However, irrespective of the significant growth, it is unbelievable that automobile companies are using traditional customer communication plans. For example, a car servicing workshop communicates with its customers just on pick-ups or drop-offs via SMS and phone calls.
Thus, they do not have an organized platform for tracking the calls. Or, an effective communication plan for engaging with their customers.
This article focuses on challenges facing the Indian automobile servicing industry, as well as the communication solutions for overcoming these challenges.
What is the cause of the struggle faced by the automobile industry?
Since the last few years, many car servicing companies have emerged, to meet the growing demand for cars in India. The results of a recent study show that only one-third of car owners return to authorized dealer workshops after warranty. Most of them prefer local multi-brand garages. The primary reasons are time, cost, and adaptability. This applies even to motorbike owners.
Causes of struggles faced by automobile companies in regards to customer communication:
Customer experience: how to grow customer advocacy?
The growth of any business depends on excellent customer experience. For auto servicing companies, doing the work at hand is one thing and finding ways of enhancing customer experience is another.
This comprises of the ease of customers booking a service, rescheduling the booking, communicating their requests, and sharing their feedback. After all, the aim is closing the gap between the brand and its customers.
Revenue loss: ways of handling lead leakage
Call questions made via websites and local online listings to automobile servicing companies are so many. However, these calls are in most cases missed as it is a holiday or non-working hours. The unfortunate thing is that these calls cannot be traced back. In turn, there is a massive loss of leads and revenues.
Customer engagement: how to be interactive?
The need for auto companies defining customer engagement is excellent. Many servicing companies do not have a productive communication system for more natural customer interaction. Some companies have systems, but they are outdated. So, companies should consider customer engagement through modern communication systems. Over 45% of possible car buyers will be millennials in a few years’ time.
Customer support: how to assist in decision making?
It is evident that most customer purchase decisions get affected directly by customer support. So, it is essential to offer accessible customer support to users and customers. Some service dealerships have many support centers, making it difficult for customers to get the right number to contact. And, in most cases, the number is correct but not working.
Ways to get instant outcomes
According to recent study reports, the sales of vehicles have reduced by 10% since April. As a result, the servicing industry has been affected by this decrease. Thus, companies need to test other mediums for customer retention through enhancing communication. Here are some solutions to adopt:
1. Automate feedback
For better customer experience, feedback is vital in every step. Also, a survey form is not always automated feedback. Surveys and one-time feedback calls are not appropriate means of requesting customer feedback. Instead, use these methods to request feedback:
Interactive SMS
For more than a decade now, SMS remains to be the favorite and famous feedback channels. But, due to their bulk nature, SMS does not raise similar interests like automated calls. Instead, you will get more responses from personalized and interactive links in SMS.
Recent studies show that 44% of consumers say they become repeat buyers after getting a personalized encounter with a specific company.
To be interactive with your customers, ensure you send them car maintenance tips and birthday wishes, as well as weather alerts depending on their geolocation.
Integrate chat APIs with your CRM software, website or mobile apps for effective business communications.
Automated IVR calls
Auto servicing companies should utilize automated feedback calls that may be set to trigger when an event occurs. For example, after completing a service.
After that, customers can use DTMF input on their phone to rate their encounter. As per statistics, automated calls have been proved to receive more responses in comparison to other traditional methods.
2. Track all incoming calls
One of the essential features for servicing companies is call tracking. These companies are focused on increasing sales, but they keep losing the leads. However, this occurs when a company has a calling platform whose design does not track calls. Unfortunately, the caller ID cannot do so either in landline or mobile phone. Because you might be receiving many calls in a day, separating business and personal calls are impossible.
Thus, you should have a cloud calling platform in your auto servicing business.
Conclusion
It is possible to enhance your customer loyalty using smart communication methods. Further, the smart customer communication system in the auto industry is a vital need. Most servicing companies have traditional setup, which is not strong enough to fill the gap of the growing demand.
Therefore, companies should embrace communication systems that assist in streamlining, as well as organizing their workflow. In turn, this will increase customer loyalty.