long run. Whether you send the ads to Facebook Messenger or you send them to a lead form does not matter as much as producing the leads so that they can turn into a sale. Service Department Ads Lead generation ads work the best for the service department. Nothing is exciting about having to have your vehicle serviced or getting an oil change, so the offer must have a compelling message. Most surveys reveal a 93% use of coupons for those needing vehicle service. Having the ability to provide a customer with a coupon immediately when they engage with your ad on Facebook enables the dealership to convert that customer. Multiple Ad Creatives Facebook advertising offers you creatives like video ads, image ads, slideshows, and carousel ads. You can pick the elements that work best for your target audience. Using a variety of creatives throughout your ad campaigns allows you to reach a variety of Facebook users. Service Ads versus Sales Ads Everyone in the automotive industry knows that the fixed ops department pays the bills for the dealership, so the dealership must have a Facebook advertising campaign that produces a trackable ROI. Creating the proper budget allocations to service and sales has always been a tricky task. The dealership should first figure out what its goals are for the year. Service ads tend to drive immediate traffic. But the gross on the sale is low, and sales ads are a larger ticket item in the end. However, they do not convert as quickly. Most dealerships should allocate $1200-$2000 a month for effective service department ad campaigns to run on Facebook. Facebook Ad Budget Customize your budget within your ad account by setting Facebook Ad objectives. These objectives should reflect the needs and available budgeting dollars of your dealership. Most ad types have a minimum budget range of one to five dollars per day. Your budget can also be adjusted, put on hold, or stopped altogether as the dealership finances change. Setting up an account spending limit is a way to make sure you stay within your budget. Targeting Options As with all marketing, the more targeted your efforts, the better, and a dealer can customize their target Facebook audience by location, demographics, age, and gender. It can also target specified interests, behavior, and connections. More advanced targeting tools like Lookalike Audiences allow you to target people that appear to have the same interests as your ideal audience. Measured Success of Facebook Ads You can use the Facebook measurement tools to learn how often people engage with your ads. Each ad you create can be measured using Facebook insights, metrics, and tools. You gain better measurement tools, and you gain a better understanding of ad effectiveness and which creatives drive the best results. You can also access tools that help you find your audience and reach more of the right customers. A Facebook Meta Pixel measures activity on your website. It might be when someone views a particular service or product. Pixels get your ads shown to the right people or help find new customers. They also help to increase sales and measure the effectiveness of an ad. Facebook Dynamic Ads Facebook describes dynamic ads as “the use of machine learning to scale ads when there is a broad range of products or services.” This automatic delivery considers customer interests and actions to send relevant services and offers. It is the reason you see an ad pop up on Facebook that reflects a recent Facebook or Google search. Instant Ad Feedback There is nothing better than getting instant feedback from an ad you just posted. Facebook will notify you with ad approval, new reports, and low balances. These notifications will also let you know when people interact with your ad. Reciprocate with these interactions to capitalize on your Facebook Ad efforts. Facebook ads allow for some of the most targeted audience engagement of all marketing strategies. Dealerships must present a clear, attractive message that allows for customer interaction and must have someone assigned to respond to this interaction for the most impact. This system will help build an online following and get more sales and service customers to the dealership. For more dealership social media best practices, visit TVI MarketPro3.

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Increase Service Department Sales with a Winning Team

As the dealership service department director, you have a huge responsibility to meet your sales goals. Not only do you need to keep the existing customers returning to your service drive, but you need to have a professional team of technicians that can get the work done in the most efficient manner possible. Dealership service centers must sell three things to be successful. First, they must educate a customer on why a service is needed. Then, they have to sell them on their establishment as the best facility to have the service done, with state-of-the-art equipment and a five-star lobby. And finally, they must sell their team of technicians as the best ones to perform the service. Spotting The Upsell You cannot meet your fixed ops sales goals alone, so you must teach your team how to recognize an opportunity to sell additional work. Upselling happens in our everyday life. The most notable upselling industry is fast-food restaurants. Many people say "no thank you" to that warm cookie or hot apple pie, but for some, the cashier presents the question at just the right time.  Your technicians then need to know how to present additional repairs or maintenance to the customer with tact and professionalism. They can do this by educating the customer more than selling to them. Spending a little extra time to show someone their vehicle's issues in person, or through pictures and videos, can establish trust. Overcoming The Objection It is essential to train your team to overcome service customer objections without high-pressure sales tactics. If a customer declines a recommended service or repair, a tech needs to educate the customer on why they need it and exactly how urgent it is. Ensure your technicians know why things need to be done and empower them to communicate these needs to the customer. Be sure not to overload the customer with a dozen potential maintenance or repair needs. Prioritize these by necessity and present the top two or even just one if it is a pricey fix. There will not always be the opportunity to upsell on maintenance and repairs. Regardless of whether or not additional work must be done, offer to schedule their next oil change before they walk out the door. The Perfect Price Price transparency is critical with service department sales. Dealerships should have competitive prices, but not necessarily the lowest. List maintenance prices on the website, so there are no surprises when a customer arrives. Keep Up With The Finances Educate yourself on the dealership's financial statements, and review these consistently. Watch overhead expenses and labor rates in addition to gross profit and net profit. You can meet your sales goals all day long, but if your expenses and labor costs are too high, you will not see the desired profits. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive service marketing tips.

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Getting the most of your car service data

With so many dealerships competing for vehicle owners to use their auto care services, choosing the right marketing strategies can be challenging. But regardless of which marketing strategies and platforms a dealer implements, there is no question that the more targeted your marketing, the better outcome you will have. Dealership marketers need to be as targeted as possible by knowing these three things: where to find the data, how to clean the data, and how to use the data.  Collecting the data Dealers collect vehicle data from their DMS (dealership management system). Dealers should gather this information daily to track an individual customer’s interaction with a dealership. Some companies compile car data to track who owns the car in a specific area and what kind of car they own. They collect details from insurance companies and independent shops.  These companies lease or sell the data to dealership marketers. And some websites offer vehicle recall information. A marketer can log on to these websites, check a VIN, and learn if it has an open recall.  Cleaning your data When collecting data from multiple sources, there will most likely be duplicate data. To dedupe data, dealerships must cross-check names and addresses from outside sources with the DMS. The dealer data is almost always the most up-to-date and accurate data, so it should be the anchor, and it should take top priority when cleaning data.  Dealers should compare VINs to see the last time a car was in for service. Vehicles serviced at a dealership often take top priority. A vehicle that received service at one dealership three years ago may have used another dealership more recently. The customer may have sold the car, or they may have moved.  These are all factors that need to be merged and scrubbed to create a target contact list. Review the addresses on the list to see if the customer is still in the dealership’s area. The radius from the dealership is one way of looking at this. But you can also narrow the data down by drive time.  Automated or Manual Data Processing Perform this type of data collection and analysis manually. However, an automated program allows this information to be as up-to-date as possible. TVI MarketPro3 has a program that does all of this automatically.  TVI gathers around a million records a day from DMS and other sources. These records come in overnight and are converted to a standardized format. The database is cleaned, new records are added, and updates are made.  The Right Customer The goal of all data manipulation is to pinpoint your marketing by several metrics. But the most common metrics used are the make, model, and age of the vehicle. We also gather vehicle services needed and the customer’s drive time from the dealership. The message you send using this data must be to a specific customer and about their vehicle’s health. For more on automotive data for marketing, visit TVI MarketPro3.

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Fixed Ops Marketing to Increase Your Repair Orders

A major goal in a dealership service department is to increase the number of repair orders coming through the service drive. To make this happen, service managers must have a solid plan specifically for service marketing. This marketing is unique from that of the rest of the automotive industry. After all, car sales customers look for a very different experience than a customer who needs vehicle maintenance or repair. Solutions Marketing Solutions for the service department should cover both print and digital platforms to get your brand in front of the right customer. Direct mail and local magazine and newspaper ads are all ways of getting your brand in front of an audience. The question is, what audience will you reach with print marketing? Direct mail is one of the only print options that can be narrowed down and sent to a targeted audience. Digital marketing allows for several targeted approaches. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram enable you to place business ads that will reach a customer-defined by age, gender, and a specific physical location or radius. Ensuring you have a strong online presence is important when potential customers are browsing for car services. An SEO-friendly website design in conjunction with tools like Google My Business can help your dealership land at the top of the results pages. Fixed operations marketing tools are the same as those used across many industries. However, you should customize the message to the needs of your service customers. Educating the customer When marketing for the service department, the goal is to educate the customer and address potential objections.  Your customer must understand why it’s important to schedule certain services, why they should use a dealership over an independent repair shop, and why they should use your dealership service department over your competitors. What are the common problems these customers have, and what are your service solutions? In conclusion, dealerships can choose from many different marketing solutions, and we're only scratching the surface here. TVI MarketPro3 makes it easy to decide which platforms to use, which customers to target, and what message to send.

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Fixed Ops Business Versus Variable Ops Business

Fixed Ops and Variable Ops are terms used in the car dealership industry. They uniquely identify two main parts of a dealership. Making this distinction defines the role each of these parts plays in dealership success and determines dealership marketing strategies for each of these entities. Definition of Fixed Ops Stability is what sets fixed operations apart in dealerships. Both the expenses and the revenue in parts and services tend to be more stable (or fixed) than in sales because these departments have fewer variables. Definition of Variable Ops The term "variable operations" usually refers to the area of a dealership with multiple variables that affect the expenses and the revenue. What part of the dealership is fixed ops? Fixed operations would be everything involved with repairing a car. The fixed ops department consists of the service and parts department and has a more consistent base for expenses and income. Customers still utilize a dealer service business even during the variables that impact car sales. So, the term fixed operations assumes that if you build it, they will come because there will always be a need for car service. If you have a repair facility and people know it, you can get a predictable amount of business.  What part of the dealership is variable ops? The car sales department is the variable operations portion of the dealership. The variables in car sales can range anywhere from weather and holidays to advertising and promotions. Of course, market conditions and inventory also have an impact on car sales success. Importance of knowing the difference Over the years, dealerships have viewed variable operations or sales operations as the primary breadwinner compared to fixed operations. However, this thinking has shifted in recent times as more dealerships understand the unique impact each area has. Knowing the profit of variable ops and fixed ops for any period is imperative. It allows a dealership to identify trends in each department. Marketing strategy differences between fixed and variable operations Marketing strategies differ between fixed and variable because you're selling two different things. So, it is necessary to market these separate parts of the business independently if you want overall success for the dealership. Variable ops and fixed ops must market with their competitors in mind. Variable ops or car sales competition is no longer just the dealer down the road. On the contrary, it now includes a wide range of online delivery options for car buyers. The dealer must convince its audience that the visit to the dealership will be worth it. Competition for fixed ops has also expanded over the years: it now includes businesses from local independent garages to big chain quick lubes. Dealers must entice specific, targeted marketing customers to drive past these other options to create fixed ops success.

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Facebook Automotive Dynamic Ads Overview

We’ve all seen the ads that pop up when we’re scrolling through Facebook. It’s like it’s reading our minds. Maybe you were browsing a website’s product catalog, and you flip over to Facebook to see a similar ad. While it may not be reading our minds, it is reading our searches and our behavior. Facebook pages for auto dealers already serve an important marketing purpose. Vehicles feed the majority of the content on a dealers’ page. Automotive inventory ads and vehicle detail pages capture their audience’s attention. But Facebook Dynamic Ads are important to the automotive industry to get the message to the exact right audience. What is a Facebook Dynamic Ad? Facebook dynamic ads are the same as other Facebook Ads in that they use the same creative design such as carousels, static single images, or video. But, dynamic ads also use the Facebook algorithms to feed the ads to people based on their search interests and actions.  This targeted form of advertising is put in front of a specific group of customers; customers identified as leads or potentially interested consumers. How do Facebook Ads Work? This model allows you to reach consumers that are already interested in the products or services that you're selling within the Facebook platform. The Benefits of a Facebook Dynamic Ad Dynamic ads have several benefits, such as having the ability to send creative content to customers that have shown interest in your products or services but have not previously purchased from you. These ads are automated, which does not require a lot of time for maintenance. And dynamic ads allow you to retarget your website customers. Most importantly, they help the business to find new shoppers. Using Dynamic Ads to Market for Car Sales Using dynamic ads will allow a business to feed ads to people who have shown interest online for the products or services the business provides. The more new people that see your company, the more the sales will increase. Dynamic ads can be used as limited-time offers since you can set an end date when you publish the ad. That way, it is not still floating around Facebook once the offer has expired. This is especially important with sales. Best use of Dynamic Ads for the Service Department The benefits for sales and service are the same, new customers. The creative will be different for the service customer than a sales customer, but the objective remains the same. Service ads are going to be customized to fit a particular customer segment or vehicle. The offer could be whatever the dealer wants it to be, but traditionally, it's something like an oil change. Steps to Creating a Facebook Dynamic Ad First, you would start by understanding the objective. Do you want to increase your traffic or focus on conversions? Then you would work on the creative. Video tends to be the best form for catching the attention of potential buyers. To run dynamic Facebook ads, you need the Facebook pixel code on the backend of your website. This pixel code should have events and parameters installed. Facebook needs access to this code to accurately feed the ads to people who have shown interest in your products or services. And it also enables them to track back purchases made from the ads. Check out TVI MarketPro3 to see how we use Facebook Ads to help dealers grow their RO.

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Elements of Effective Automotive Marketing Video

Video content is valuable as a form of digital marketing. It can help browsers find your content on search engines when it's done right. The challenge many dealers face when it comes to automotive video is the cost that goes into hiring a production team to create high-quality, professional videos. But this doesn’t have to be the case. You can now use your smart devices to create compelling and persuasive marketing videos.  Easy video marketing for the service department Service teams are surrounded by great opportunities for a video every day. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing: Capture the moment Capture the quick oil change, so customers feel confident your quick work doesn’t mean careless work. They can see the expertise that goes into this service. Share testimonials When a customer is gushing over the service they received, ask them to share that on video. Introduce your team Instill confidence in the customer by allowing them to meet your service team. These videos only take as long as it takes the techs to introduce themselves and share a little background. Give tips for maintenance This is where the Service Advisor gets to shine. This could be a 5-minute video that gives tips for car service and maintenance. The series can have a special name like “Five-minute Fridays with Fred.” That is if Fred is your Service Advisor’s name, but you get the point. Video Ads You may want to spend a little more time writing, storyboarding, videoing, and editing your ads. All elements must come together to send a specific message, especially if it's a paid ad. What types of videos should be produced for a dealership sales department? Creating videos for the sales department will be different from those you create for the service department. The shiny new car and the overall sales experience are the main focuses for the car shopper. These are great videos to include on a dealer website. Customers are expecting to watch a video when they land on a car dealership website. The sales manager can create videos specifically for social media that promote sales events and other sales-related information. Always keep in mind your specific audience when you’re creating a video. An auto dealership’s sales customers are different from the service customers. Customize your visual messaging to the needs of each of these customers. Capturing quality video Our devices capture incredible video these days, so the only thing you need to worry about is how and where you hold the camera. Hold it steady and hold it in the right direction. Shaky camera work can be very distracting, and it’s not fun to watch. Hold steady when recording, and if you have naturally shaky hands, consider getting a tripod specifically made for your particular device.  Pay attention to your background. Shoot video in an area that is clean and represents your dealership in a positive light. Determine which platform you’ll be posting to and video in landscape or portrait mode according to what works best for that platform. A mobile editing app like Adobe Rush will help you quickly and easily format your video according to whichever social media platforms you prefer. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive marketing tips.

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Digital Marketing Trends in Automotive

With the year 2020 serving up a pandemic, the automotive sector stepped up its digital game. Dealerships were all challenged to enhance the customer experience for car buying and servicing. All this while keeping their customers and employees safe and healthy. Digital innovation met many of the challenges and has improved the experience for many car dealerships. Artificial intelligence is reinventing the way many companies do business, and it is no different for the auto industry. A Whole New Way to Shop Online searches are becoming more and more like an in-person dealership experience. Things like voice search and augmented reality (AR) have taken center stage. They've made their way into the car buyer’s array of online options when shopping for cars. Vroom has a virtual reality showroom allowing customers to view car models from the comfort of their homes. Users wear an HTC Vive to explore and test drive the vehicles before buying. With all of these options available to their customer base, dealerships must use enhanced digital marketing strategies to reach new customers. Trends Leading Up to 2020 Other automotive marketing trends cover a multitude of digital marketing tools. Some of these tools are social media platforms, emails, texting, and online ads. Traditional marketing campaigns are still a great option, but dealers must be aware of the digital trends and tools needed to attract customers. These have all been tested over the years and proven effective in attracting customers to the automotive industry. Weathering the Pandemic These marketing methods thrived during the pandemic, and in most cases, it is a less expensive way to reach the consumer. These are less expensive than phone calls, television ads, print ads, and even a radio commercial. And most importantly, you’re able to reach a very targeted audience. Newer Marketing Trends There are newer forms of identifying clients for digital advertising purposes. Geofencing is a way to identify people using GPS or RFID technology to create a virtual geographic boundary. It enables software to trigger a response when a mobile device enters or leaves a particular area. Dealerships use antennas placed in front of the business. The dealership can pay for an ad to pop up while a potential customer in the area plays blackjack on their computer. There are also other apps out there that allow geofencing pop-up ads. Pay-per-click is also a newer form of advertising. An individual will type a designated keyword into a search engine, and a dealer’s ad will pop up ahead of any specific website. This is a great way to land at the top of search engine results pages. Trends That are Here to Stay Although email user interfaces and tools continue to change and improve, email marketing will never fizzle out. Email is such an efficient means of communication, and people have become accustomed to using it as a primary tool for communication. Social media is taking a big step forward in providing both company information and customer engagement. But this should not take the place of a website. This stresses the importance of keeping up with all new options for your website. All the bells and whistles aren't always necessary. But look out for any add-ons or plugins that will improve the customer experience. We must assume the consumer is educated and conditioned when it comes to finding information. Therefore, the pay-per-click option of marketing should be here as long as people are browsing the internet. Follow the Trends Ture or False? Following trends will help you find the most effective way to market to the masses. Maybe. If you're marketing to the masses. But a dealership should be targeting a select potential customer within a targeted area. Business owners often spend marketing dollars on the advertising they believe to be effective. Instead, dealers should look for proven trends that gain them access to the most targeted customer base possible. In the digital world, potential customers will be looking for more video content, VR, and Augmented Reality. The closer the consumer can get to experiencing the real deal without leaving their home, the better. Business 2 Community reports that Google Ads Smart Bidding will be a tool to utilize going forward. It enhances Google ad profitability by using machine learning and contextual signals to make smart recommendations. Voice search is accurate and convenient. It will continue to grow as consumers and marketers find ways of interacting more organically. Trends to Look Out for in 2021 Just when you think there couldn’t be any new ways to reach a customer, innovation comes knocking at the door.  Forbes says that 2021 will bring about several trends like live interactions with virtual events and experiences.  Marketing Insider Group lists marketing trends that will be prominent in 2021. These trends take into consideration customer experience, employee engagement, and content visualization. They emphasize that marketing has moved beyond branding and advertising as marketers work together with other business entities to create outstanding customer experiences. Social media will become a top channel for purchase rather than just discovery. Personal commerce will allow consumers to co-curate their experiences with brands. It reflects their preferences at any given moment while interacting with websites and social media. Forbes points out that companies should be culling their social media channels. By doing so, they can prioritize the most mainstream social media channels and hone in on these platforms to increase targeted customer reach. Click over to TVI MarketPro3 for more marketing methods.

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Dealership marketing companies: How and if to pick just one

Like all business owners in the United States, auto dealerships seek the most effective and efficient marketing solutions. They can opt to develop in-house marketing or to outsource this enormous task to a marketing company. The first step is determining the marketing strategies to implement and the specific goals to reach. Following that is choosing a marketing company or determining if you should use one at all. If the decision is made to partner with a marketing agency, you will select the best company to meet the marketing needs o the dealership. There are digital marketing companies, ad agencies, and print marketing companies. Marketing companies or agencies may serve a variety of different industries or even specific niches within an industry. They may be limited in marketing channels, or they may be a full-service company serving all industries and utilizing multiple marketing platforms. Agency Specialists The most significant factor in selecting agency specialists is how their specialty aligns with your dealership marketing needs. You could have an automotive marketing agency specializing in the automotive industry, but their focus is on auto sales - not the service department. A dealership wanting to increase service drive traffic should seek a marketing partner specializing in growing repair orders. Using only a print marketing company or only a digital marketing agency may limit the channels used to market a dealership. But chances are they are very good at what they do since this is their only focus. Another option is to seek a marketing company using multiple platforms for increasing traffic and dealership awareness. Let’s get digital! Digital marketing agencies focus on search engine optimization (SEO). SEO gives the dealer a better chance of showing up on a google search. Digital marketing will also help gain a local SEO when customers search for nearby dealers or mechanics. Your dealership will be a top result within this search, ensuring an increase in website traffic. Another online boost is search engine marketing (SEM).  SEO and SEM have a similar ring, but there is one big key difference, and that’s money. SEO focuses on organic searches through an optimized website, and SEM gains traffic from both organic and paid searches. Having an impactful website isn’t the only focus for a company that provides digital marketing services. These companies also cover email marketing and social media marketing which are both imperative to keeping your dealership sales and service department in the online spotlight. Print like a pro Print marketing has not lost its luster! Many dealers continue to purchase local newspaper and magazine advertisements. Direct mail is also a powerful form of marketing as there’s a likelihood that a potential customer will see the offer as they sort through their mail. Even if they don’t take you up on that offer, you still have increased brand awareness. The jack of all marketing trades Full-service advertising agencies have a lot to offer in both print and digital marketing strategies. They are typically a one-stop shop for all industries. While convenient for a dealership, it isn’t always the best course to take.  These companies may have the capabilities to meet your marketing needs. However, they may not be experts in any one industry, especially the automotive industry. In-house marketing Some dealerships handle much of their marketing in-house. While this is a possible solution, it is not necessarily ideal. A dealer would need to hire a full-time digital marketer and a graphic designer at the very minimum and then outsource printing and mailing. In-house marketing may prove to be less effective than hiring a marketing company to handle a dealership's marketing campaigns. 2 Departments 2 Marketing Companies If you take a close look at a dealership, you will recognize that it’s two separate yet complementary businesses under one roof: sales and service. Should these two individual departments be marketed in the same way or even by the same marketing company?  Marketing strategies and goals for sales could look quite different than that of service. It seems possible that two different marketing companies specializing in two separate dealership departments may yield the best return on a dealer's marketing investment. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive marketing suggestions and guidance.

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Dealership Direct Mail for Service

Many traditional marketing methods have fallen by the wayside, but direct mail still takes up prominent real estate in customers' mailboxes. Business owners often forget the impact of direct mail in our increasingly digital world. But many are surprised to learn direct mail still packs a punch as a marketing tool. It even outperforms the many digital options businesses have when it comes to marketing response rates. Direct mail may not be the junk that many people presume it to be. Forbes reports that while there has been a decline in the response rate for direct mail over the last decade, it’s still a powerful marketing form. In its response rate report, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) analyzed direct mail marketing data. They found direct mail achieves a 4.4% response rate, an impressive outcome compared to 0.12% for email.  A targeted approach Direct mail is only as valuable as the customer receiving it, so send your marketing to customers you believe will utilize your services. Mailing to the most targeted list possible is the most cost-effective way to attract customers through a mail marketing campaign.  TVI MarketPro3 processes roughly 700,000 mailers per month. Companies deliver these mailers to a list of customers created by merging specific data sources. By using multiple data sources, the mail isn’t cast out blindly over a wide area. Instead, we narrow customer lists by vehicle type, customer type, location, and upcoming services needed. This way, companies know they are sending each piece to an audience that is more likely to respond.   A stand-out flyer In the automotive industry, marketing can get overwhelming with the amount of information that dealerships include. They also like to use a lot of extra elements like call-outs, starbursts, and bright colors. All these added bits of design and information interfere with the offer dealers hope will entice their customers to visit. It also cheapens the overall look and makes it seem less professional and more gimmicky. These added design elements can often distract from your message. Customers are looking for a clear, easy-to-read message and the easiest way to reach your call center. Too many added elements can cause them to work too hard to get the info they need.   Make sure the service meets the mail. If a mail piece is successful, it’ll be up to the dealership to ensure the customer has a great experience and wants to return. Once a customer walks into the service drive, the advisor takes the reins. They must cater to the customer and make them feel welcome.  If it is their first time in the dealership, the advisor should take the time to show the amenities, offer them a beverage, and show them where the restrooms are. Be sure your dealership is providing five-star service. While the mailer gets them through the door, it is up to the service team to clinch the return visits.   Conclusion Automotive dealerships should recognize direct mail’s effectiveness when working to attract sales customers, but this form of marketing can also produce a nice return on investment for dealership service departments. While direct mail campaigns may not be the top dog in marketing trends, they are still a marketing strategy dealerships should use to sell more cars and change more oil. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more expert advice on dealership direct mail.

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Customer Retention in the Automotive Industry

Customer acquisition and customer retention are both measurements of success for all businesses, particularly the automotive industry. Dealerships have two main customer bases: sales customers and service customers. We'll take a look at how a dealership earns and keeps customers and the role each department plays in accomplishing overall retention. Customer Retention in the Service Department One of the primary roles of the service department is to keep a customer interacting with the dealership. From the time they purchase a vehicle until it is time for them to buy another car, the customer's experience will determine whether or not they return. Based on those interactions over a two to five-year period, the dealer hopes the customer will return to purchase another vehicle. Customer Retention or Customer Acquisition: Which is More Important? In reality, both retention and acquisition are imperative for a dealer to continue growing a customer base. You have to keep or retain the existing customers you have, but you also have to go out and acquire new customers for your store. If you have to pick, retention takes priority over acquisition. If you are not retaining your customers over some time, your overall customer base is going to decrease. It will then be a challenge to produce enough revenue to pay the bills. Therefore, retention usually has the edge. However, there needs to be a balance between retention and acquisition for a dealer’s overall performance. Is It Different for the Sales Department? The existing dealership customer base is the very best prospect file for selling vehicles. Most dealerships have processes to sift through their existing customer base. They reach out to see if these customers are in the market for a new car. However, the acquisition is also important because the sales department's job is to get new customers into the store. An acquired customer moves into the market and buys a car from you. The processes in place should reflect the service department keeping them happy for the next few years, so the customer returns to purchase another vehicle. Ensure the Customer Returns The number one customer retention strategy is for the customer to have an excellent experience from every level. From the greeting on the sales floor to the sales and financing process, the customer experience is the key to getting them back. They must also have a good experience in the service department for a dealership to stay top of mind when they're ready to purchase a new car. Pricing is not the issue in most cases. It is more about the experience and how easy it is to do business with the dealership. It must take little effort to schedule an appointment and be convenient to get the vehicle in. The estimation must be transparent, and the wait as short as possible. Customer communication is key throughout the process, as it reduces stress and increases trust. The number two way to ensure customers return is to have a consistent presence in front of the customers. They get bombarded by marketing from independent repair shops, independent franchise chains, and other dealerships. All of these entities are marketing to the same people. Brand and customer loyalty today is not like it was 20 years ago. People typically will jump from one make to another, so you must use marketing strategies to keep your dealership’s name and available services in front of the customer. The Automotive Customer Retention Struggle Most dealerships that struggle with customer retention lack the ease and convenience when getting a vehicle in for service. Kurt Hankey, Director of Maintenance at TVI MarketPro3, says studies show that service taking too long is the number one complaint. It is also what he encounters when he talks to his clients. Customers are willing to pay more money for an oil change somewhere else because they can do it in 30 minutes, but it takes two hours for the dealership to do it. The number one thing dealers need to be working on is not price, but convenience and ease for the customer to get services done. Finding Success Successful dealers have a dedicated quick service department, and manufacturers are now promoting these solutions. When performing quick services, a tech may even uncover other repairs needed. Offering these services is not enough, as you must educate the customer about any recommended services. Social media and online advertising make it easier than ever before to get the word out. Another reason quick services are vital to a dealer is that vehicles today are much more reliable than ever before. Roughly 60% or more of all of the services performed at a service department are quick service-related. Heavy, complex repairs are becoming a much smaller percentage of the overall work. The balance between customer acquisition and customer retention should be a primary focus for dealerships, as both are vital to the success of the service department and the dealership as a whole.

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Car Dealership Data Mining for the Service Department

Car dealerships have an overwhelming amount of data at their fingertips. Their dealership management systems (DMS) store data that answers many questions about their vehicle inventory, current deals, customer information, and credit reports. It’s so easy to access, and yet the thought of sifting through it can cause paralysis of the analysis. The sales department uses DMS programs to generate leads and manage car buyer information. But this data is an equally important tool for the service department as well. Data Mining Definition Through some well-planned and executed data mining, a service manager and its marketing team can learn a lot of important information about their customers. SAS.com defines data mining as the process of finding anomalies, patterns, and correlations within large data sets to predict outcomes. Using a broad range of techniques, you can use this information to increase revenues, cut costs, improve customer relationships, reduce risks, and more. For fixed ops, automotive data tells a different story than that of its sales counterpart. It answers multiple service customer questions if the data miner has a plan for extracting this data. This plan must address specific service customer questions that include their last visit and engine type. Dealers can also extract customer data from third-party sources such as Change of Address databases. Data Mining Tools A dealer may use a variety of data mining tools to merge and scrub this information. SAS Data Mining, Teradata, and R-Programming are just a few of these tools. Some systems are for expert data analysts, but other systems are for those who may not be as technically inclined.  Data Provided Answers Once a user has the right tools in place for data mining, it’s all about asking the right questions: Who is the target service customer?What do they drive?Where do they live?When was their last service?What type of service are they currently needing? An example of the answers you might get once your data has been merged, filtered, and sorted is: Jane Doe drives a 2007 Toyota Sienna. She moved and is now closer to your dealership. Action Based on Data A dealership service department uses this valuable data to send personalized and relevant service offers that bring customers through the door: In January, the dealership will send Jane Doe an offer for an oil change. The details of the offer should be specific to her Toyota, Sienna's oil change requirements. Conclusion By sending the coupon offer a month ahead of time, the dealership has now positioned itself to be top of mind for Jane before she even considers an oil change.  This targeted marketing intercepts customers before they can make their next car service decisions. But it requires a company to have a reliable system for accurate and efficient data mining. Learn how TVI MarketPro3's unique data mining processes are helping dealers grow their repair orders.

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Car Dealer Service Marketing Strategies

Marketing for the automotive service department is a must if you expect your dealership’s fixed ops to have an impact on the bottom line. Dealership leaders must implement strong marketing campaigns using traditional and digital marketing methods to attract the right customers. Traditional marketing in the automotive industry Traditional marketing doesn’t mean obsolete. Dealers are still using many of these methods today. Traditional methods include print advertising, phone marketing, and radio/television ads. Print Print marketing platforms like local newspaper and magazine ads are still used by dealerships, even though many of these publications have moved to online distribution. Direct mail has also been a long-standing option for dealers. With direct mail, a dealer can target a specific audience at a specific time. Phone Telemarketing is a traditional method that isn’t as popular as it once was due to more restrictions and the National Do Not Call Registry. Caller ID and mobile devices allow people to avoid these calls, making this form of marketing less effective.  Many people feel calling potential customers is an intimidating task. But, when used appropriately, it is a powerful tool for dealerships to attract new business and retain the customers they already have. Calls to current customers can be in the form of follow-up service or friendly reminders. Radio & Television These two traditional marketing platforms are still very much alive even if the audience isn’t as focused anymore. However, radio and television advertising is geared toward sales rather than service. These platforms cover huge areas that include customers that wouldn’t make the drive across town to have their car serviced. So, it isn’t practical to utilize these methods to market for the service department. Marketing with Digital Tools Digital marketing has taken the lead in how the automotive industry reaches customers. It allows the service department to reach a specific audience with a customized message. Email marketing Dealers can make an impact with email marketing. Email marketing is a direct tool, but it has to be well-executed for it to be effective. Everything from the right subject line to an easy-to-understand email body to an enticing call to action must be in place to keep your email from hitting the trash or spam folders. Social Media Engaging your audience with social media is an effective way to build trust with your community, but you can also place ads that reach a target audience. Facebook ads allow you to set a specific budget for a certain period. These ads reach the audience you select by age, gender, and location. Website Dealer websites are powerful tools. They do much of the work for the dealer, but they must be found with ease by potential customers. The dealership website designs must be easy on the eyes yet still answer common questions for the user. The website should have good search engine optimization (SEO) to find it when browsing. Know your customer Whether marketing for car sales or service, a car dealership must know its customers. Service customers are very different from car buyers who are in the market for a new car. Recognizing these differences allows for better communication and better offers for each of these customers. Car buyers are typically looking for a specific vehicle type and are generally excited about their next purchase. You get to add to this excitement with a great offer through effective advertising. For example, someone in the market for a new truck will scour the internet or even the local newspaper for dealership discounts on trucks. Expensive repairs are stressful and certainly not as exciting as a new car, so service customers are looking for good reviews, fair pricing, and efficient technicians. Today, online reviews are a version of word-of-mouth referrals.   Having your car serviced or repaired is a need rather than a want. When marketing to these customers, remind them of that need and then follow up by letting them know your auto dealer is the best option for them to fill that need. Word of mouth only happens if the experience is superb. Most of the time, satisfied customers will market for you because you made their maintenance or repair such a smooth transaction. However, sometimes these customers need to be reminded to share the good news. Follow-up calls are a great way to get feedback from a customer, show you care about their experience and encourage them to refer a friend or write a review. Conclusion Auto dealerships are always working to find the most effective way to reach new and current customers. A detailed automotive marketing strategy is the first step to drawing in these customers. Once you get them through the door, you must provide an experience that will keep them coming back and inspire them to give you a shoutout to their friends and followers. Learn more about dealership marketing solutions at TVI MarketPro3.

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Email Marketing for Car Dealerships

Over the past decade, digital marketing has changed how businesses reach their customers. Email marketing has taken center stage and is not going anywhere anytime soon. Car dealerships must utilize this valuable tool effectively and consistently to grow their business. What is email marketing? Email marketing is the process of sending an email to communicate a message and call a customer to action. It has become the fastest-growing marketing method in the past decade. Many online email marketing platforms provide contact management and email templates to make email marketing easy to implement. Constant Contact, Mailchimp, and HubSpot are just a few of the many options to choose from regarding online email marketing software. Be sure you know what features you are looking for when deciding which email management system is best for your business.  Types of Email Marketing Campaigns There are multitudes of email campaigns a business can implement. Most commonly, email communicates promotions or special offers,but it is imperative to provide your customers with valuable or interesting content outside of promotional material to keep them from unsubscribing. Dealerships should consider a campaign that educates the customer on maintenance intervals. There is also seasonal maintenance needed in specific climates or regions that customers need to know. These types of emails provide value to your audience and will encourage them to open future emails. A dealer service department can also create campaigns to introduce their contacts to their highly trained technicians developing familiarity and building trust. Using a wide variety of emails that do not always ask for something keeps the customer engaged with your brand and keeps your business top-of-mind when your customer requires the services you offer.  Dealership email marketing in practice Writing impactful emails starts with considering who is receiving the email. Segmenting email addresses into specific and defined lists ensures your message will hit the right target. You can have active customer lists, inactive customer lists, and lists for lost customers. The message you send to one list should differ from the message you send to another. A good email marketing plan will focus on frequency. An auto dealer service department could send between one to two promotional emails per month. We must realize that the service department functions differently from sales, and its marketing should reflect that. Car service is not necessarily needed two to three times per month. But you are sending emails this often to ensure your name stays in front of all potential customer bases. You are also growing positive customer relationships through email communications. However, when and how often to send emails is a calculated process. You do not want to overwhelm your consumer. You only want to send one email per day. Ideally, two or three emails per month are sufficient, but this will sometimes change depending on the dealer’s specific needs. Plan well ahead to schedule messages or offers throughout the month, or even create a quarterly, biannual, or annual schedule for some of your campaigns. This plan will also cover what content to include in each email.  Email structure While email marketing is cost-effective, you must utilize your email real estate wisely. Plan and make sure you have a clear and concise message. There is a fine line between putting too much or too little information within an email.  When a customer receives an email with too much info, it often intimidates and feels more like work. However, too little information can leave them frustrated with lots of questions. Getting people to open an email is half the battle. The subject line will have a significant impact on your email open rate. Be sure the subject encourages your recipients to click on the email. Once the email is open, remember that you only have a few seconds to get the point across. Short, clear sentences with a conversational tone make it easier for the reader to follow. And be sure to include a call to action that encourages high click-through rates. The layout of your email must be easily viewable on a PC as well as any mobile device. Preview the email in both these modes before sending it.  Meeting goals for automotive email marketing Email marketing keeps your name in front of your customers. Your brand and messaging become familiar as your audience receives consistent, high-quality emails over time. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive marketing resources.

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Benefits of Automotive Marketing Services

You dabbled in Facebook, you’ve mailed out special offers to a few zip codes, and you may have even struggled to come up with the right words for an email you’d like to send to your customers. Even if you are savvy with these marketing tools, you are busy running a car dealership or at least a department within the dealership. You have a million other challenges to meet, so why not entrust your marketing to a team that markets for a living? Why not an agency that can do it all? Marketing agencies are abundant, so it can be overwhelming to discern the marketing company that best fits your needs within the automotive industry. However, once you find the right marketing partner, you’ll wish you had made this move sooner. How do you find the right marketing solutions? The automotive business has a unique voice and specific needs. Full-service agencies are potentially the jack of all marketing trades. However, they may not capture the true essence of the automotive industry.  Entrust your business to an automotive marketing service provider Automotive-specific marketing agencies understand the industry, and companies like TVI MarketPro3 have team members who have a vast amount of experience as automotive leaders. This deep understanding of the business and its customers makes these niche marketing companies highly attractive to dealerships. Automotive marketing strategies are based on two different areas of the dealerships and mostly two main customer types. Dealers want to reach car buyers and car service customers.  A full-service marketing company may not fully understand this. They may put efforts into the obvious car sales and completely underestimate the value of each service customer.  Understanding Customer Types You must have a team of marketers that understands and appreciates both departments and their prospective customer types. The team should also reach customer subtypes such as new car customers, used car customers, and lease customers. In the service department, there is also the current, lost, and conquest customer. Marketers should define and target these customers within all marketing efforts. Regardless if an agency utilizes digital marketing and social media or direct mail and other print marketing, reaching the right customer at the right time and with the right message is imperative to increase a dealer’s customer base. The right research to find the right customers Ensure the agency you select does an adequate amount of industry research. The research should leverage the data extracted from dealer management systems as well as external customer data sources.  Look for customers in the market for a new vehicle or who are due for a car service. Who purchased a vehicle at your dealership and didn’t return for service? These are the customers a good marketing team will find and engage. Business leaders often have a hard time letting go and entrusting their business to an outside company. But the right company will save them stress and time, and hopefully, give them a great return on investment.

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Automotive Servicing Research for Dealerships

The automotive industry is a force in the United States economy. According to Select USA, in 2018, the U.S. reached 17.2 million units for light vehicle sales. We see this in automotive marketing through radio and television commercials, direct mail, and online advertising. Car dealers put an enormous effort into researching their market for vehicle sales.  But what about dealership service department research? This sector of the auto industry is just as important as the sales sector. And marketing research for service departments needs just as much of a focused approach as sales. The good news is, you should research the same way across the automotive market, but research for vehicle servicing will reveal a market that is unique within the industry.    Research Capabilities Not every dealer has the same capabilities when it comes to hiring a research team. Some service managers might be left to their own devices when learning more about their specific market. A service manager must still perform the research even without an optimal approach. The more you know about your market, the more the fixed operations of a dealership succeed. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you determine what research methods you would like to pursue.   Apply General Marketing Principles A dealer should follow the same strategies used for car sales when researching the automotive service market. In other words, the questions are the same, but the answers may be different.   Constant and Consistent Research Research is not a one-and-done type project. Industry trends have ebbs and flow throughout the year, so researching one or two times per year will only give you a small peek of the big picture. To retrieve usable data, you must employ a consistent data collection system, organization, and analysis.   Set Research Goals Before you begin your research, you must have a clearly defined objective or target. What question or questions are you trying to answer. These objectives should guide you in your research and help you better understand your market.   Source Cross-checking We have an abundance of information at our fingertips. Be sure to confirm your findings with multiple reliable sources. Government agencies like the census are a great place to start, but this may not always be the most up-to-date and reliable data. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is chock-full of market reports and other great information.   A Perfect Blend of Research Many researchers stick with the numbers by performing primarily quantitative research. While this black and white information gives us clear, measurable answers, it is not the only data we should consider. Human emotion has a powerful influence we must fully explore to understand the market. While quantitative research tells us the what, customer experience questionnaires and other satisfaction surveys help us better understand the why. Collective customer service experiences from past maintenance and repairs can give a lot of clues to certain behaviors. Factors in the community also impact customer behavior, but the magnitude of this impact is only revealed by reaching out to the customer.   A Crystal Clear Report What good is the information if it is overwhelming and difficult to decipher? Once your data is collected, you must compile it into a report that is easy to understand for the entire team, not just your number crunchers.  The market report includes the market size and potential customer type. You can review customer buying habits and how much they are willing to pay for certain services. Do not forget to research your competition and their struggles and achievements.   Research-based Plan of Attack Research for the sake of doing research is not a viable strategy. The idea behind it is to use the information to help move the ball down the field. So you must develop a plan of action based on the information you collect. This plan can include who receives offers, how your procedures will change for a service visit, or how to streamline your fixed ops business.   An Informal Approach If you do not have the means to employ a research team, you still need to work to learn as much about the market as possible. You can start by looking within the industry itself. A service manager can learn a lot by reaching out to other service managers in their same group.    Dealers Groups & Forums Dealers participate in conferences such as a 20 group meeting. Here dealers from different, non-competing markets discuss what works and does not work in their market. They share with their peers the practices that are beneficial to their business. You can also search for online forums to engage with other like-minded service managers. Groups such as Fixed Ops Mastermind offer Facebook and online forums where an industry professional community interacts and provides information to the group.  The information provided in these forums can be invaluable for service managers working to understand the market. Look for common themes in these online conversations instead of accepting the opinion of one individual.  Also, take into consideration that not everyone in the forum is in your same market. Trends will vary from market to market, so you need to filter out information that does not apply to your specific market.   Lean on Your Manufacturer The manufacturer also provides research tools to the dealership and can often recommend a couple of outside tools to use. Dealership management systems have a plethora of information on customers. Through this system, you can research customers that purchased a vehicle from your dealership but have never utilized your services. You can also see those customers that have not used your services in a certain time period.  You are always looking to add service customers to your business. However, you want to be sure you’re paying attention to retention as well. Adding new customers will not help the bottom line if you are continuously losing customers.  If you are left to perform informal research, remember to seek out the successful professionals around you. You’ll need to ask each of these individuals the same five to ten questions. While this may not provide you with a lot of data, you will be able to see the common themes in their answers. Lean on the successful leaders around you to keep from wasting marketing money, time, or effort.   Conclusion Whether you take a formal approach to market research or a more relaxed approach, you must perform some method of educating yourself about your market. The more you know about the customers in your area and their behaviors, the better equipped you will be to provide excellent customer service. See how the TVI MarketPro3 marketing strategies are helping dealers all over the U.S.

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Automotive Service and Sales Marketing

A car dealership should be working to attract two different customer types; sales customers and service customers. In doing so, it should take a well-balanced approach to the customer research, messaging, and platforms used. And the dealership marketing team must address the unique challenges on its hands if it wants to drive traffic for both sales and service. Challenges dealerships face when creating a marketing strategy for sales and service. There are a lot of factors that sales and service departments take into consideration when assessing which automotive marketing strategies to implement. For sales, inventory in both new and pre-owned impacts the promotions offered as well as the urgency to move cars off the lot. The time of the month is also a factor taken into consideration. This will affect the messaging of both print ads and social media campaigns. In the service department, the facility capability is one of these areas. In a newer facility, the service manager is looking to grow at all costs and by whatever means. The marketing strategy should accommodate these goals and processes. An established dealership’s service department might be bursting at the seams with business, but has limited space and ability to grow. This dealership probably should have a more retention-oriented marketing strategy. When a service department is creating a marketing strategy, it must have synergy with the dealership's goals. And these goals can change from year to year or even within the same year. A dealership needs a marketing vendor or a strategy that can be fluid and change as the dealership's situation changes. There are other areas to overcome for both sales and service including staffing, turnover, and reputation issues. Communication of these areas should also be part of the marketing strategy. Effective strategies dealerships should implement The strategy effectiveness has a lot to do with setting expectations and goals to make sure the strategies match them. Marketing methods for both sales and service should focus on acquisition (AKA conquest) and retention. And dealerships must use multiple channels to market. Some of these channels have not changed in 50-70 years. There are still dealerships out there that have lots of success in marketing with traditional media buys such as radio or television ads. There’s also still a lot of success in print, whether it be local newsletters or newspapers. But direct mail and printed materials should be as targeted as possible. Emails and social media are very successful tools as well. People are always on their phones checking emails and checking social media.  Multiple platforms use pay-per-click (PPC) like social media and search engines. Make efforts to ensure your dealership’s online presence is search engine optimized (SEO), so you show up at the top of the first search engine results page (SERP). Marketing research differences between sales and service There are many different aspects to marketing efforts that go into vehicle sales versus vehicle service.  The way data is mined and used is a lot different for each of these departments. For example, sales departments focus on the customer life cycles to see whether they are in an expiring lease or an equity position.  In many cases, the amount of available data for service customer driving habits does not exist. However, we do know that customers who own older vehicles need oil changes more frequently than those who have newer vehicles. You also have cars on the road today with big engines and large amounts of oil in them that only need an oil change every year or even 18 months. Regular maintenance intervals vary. Being aware of these factors should drive the way you target, filter, and clean up data in fixed ops versus sales. Conclusion While the messaging and discounting should all be consistent from one channel and platform to the next, the way you target customers and clean up data is very different. Ensuring both these areas are considered when creating your marketing master plan will help dealerships get more sales customers on the lot and more service customers in the service drive. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more marketing solutions.

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5 Automotive Service Department KPIs

Service managers have an enormous responsibility not only for the success of the service department but the success of the entire dealership.  National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) sums up the service manager’s responsibilities as running an “efficient and profitable service department” through several key areas that include staffing, retaining customers, and controlling costs.  As leaders in the dealership, the service managers set goals and objectives for the department and continually strive to meet them.  These department goals are derived from key performance indicators (KPIs). The most widely used KPIs for the automotive service industry Each service department has a way of measuring success, but five main KPIs are common across the industry. These include effective labor rate, hours sold per repair order, gross profit, client satisfaction & retention, and fixed coverage. A Service Manager must understand these metrics and how they impact the service department and the overall dealership. Effective Labor Rate Effective labor rate is a calculation that reveals the revenue produced per billed hour. To calculate the effective labor rate, divide total labor sales by total labor hours billed.  Your effective labor rate is directly proportionate to revenue. Service managers must calculate their facility’s effective labor rate regularly and determine what improvements are needed. Hours Sold Per Repair Order Time is the product of the service department. Hours Sold Per Repair Order (RO) measures how well the service department makes the most of each opportunity. Like Effective Labor Rate, this KPI is also directly proportionate to revenue. Not only is this metric a good indicator of service department profitability, but by capitalizing on each RO, a service manager can be sure there is enough work for each technician. While profit is a prime motivator, seeing that each team member can put food on the table should be just as important to all service leaders. NADA recommends analyzing optimally 100 repair orders per service advisor each month to establish a game plan for improvements. Minimizing one-item ROs increases your hours per RO. Gross Profit Percent Gross Profit in a service department is the labor sales revenue for a RO minus what is paid out to the technician to do the job. For example, if a repair brings in $200 in labor revenue and the tech is paid $60 to do the job, the Gross Profit is $140. Divide $140 by $200 to get your Gross Profit Percentage which is 70% in this example. Gross Profit Percent is the percentage of revenue that is turned into gross profit. A Service Manager must handle the work distribution with efficiency and match the work required for the ROs to the technicians’ skill levels. A gross profit percentage benchmark in the service department is 76%. Client Satisfaction and Retention Keeping customers happy keeps them coming back, and returning customers is required for a service drive to prosper. Each OEM measures retention differently, and some incentivize dealerships to meet retention goals.   Retention might be one of the more difficult areas to manage as it comes down to the people. A Service Manager must have systems in place that provide consistency from one team member to the next.  Everyone should be on the same page in all areas of customer service. Answering the phone, communicating with the customer throughout the repair process, and providing quality work are all areas that must be ingrained into each team member to encourage customers to return for service.  Fixed Coverage Fixed coverage is the ability of fixed operations (service and parts, and body shop if you have one) to cover the entire dealership adjusted overhead expense. The Service and Parts departments are considered the “fixed” sources of income (fixed operations) for a dealership.  The more of the above KPIs achieved, the more likely your service drive is to meet 100% Fixed Coverage as it is a direct effect of each of these metrics.  How do we use this information in making marketing strategy decisions? TVI MarketPro3 agent and longtime fixed operations leader, Nick Shaffer, says “it all comes back to understanding what the dealer objectives are.” Shaffer says marketers need to know on which of these KPIs to focus. Let us take, for example, a dealer that does a fabulous job with effective labor rate, hours per repair order, and shop efficiency but is down on RO volume and needs to increase the customer pay repair order count.  Shaffer recommends a vastly different strategy for this dealer from a dealer that is at capacity and only wanting to bring in very fruitful cars. These dealerships might be able to handle only one more car per day, so they want to make sure that car is likely to be a high-dollar ticket. “This strategy is going to look different from a dealer that wants to drive volume,” Shaffer says.   Conclusion: Understanding the dealer objectives and reverse-engineering the marketing strategy around driving these KPIs is the best and most effective way to reach service department success. Communicate these objectives and the expected processes to every team member who will impact achieving these goals.   Without setting these specific goals and measurements in front of your team, you will have individuals creating their own missions that may or may not align with the dealership goals leading the dealership to miss the KPI mark. Shaffer emphasizes that “if the team is not involved in the discussion when objectives are discussed, processes are outlined, and expectations are set, then the team will not be committed to executing the defined process in pursuit of the objectives. Without involving them along the way, they will feel like this is happening to them instead of with them.” Not only do you need to be clear about how you measure performance, but you need to review these KPIs with the team on a regularly scheduled basis. Posting a KPI scoreboard where every associate can see it is a powerful tool.  Keeping these numbers in front of the team will motivate them to continue meeting these KPIs throughout the year.  Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive service industry resources

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Automotive Service Customer Retention for Dealerships

Importance of Dealership Service Customer Retention In 2021, dealerships have developed a renewed focus on retention efforts in both the sales and service departments. Manufacturers today have replaced the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) surveys with a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of retention. Retention is now the more utilized measurement of how a dealership is performing. The more customers return to a dealership for repeat business, the greater their lifetime value. Therefore, a single customer becomes a more profitable venture for a dealership. It is also important to mention that a customer who returns for multiple service visits throughout owning a vehicle is much more likely to purchase their next car from that dealership. Identifying the Customer First of all, a dealership must identify its customers before determining which marketing strategies to implement. Active, inactive, and lost are the terminologies or phrases TVI MarketPro3 uses to segment and target a dealership's customers. "Active" is a common term across the industry, and it refers to a customer who frequents a dealership for service over zero to twelve months. Inactive customers fall into a 13 to 24-month window, focusing primarily on the second year. These customers have not returned to do business with the dealership within these months. The lost customer segment for TVI MarketPro3 would be those who fall in a twenty-five to a forty-two-month window of inactivity. These are customers who, for multiple reasons, stopped utilizing a dealership's services. While the terminology differs among manufacturers, marketing vendors, and other consulting companies, you will find a variety of terms used to indicate this period of inactivity. Defining periods of inactivity allows retention strategies to focus on keeping active customers. How to Measure Customer Retention in the Automotive Industry Measurement of customer retention is dealership-specific. TVI MarketPro3 uses a straightforward method to quantify retention. The goal is to determine the number of active customers a dealership has and then break them down by visits per year. Some manufacturers, however, look at pay types or the number of visits. For example, manufacturer A may look at the number of customer pay visits and require two over a 12-month window. Manufacturer B may look at a sales-to-service retention calculation. From the date of a sale or certified used sale vehicle, how many customers came in within 12 months? How many came in from 13 to 18 months, or how many came in from 19-plus months? There is no right or wrong answer regarding how to calculate retention. But a dealership must have a way to label customers based on activity. How Dealers Can Use Marketing to Retain Service Customers Identifying customer activity and action trends is a primary strategy influencing customer retention. When there is a specific period with a significant drop-off in customers, a dealership must strategize accordingly. The marketing should target those customers with a significant discount or an aggressive offer from a price standpoint. This offer should also be time-sensitive to help attract customers and allow a service team to earn the required number of responses or visits each year. How a Service Team Can Complement Retention Marketing Efforts Getting a customer through the door is the first step of customer retention. What a customer experiences after that is key to whether or not they will return. Service teams should complement the marketing efforts and focus on giving the "wow" experience.  Frontline workers, advisers, and greeters at the dealership should all welcome the customer with open arms. Treat them as guests, and show them around the facility. Create an open and transparent line of communication. These efforts make for an outstanding experience, a powerful tool for improving customer loyalty. Refrain from overselling them for every single service due. By becoming more of an informant and educating them on their vehicle, you are more likely to gain their trust. Therefore, educate the customer on the recommended service and why it is in their best interest rather than making it a sales pitch. A service typically sells itself when a customer understands its purpose. Conclusion Customer loyalty is never just dependent on one area of a dealership. Instead, the sales, service and marketing teams can be a powerful force to influence returning customers. Advisors and service advisors can use these retention strategies to encourage repeat visits for years to come. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for More Resources

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Automotive Service Ads to Increase your RO

Business owners are always looking for ways to market to both existing customers and potential customers. Dealership parts and service departments and even the body shop are no different. Although the departments are all part of a larger entity, they must get the marketing attention necessary to maintain overall dealership retention. A marketing plan geared to these service customers creates a presence in their space. It keeps them aware that you are there to take care of their service needs. After all, if you're not making them aware of your services, somebody else will certainly be making them aware of theirs. Your target customers get loads of marketing from other dealerships, repair shops, and quick lubes. So it is critical to run ads specifically for the dealership's service department that reach the right customers. Platforms for running ads Radio, television, and other traditional marketing channels are still effective mediums for auto repair shops, but these often fall on a widespread audience. Be as targeted with your marketing strategy as possible. Some more targeted marketing ideas to explore would be social media and pay-per-click ads (PPC). Both of these tools increase search engine optimization and lead generation.    There is traditional direct mail for auto service. But this can still land on an unspecified set of customers. However, TVI MarketPro3 uses what we call intelligent mail. Intelligent mail is heavily reliant on segmentation. Unlike mass mail, we do cyclic targeted marketing for the service departments and the industry in general.   Other advertising ideas to consider for auto repair marketing are texting and emailing. Both have a direct customer reach, but an intentional, targeted approach in these efforts will always be more effective in reaching potential customers.   How often should ads be run or mailed Plan out your auto shop marketing annually, biannually, quarterly, and monthly to be consistent. Many aftermarket shop owners do seasonal mailers and email campaigns. Dealerships often do these every quarter, and incidental campaigns such as grand openings are run intermittently throughout the year. TVI MarketPro3 uses segmentation to follow the customer life cycle and strives to deliver the right message to the right customer at the right time. Dealerships typically do the campaigns every single month. They just hit a different target audience with each monthly campaign. This approach is more cost-effective as you know your ad is landing in the hands of a specific person. Service ads that entice Recurring maintenance reminders of oil changes and tire rotations are a great way to captivate an audience. These services are necessities, so getting yourself in front of the customer before the service is due is a great time to present related offers. Seasonal value-added offers grab the attention. Heading into winter? Place or mail an ad to remind people you sell wiper blades and make sure their washer systems are up to date. Perhaps add a tire check, so the customer feels confident they are in good shape. To any of the above offers, consider adding a special for additional services. An example of this is an offer for 25% off any repair service you do the same day you come in. When a customer comes in and needs additional work, the service advisor can apply the coupon; a very appealing offer to customers. Consider distributing a convenience offer. Offer a free loaner car for a repair over a defined price limit if completed on the same day of arrival. The customer is much more likely to take you up on the repair if they can go about their day. Every dealer should be marketing recalls to their customers. These ads inform the customer of the needed recall and let them know you are ready and able to take care of the problem. Conclusion If you're hoping your dealership's sales department will be enough to grow your repair order count, you're likely making a grave mistake. Customers need to be reminded of your service department consistently if you want them to consider you for their vehicle service needs. Be sure your fixed ops advertisement is created to meet your RO goals.

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Automotive Repair Order Best Practices

Service teams use auto repair order forms or work orders for every vehicle that pulls into their service drive. This form directs each team member through all repair work processes. Therefore, service teams must use these standard business forms to their fullest capabilities to be as efficient and effective as possible. Digital or Paper? TVI MarketPro3's Kurt Hankey says that automotive service departments use both digital and paper repair orders. "I would say the majority of stores still generate a paper invoice or a paper repair order. But in the shop, the technicians and the advisors, for example, may be operating only on the digital version of it. There are very few shops that do a digital-only, but some do," says Kurt. Develop a Standardized Process Whether the repair order is paper or digital, service department leaders must develop a standardized process for handling repair orders. Everything - including intake procedures, documentation, repair tracking, and customer communication - must be performed consistently from one team member to another and from one customer to another. Accuracy is Key Though repair orders are standard, it is critical to remember that they are legal documents between the dealership and the customer. They are also legally binding between the dealership and the manufacturer. Kurt stresses that all team members must initiate and finalize repair orders consistently. Document all repairs and services performed on the vehicle, including details such as parts used, labor hours, and any special instructions. The repair order is "one of the single most important documents for a service department," says Kurt. Service advisors must make sure all notations and all timestamps are accurate. The manufacturer also uses this document and will periodically ask to see repair order records. In doing so, they will access the actual repair order, not the invoice. Repair Orders Allow for Effective Communication Service advisors should establish clear lines of communication with the customer throughout the repair process. In doing so, they should provide regular updates on the status of the repair and any changes to the original estimate. The customer should receive an invoice reflecting all the same information that was on the repair order with all of the corrections and services that were performed, as well as pricing. Turn to Technology Technology helps streamline the repair order process, and digital systems are recommended for intake, tracking, and invoicing. After the repairs are complete and the order is closed, all applicable information is saved, which becomes part of a vehicle's history. The history provided by closed repair orders will generate timelines by the date of service. The dates tell the service manager when it’s time to remind a customer of upcoming services. Make sure your staff is trained on the repair order process, including the use of technology and customer service skills. It can be tempting to assume a system is self-explanatory, but this can be a costly mistake. Keep the Information Up-to-Date Busy service drives can make it challenging for service advisors to catch all the details, but one area that shouldn't be overlooked is the verification of customer data. Every time customers arrive, advisors must double-check their personal contact information and vehicle information. Questions that should be answered are: * Do we have the right phone number?* Do we have the current direct mailing address?* Do we have the customer’s current, valid email address?* Which vehicle are we servicing, and have we serviced this vehicle before?* What’s the current mileage of the vehicle? Every time a car comes in, you must accurately record the current mileage in order to best serve the customer's specific vehicle needs. Errors in documentation can cause the creation of duplicate customer files on the same vehicle. Making detailed notes will also prevent miscommunication with your customers. Service advisors should keep records to specify the underlying cause of the problem. Thorough notes prevent discrepancies when explaining repairs to the customer. These mistakes can "create financial problems for the dealership," says Kurt, "so service departments need to be consistent and precise when executing a repair order." Attention to Details Finally, Kurt warns that dealerships should pay close attention to the physical filing of repair orders. The information on the computer screen is valid most of the time, but for legal reasons, "you've got to have access to the hard document" as well. An organized and structured system of filing these hard copies will make it easier to pull these documents should the need arise. Conclusion The repair order is one of the single most important documents for the service department. It touches every aspect of the customer's relationship with the dealership. The dealer protects itself from legal issues when it ensures these digital and paper documents are handled properly. It also creates a strong means of communication between the customer and the service team.  A positive customer experience is the number one goal for any dealership. Therefore, an advisor should take the time to review proper procedures for these documents to make transactions smooth and seamless. Check out more service department business resources at TVI MarketPro3.

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Automotive Marketing Solutions Dealers Should Consider

Automotive marketing solutions bombard the automotive industry challenging dealers to determine which of these many options is most effective. Dealerships can opt to handle all marketing in-house by hiring an individual marketer or a team of marketers. They may also utilize online marketing tools or employ a marketing company and outsource these tasks.  Dealers also have two distinct sectors to promote: sales and parts and service. Each of these departments needs customized and independent marketing strategies that also meet the overall mission of the dealer. Tried and True Marketing Traditional marketing has proven to be successful over the decades, and many of these platforms continue to be strong tools in today’s high-tech world. Direct mail is still a popular and effective method of getting the word out. Service departments find this to be particularly true as it can extend offers to customers who need its services year-round.  When executed properly, Direct mail is a targeted method that produces a positive ROI, but dealers must ensure their ads land in the right mailboxes rather than sending them out to their entire area. Sales departments benefit from casting a wide net for direct mail as people are willing to drive a distance to get the car of their dreams at the best price. Contrary to car buyers, people want convenience close to home or work for car repairs and maintenance. Dealers may be wasting money on their service department’s print advertisement and postage when mailing to an entire area or region. By collecting customer and vehicle data, a dealership can pinpoint exactly who will receive offers and when to send them. This ensures each mailpiece gets to customers who are the most likely to visit that dealership. Technology at its Finest Digital marketing can be just as targeted, but it must go beyond a social media post and a friendly monthly email. Dealers need these types of outreach, but they should enhance them with a thorough digital marketing plan.  A dealer should create an annual master plan for all digital marketing. It should reflect email and social media frequency, intervals, and content. Marketers can insert additional emails to keep the interaction timely and relevant, but this master plan ensures a dealer has consistent digital marketing throughout the year. Social media and email marketing are not only about asking the customer for their patronage. It’s instead about engagement and interaction with the customers. It’s about providing compelling content and then extending enticing offers. You must be consistent if you’re seeking brand recognition and are looking to grow your following. Marketing Marathon All segments of the automotive industry are running the marketing marathon. But dealers can attract the right customers if they have great strategies and a great marketing team making all the right moves. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive marketing tips and information.

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Automotive Marketing Reports for Service Managers

Reports may not be the most exciting part of marketing. In fact, they can be downright overwhelming to digest at times, especially if you're not a numbers person. However, reports are essential in many different areas of the automotive industry, but particularly when it comes to marketing. Rethink the way you view and utilize your marketing reports. It's like holding up a mirror to closely examine the results of your marketing efforts. The numbers reflect what is working, what needs tweaking, and what needs to be discarded altogether. A dealer must dissect the reports to get a better understanding of the information they provide and the purpose they serve. These reports will also help justify the marketing investments when reviewing business statements. There are several different reports that a dealership should be using to create effective marketing strategies. Below is an overview of the more impactful reports a service manager should expect to receive and review with the dealership's marketing partners.  Activity Summary One report is called the activity summary. This summary reveals how much the dealer paid in marketing for a given month. And for that amount, it shows the overall customer reach for all areas of marketing. If a marketing company mails 3,000 direct mail pieces, it's imperative to know how many went to active customers, inactive customers, and recall customers. These reports should also reflect how many address changes are found in the DMS that need to be updated. Email reports should cover how many emails were sent and how many were opened. The reporting should also reflect the number of bounced emails, the number of emails unable to be delivered, and how many people unsubscribed from emails. If the email includes links, the reports should be able to track how many clicks there were in total for each link. Facebook is another very measurable marketing tool. When using Facebook for something like a recall check campaign, dealers will want to see a report on the number of recall contacts made and the number of responses received. The same is true with Facebook Ads. A dealer needs to know the ad spend as well as impressions, likes, and click-throughs received. Response Summary The second critical market report will be the number of responses received in a particular month. There may be a lag in reporting as customers may not come in until a month or so after receiving the advertisement. Therefore, remember when reviewing reports that a report reflects one to two prior months. These reports should be broken into segments of active, inactive, and lost customers. And the strategy for each of these customer types should be tweaked for the next month. For example, service managers and marketing teams may look at those lost customer offers and decide to change them for the next mailing to produce better results. Vehicle Mileage The service managers should know the mileage of a vehicle when it arrives, so they know roughly how much revenue a single car might bring in. Cars with 6,000 miles will probably be $80 tickets because they need a simple oil change or a tire rotation. But if the average number of miles on the vehicle is 40,000 to 50,000 miles, those are good opportunity tickets. The more miles that are on the car, the more services the advisor might recommend. So paying attention to these reports will better prepare a service manager for how to approach these customers with marketing. Revenue Generated A service manager should be reviewing the revenue generated from each repair order. When examining repair orders generated by a specific marketing campaign, they should break that down to see how much money the dealer received on those responses. Return on Investment (ROI) ROI should be a line item on the report. It shows what a dealer spent on marketing and the number of dollars generated. The return on investment might be reflected as something like eight to one or ten to one. Validation It is critical to validate and justify marketing decisions. You should not necessarily view marketing as an expense. It’s more like the stock market in that you put money into the program and get ten times the amount back. Is that an expense or a profit generator? The service manager needs to have this mentality when justifying their marketing decisions to their ownership. Very few marketing companies provide this, but a dealership should expect a validation report. If the data reveals 50 customers in a given month, the marketer should follow up with a detailed summary to describe each customer, including the repair order number, the date they visited, the vehicle mileage, the date of the previous visit, the customer status, and how much money they spent. The service manager doesn't need to just accept the marketing reports at face value. He or she can pick any of these customers and validate this information in their DMS. Subsequent Visits Subsequent visits are necessary to calculate your marketing ROI. They come to your store for the first time, and they then should be tracked for how often they return. The customer tracking should span about three years.  This length of time will better reflect the actual value as a customer is more valuable than the first visit that lured them in. It is not about the $19.95 oil change where you lost $20. You may have lost $20 then, but you made $4,000 over a period of time. Market Trends Periodically, marketing agents should review the marketing trends compared with the market size and market share for the dealership. Is there an increasing number of responses each month, or are the campaign responses dropping off? Do adjustments need to be made? Studying these trends helps a dealership create future marketing campaign strategies. Conclusion There is a vast amount of reporting when marketing for dealership service departments. The leaders in a dealership must be well versed in these reports. Regular and consistent reviews of these reports will help hold your marketing partners accountable. It will also ensure your dealership gets the greatest return on its marketing investment. These reviews are easy to put on the back burner. But in reality, they should be guiding the way.

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Automotive Industry Customer Segmentation Overview

Growing your business in any industry requires you to know your customer. You can examine many different areas to become more familiar with those who are likely to frequent your business. Most companies implement marketing campaigns to a target market based on a set of criteria or consumer segments. Shopify business defines customer segmentation as the process of dividing customers into groups based on common characteristics. Companies can then market to each group effectively. Your dealership may have 10,000 customers in its database. Segmentation identifies those customers and places them in different categories based on specific criteria. Many industries look at customer demographics like age, gender, marital status, location, and life stage. But a dealership can zoom out on its customer base and look at it from a broader scope. Segmentation can reflect a customer lifecycle in the dealership. Some main segments to pay attention to with the automotive client are active customers, inactive customers, lost customers, and conquest customers. Active Customers Active customers are customers that do business with the dealership regularly. Each manufacturer and each dealership may define an active customer differently.  Some dealerships define an active customer as one who has been in the store once within six months. Other dealerships say it is once within 12 months. The parameters change, but it is still considered an active customer. Inactive Customers An inactive customer has extended their life cycle with the dealership. They no longer come in once a year.  Auto Dealer Today Magazine wrote an article specifically about inactive customers.  The article claims a customer becomes inactive between six and nine months. They point out that other dealers say this is a 12 month period, and some say it can be even longer. Lost Customers "Lost" customers are a segmentation that some manufacturers refer to as endangered or defectors. These are customers that have gone a certain period without visiting the store. Harvard Business Review claims these are great customers to target. They have demonstrated a need for the service, and they are familiar with the company. Conquest Customers Conquest customers are customers available in the dealer's market but have not yet been to the dealership. While customer retention is imperative to growth, getting these new customers through the door is also a part of the equation. Automotive Marketing Decisions Examining these main market segments is a jumping-off point when determining how best to market to these customers. But there are other questions to answer when targeting the automotive customer. What type of vehicle does the customer drive, and did the customer purchase the car from your dealership? Most studies reveal that marketing to a customer with customized incentives results in a more responsive customer. Segmentation can determine what message and what offers to send to any given customer based on their situation. You can decide what message you put on an offer according to what segmentations you take into consideration. Is it a 'welcome back,' or a 'thanks for coming to us for the first time?' Is it a loyal customer discount being offered, or would you like to send a 'miss you' type of message? Segmentation inevitably affects the pricing of those incentives. And it also allows us to determine how often and when to contact the customer. Where to find relevant segmentation data Dealership segmentation data typically comes from the dealership management system (DMS). A manufacturer will tell a dealer how to segment a customer. Segmentation is almost always based on vehicle type and visit history in the dealership. Some dealerships will override that and set their own segmentation, but all the data comes from their DMS. Marketing Budget Marketing must be cost-effective and provide a positive return on investment. Segmentation is a critical area to consider when looking at a dealer's marketing budget. Determine which segments a dealership already has a good response or ROI and which segments they are struggling to get in the door. Segmentation also allows a dealer and a marketing company to identify where they're weak. They can then put resources into those areas and make better use of their budget. When looking at segmentation, we have to understand which campaigns are working and which ones are not. We can then pay attention to the right area. Customer Experience A frequently overlooked benefit of customer segmentation is the ability to improve customer experience. By better defining and filtering your customers, you can ensure their experience is more customized to their needs and preferences.   Some of your customers will take you up on mobile apps and free wifi. Others prefer the traditional paper approach. Some will trust you to pick up and drop off their vehicle, and others prefer to bring it themselves.  Much of these preferences are unique to some segments of your customer base. So learning what these segments need and like will help you approach your customers accordingly. The Task is Worth It The task of extracting and cleaning your customer data is tedious. It takes a skilled data analyst to perform the job, so the information is as concise and accurate as possible. But the results are invaluable in targeting your marketing efforts. It will also ensure the customer has a five-star experience at your dealership. Visit TVI MarketPro3 to learn more about targeted marketing.

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Conquest Marketing in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry spends a lot of money on conquest advertising and conquest sales. Dealerships are always working to convince potential car buyers to buy from them rather than their competitors. The dealership service department must take the same approach, and the competition here is even greater than that of the car sales side of a dealership. While customer retention might be a better place to focus dealership resources, the never-ending task of customer conquest will always be a part of dealership marketing efforts for both the sales and service teams. A Service Conquest Campaign Those who frequent a dealership service department are more than twice as likely to purchase their next vehicle from that dealership. Therefore, focusing on customer conquest specifically for the service lane is imperative to a dealership’s customer base. How can you reach past the aftermarket service centers and grab the attention of a potential customer? Focus on competitive pricing within your dealership market, and ensure your dealership falls close to these offers. How can you make the auto repair experience pleasant as well as convenient? If you can reach this customer and present such benefits, there’s a good chance he or she will take you up on your offer. The Process of Conquest Marketing The first part of your marketing strategy must be to identify your target customer. Data mining using the dealership management system and other external databases can help filter out those exact customers who need a particular service at a specific time. It is a tedious process, but it creates a more effective campaign than casting a wide net and hoping it pulls in the right customer. Reach Target Customers Where They Are Once you’ve defined and located your target customers, you must reach them where they are through print and digital marketing campaigns.  Send personalized custom offers to them via snail mail and email. Doing this at the right time, such as just before their next service is needed, will have them thinking of your dealership when it’s time to schedule that appointment. You must also find these customers on social media and engage on each platform according to its standards. Facebook engagement starts with sharing the service team’s story. Yes, it sounds silly. But if you look around, there’s always a story. The service manager just hit twenty years with the dealership, or the service lane just received new equipment that will help move vehicles through the line more efficiently. Instagram can have the same emotional pull, but you must present Instagram with more of a visual story. Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s a cliche for a reason, and Instagram exemplifies this. These stories on social media are what emotionally connect your target customers to your dealership service department, so don’t underestimate social media as a tool for customer conquest. Once you have their attention, you’ll be able to drop an offer in front of them that they’ll be more inclined to use since they now have a connection with your dealership. Conclusion Conquest marketing will always be a necessary part of the automotive service department marketing strategy. Therefore, this strategy must be analyzed and tweaked on an ongoing basis. This consistent approach helps to increase repair orders. This consistent approach helps to increase repair orders and dealership profitability. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more automotive marketing information.

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Automotive Conquest Marketing for Service Drives

A dealership service department plays a primary role in the overall success of a dealership. Therefore, the service manager and the marketing team must ensure their marketing strategies are effective. These strategies must be in line with their retention goals as well as attracting new customers.  Conquest Marketing Definition Conquest marketing is a business strategy companies use to target customers who are not currently doing business with them. Ideally, these are customers who have NEVER done business with the dealership. The automotive industry also refers to it as prospecting.  Prospecting is all about attracting new VINs, but there must be a strategic and well-executed plan for conquest marketing and conquest sales to be effective. Conquest marketing implementation There are several methods a dealership can use for conquest marketing, but one starts within the dealer system. Leveraging the Dealer Management System (DMS) data allows a marketing team to identify who from their customer base is active. They can also see the periods in which a customer has been inactive.  Combining this with profiles can be great for targeting similar customers with conquest advertising. Again these are customers who have not done business in a region or assigned area for that dealership. Within TVI MarketPro3, we refer to this as the True Market. Earning service customers through conquest marketing When we asked customers why they have not done business with dealerships, there are typically two common answers. First, they had a bad experience with the dealership in the past. Secondly, there was a perception that the pricing was much higher than what the independent automotive service centers provide. A dealership needs a strategy that overcomes these two objections. Price transparency and customer reach are the first places a dealer should start. Typically a dealer would create a pricing or discounting strategy. However, it also needs to make sure it contacts the customer with the right message. Marketers achieve this by segmenting customers, whether it be diesel owners, hybrid owners, or synthetics versus conventional vehicles. Creating multiple marketing campaign levels with discounting is a strong strategy to attract new customers for dealerships. The message may be delivered to these customers through digital marketing, direct mail, or other platforms. How does this apply to the service manager? Service managers should view conquest marketing as a growth strategy. Attract new customers who live in the dealership market yet do not frequent the business. These customers are more than likely going to the local independent shops or maybe even an adjacent competitive dealership. Conquest marketing is a plan to attract these customers and show them the benefits and quality service their dealership can provide. They must also determine customer value and how they will attract and retain customers for future visits. A customer’s value is not only in the first service provided. The lifetime value of a customer is based on positive visits to the dealer’s service department. Ultimately, this increases car sales as well and improves the bottom line for the entire dealership. Visit TVI MarketPro3 for more resources

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Automotive Attribution for Sales and Service Departments

Dealerships that want to sell more cars and increase their service repair orders must know where to attribute their marketing wins. This knowledge allows them to choose better marketing strategies in the future.  Marketing attribution is the measurement of customer interaction based on a particular marketing campaign. If a service department has multiple marketing companies working for it, how can it validate which company brought which customer? Car repairing   Measuring Attribution In Car Sales The sales departments cover a gamut of marketing avenues. They utilize radio, television, and in some markets, ads are still in newsprint for car sales. Many dealers also market with direct mail, email, and e-blasts for online shoppers. Dealerships can find it difficult with this variety to have precise attribution in the sales department. The sales department is a variable operation making it a challenge to forecast. The only data you can go by is past sales history. When they sell a vehicle, they cannot always know if the customer came in because they heard a radio ad, saw an ad on TV, or saw a sign when driving down the highway. None of that kind of stuff is documentable in the paper trail of that sales process. The most effective way to attribute marketing in the sales department is to send a direct mail offer and then require the return of that piece to get the offered discount. Attribution for the sales department is difficult to monitor at every level. Very few dealers have a reporting metric for the sales departments marketing initiatives.   Measuring Attribution In Car Service Service departments also advertise on multiple platforms. They use, for example, Facebook ads, email, and mail. In most cases, service managers know who got their offer. They have repair orders to track every transaction and monitor customer interactions with the dealership service visits. In service, a specific ad targets a defined audience that requires customer response. The customer brings in or refers to the offer allowing the service department to drill it down to an offer campaign. You can also monitor which offer produces the most returns or responses.   Differentiating attributions Many marketing companies do both sales and service marketing. They can tell the dealer they spent $5,000 a month for the past three months in service. So in total for a quarter they spent $15,000 in marketing. They had 200 customers come in, they spent an average of $300 per RO, so the dealer generated $60,000. That's a good return on investment! Sales and service marketing are viewed differently by dealers. Often, the same store that thinks $5,000 is a lot of money for the service department will budget 20 times more for the sales department. That's all your combined marketing services. But being able to determine where the sales marketing dollars succeeded is a challenge. Most general managers do know the difference. Sales marketing is like throwing a plate of spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks. If the dealership does not understand that difference when you're marketing both sales and service for them, they could doubt the results.   Measuring attribution TVI starts measuring marketing results immediately. Once the data feed is on from the DMS, we start collecting, measuring, and reporting the data. Each month we show dealers what happened in the previous month. We then look at a quarterly snapshot to get into the more relevant data. We follow this at six months, where we can observe if the trend is holding steady.   Comparing Data Reports Datasets that marketing companies measure may not line up precisely to the datasets the dealer sees. The dealer may be combining records or data while their marketing partners like TVI get raw data from the DMS. It's crucial for somebody who relies on attribution to know how the dealer measures this. Go to TVI MarketPro3 to explore more automotive marketing trends and ideas.

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Auto Dealership Website Design Tips

Car dealer website design can be a hard balance to strike. But along with social media, your website is one of your top forms of digital marketing. The main objective of a website is to convert. And conversion rates depend on a design focused on the user or the potential customer.   Elements of a Strong Website Design Functionality is a priority when designing a website that should be distraction-free with easy-to-use navigation. Brand consistency is also important. Include the company’s typeface, brand identities such as color scheme, imagery, overall layout, and visual appearance.  Less is more, so be sure there is enough breathing room between each element to prevent an overwhelming or frustrating experience for the user. You’ll want to make sure your website is relevant to the user if you wish to keep them clicking through your site instead of away from it. Users need to see the “what’s in it for me” message immediately, and the design elements should spotlight this message rather than overshadow it.   User-Friendly Website Websites offer users a test drive of your dealership from the comfort of their device. The customer experience often begins here. Therefore, one of the most valuable elements of a good website is user-friendliness. You would not block your showroom entrance with a new car, yet so many do this with web design. Distracting elements should not be added to the site simply because they’re pretty. The colors and fonts that you choose for your site affect readability. Fonts too small are going to make it hard for the user to see. Colors too bright will distract from the message.  Many people want to make their website unique, but you want to offer the customer a familiar experience. So keep it consistent with other websites. There are a few mainstays to web design. For example, underlined blue text is commonly considered a link. This text style should be clickable, or it may appear as though your site doesn’t function properly. Design Elements to Include Design elements for a car dealership website will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Luxury brands are likely going to keep their content to a minimum and instead be design-oriented. They want their websites to look as sleek as possible and focus on the brand itself rather than specific vehicle features. This style of design requires content to step back and let the pictures do most of the talking. Inversely, a mainstream manufacturer is going to focus more on features. These car dealerships should keep their design elements focused on the details of the car. Pricing is important, especially on budget cars. No matter the manufacturer a dealer represents, they should include media such as videos featuring their vehicles and their sales and service team. Balance Sales and Service Car sales and car services are very different. So how do you balance these two areas of your dealership on your website?  You must differentiate these two areas of your business by segmenting your website. Then create an easy flow of calls to action for the user to navigate the site. Use spacing here to keep either of these parts from competing with the other. If you pack all of the information into one page, your customer will likely read very little of it. Getting to Service A homepage is a great place for marketing service departments. Use a simple ad on your homepage to entice the customer to click through to the service page. If a dealership wants equal focus on each of the sales and service departments, it can choose to split the homepage. Use this valuable landscape to send the message that a customer can purchase a vehicle from the dealership and that the same dealership can take care of future service needs. Conclusion After meeting all design elements, a dealership must ensure they have a responsive website that is easy to navigate no matter which device a user is on. A customer must be able to move from device to device and seamlessly know what to do. Go to TVI MarketPro3 for more pro tips for dealership service marketing.

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Auto Dealer Marketing Video Tips

Digital marketing is a leading tool in efficiently and effectively reaching an online audience. These platforms give you many options for the content you want and how you might provide it. You can post text, images, memes, and GIFs to keep your followers engaged, but video content is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer's arsenal. Videos allow more messaging to be conveyed to potential car shoppers and service customers in a shorter time. While almost any business can benefit from video marketing, car dealerships have great visual appeal with shiny new cars and action-packed service drives. Types of Videos a Sales Department Should Create To entice car buyers, dealers should focus on the object of affection, which is the car itself. There is so much on a vehicle to feature in a video, leaving you with endless production content options. Car buyers are actively looking for sales events. The sales team can use video to announce the event using a handful of included vehicles as visuals. The sales managers can also use video to review the car buying process or to introduce the sales team. Types of Videos a Service Department Should Create It may not take a visual lead over the sales lot, but the service department should have a presence in automotive video marketing. The visuals here include nice, clean, state-of-the-art service drives and the beautiful lounge with its amenities. Service Directors can also use video to announce monthly service promotions like tire sales events. Video helps to build connections and trust between the customer and the service team. Introduce your customers to your techs through a feature video, or have a monthly video tip from the service advisor. Seeing the people behind the business creates positive customer feelings and increases the likelihood that customers will use your dealership for future services. Where to Post Your Videos Embed videos into dealership websites or emails as long as the load time is short. 20-30 seconds is a suitable video length, but you can also loop a shorter video to make it seem long without increasing load time. Post these videos across social media using video apps like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Facebook and Twitter allow you to add a link to your video where others do not, so if you want the video to guide the customer to another page, these two platforms are solid options. Google owns YouTube, and using it to publish consistent and valuable videos can help your content be found more easily in search engines. However, YouTube links do not always play well when posted on other social media outlets, so consider uploading your video to each of these outlets individually to increase your organic reach. Part of your video marketing strategy should be to place video ads. Facebook's video ads can reach a highly targeted audience, and you always have the option to create a YouTube ad. No matter where you post it, video advertising is imperative to get the most out of your marketing budget. Video Posting Frequency Post videos as often as they're needed, depending on the message. For sales marketing, you want to post them weekly, as sales offers and promotions change frequently. Frequently update your website videos to ensure customers know who and what to expect. Conclusion More than anything, video marketing helps your dealership stay relevant and engaged. Customers will be more likely to think of you the next time service is needed if they recently came across your video while scrolling through social media or browsing the internet. Learn more about marketing for the automotive service department.

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Automotive Industry Marketing Trends

Automotive industry marketing trends are ever-changing as automotive digital options become more and more available. The ability to shop for a vehicle online is easier now than ever before. Customers can also make service appointments online with more dealerships than they could prior to 2020. And the automotive sector is finding new and innovative ways to reach their customers where they are before they ever take a step into a dealership. Post 2020 Marketing Trends for Service Before 2020, so many of our TVI MarketPro3 dealer partners were marketing themselves with value propositions. We would do a market-based study to identify what a minor service costs in their market. And we would advertise these services with competitive pricing in the marketplace. We attempted to get customers to come back in for customer-pay work that proved to be a good value. In 2020, we found that customers have given less value to a good deal than their safety. So, we pivoted and helped the dealers promote themselves, not just with fair deals, but by prioritizing health and safety. We reminded customers that these are, in fact, necessary businesses. We promoted the fact that they are there to serve the automotive needs of the community. And we remind customers that dealerships are highly concerned with the safety of their staff and their clients. We review all of the things that the dealer is doing to make it a safe place to come to work and a safe place to do business. We never made that as high a priority in the past because we never dealt with a pandemic in modern automotive times. And right now, we feel that clients are just as motivated to do business with a place if they believe they are doing business with good people. They must also feel they are getting a fair price in the marketplace. A hands-free, digital approach to marketing There is now more of a hands-free approach to marketing on two different levels. The industry is getting savvier with digital marketing, and dealers often consider this attractive from a price standpoint. After all, digital marketing is more affordable than direct mail marketing. However, direct mail still has an impact when targeting the right audience. There is also a more hands-free approach to marketing when promoting a touchless experience. So a customer who may be sensitive to safety protocols would be more inclined to do business with the dealership that offers a touchless transaction. They like the socially distanced client engagement process, and they can pay for their service without having to touch anything in the dealership. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have become more prominent artificial intelligence solutions to a touch-free experience for car dealerships. VR immerses a car buyer into the car buying experience from the comfort of their couch with virtual test drives. AR combines digital elements to a live view by using the camera on a smartphone. Pokemon Go is an example of an augmented reality experience. AR showrooms offer their clients an unlimited choice of cars in virtual showrooms and the ability to customize. There are even some AR programs like Re’Flekt, that offer the ability to repair a vehicle in AR.  Online searches even got a boost with voice search accuracy improvements on search engines. The online automotive customer journey now begins with the spoken word rather than the click of a finger. Customers get quick answers to common questions and easily find online content. This enhanced customer experience has made the car buying a more educated process overall. As these newer options become more accessible to businesses and customers, dealers will need to pivot with innovation to stay in front of their customers. Looking forward to a post-pandemic way of marketing Advances in digital marketing will continue. Every year, more valuable data become available for marketing partners like TVI MarketPro3. And as that data becomes available, so will creative and innovative ways to utilize it for more effective digital marketing. Dealers are now enjoying the release of the pent-up demand. In 2020, many auto customers worked from home. Vehicles parked in driveways and garages created a pent-up demand for service. Also, customers are getting back on their feet after losing their job in 2020. They're getting back in the market for a new or used car increasing the demand. Pent-up demand on both the sales and the service side will be something for dealerships to anticipate. Recalls will also become more of a prominent component of total revenue. Every year manufacturers are releasing more recalls than the previous year which gives a nice bump to dealers. Marketing campaigns will always need to embrace and utilize the latest trends in the industry. But they need to do so without losing that personal touch. The question will be, what makes any dealership stand out when technology is taking the reins on so much of the car buying and servicing process?  Hopefully, the ease of purchasing and repairing a car will allow dealerships more time to spend personally connecting with customers. They can focus on an outstanding car buying or service experience. This combination will help dealers transition into a more online and automated dealership system. Learn more about automotive service marketing.

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