Dealerships spend heavily to acquire new- and used-vehicle shoppers, yet many leave open service capacity untouched and wait for repair orders to appear.
When a dealership has available technicians, open bays and appointment capacity, service marketing should be treated as a customer acquisition strategy.
Retention and Conquest Are Different Strategies
Service marketing should be divided into two clear categories.
Retention Marketing
Retention marketing focuses on customers already in the dealership’s sold and serviced database. That includes previous service customers, sold-but-not-serviced customers, missed appointments, declined work and customers approaching a maintenance interval.
The dealership already knows the customer and the vehicle. The goal is to communicate at the right time and give that customer a reason to return.
Conquest Marketing
Conquest marketing is designed to acquire net-new service customers who bought elsewhere, currently service elsewhere or do not realize the dealership can service their vehicle.
These customers may not exist in the dealership’s CRM or DMS. The dealership must identify them, reach them and clearly explain why they should consider changing service providers.
Your Service Market May Be Larger Than Your Franchise
A dealership should not automatically limit its service advertising to the brand on the building.
A Cadillac dealership with factory-trained GM technicians may also be positioned to service GMC, Chevrolet and Buick vehicles.
That creates an opportunity to reach owners of vehicles such as the GMC Sierra, Yukon, Terrain and Acadia, especially when another dealership has long appointment waits or limited availability.
We service your GMC.
Factory-trained GM technicians are available.
Genuine GM parts are used.
Appointments are available now.
Advertising may generate the first appointment, but technician expertise, communication and service quality determine whether the customer returns.
Visibility Often Matters More Than the Discount
Dealers sometimes assume conquest service marketing requires an aggressive offer. It does not.
A modest first-visit discount, complimentary inspection or service credit may be enough to motivate an appointment. The larger issue is often that customers simply do not know the dealership is an option.
- The dealership can service their vehicle.
- Factory-trained technicians are available.
- Genuine OEM parts are used.
- Appointments are available.
- The location is convenient.
Use the Right Channels for the Right Job
Google Search
Google Search captures customers actively looking for oil changes, brakes, tires, repairs, factory maintenance and dealership service.
Campaigns should be built around specific services, makes, models and customer needs rather than sending every click to a generic service page.
Paid Social
Paid social builds awareness among local vehicle owners before an immediate service need exists. Creative should highlight appointment availability, technician expertise, vehicles serviced, customer reviews and first-visit offers.
Conquest Email
Conquest email can reach verified owners outside the dealership’s current database. Existing customers should be suppressed so the campaign focuses on incremental business.
Streaming, Display and Video
Streaming, programmatic display and online video help the dealership stay visible throughout the ownership cycle, before the customer actively searches.
Search captures existing demand. Streaming, display and video help the dealership become the remembered option before that demand appears.
Build a Landing Page for First-Time Customers
Conquest traffic should not be sent to a generic service page.
A dedicated landing page should explain which vehicles the dealership services, technician qualifications, appointment availability, services offered, the first-visit incentive and how to schedule.
It should also answer common questions:
- Do I need to have purchased my vehicle here?
- Can you service my GMC at a Cadillac dealership?
- Do you use genuine GM parts?
- How soon can I get an appointment?
Advertising Cannot Fix a Broken Operation
Before increasing service traffic, the dealership must confirm it has the bays, technicians, advisors, appointment capacity, parts availability and customer experience needed to handle more volume.
If customers cannot reach the department, get an appointment or receive timely updates, more advertising will only create more unhappy customers.
Service Marketing Supports the Entire Dealership
A healthy service department creates more than repair orders.
- More customer-pay revenue.
- Greater service absorption.
- Higher customer retention.
- More future vehicle buyers.
- Better trade-in opportunities.
- Additional used-vehicle inventory.
- More sales opportunities from customers already at the store.
Service is not just a fixed operations opportunity. It is also a retention strategy, an inventory source and a future sales pipeline.
Measure the Business That Matters
Service marketing should not be judged only by clicks, impressions or coupon downloads.
The dealership should measure first-time service customers, new customer-pay repair orders, appointment show rate, customer-pay revenue, average repair order, repeat visits and future vehicle purchases.