Fixed Operations Marketing

Transcription

1 Fixed Operations Marketing New Tools & Tactics With Rob Campbell, Analyst & Consultant with The Mironov Group Moderated by Mike Bowers, Executive Editor at DealersEdge Thursday, May 24, :30pm ET Robert Campbell Rob Campbell serves as one of the resident dealer analysts and consultants with The Mironov Group, LLC, working with dealerships nationally to improve their results from fixed operations as well as helping through difficult warranty audit concerns and negotiations. He has conducted training sessions and worked as a consultant to many dealerships around the country. A frequent and popular speaker at industry events, including seven NADA conventions, he is a true professional and a great communicator. In addition to his consulting background, Rob has spent the past fifteen years writing extensively concerning fixed operations management and warranty administration issues. Rob has 17 books or manuals on Fixed Operations management under his belt. He is also an associate of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

2 Fixed Operations Marketing New Tools & Tactics DealersEdge Management Webinar Rob Campbell, Analyst The Mironov Group

3 Introduction Getting people in the drive or at the retail counter Assumptions You do a really good job of taking care of your customers You have excess production/capacity You have a plan for making the most of the customer s visit Market realities What works for a Jeep dealer likely isn t going to have the same impact on a Volvo dealer or even a Chevrolet dealer It is feast or famine for shops. The market is very resistant to efforts.

4 Let s go fishing! Are their fish in that pond? Are you using the right bait? Are you there at the right time? Fishing Are there fish? What was your dealership s sales trend for the past 8-10 years; what are the UIO?

5 Fishing Got the right bait? When FREE isn t cheap enough What is selling Fishing Are you at the right time? Simple example HVAC spring push Free A/C check Deodor/sanitation Cabin filters The age-old Summer driving season

6 What do you want? The big fish of work and purchases Just the coupon clippers Get customers in the hopper and hope for future sales 1 st visit 2 nd vist 3 rd visit Good ol direct mail Necessary and part of the process Reminders Quarterly factory mailer Segmentation Current lost conquest Targeted by demographics

7 Rethinking direct mail Is it the right bait? Or the same worms you ve always used Unique services Accessories We give you a car We give you a ride Diesels, transmissions, fleet work BDCs There are some very expensive solutions that are going to be billed to your shop; make sure they work for you Pure outsourced versus in-house callers. Complement to reminders, lost customers, declined work.

8 BDCs Service reminders are most active, but declines/recommends are most productive Mailers should close 10-15% BDC should bump it to over 20% SA s calling should double mailer Honda store example (avg. ticket $241) Do the math 8-10 contacts per hour; 2-3 appts $241 average RO = $132 labor, $109 parts $93 labor gross; $42 parts gross = $135 Worked 6 hour shift (1:00pm to 7:00pm) There was (will be) insufficient decline work to fill a shift Spiff on appointments made (or kept?)

9 The Process Have all customer information, vehicle history, most recent RO, reason for decline. Revisit the decline reason The key success is to have a good reason for the prior objection; which is why advisors are best at it. Call made at 21 days (unless reason to do sooner or later) Your website The static, dry, templates are not going to attract a soul It does not need to be complicated A simple video or two Give a sense of your shop and services Make appointments

10 Social distortion Social marketing is an extension of your shop and building relationships. Parts Markets Tools like WHI - Nexpart Subsidiary of ebay now (being on ebay is your SEO) Good DMS integration Nice B2B portal for local big box The ecatalog will allow you to send your wholesale customers there ebay your crap

11 Working pieces Specific to issues or problems while still being general; pothole special, check engine light, etc. Provide value something more than the ad Winners this past Spring Direct mail thoughts

12 Factory pricing mandates Overcoming the ultra competitive pricing that in some cases does not cover costs. Some of these items are not loss leaders but our traditional upsells Factories are judging on these items and we get they are defection points but we don t have Autozone s cost structure

13 Factory Pricing Ford store example On the battery special they are looking at the cables, terminals, hold-down, trays, etc. On the LOF special they are doing full synthetics. The brakes was the toughest Dirty word - aftermarket Can you design a piece that hits directly what people need at a competitive price? Specific product problem with the coolant tank plastic cracking and seeping. LOSING COOLANT? Replace your cracked or seeping reservoir for only $165

14 ValuPaks ValuPaks have been good conquest pieces

15 Other media shots Radio/TV/cable Alliances Referral programs word of mouth More ideas and thoughts Ten year + get 10% off 100,000 mile club get minor free services (top-off, etc.) Annual $29.95 diagnostic scan Press/P.R.

16 Thanks for listening Are there any additional questions? You can reach me afterwards via at: