The Power of Video: Earn Customer Trust and Service Business

When you spend your days servicing and repairing vehicles, it’s easy to forget that most people know very little about the cars they rely on to get them where they need to go every day. No wonder there’s a lot of confusion — and often suspicion — when a customer in for an oil change is presented with a list of additional recommended services. The customer is certainly going to demand an explanation, and that’s where many franchised Service departments are falling behind.

In CDK’s recent study, Service Shopper 3.0, of 2,000 service shoppers, dealers lagged behind independent shops and chains when it came to making repairs understandable and describing service needs. So, what can dealers do to better explain what needs to be done and get more customer approvals? Talk less and show more with videos from certified technicians.

Video Fixes the Communication Chain

It’s hard enough for customers to understand what repairs and services are needed, but it becomes more difficult when the path from Service Technician to customer is a multistep process with diminishing returns.

Typically, the technician completes a multipoint inspection, highlights recommended repairs, explains these recommendations to the customer; often the customer will then try to explain them to a second decision-maker or trusted confidante, confusion occurs and recommendations for needed repairs are lost. The customer is dissatisfied with the lack of transparency and the Service department loses revenue.

Add video and the dynamic changes completely. The technician’s message — including a personalized walk-through of needed work with a full explanation — can be sent directly to every member of the communication chain. And with no confusion, no loss of information, and much greater potential for higher repair orders.

Video Is a Game Changer

Service videos have the potential to change the customer experience for the better and boost a shop’s bottom line. For example, the service center at Jaguar Land Rover of Cincinnati uses tech videos with every customer. In one year, the department saw a three- to five-hour gain in ROs, a 30% increase in gross profit, and a 20% increase in their Customer Satisfaction Index.

According to General Manager Rich Allen, “It changed the face of our business in terms of customer transparency and trust. It’s the closest thing to having a customer walk out into your bay and showing them what needs to be done. It gives value to the money they’re spending and gives them a reason to say ‘yes’ to a repair or service.”

Transparency and Understanding

Video vastly improves transparency and understanding. Customers can watch multiple times to fully absorb the message, share them with a trusted advisor, and refer to specific aspects when asking questions.

Without video, customers can’t see what needs to be repaired, must speak to an intermediary rather than hear directly from a technician, and may struggle to recall details accurately when discussing with a partner or friend. This sinks the customer experience, RO dollars and CSI.

Fast Response Times and Busy Bays

Customers are happier when they can watch videos on their own terms and understand exactly what needs to be done, which means they can respond faster. This is good news for service centers because they’re selling a highly perishable item: time. The key to operating more profitably is to keep the bays busy and reduce the downtime of approval waiting.

The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” certainly applies when a customer is trying to understand what their vehicle needs. Use video to clear up confusion and drive a better service experience. The payoff will be happier customers, higher CSI and more approved service recommendations.