During the pandemic, we have seen an uptick in equipment purchases, and with that comes an increased demand in service departments.
This can be a good thing, especially during slower months, but many dealers are now complaining about slower response times from customers, and a backlog in equipment being worked on.
According to a recent study, more than 88% of dealers said that they need to save time and be more efficient in their service department. Around 61% of dealers said that saving time in parts and service was their big focus on 2022.
One of the main issues we are seeing so far is centered around communication between customer and dealer.
New data shows that 89% of customers prefer to have businesses send a text rather than call. This is a trend that has been growing through the pandemic. Customers want simple and direct responses to get what they want.
We also found that 98% of all text messages sent to customers are opened, and customers are seven times more likely to text you back after getting a text, than call back after getting a voicemail. This means dealers don’t need to play phone tag with customers anymore, they can text and get a response within minutes.
Make sure you don’t wait for the customer to reach out to you. Send customers a quick text with updates even if they aren’t asking for it. Tell them what you are working on, and maybe tell them what they can do to improve their equipment.
