10 Top Customer Service Issues to Avoid at Your Car Dealership

Most car dealerships work hard towards providing the best customer service but many still fail.

Here are the top ten customer service issues to avoid.

1. Not Focusing on Your Customer Data

Data is everything. Data analysis can help dealers draw profitable conclusions and optimize their auto dealership services. You are leaving money on the table if you are not putting your data to use.

2. Forgetting to Empower Your Employees

Employees are only as good as their training. If you are not training and motivating employees well, then the service quality of your dealership will take a serious hit, leading to dissatisfied customers. 

3. Not Developing a Customer-Centric Strategy

With more than 90% of your online prospects actively looking for reviews before shortlisting dealerships, all your marketing strategies need to revolve around happy customers.

Only customer-centric dealerships can make this possible, with a steady stream of happy customers leaving positive reviews.

4. Over-Promising and Under-Delivering

One of the top customer service mistakes is agreeing to all your customer’s demands but not delivering as promised.

Displeased customers going online to vent their anger can cause serious issues overnight.

5. Not Listening to Your Customers

When customers contact the car dealership, they expect dealer staff to listen to their concerns and offer solutions.

If dealers fail to listen, then their solutions are likely to fall short and the issue will recur with other customers

6. Arguing with Customers

This is one of the first things dealers need to teach their employees – Not to argue with customers.

Even if the dealership is right and customers are wrong, don’t argue. Instead, apologize for any inconvenience and try to talk to them with a calm mind.

7. Over Automation

Automation is good but when it comes to customer service, it is best to personalize your conversation.

You may also consider providing customers multiple communication channels like online chat, video calls, etc., than only phone calls.

Above all, avoid excessive automation.

8. No Empathy, Apology, or Gratitude

When your car dealership does not show empathy or gratitude in customer conversations, customers are less likely to understand the dealership’s point-of-view and agree with it.

9. Being Not Available to Your Customers

Always be available to customers. They shouldn’t get tired and frustrated just trying to reach you.

It is advisable to employ omnichannel communication so that they can reach you through the channel and device of their choice.

10. Making Assumptions

Assumptions can destroy your relationship with customers and negatively impact customer experiences. It is always best to listen rather than assuming what customers have to say.