Customer Service Website

[EFConn]

If you can offer an incentive to join a Dealer Cyber-savers club on-line. (Like $10.00 offer their next service or something)
You can start doing Service Marketing Direct via e-mail. In the near future, you will also, hopefully, be able to let these customer schedule their own service via the website. Both of these efforts will lower your current Scheduling and Merchandising Costs.

Also, you have a seamless way to develop Customer Loyalty if e-mail with Service Writers are involved. Think of how much CSI will improve if Service Customers talk to their advisors about that funny e-mail joke they sent out last week instead of their "broken car".

The sky is the limit...

[GMmemoman]

How do we prevent Service Advisors (etc...) from using the Internet for fun instead as a valuable tool to help them perform their job better? How do we prevent them from sending E-mails that would get the owner in legal trouble?

[EFConn]

There is relatively inexpensive software available that can prevent sex.com types of Internet Browsing. I you want to offer E-mail to all of you employees through the Dealership, you can do that and still not offer them Internet Access, only E-mail. As far as keeping tabs on what E-mails get sent. There is monitoring software available, but it is expensive. Ultimately, you will have to trust that your employees are responsible people, you could say the same thing about them making "obscene telephone calls". All E-mail services do is provide another inexpensive Telephone-like service. I agree that Internet Access may not be as Productive for employees as E-mail services. However,alot of FREE research can be done by Management with Web Browsing. Consider that your competitors are most likely now putting info like Hourly Rates, Service Specials, Inventory and other key facts on thier websites.