In order to make this article more effective, I am going to ask you to walk into your BDC, sit down without saying a word, and read it. If you don't have a BDC onsite, you’re already halfway to making my point. - Matt
Instead of maximizing revenue from their appointments, service departments often get bogged down in inefficiencies: missed calls, unfilled bays, and overburdened service advisors. What is at the heart of this challenge? A service BDC that isn’t delivering results.
The right BDC strategy can mean the difference between a thriving, revenue-generating service department and one that constantly struggles to keep up. But what happens if your in-house BDC is costing you more than it’s bringing in? What if turnover, training, and management are eating away at your margins? If that’s the case, it’s time to reassess whether an in-house BDC is helping or hurting your bottom line.
Outsourcing your Service BDC isn’t just about cutting costs. It's also about optimizing performance. It’s about ensuring that every inbound call is answered, every no-show is re-engaged, and every potential service opportunity turns into dollars.
If you’re unsure whether outsourcing is the right move, here’s how to recognize the warning signs and make a strategic shift that will drive real growth.
1. Your costs are climbing but results are not. If you’re sinking money into hiring, training, salaries, and benefits, only to see mediocre results, it’s time to pivot. Instead of spinning your wheels, invest in a team that knows how to fill your service bays.
Not sure? Do this: Calculate your total BDC overhead and compare it to the revenue it’s driving. If the numbers don’t make sense, outsourcing is the fix.
In-House: Recruiting, training, salaries, benefits, equipment … an in-house BDC is a cash drain before they even book the first appointment. Don’t forget about turnover (a big problem in BDC roles). You may be spending more time and money replacing team members than driving results.
Outsourced: With an outsourced BDC, costs are predictable and scalable. You get an experienced team ready to deliver results without the overhead, training expenses, or headaches.
Revenue Impact: Every dollar you save on staffing is a dollar you can reinvest in growing your dealership.
2. Your team is being pulled in too many directions. Service advisors are there to sell and provide excellent customer experiences, not spend all their time making calls. If your team is stretched thin, your customers feel it, and so does your bottom line.
Not sure? Do this: Audit your team’s daily tasks. If they’re bogged down by BDC duties, it’s time to let the service BDC experts handle it.In-House: Too often, dealerships rely on service advisors or receptionists to double as BDC reps. The result? Burnout, missed opportunities, and overworked employees who aren’t focused on their core responsibilities.
Outsourced: A service BDC does one thing – and they do it exceptionally well. They’re laser-focused on booking appointments, reducing no-shows, and maximizing your service revenue.
Revenue Impact: Specialists close more appointments and increase your dollars-per-RO.
3. Your service revenue has flatlined. If your bays aren’t full and your growth has stalled, your BDC isn’t doing its job. Outsourced professionals know how to convert opportunities into appointments and appointments into revenue.
Not sure? Do this: Look at your service appointment metrics. What’s your booking percentage? What’s your no-show rate? If those numbers aren’t where they should be, it’s time to outsource. In-House: With high turnover and lack of expertise, in-house BDC teams often struggle with consistency. Missed calls, unqualified leads, and poor follow-ups directly impact your revenue.
Outsourced: An outsourced team is trained, experienced, and consistent. They’re experts at capturing leads, nurturing relationships, and converting opportunities into booked service appointments.
Revenue Impact: Consistency keeps your bays full, your customers happy, and your revenue steady.
4. BDC Management is eating up your time. Managing scripts, tracking performance, and dealing with turnover isn’t where you should be spending your time. You’ve got bigger fish to fry and outsourcing lets you focus on growing your dealership.
Not sure? Do this: List the time you spend managing your BDC. If it’s more than a few hours a week, it’s time to offload the hassle. In-House: Managing a BDC is a full-time job: monitoring performance, training, and ensuring your team is hitting targets. If you’re stretched thin managing your core operations, your BDC takes the hit.
Outsourced: An outsourced service BDC is equipped to handle it all. From hiring to daily management, your service BDC can take the burden off your plate so you can focus on core duties.
Revenue Impact: Less time managing your BDC means more time focusing on growth strategies that bring in the big bucks.
The longer you wait, the more money and opportunities you leave on the table. Partnering with a Service BDC means getting a team of pros who handle your Service BDC the right way, from booking appointments to increasing revenue.
Here’s a recap of what to do next:
Review your Service BDC costs and results.
Audit your team’s workload.
Evaluate your service revenue and metrics.
If you read this entire article without the loud rumble of voices making outbound calls while it was slow, then it’s time to outsource your BDC. Want to learn more about how to audit your service BDC? Reach out to Matt Raymond, COO of Bowtie Solutions.
Matt Raymond serves as the COO of Bowtie Solutions, an outsourced service BDC solution launched in May of 2023. With over a decade of experience in automotive business development, working extensively with CRM and DMS technology, and specializing in automotive marketing for dealerships. Aware of the industry-wide challenges dealerships and independent repair facilities face when it came to managing the business development side of automotive service centers, Matt saw the need for a solution. This sparked the launch of Bowtie Solutions: an outsourced service BDC solution for the automotive industry, created for dealers, by dealers.
