Yes, Your Service Department Waiting Room Really Matters

Whether it’s at the dentist’s office, the airport or a car dealership’s Service department, nobody enjoys being sequestered in a waiting room. But if you go the extra mile — or even the extra one-tenth of a mile — and provide your customers with a comfortable place to wait for service, it can help make them happy, loyal customers. And it won’t cost you much.

Based on more than 2,000 respondents to CDK’s latest Service Shopper 4.0 survey, customers are more likely to wait at a car dealership for same-day service in 2024 than they were last year. More than half (53%) said they were willing to wait on-site in the dealership’s lounge, which is a notable bump compared to 2023.

Service Waiting Rooms Should Be Comfortable and Useful

Over 75% said that a comfortable service lounge was critical to their overall satisfaction, while around half also said they wanted to see dedicated workspaces.

Research from legendary American furniture manufacturer Herman Miller notes that waiting rooms can be improved with seating that’s comfortable for extended periods and promotes healthy postures. Since many of your customers will bring a device with them to make the most of their time, keep in mind laptop use for those who want to get work done in the waiting room. And dedicated workspaces, like small cubicles or a handful of coffee-shop-like tables, are a good start, but you’ll also want to make sure customers have easy access to charging points and guest Wi-Fi that’s fast and capable of handling multiple devices.

While waiting rooms of the past had a TV tuned to a news channel, this isn’t necessarily a great strategy today. A TV blaring in the background might be more of a nuisance since many customers will be using their own devices or working. Reading material is always a safe bet but be sure to periodically ensure magazines aren’t more than a few months old and appeal to a wide range of readers.

Not Everyone Will Be Content Sitting Still

Many service customers will inevitably wander into the new- or pre-owned car showroom. Your Sales staff should be trained to politely approach them and engage in conversation. Even if they aren’t looking to buy a car today, they will in the future.

About a quarter of all respondents said that a dealership with a nearby dining option appealed to them. You could take a cue from many Airbnb hosts and provide a list of walkable destinations. If a customer’s service visit is going to take longer than initially expected, consider treating them to lunch with a gift card to a nearby restaurant. A member of your Front Office could also shuttle them to and from the restaurant in the newest version of their car.

Busy schedules mean that some customers will have their children with them. Create a basic play area with interactive devices and talk to a local toy store or children’s museum about sponsoring the space, to create an environment that’ll allow everyone to enjoy their service experience.

Automakers Have Standards and So Should Your Dealership

Think of the automaker’s franchise requirements as a baseline. A mainstream brand might like to see a few chairs and tables plus basic amenities like water and coffee. Luxury brands, meanwhile, typically improve ambience with step-up snacks.

You can do a lot more than that for your customers, and you don’t have to spend a ton to do it. About half of all respondents said that they want complimentary drinks and snacks. While a basic single-cup coffee brewer might do the job, why not toss that in favor of a rental unit capable of pouring out lattes and espresso shots with an assortment of tea bags too?

These incremental tweaks will cost you very little on a monthly basis and differentiate your store in the local market and in online reviews.