Service Marketing Scenarios: Why Automated Follow-Ups Work

It goes without saying that your service drive is an integral part of what you offer as a dealership. A problem that seems to plague almost every service drive however, is what to do when customers decline the services recommended to them.

Without action, these customers will likely not return for these services, meaning you lose out on profit and your customers may drive in a vehicle that’s not safe.

The best solution is a process that automatically follows up with customers who leave your lot with declined but recommended services. Sending out automated emails and mailers is a solution that works for a variety of customers, each with their own reason to have originally declined the service:

Loyal Levi:

Since purchasing his car from your dealership a few years ago, Levi has regularly returned to your service drive for maintenance. The last time be brought his car in, a technician recommended that Levi get his brakes replaced, but he declined the service.

When Levi checked his inbox a few weeks later, he found an email reminder about his brakes being worn. Upon viewing the email, he checked his schedule and made the appointment. When Levi originally declined the service, he wasn’t driving his car very frequently, so the brakes weren’t a pressing concern to him. Now that he’s planning a trip out-of-town, Levi is a little more motivated to make sure his brakes are reliable. The email he received was just the push he needed to bring his car back in to you.

Forgetful Fiona:

When Fiona last brought her car into the dealership, she was given a list of three different services that would help her car run safer and more efficiently. Fiona declined one of the services recommended to her because it wasn’t an urgent concern, but she accepted the other two. Since Fiona’s visit to your service drive, her car has been running so much better, and she quickly forgets that any other services were even recommended.

A few months later, Fiona receives a postcard in the mail reminding her about the declined service. When Fiona finishes reading her mail, she calls your service drive to schedule an appointment. She even hangs the postcard on her bulletin board to serve as a tangible reminder for her next appointment.

Habitual Harriet:

For the past week, Harriet’s SUV has been shaking when she drives, so she brings it into your service drive. Upon inspection, a technician informs Harriet that the shaking is actually coming from her suspension and wheel bearings going bad. She declines the recommended services, despite the technician’s warnings that driving her vehicle may be unsafe until it is fixed.

When Harriet checks her email the following week, she discovers a message reminding her about the repairs she declined. She was hesitant to complete the repairs at your dealership, since she always goes to the same local mechanic for her major vehicle needs. But, she begins to reconsider this when she reads your email. Harriet feels like a valued service customer because of the follow-up, and more importantly, she feels like your dealership cares about her well-being and safety. She decides to try something new and calls your service drive to schedule an appointment.