3 Min ReadApril 18, 2025

Dealership Appointments: Car Shoppers vs. Service Customers

Dealership Appointments. Car Shoppers versus Service Customers.

Whether you’re shopping for a new vehicle or looking to service your current one, going to a dealership can be an event, one that takes time and planning. In 2024, we surveyed nearly 800 new car buyers and over 2,500 Service customers to understand their appointment-booking preferences and challenges. Here’s what we found:

More People Call Ahead for Service Than for Sales

It’s very common for customers visiting the Service department to book an appointment and nearly all of the respondents did. By comparison, only 64% of car shoppers gave the dealership a heads-up before their arrival. That’s not exactly surprising. A Service visit usually takes some time and may leave a car owner without their vehicle for hours or even days, while new car shopping often results in the customer having two options in which to drive home.

It also makes sense that more Service customers (64%) opted to make a phone call rather than book a slot online (19%), as most people probably want to speak with a team member to find out what kind of a wait they’re in for. Should they need to arrange alternative transportation, it’s best to know that in advance.

For Sales appointments, that gap between over-the-phone and web-based booking is much closer, with 44% of customers making a call and 39% using the dealer website. That’s likely because both methods (as well as simply stopping in sans appointment) produce a similar result: A Sales staffer is eager to help as soon as you walk in the door whether you told them you were coming or not.

Calling Ahead Isn’t Without Its Problems

Scheduling preferences also vary by generation. For instance, Generation Z, baby boomers and the Silent Generation are most likely to call, while millennials and Generation Xers show a slight preference for using the web.

However, a fair amount of survey participants faced difficulties when making an appointment over the phone. Of the 44% of new car shoppers who called ahead, 81% experienced some kind of issue: 25% said they were transferred at least once, 23% were put on hold, 21% had to navigate a phone menu, 17% had to call back, and 13% waited without anyone picking up.

Fewer Service customers (40%) encountered such trouble when calling the dealership. They also waited on hold for less time, averaging 8.2 minutes versus 13 for shoppers. That’s noteworthy, given that putting people on hold can have a big effect — 19 points big — on the dealership’s Net Promoter Score.

People Want AI for Sales Appointments but Not for Service

There are ways to cut down on hold times and phone transfers. Perhaps the best of them is using artificial intelligence. Virtual voice assistants can now understand natural speech and respond in kind, which makes talking to a robot more palatable than before. Most (66%) new car shoppers would even prefer it over talking to a human. About three in four Gen Zers and millennials said they’d like to schedule a Sales appointment with an AI assistant, while two out of three Gen Xers said the same. That said, fewer baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation were interested in this kind of technology, with only 30% indicating a preference for AI over speaking with a person.

As for scheduling Service appointments, most people (69%) still want to talk to someone. The generational divide is also more varied: 51% of Gen Zers said they’d like to book through a virtual assistant, whereas 41% of millennials shared that preference. Only 37% of Gen X respondents said they’d welcome an AI bot helping with Service appointments. Far fewer (19%) boomers and people in the Silent Gen felt similarly.

Share This

CDK Global
By CDK Global
Staff

Recent Insights

Three Ways Dealers Use Automotive Inventory Management Software.

3 Ways Dealers Use Automotive Inventory Management Software

Not too long ago, CDK conducted an informal survey of dealerships to see what inventory concerns plague them most. Some...
4 Min ReadJul 30CDK Global
How COVID 19 Strategies Can Help Dealers Pivot in 2025.

How COVID-19 Strategies Can Help Dealers Pivot in 2025

If the word of the year in 2020 was unprecedented, the word of 2025 may very well be tariff. Tariffs...
3 Min ReadJul 28CDK Global
The Evolving Role of the E V Salesperson in 2025.

The Evolving Role of the EV Salesperson in 2025

According to CDK data, vehicle satisfaction declined as electric vehicle buyers shifted from innovators and early adopters to the early...
4 Min ReadJul 23CDK Global
How Generations Like to Buy Electric Vehicles. Online versus In Person.

How Generations Like To Buy EVs: Online vs. In Person

Today, the automotive retail landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with vehicle technology, consumer preference and politics playing crucial...
3 Min ReadJul 17CDK Global
Dealerships Should Always Approach Electric Vehicle Sales Differently.

Dealerships Should Always Approach EV Sales Differently

Today, there may be an elevated interest in electric vehicles as incentives are set to expire on Oct. 1. But...
4 Min ReadJul 14CDK Global
The Race Is On for Used electric vehicles.

The Race Is On for Used EVs

New federal tax guidelines in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminate both the new and used electric vehicle tax...
3 Min ReadJul 10CDK Global
Car Shoppers’ Aversion to Sharing Their Info Online.

Car Shoppers’ Aversion to Sharing Their Info Online

While it’s no surprise car buyers want to test-drive a vehicle in person, it’s surprising how few are willing to...
3 Min ReadJul 8CDK Global
C D K Foundations Suite. The Core of a Connected Dealership.

CDK Foundations Suite: The Core of a Connected Dealership

In This ArticleWhat’s the CDK Foundations Suite?Core CapabilitiesWho’s the Right Fit for the Foundations Suite? What’s New in the Foundations Suite?How...
4 Min ReadJul 2CDK Global
Dig Deeper Into Your Fixed Ops Digital Toolbox.

Dig Deeper Into Your Fixed Ops Digital Toolbox

Vehicle technology has evolved from mechanical systems to software-driven machines. Today’s vehicles run on sensors, diagnostics and over-the-air updates. Maintenance...
3 Min ReadJul 1Lindsey D. Bona
Car Buyer Satisfaction Tanks in June

Car Buyer Satisfaction Tanks in June

CDK’s three years of tracking car shoppers’ opinions on the purchase process has never seen a monthly drop as large...
3 Min ReadJun 26David Thomas