The Fixed Ops team may not get all the attention—and the GM may not even know where the service department is—but service campaigns are critical to profitability. This webinar is dedicated to showing love to the Fixed Ops team by addressing the fact that while retention is 15%, 85% of dealership bays are empty.
For over 100 years, independent service centers (the original "blacksmiths and hardware stores") have been fighting for your vehicle service dollars—and they have won. It’s time to take that business back.
Many Service Managers believe they are "too busy" to run marketing, but this is a dangerous misconception.
The Myth: Dealers often claim their bays are full, but internal data shows that retention is dangerously low. The "We're so busy!" conundrum is a myth that prevents the department from targeting high-profit jobs.
The Solution: If you aren’t busy, run service campaigns. If you are busy, run the campaigns that bring the most profit.
Winning requires guiding the Fixed Ops Director (who is often not digitally savvy) and combating the independent shops at their own game.
Reallocate Funds (No "New Money"): Instead of asking the GM for new money, demonstrate how to reallocate existing marketing funds to highly effective digital campaigns that target service customers.
Dispelling the Price/Time Myths: Independent shops win by selling the perception of convenience and price. Digital marketers must use research to prove that independents are often not cheaper, and not faster. The dealership can win by leading with a competitive offer and capitalizing on OEM expertise (tools, technicians, and training).
Targeting the Manager's Needs: Marketing must focus on the specific, profitable jobs the Service Manager needs to succeed. Target campaigns for seasonal work (Winterization, Spring Alignment), "Around the Wheel" services, and diagnostic checks (like CEL/MIL campaigns).
Avoid Jumping to Sales: The goal is to "Just get them in" [cite: 39]. The Service Advisors will handle the upselling. Marketing's job is to lead with a great offer (Lube-Oil-Filter packages with add-ons) that encourages the customer to choose the dealership over the independent shop.
The independents win because dealers let them win. To choose to load your bays with the jobs you want, you must beat the independents at their own game—pushing convenience and competitive price—and leverage the power of digital campaigns to take back the 85% of business you are currently missing.