I Need To...

Earn loyalty from my existing customers

Customer loyalty is the result of well-managed customer retention programs.

All customer retention programs rely on communicating with your customers, giving them encouragement to remain active and choosing to do business with your dealership again and again. You want your customers to be loyal because you have spent probably around $600 to get them as a customer in the first place. You don’t want to pay big money the second time. You want to create a "loyal" customer who engages in profitable behavior, right? So what are you currently doing to create this win/win scenario?

This is where technology will be your best friend.

Your dealership will need to develop a strategy. This strategy should be developed before you even begin looking at technology. This strategy will be your road map for finding the right customer relationship management system for your dealership. Please remember you will need a customer-centered business tool that will meet the technology needs of every department in your dealership that produces revenue.

Once a CRM tool is in place, you will need to maximize your utilization of the tool to increase loyalty. You should revert back to your strategy and the programs you have identified to increase loyalty. Your tool should allow data mining of your existing customer base. This will give you the ability to operate targeted direct mail, email, or telephone campaigns.

In addition, campaign management in your sales, service, and BDC will increase business. Effectively marketing to customers and prospects in certain categories such as: unsold showroom traffic, previously sold retail customers, and lease renewals will serve you well. Other things, such as extended warranty campaigns and steering appointment scheduling to slow-traffic days will help increase loyalty among your existing customers.