Whitepapers

While every dealership will have a slightly different strategy or approach, breaking down departmental barriers to promote a consistently excellent customer experience is critical to the success of any dealer's service-to-sales process. Integrating sales and service teams is crucial for creating a seamless customer experience that drives both loyalty and revenue. By aligning these teams, dealerships can anticipate customer needs, personalize their approach and convert more service visits into sales opportunities This starts with a well-managed process with support from the top-down, staffed by the right team. TO GET STARTED: 1. Establish clear roles. The entire dealership, from the general manager to the service advisors, need to understand and contribute to the service drive selling process. 2. Don't forget service advisors. Service advisors need to understand how they provide and gain value from an effective service-to-sales process. » Show by example you're not willing to harm a service relationship in the interest of a sales lead, emphasizing this is not an either-or scenario. » Consider pay plans to help incentivize their role in the process. For example, consider a $100 bonus for anyone they convert, and still pay the RO. Or even a tiered system: If they refer up to five, they get $100 per sale; more than five, they are paid $200 per sale; and more than 10, they get $300 per sale. The service advisor with the most referrals also gets a bonus. 3. Inspect what you expect. Clearly outline goals and expectations for every member of your team. » Set key performance indicators according to metrics such as the number of phone calls and emails your service drive sales team is generating to schedule meetings. » Track conversion rates of the following metrics and communicate related goals effectively: • Percentage of phone calls to service appointments • Conversion percentage of phone calls to meetings • Conversion percentage of meetings to sales » If the service drive conversion isn't successful, make sure all interactions and insights have been captured in your CRM. • Continue the process of growing that relationship until it's the right time for the customer to purchase. DEALERSHIP CHECKLIST: Uniting Sales and Service Teams

• Cover