Customer retention

[BIG ORANGE]

I would suggest to run a report from your service data base and send a letter not a flyer to each service customer. Explain to them that the service dept. is under new magt. and here is what we are going to do for you the customer. Make it very personable so that each customer feels like you are sending only them this letter.

[AJHORNE]

I had a similar problem in that the FOM made our scheduled maintance so terribly expensive that it ran people away. I got a very large reponce out of a mailer we sent out. It included a price comparison chart on the cover. It had a column for "SATURN CERTIFIED" AND "FREE CAR WASH" which the other locals didn't have. the responce was overwhelming. I don't know if thats the reason for the responce but I believe it is. ofcourse you have to be competitive in pricing also. The mailer company is great. Its www.sosmarketingusa.com. e-mail Jay Semaan. He's great.

[mark vandersteeg]

Try an afterhours or Saturday free service clinic by invitation to all customers who are in your database that have not visited within the last 18 months. Advertise as free and no repairs performed at the time of inspection. include charging/starting system test, fluid level and condition tests, alignment check, brakes/steering/suspension inspect, scan for updated software etc... Do not "sell" hard at that time, but be as informative as the customer wants. figure out a routine and follow it for all that register for the clinic. afterwards do the follow-up necessary to get them in for repairs or further maintenance. I think you will be surprised at the response and they will come back in for the service...some immediately and some over the next month or so. i offer the tech(s) that work on their normally non-scheduled time an equal amount of time off and all of the service work that was generated as a result of inspections. Many large tickets result. you'd be surprised. good luck.