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MARCH / APRIL 2016 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE

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U SHD!

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C O M M U N I C AT I N G W I T H C U S T O M E R S

The 21st century has brought us a lot of

innovation some interesting, some disruptive and some game-changing. Uber
is changing the way we move, Airbnb is
changing the way we sleep and texting is
changing the way we communicate. This
innovation is the new normal.
Texting is the fastest growing component
of this communication stack so much
so that Coca-Cola dropped phone support
and replaced an entire support departments call center with texting technology.
Its time for all businesses to take notice
and adjust accordingly. Saying it is simple,
but doing it is not always so easy. There
are many complexities and intricacies to
how businesses interact with their customers.

p. 72

BY THOMAS JUNG

MARCH / APRIL 2016 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE

Auto dealerships have texting platforms

available from various vendors and dealers
using a texting solution can confirm that
texting is the fastest-growing piece of the
communication picture. Once texting is initiated at a dealership, email and voicemail
prove to be passive, slow and maybe even
outdated. Many people do not check email
or voicemail for hours. Customers express
the need for a dynamic environment and
the usage of new usable technologies.
Consider yourself as a sample size of one.
What communications do you manage in
real time? I know I cant manage email and
voicemail in real time. I check them when
its convenient. Texts are what I manage
in real time. I use texting for airline flight
alerts, notifications and to converse with
friends and family during a busy day.
If you believe that only Millennials text,
youre dead wrong. Baby Boomers are the
fast-growing segment and text on average more that once a day. Furthermore,
research and common sense both point
management in the same direction: automotive dealerships must have a multichannel customer engagement and communication strategy. I cannot overemphasize
this.

p. 74

AUTO DEALERS HAVE

TEXTING PLATFORMS
AVAILABLE FROM
VARIOUS VENDORS AND
DEALERS USING
A TEXTING SOLUTION
CAN CONFIRM THAT
TEXTING IS THE
FASTEST-GROWING
PIECE OF THE
COMMUNICATION
STACK.
According to Omnichannel research, companies with multichannel engagement
have 89 percent retention vs. 33 percent
for business without it. Our world is complex and dealerships must use phones,
emails, chat and, most important, texting
to appease their customers.
Traditional Communication Concept
Traditional communication platforms

landline, voicemail, email have served

businesses well. However, the paradigm
has changed. Rather than avoiding innovations and technology, service providers
must embrace new channels of communication, such as texting and Web platforms.
Communication will be faster, more direct
and will improve the user experience.
A recent Genesys study has shown that
texting will fill the communication gap between service providers and customers.
Even though text messaging is not that
new (its been around for almost 20 years),
retailers and car dealers have only recently
realized how influential and powerful it can
be.
Below is an example of an actual text exchange between a customer and a Service
Advisor. Look how complete the exchange
is. And imagine how much time is saved.
Its convenient for both customer and
dealer:
2/03/16 08:44 Automated welcome text:
Annie, this is Chris at Champion VW. You
can text me anytime at this number or view
your repair status: http://avt.bz/7Le7PC

MARCH / APRIL 2016 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE

2/03/16 11:07 Advisor:

Hello, this is Chris. The engine light is on
due to the M.A.P sensor and throttle body.
The throttle body is covered, but the map
sensor would be $325.00 incl. parts and
labor plus tax and I can have the car finished this afternoon. The car also needs
an air filter, which would be $35.00 and an
oil change if you hadnt done it recently,
which would be $79.88
2/03/16 11:13 Customer:
Hi Chris, thanks so much. Yes, go ahead
and do the air filter and oil change, as well.
Also, could we have it washed as well before pick up? Thank you so much.
2/03/16 11:16 Advisor:
Yes, I will have the repairs completed and
have it washed for you!
The Rise of Texting
The year 2014 can be considered a turning
point in the rise of texting for businesses.
Years had to pass for the industry to acknowledge not only its existence but the
benefits it brings. Despite the appearance
of a plethora of new apps almost every
day, research has shown that only 1 percent of apps are being used 90 days after

p. 76

they have been downloaded, which means

that they can be ruled out as useless.
This is why texting has found a place for
itself. Its the preferred means of communication between businesses and customers of all ages. Research shows us that 97
percent of smartphone users in the United
States text.
In fact, even the older generation texts frequently. Data shows that people between

the ages of 55 and 64 are using text messaging 32 times a month on average. This
only proves that if you decide to connect
with your customers via text messaging,
you know youre going to reach all your
recipients, without exception. Compound
this with technology that allows for simultaneous texting and template messaging
and the result will be fewer landline calls,
fewer transfers and less voicemail. This is
really awesome.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE

its double-digit growth. Voicemail will fall

to the wayside for customers, who are
more and more time-constrained. Email response times and open rates will continue
to fall. Most Fortune 1000 companies will
have text-enabled customer service. And
surely all progressive car dealers will be
providing texting solutions to their Service
Advisors, Sales teams, Parts Department
and Finance & Insurance.
A quick list shows some of the advantages
of texting for car dealerships:

Another benefit of texting for Service Advisors and dealerships is efficiency. Automated templates and simultaneous communications with multiple customers is not
an option via landline. Theres simply no
reason to have a Fixed Operations Department receive phone calls asking for the
status of a vehicle. Technology can solve
this problem and the results equate to real
dollars on the bottom line.

Whats next?
The texting trend is continuing; 2015
brought us the rise in texting being used
as a preferred means of communication
between customers and businesses. As
for 2016, its already evident that this trend
will continue, which means texting will be
used in car dealerships.

CAR DEALERSHIPS
MUST HAVE A
MULTICHANNEL
ENGAGEMENT AND
COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY TO INCREASE
CUSTOMER RETENTION
AND LOYALTY.
To Geoffrey Mohr, author of the iconic marketing book Crossing the Chasm, texting
has crossed the chasm from early adopters to the early majority and is now being
used by the late majority and laggards. The
industry consensus is that texting among
business people age 40 to 50 will double
and texting within a business will continue

p. 78

Simple
Powerful
Direct
Quick response with higher approval
rates
Increased Customer Satisfaction Index
(CSI)
Positive posts in social media
Improved retention and bottom-line profits
Skys the Limit with Digital Technology
Businesses must keep up with the latest
technology developments in order to reach
their customers and partake in the entire
customer lifecycle.
Traditional communication media (phone
and email) will continue to be displaced
by the development of instant messaging
and texting applications. Car dealerships
must have a multichannel engagement and
communication strategy to increase customer retention and loyalty.
If digital technologies and innovations are
embraced, the skys the limit. Automobile
dealerships using mobile texting will see
their CSI increase and communications
improve, resulting in a more convenient
and ultimately, trusting relationship.

Thomas Jung is the CEO and Cofounder of San Rafael, Californiabased AdvantageTec. He has also
served
executive
management
roles as Divisional President & Vice
President Dealer Products at Cars.
com, CMO at vAuto and Co-founder of Marketdrive Interactive. He
started his career as an automotive
Technician at Dr. Ing. HcF Porsche
AG is Stuttgart, Germany.