Most dealership managers know that the service department is their best source of steady, consistent revenue. Yet too often it seems that maximizing the amount of that revenue — and lowering the cost of the operation — just aren’t priorities.
That’s a problem — especially in an unsteady market where customer expectations around convenience and efficiency continue to grow. Every opportunity to increase ROs and improve customer loyalty is vital to sustaining a vibrant and competition-proof service business over the long term. Doing that requires a technology footprint that helps to ensure all steps of the customer lifecycle are met in a timely and efficient manner.
As simple as that seems, it’s not. Technology is complicated, and it’s hard to know exactly what the benefits are and how they help the bottom line. To that end, it’s important to be prepared by understanding the basics of the technology — and having a few tough questions at the ready. That way you can truly see whether the technology fits your service department’s unique set of challenges. Here’s a simple summary of ONE Platform:
Seven Digital Solutions of the Dealer-FX ONE Platform
ONE Platform manages the complete service customer lifecycle. It connects seven digital service solutions across the entire experience, integrates with vehicle data, OEM systems and most DMS providers. It’s designed to enhance the customer’s service experience and drive the digital transformation of dealerships:
- Connect: DMS, OEM, and customer service data for targeted messaging
- Schedule: An online scheduler on your dealership website
- Check-In: VIN-specific customer information directly on the tablet for an efficient write-up process
- Inspect: Multiple layers of customer data so techs have all the information they need
- Engage: Real-time vehicle status updates, OEM recall notifications, service reminders
- Check-Out: Customer check-out integrated with EasyPay, a mobile payment solution
- Retain: Post-service messages, personalized invitations and reminders
ONE Platform provides visibility into virtually all service operations — which can improve customer promise times, increase ROs and elevate scores on customer surveys.
ONE Platform by the Numbers
51% Increase in Customer Pay Sales
12% Increase in CSI Scores
$134 Increase per RO From Appointment To Final RO
Stump the Rep: Ten Questions about ONE Platform
The best way to get the most out of your appointment is to engage the rep’s knowledge about the technology. Do that by asking questions and pulling the experience toward a conversation. Here are ten tough questions that should help you get a pretty good idea about the Dealer-FX ONE Platform:
- Will ONE Platform make or save my dealership money, or is it just another technology expense?
- How can I improve cycle time and staff efficiencies, including technicians?
- How is the customer service journey tracked, and how can it be leveraged to generate additional business?
- How does ONE Platform help me interact with customers in the way they expect?
- Can you show me how ONE Platform can manage the “digital service department – from almost anywhere?”
- How can this technology provide a Group instant access to performance and return on investment?
- Can you show me how to text recommendations to a customer?
- Explain why or how ONE Platform creates greater efficiencies.
- How does the consolidation of products within the platform actually help with support and training?
- Walk me through how ONE Platform delivers greater throughput in the service department.
What’s Next?
Click here to learn more about Dealer-FX ONE Platform. At Dealer-FX, our mission is to help automotive dealerships transform the customer experience by providing leading-edge marketing services that help to deliver the right message at the right time — via the right digital channel. How can we help you?