We’ve been talking digital transformation for a while. Now it’s time to take action. We have to make changes to keep our employees and customers safe now and deliver the ultimate customer experience for a long time to come. Let’s talk about how we pivot to give your customer a seamless digital service experience. 

Let’s get Digital

People are avoiding interaction with others to help flatten the curve. It may be more prevalent now, but your customers have been moving toward a digital preference for some time. In the 2018 Cox Automotive Service Industry Study, many consumers stated they want the dealer website to be their primary touchpoint and 55 percent said they would choose one dealership over another if it provided online service cost estimates. 

Those same consumers felt moving service appointment steps like scheduling, ASR approval, estimate approval, in-service status updates, and bill payment online will improve the overall service experience. And with today’s landscape, why wait any longer? 

Scheduling

This is where you set the stage for the digital experience. When a customer arrives at your website, the immediate impression should be that you are providing them convenience and options by giving them the opportunity to book their appointment online with multiple date and time choices. 

Your customer should also be able to access their service visit history and previously declined services while considering services recommendations based on their current mileage. If they opt to bring their car in versus choosing a valet or concierge service, provide a self check-in option they can execute from their own mobile phone. 

The Service Visit

Your customer wants to communicate with you in a familiar manner. Research shows 89% prefer to communicate with businesses via text. Keep that in mind throughout the service visit. 

You can utilize text messaging to keep your customer up to speed. Send links in text messages that allow your customer to approve an ASR or sign off on a repair order from the comfort of home.

In addition to text messaging, use a tool like Service Tracker to offer transparency through online status updates. Your customer can see in real time where their car is as it moves from arrival to completion. Service Tracker can be customized to include Sanitization as the last step so your customer can see you’re keeping their safety top of mind with high-touch, quality customer service, including the added benefit of a fully digital interaction. 

When it comes time to settle up, there is no need to pass credit cards back and forth if you offer online bill pay. With a text or email, you can request payment for the completed vehicle repair or maintenance, giving your customer the option to complete the transaction on their phone or device of choice. 

Summary

We’ve been moving toward fully digital experiences for a bit, and now is the time to make it happen. It’s the right experience for today that will leave you set to deliver a superior customer experience into the future. This is what your customer wants now and will continue to appreciate as the landscape evolves.  

Visit our Business Continuity Hub for more tools and resources.