There is a lot that goes into the decision to purchase technology, or change the technology, in your service department. So, you need to be absolutely certain before you select and install new software. We want to help you find the solution that delivers what you need.
This buyer’s kit is the key to finding the best solution for your service department:
Seven questions to ask yourself when evaluating new service lane technology
Demo checklist for service technology platforms
Customizable PowerPoint to guide the conversation with your stakeholders
Customer retention is key to your dealership. To keep your customers coming back through multiple stages of vehicle ownership, you must find ways to convert sales customers to service customers, and vice versa. It’s the cycle of dealership success.
Join special guest Kyle Mountsier, Partner/COO at Automotive State of the Union, and Tiffani Stefanescu, Manager of Performance Management at Xtime, to learn how you can leverage Xtime solutions to own customer retention. Webinar topics will include:
• Setting up your service department as a customer acquisition channel
• Communication tips to improve the customer experience
Finding innovations to help your service department stay efficient can pay big dividends to your dealership. To give you a head start in your hunt for the most impactful technologies, check out these trends, specifically meant to help you get more cars through the service lane faster, make it easy for customers to say yes to recommendations, and drive profits in 2023 and beyond. (Experience the Power of One and schedule your Xtime demo at NADA 2023 today.)
Technologies that Build Trust
Trust might be the single most important factor in the car owner-service department relationship. Your customers trust you to provide recommended repairs and follow through on your promises. When trust (and more specifically, information) is lacking, your customers will find another place to service their cars. Technologies that can help you bridge this information gap and build trust between customers can bring in more business, improve retention, and increase your service department’s overall profitability.
Starting with the very beginning of the service relationship, look for technologies that can help you create uniformity in your quoting process. When customers get a different quote for the same service, every time they contact your service department, they may question your intentions, even if they’re good. Technology that allows you to store quotes in your system, while also allowing you to convert those quotes into appointments, creates consistency, accuracy, and helps you build trust with your customers.
When it comes to the actual inspection and repair approval process, trust is paramount. Seek out technologies that break down barriers between what you and your customers can (and can’t) see. Leverage everyday devices that are already in your customers’ hands to give them an inside look at the repair process. Use technologies that facilitate sending pictures and video of needed repairs, along with ASR approvals. Doing so can help you foster a healthier, more trusting relationship with your customers and get more ASRs approved faster.
Technologies that Maximize Service Capacity
Every dealer service department can diagnose and repair a vehicle. Those service departments that optimize available time and technician talent to service more cars in less time are significantly more profitable. It’s a balancing act that favors prepared, well-organized service departments. In 2023, look for technologies that allow you to maximize every service minute and get the very most out of your team and your service department.
Start with your scheduling technology. Are you overselling or underselling shop capacity? Do you have peak bottleneck times, followed by periods of downtime for your team? Find a scheduling software that can help your team optimize service capacity and enjoy a smoother service experience — for your team as well as your customers. That might mean incorporating technologies like text confirmations and reminders and vehicle history, so you can keep cars flowing through the service lane with minimal complications or interruptions.
When it comes to interacting with customers, a fully digital service experience from booking to payment, can free up your advisors and technicians time and help you optimize your service capacity. In addition, a digital multipoint inspection process can help you maximize your shop control and identify additional revenue opportunities in less time. If you’re feeling understaffed in your service department, you might not need to hire new employees, you might just need a service technology that can help you get the most out of the talent you already have.
As you consider new technologies to grow profits in 2023, your service department is key. Find and incorporate solutions that can help you build trust with your customers and maximize your service capacity.
When you pair the right service technology with a great service team, you get more cars through the service lane faster, make it easy for customers to say yes to recommendations, and drive profits for your dealership.
Tiffani Stefanescu is feeling the holiday spirit and so should your dealership! Whether you’re trying to advertise your holiday promotions, or you just want to let your customers know how thankful you are for their business, Xtime Invite can help you get the word out.
Practice makes perfect, especially in your service department. When your service team can see what they’re doing well, where they can improve, and how their actions impact profitability—you empower them to elevate the entire service experience.
Join Xtime Sr. Performance Manager Joe Rehling for an on-demand webinar all about using Xtime reporting to coach better behaviors and drive results. Topics include:
• Capturing contact information and preparing the customers for the visit
• Performing walk-around and menu presentations the right way
• Ensuring a quality Inspection and quoting process from start to finish
Have you tried calling your service department recently? What was the experience like? In this 2-minute video, Xtime Performance Manager, Tiffani Stefanescu, outlines a few minor changes you can make at your dealership to go the extra mile and demonstrate why your service experience is superior.
Identifying the right sales software for your team can be challenging, especially because today’s solutions deliver much more value than yesterday’s CRMs.
This guide arms you with questions that will help you determine which solution provider offers the best capabilities in these categories:
Daniel Watts presents a quick video update showcasing how Hunter integrates with Xtime Engage to give your service professionals a quick and accurate glance at the inspection information they need.
When the technology in your service lane doesn’t sync with the rest of your dealership, you end up with manual processes and broken workflows that frustrate both your customers and your employees — and cost your business time and money. Watch the webinar.
Your service department needs to create seamless experiences that win repeat customers and add additional revenue for the business. But without better workflows, your team may struggle. The key? Boosted efficiencies with an automated flow of data between your DMS and service technology. You can leverage connected technologies to unleash your dealership’s potential and maximize profits.
Optimize Your Service Drive with Engage
Learn how your dealership can benefit from the intelligent connections that exist between Xtime Engage and Dealertrack DMS. When combined, these two powerful tools can boost your service drive by facilitating:
Faster ROs that save advisor time
Advisors that aren’t tied to their desks
Digital processes that customers prefer
RO and customer creation through Engage tablet
Maximize Profits with Xtime Integrations
By leveraging the connections between Xtime Inspect and Dealertrack DMS, your dealership can:
Add RO lines in Dealertrack with proper Ops cods
Push MR/QL with Ops codes
Simply manage parts write back on ASRs
Ensure that all grids, taxes, and shop supplies match across systems
Matt is the Manager of Performance Management at Xtime. With a background in business management and marketing, Matt has more than 15 years of experience as a manager within automotive service departments. That experience has given him first-hand knowledge of nearly every aspect of a dealership and an impressive ability to reduce costs and increase profit.
