Every dealership service department has faced this challenge: A customer buys a vehicle from you, but when it’s time for maintenance, they take it to an independent repair shop instead of returning it to your service drive. But why? Why do customers continually choose to take their repairs elsewhere instead of their dealership?
Some may assume it’s about the costs of service. Independent shops often market themselves as more affordable. Others think it’s about convenience. Maybe the local shops are closer. Maybe the local shops offer amenities the dealerships don’t. But when you really dig deep into why customers make this choice, it boils down to one thing: credibility.
People associate these local repair shops with a sense of community, believing they’re supporting small businesses rather than a corporate giant. They want to be known, remembered, and treated like more than just another repair order. That’s the appeal that draws them to independent shops. They appreciate the personal touch:
• The advisor who greets them by name
• The tech who remembers their last visit
• The friendly voice on the phone that sounds like they actually care
But here’s the thing: Dealers can offer that same experience.
• Your service department is part of your local community
• Your service advisors should be building relationships with your customers
I’m not just saying this from a vendor’s perspective. I’m saying this as a customer myself. I’m writing this while sitting in a service department that isn’t a client. Yet when I arrived, I was greeted by name and went back and forth with the Service Advisor on whose hockey team is better. That’s the kind of connection that makes a difference for dealerships. Whether customers are in your store or calling your service BDC, they should feel like the staff at the dealership remembers their vehicle, their history, and even their personal preferences.
Many dealerships haven’t leaned into this principle when it comes to their service departments. Customers don’t inherently distrust dealerships. They just aren’t sure that they matter to your business. Dealerships need to show their customers that they have the rapport that an independent shop has with its clients.
• Personalized Service: Train your advisors to build relationships, not just complete common transactions. A customer should feel like their business matters and that their concerns are heard.
• Consistent Communication: A warm, familiar voice on the phone makes all the difference. Don’t let customers feel like you’re too busy to take their call. Make sure they are being greeted by someone who is happy to help them and has their service history readily available.
• Transparency in Pricing: Customers want to feel confident that they are getting fair pricing. Be upfront about costs, offer detailed explanations, and ensure they always understand the value of the services being provided.
• Community Engagement: Position your dealership as a local service provider, not just a place to buy cars. Show customers you’re invested in their experience long-term through hosting local events, sponsorships, and outreach efforts.
• Convenience Matters: Offer amenities like loaner vehicles, shuttle services, and online scheduling to make servicing with you as seamless as possible.
Credibility isn’t just about making customers feel good. It’s about their safety. When someone takes their car in for service, they are putting their well-being in the hands of the technicians. If they don’t trust that the job will be done right, they won’t feel safe driving their vehicle. Dealerships need to ensure that customers feel confident in the quality of work being performed, knowing that their safety is the top priority.
Cost is always a consideration, but the real concern is value. Customers don’t necessarily seek out the cheapest option. They want to feel like they’re getting what they pay for and that they’re not being upsold on unnecessary repairs. These all go a long way in building confidence:
• Transparency in diagnostics
• Clear pricing structures
• Honest recommendations
When customers believe they are getting a fair deal they are far more likely to remain loyal.
Outsourcing your Service BDC can help dealerships bridge the gap. It ensures every customer call is met with a friendly, knowledgeable agent who prioritizes relationship-building. At the end of the day, people don’t just want service. They want to be remembered.
Through timely, proactive customer outreach, customers will feel cared about when they receive updates such as a recall notification, a friendly check-in, or a reminder that their vehicle is due for service. Professional inbound call management is just as critical. Every call should be answered, every message returned, and every customer recognized.
A high-quality service BDC has access to all customer records so when a customer calls, the agent knows who they are, when they last came in, and what services they might need. The BDC agents are trained to sound like they are just another team member inside your store, offering a warm, welcoming experience that makes customers feel valued. Don’t just hire a call center, hire a strategic service BDC partner to create meaningful customer connections and drive loyalty.
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 specialized 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.
