Best Practices for Effective Follow-Ups

Did you know an effective follow-up is key to securing repeat business? Following-up not only closes the loop on the customer’s Service experience, but it also allows you to gather honest, direct feedback that helps both you and your dealership improve and earn customer loyalty.

Following up with the customer gives you the opportunity to:

• Ensure their satisfaction with quality and completeness of the work performed
• Verify they felt they were treated with Genuine Care (i.e., with respect, honesty, transparency, etc.)
• Identify issues and provide opportunities to resolve them in a timely and effective manner
• Confirm they found value in the service performed relative to the price paid
• Remind them of future service needs and reaffirm that the dealership stands behind its work
• Encourage them to respond to the Service Survey and/or online reviews

Remember, every customer should be contacted after a service visit via their preferred method of contact. Be sure to document customer comments and present them to management for review.

Here are some best practices for conducting an effective, customer-focused follow-up: 

• Smile. Believe it or not, smiling can affect how your tone of voice comes across on the phone. When smiling, you come across as more positive and friendly.
• Address the customer by name.
• Pay attention to customer reactions and responses.
• Show appreciation and thank them for trusting you to service their vehicle.
• It’s OK to ask them to fill out the survey and ask for online reviews. In both cases, however, coach them to respond in certain ways. The message should always be: “We value your honest feedback, and we are striving to earn your future business.”

Don’t forget: Follow-up is your final opportunity to leave a positive impression on the customer.