When it comes to earning customer praise, there's no reason your service department can't get a 5-star review every time. In fact, most people expect to be treated well when they go in for repairs or maintenance of their car.
If you want to earn a 5-star review from every customer who visits your service department, you need to make sure that it's in tip-top shape—and that starts with hiring the right people for the job, setting clear goals for them, and giving them tools they can use to succeed.
Here are some tips for making sure that happens:
What is a 5-star review, and why do service departments need them?
A 5-star review is a critical part of any dealership's marketing strategy. It's a true measure of customer satisfaction, and it can be an important factor in your success as a new car dealer or used car dealer.
To get 5-star reviews, you're going to need to offer the best possible service experience for your customers from start to finish. That's where our Guide to Running a Successful Service Department comes in. This guide will help you create an ideal service experience that customers love so much they have no choice but to leave positive feedback on Google and other review sites—and when they do, those reviews will boost your online presence and attract more potential buyers! Plus the tips we've included will help you prepare for the arrival of every customer who walks into your dealership looking for assistance with their vehicle—and we'll show how this works hand-in-hand with other parts of your business strategy.
Why are 5-star reviews important for your service department?
Every time you get a 5-star review, it's like getting a pat on the back from your customers. It makes you feel good, and it makes your customers feel good. So why wouldn't you want to do everything in your power to make sure that every one of those reviews is as positive and glowing as possible?
It's not just about the stars. It's about what those reviews can do for your business, too. Here's why a 5-star review matters:
- It will help you attract more customers. If someone is looking for a car dealership in your area and they see that yours has a lot of high reviews, they might decide to give you a try—and if they don't love the experience, they'll probably leave another positive review!
- It will boost customer confidence in your brand. When people see that other people are happy with your service department or parts department, it makes them feel more confident about taking their own car there for repairs or maintenance work. That's because when one person takes action by going to a business and leaving positive feedback, it sends out a signal to others who might be considering making similar moves.
- It will boost your reputation with search engines. If you have a website, it's likely that you want to appear at the top of search engine results for relevant keywords. This means that you not only need to create content for your website but also update it regularly so that people can learn about new services or products.
- It will encourage repeat customers. When someone leaves a positive review, it's like free advertising for that business. It not only makes customers feel good about their decision to go there and leave feedback, but it also helps attract other people in the area who might need similar services or products.
The customer is always right—this is a mantra that we have all heard many times. But there’s more to it than that. By giving your customers the best experience possible, you can turn even the most dissatisfied customers into long-lasting advocates of your business. And when they leave reviews online, they’re likely to give you five stars!
So how do you ensure that every single person who leaves your shop has a great experience? The simple answer is: by treating them like royalty.
Here are some things that will help you improve your service reputation and generate positive reviews from happy customers.
How to get more 5-star reviews from your customers
Your service department is an extension of your brand, and it’s vital to the success of your dealership. When customers have a positive experience with your dealership’s service department, they’ll be more likely to recommend you to friends and family—and that can lead to more sales for you in the long run.
To ensure that customers have a great experience when they come in for service, follow these five tips:
- Be responsive. Customers are busy people—they don't want to wait around forever while their vehicle sits at the shop without being worked on or repaired. Make sure you're prompt with returning phone calls and emails from potential customers who need help booking an appointment or answering any questions about your services or policies (or both!).
- Be proactive about customer service. It's up to us as dealerships owners/managers/employees/everyone else involved in this process collectively known as "the industry" - not just our employees but also ourselves - how we treat our clients during every interaction with them from start (when they first contact us) until end (when they've received their car back). That includes making sure everyone on staff knows how important treating people well is so they can pass those values down through generations!
- By treating our clients with respect and empathy, we show that they're valued members of our community. By showing them that they matter and are important, we'll continue to build strong relationships with them that will last for years.
- Be transparent. If you're not sure how to do something or if there's a delay in service or delivery, let your client know immediately! Do it in person, over the phone or via email - whatever works best for everyone involved. Don't leave them hanging until they've already started wondering what's going on and then surprise them with bad news when it finally does come out (or worse yet, ignore them and hope that everything works itself out).
- Be consistent. If you say that you'll do something at a certain time, then do it! Don't leave your client hanging or waiting for updates on when things will happen or if there are any delays. If you need to go back to them for more information or if something unexpected comes up, let them know right away and explain why it's happening so they don't feel like they've been left out in the dark.
How to use 5-star reviews to improve customer retention
Reviews are the best way to improve customer retention. Whether you're in the service department, parts department or general manager's office, reviews can help you retain customers by providing a way for them to share their experiences with your dealership.
Here are 3 ways that you can use 5-star reviews to improve customer retention:
- Use them as an excuse to reach out. When a customer leaves a 5 star review, send them a personal message thanking them for taking the time to leave it! This will make them feel valued and help build trust.
- Turn 4-star reviews into 5-stars! If you see someone left 4 stars instead of 5, reach out and ask why they didn't give you 5 stars. This is a great opportunity for feedback and improvement!
- Use them as inspiration for internal communication! If you have an employee who is doing an exceptional job, ask them what they think about how much they enjoy working there, then share that feedback with other employees on social media or in an email so everyone feels appreciated and knows what makes their workplace great!
When it comes to earning customer praise, there's no reason your service department can't get a 5-star review every time.
Your service department can get a 5-star review every time if you make sure to:
- Keep it simple. The best way to earn a 5-star review is not by doing something flashy or complex but rather by focusing on the basics and making sure that everything goes well. Service technicians need to be trained in their jobs and have the right tools for the job, and they also need to take care of customers as if they were family members—the better your service process is, the more likely you'll have happy customers who will want to come back again.
- Focus on customer needs. Customers are looking for excellent customer service when they visit your dealership or shop online—make sure you're providing exactly that! Whether it's through telephone conversations with existing customers (or potential ones), emails sent out about new services offered at the dealership or even via social media posts highlighting how great your staff is at handling issues immediately and professionally.
- Use Quickride, a car dealership software that gathers customer reviews in a central platform and updates in real-time, is a perfect way to showcase how great your customer service really is. Using this tool as the basis of your employee feedback system is a great way to determine how well employees are performing and what improvements need to be made.
Conclusion
In the end, the customer satisfaction rating is a key driver to your dealership's success, so it's important to make sure that you're providing the best customer service possible.