7 Ways to Retain Customers in the Auto Industry

Auto manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers face many challenges in today’s market. Consumers are more informed than ever before, which has led to them expecting higher levels of service and quality from the brands they purchase. If you’re in the auto industry, you have likely come across more than one article, or news segment on the numerous challenges car makers and dealers face.

The auto industry has adapted to these new conditions, from a rise in internet sales to an increase in ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. As a result, many manufacturers have begun implementing new strategies to retain customers longer, increase loyalty, and reduce negative word-of-mouth advertising.

In this blog post, we will be discussing ways that you can help keep customers in your business, as well as any other company that sells a product that requires constant maintenance and frequent repairs.

1. Send Customer Emails After the Sale

As soon as a customer purchases a product or service from you, you should send them emails through your CRM software. It can make a big difference in the long run as you will be able to remind customers of your services and stay in their minds as they go through their day-to-day lives. There are many ways that you can send customers emails after the sale.

It is also a good idea to send emails to customers before they make their purchases. This way, you will remind them of the brand and what you offer.

Ideally, you will want to send customers emails at the three-month, six-month, and one-year mark after they make their purchase. Remind them of your brand and your available warranty and service packages.

2. Offer a Longer Warranty

One of the most significant ways to retain customers is by offering a more extended warranty. If consumers feel confident in the product or service they’ve purchased, they will be much less likely to seek legal action against you in the future.

If consumers feel confident in the product or service they’ve purchased, they will be much less likely to pursue legal action against you. If customers feel they have no recourse, they may feel inclined to take drastic action against a business they think has wronged them.

A more extended warranty will show customers that you are confident in your product, making them more likely to purchase your product in the future.

However, be sure that the warranty that you offer is reasonable. For example, a 3-year warranty on a laptop is sensible. A 3-year warranty on a car, however, is not. Avoid any unnecessary legal action, and it will also help you to retain customers.

3. Offer Free Services During Purchasing

Another way to help retain customers is by offering them free services during their purchasing. For example, if you are a car salesman, you can provide customers with free cleaning, detailing, or oil changes after purchasing a car.

Doing this creates a relationship with the customer and help retain them in the long run, as they will be more likely to return for their free services in the future. You can also offer free services when customers purchase a product from you.

For example, if a customer buys a new laptop from you, you can offer to clean and maintain the computer for free for one year after the purchase. You can then retain customers and will help to create a relationship with them in the long run.

4. Provide a Maintenance Package

If you are a car salesman, you can offer a maintenance package when customers purchase a car from you. Help your customers save money in the long run and help you retain customers. If you are a company that sells laptops or computers, you can offer a maintenance package for a small fee.

Maintenance packages help to retain customers and will also help to keep them coming back to you for their computers and laptops. A maintenance package will enable customers to save money in the long run and help create a relationship with them, which is what you are trying to do with all these retention strategies.

5. Provide an Extended Service Contract

Another way that you can retain customers is by offering extended service contracts. Protect customers from unforeseen repair costs and it will also help to create a relationship with them.

If you are a car salesman, you can offer customers extended service contracts after they purchase a car from you. If you are a company that sells computers and laptops, you can also offer extended service contracts on these products.

If a customer has already purchased a product from you, they will likely buy an extended service contract from you. Retain customers as well as create a relationship with them in the long run.

6. Don’t Overlook Basic Repairs and Upgrades

You can offer basic repairs and upgrades for a small fee if you are a car dealership. Retain customers in the long run and will also help to create a relationship with them.

7. Offer Customer Referral Programs

Finally, you can help to retain customers by implementing customer referral programs. Create a relationship with customers and help to include them in the long run.

For example, if you have a car dealership, you can offer customers a discount on their next purchase if they refer their friends to your business. If you are a company that sells computers and laptops, offer customers a discount on their next purchase if they refer their friends to your business. Create a relationship with customers as well as help you to retain them.

Start Retaining Customers for Your Auto Dealership

In today’s economy, auto manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers face many challenges. Consumers are more informed than ever before, which has led to them expecting higher levels of service and quality from the brands they purchase.

As a result, many manufacturers have begun implementing new strategies to retain customers longer, increasing loyalty and reducing negative word-of-mouth advertising.

These strategies include sending customer emails after the sale, offering a more extended warranty, offering free services during purchasing, providing a complimentary maintenance package, providing an extended service contract, and not overlooking basic repairs and upgrades. These strategies will help you retain customers and create a lasting relationship with them.

To get started, reach out to AutoAwards today by messaging us or giving us a call at 302-696-6000!

Best Car Dealership Marketing Strategies with Loyalty Rewards Programs

Loyalty programs are one of the most effective ways to connect with your customers and keep them coming back again and again. As a car dealership, you want to create a brand identity that distinguishes you from your competitors. It would help if you also had a marketing strategy that gives you an edge over others.

A loyalty rewards program is just what you need to stay ahead of the game in this competitive industry. Creating or updating a loyalty rewards program won’t take much time or cost much money. It could even save you money in the long run. Let’s look at some of the best car dealership marketing strategies with loyalty rewards programs and how they can benefit your business:

1. Build Relationships with Regular Communication

The best way to build a relationship with customers is through regular communication. By building relationships with your customers, you can gain their trust, which is one of the essential factors in buying a car. You can do this by setting guidelines for communication with your customers.

You may find it helpful to create a communication script to help you stay consistent with your approach. You could also consider having an open-door policy, where customers can speak with someone in your team regardless of what their problem is.

2. Create a Great Customer Experience

The best way to have customers return to your dealership is to create a positive customer experience.

• Customers should always feel welcomed and comfortable when they walk into your dealership. You can do this by having clear signage, organizing, and keeping your waiting area clean.
• It would help if you also were mindful of how you interact with customers. Make sure that everyone at your dealership treats customers with respect. Avoid making them feel pressured to decide.
• Be mindful of how you interact with your customers online. You can do this by ensuring that your website is clean and easy to navigate. You could also consider creating an online forum where customers can discuss topics relevant to your industry.
• You may also want to consider using a live chat feature on your website.

3. Offer Exclusive Deals and Upselling Opportunities

Another great way to retain customers is to offer exclusive deals and upselling opportunities. You can set up a rewards program where customers earn points each time, they visit your dealership. You can then use these points to offer exclusive deals to customers. You could also consider offering exclusive products or services to customers who reach a specific point level. You could also offer customers the opportunity to trade their car for a different model. You may also consider setting up a section on your website where customers can find exclusive deals. Doing so will help keep customers coming back as they’ll know they can’t find these deals elsewhere.

Loyalty Programs are Effective to Retain Customers

Loyalty programs are one of the most effective ways to get customers to buy from you repeatedly. Customers are much more likely to buy from a business if they feel like they’re getting a deal. You can create a loyalty rewards program for your car dealership. You can also offer exclusive deals and upselling opportunities to increase your revenue. Doing so will help you stay ahead of the game in this competitive industry while building brand loyalty among your customers.

Get started with your new loyalty rewards program now. We look forward to speaking with you soon and walking you through our service. Contact us online to discuss your loyalty rewards program or call 302-696-6000 for more info.

6 Strategies for Retaining Customers at Your Auto Dealership

Keeping customers happy and returning to your dealership is a constant struggle for auto dealers. The market is flooded with dealerships and car manufacturers, making it harder than ever to keep customers interested.

Research shows that the average millennial tenure at an employer is less than 18 months to make things even more difficult. This research shows that millennials will have about five jobs by age 35. These changes have made retaining customers even more critical in the auto industry. These are 10 strategies you can use to retain customers at your dealership and keep them returning.

1. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

The essential part of retaining customers is providing exceptional customer service. To keep customers, you must put their needs and wants first. You must be willing to go above and beyond to satisfy the customer’s needs and wants. You must be willing to put in the extra time and effort to ensure the customer is pleased with their service.

There are several ways you can improve your customer service at the dealership. You can offer flexible hours for customers who work full-time. You can also offer flexible payment options to make the car buying process more accessible for customers who have difficulty making a large payment at once.

2. Be Transparent

Customers want to understand what is going on with their car, but sometimes dealerships will keep information about a vehicle hidden from customers. This lack of transparency can frustrate customers and make them feel they can’t trust you.

You can improve transparency between your dealership and customers by offering them access to information such as their car’s maintenance history and any repairs made to it. You can also offer customers the opportunity to schedule appointments online as another way to increase transparency.

3. Be Responsive

A great way to gain customers’ trust is to ensure you respond to them quickly. Customers will appreciate your willingness to get back to them in a short amount of time. You can offer customers a variety of methods to contact you, such as email, phone, and social media.

You can also use machine learning software to respond to customers in real-time when they leave reviews on your social media pages. This way, you can show customers that you are responsive to their feedback and are actively working to improve your business.

4. Offer Rewards and Loyalty Programs

Customers are looking for a reason to return to your dealership again and again. One way to keep customers returning is to offer rewards and loyalty programs. You can offer rewards such as gift cards or a free oil change after several visits to your dealership.

Loyalty programs are another great way to reward customers for coming back to your dealership. You can offer customers discounts or special promotions only available to loyal customers.

When customers see that you are trying to show them you appreciate their business, they are more likely to come back again and again.

5. Offering Maintenance Services

Another way to show customers you invest in their cars and their safety is to offer maintenance services. You can provide customers with maintenance services such as oil changes, tire rotations, and a variety of other services that will help extend the life of their car.

Maintenance service is a great way to show customers that you care about their car and invest in their safety. When customers are on their way back home after a maintenance service, they will be grateful to have a trustworthy dealership they can rely on.

6. Celebrate Milestones with Customers

Another way to show customers you care is to celebrate milestones with them. You can celebrate milestones such as a customer’s birthday or childbirth with a gift card. You can also celebrate milestones such as a customer’s anniversary at their job or a promotion they received.

When you celebrate milestones with customers, they feel special and appreciated. They are more likely to come back and buy another car from you when they feel like you care about them as a person.

Why Your Auto Dealership Needs to Retain Customers

You can improve your chances of retaining customers at your dealership in many ways. You can offer flexible hours for customers who work full-time. You can also offer flexible payment options to make the car buying process more accessible for customers who have difficulty making a large payment at once. You can improve transparency between your dealership and customers by offering them access to information such as their car’s maintenance history and any repairs made to it.

You can also offer customers the opportunity to schedule appointments online as another way to increase transparency. You can gain the trust of customers by being responsive. You can provide customers with various methods to contact you and use machine learning software to respond to customers in real-time when they leave reviews on your social media pages.

When you celebrate milestones with customers, they feel special and appreciated. They are more likely to come back and buy another car from you when they feel like you care about them as a person.

Schedule a consultation today. Reach out to us online or call 302-696-6000 to get your consultation to launch your loyalty rewards program.

Top 6 Ways to Use Dealer CRM to Boost Sales

When you think about sales, it’s easy to assume that a salesperson is the only person who can sell. After all, how much help could a customer service representative, an administrator, or anyone else offer?

Well, you would be surprised. Every employee in your dealership has the potential to be a better salesperson.

That’s where CRM (Customer Relationship Management) comes in. A CRM system allows any employee with access to see everything they need to know about your customers and their sales history. This way, they can provide more personalized service and suggest the most likely incentives to close the deal. Read on to discover some of the most effective ways dealer CRM systems can help boost your dealership’s sales numbers.

1. Make Customer Service More Effective

Many aspects of CRM will boost your sales, however, one of the biggest ones is its ability to improve customer service. First, a CRM system makes customer information easily accessible. This makes it easier to solve customer issues, access service histories, and create a more personalized customer experience.

For example, if you have a customer who owns a truck and needs a particular type of oil, then a CRM can help you quickly identify which customers own trucks to ensure they get the right type of oil.

Additionally, customer service representatives can use your CRM to look up a customer’s vehicle to see if there are any special maintenance needs. This will help them provide better service and ensure the customer is satisfied.

2. Create a Marketing Tool

Another essential benefit of dealership CRM is using it as a marketing tool. You can segment your customers to determine who will likely buy a vehicle from your dealership again. As such, you can use this information to create targeted offers and advertisements based on what incentives appear to be most effective.

Once you have determined your best customers, you can set up a marketing campaign to target them. You can then re-engage with customers who have previously visited your dealership but have yet to complete the buying process.

It is an effective way to increase sales because it targets customers already familiar with your business. Customers are more likely to respond to your offer than they would be to an advertisement from a dealership they have never heard from before.

3. Build a Quality Buyer Profile

Another way dealer CRM can help boost your sales is by building a quality buyer profile. You can use your CRM to record customers’ average purchase price, how many vehicles they typically buy per year, and their preferred financing source.

You can then use this information to make better recommendations to customers, including the vehicles you show them when they come to your dealership and the incentives you offer. For example, when a customer purchases a car, you can quickly access their CRM information and determine whether they will likely buy that vehicle or something else.

Using these tools to build a quality buyer profile, you can provide each customer with a unique experience. The CRM helps your staff close more sales, as each customer will feel like you have tailored their purchase to their needs.

4. Help With Lead Scoring

Another critical function of dealer CRM is lead scoring. It determines the likelihood that a customer will buy a vehicle from your dealership. You can better use your time and close more sales by identifying which customers to focus on.

Once you have a CRM system in place, you can look at the lead score of each new lead and determine which ones you should focus on. You can also go back through old leads and re-score them to help you prioritize which ones are most likely to end in a sale.

Lead scoring is one of the most effective ways to boost your dealership’s sales. It allows you to focus on the customers who are most likely to buy a vehicle from you. Your staff will be able to close more sales, as you will have more time to dedicate to closing sales rather than talking to unqualified leads.

5. Provide Real-Time Inventory Data

Another way your dealership CRM can help boost sales is by providing real-time inventory data. Your CRM can track how many vehicles you have in stock and how many you expect to receive in the future. By doing this, you can let your customers know if they are likely to be able to leave with a vehicle on the same day they come to your dealership.

Doing this helps sell more vehicles and makes customers more likely to return to your dealership. While many dealerships use a paper-based system to track inventory, using a CRM system instead will allow you to provide more accurate information. The software can update in real-time, so you can see exactly how many vehicles you have in your inventory at any time.

6. Offer a Platform for Continuous Improvement

Another vital benefit of dealer CRM is that it can help you identify ways to improve your business. You can use it to collect information about your customers’ buying experiences and identify areas for improvement.

By setting up surveys in your CRM, you can ask customers how they felt about their buying experience. You get to collect feedback on your dealership and make changes based on what customers want. For example, you may discover that customers want a particular vehicle but cannot test drive it in a certain climate.

You can then make changes to your dealership, such as bringing the vehicle inside, to make it easier for customers to test drive it. These types of changes can help you boost sales by making customers happier. Happy customers are likelier to buy from you again and refer their family and friends to visit your dealership.

Overall, dealer CRM systems are more than just fancy computer programs. They are a helpful tool to boost sales and service by helping employees better identify and manage customers.

Using a CRM can make customer service more effective, build a quality buyer profile, help with lead scoring, provide real-time inventory data, offer a platform for continuous improvement, and much more.

Implementing a CRM system can help your employees become better salespeople and provide your customers with a better buying experience.

Did you know our AutoAwards tools integrate into many automotive CRM systems? This means you can take your CRM system to the next level and give your employees in all departments access to tools to boost their sales and service potential and lock in customer loyalty to your dealership.

Contact us today to build your customer’s loyalty and keep it with our Auto Awards’ auto dealership loyalty program. You can contact us online, or you can give us a call at 302-696-6000. We look forward to speaking with you today about how we can make a difference for your automotive dealership!

Dealership Loyalty Programs — A Strategy for Boosting Sales

Automotive customer retention is one of the most important factors that govern success for today’s dealerships. A dealership has to find ways to stand apart from its competition. Starting a branded loyalty program helps dealerships earn repeat customers.

At AutoAwards, we are the leading loyalty program consultants. We want to tell you more about how a branded dealership loyalty program can help you boost automotive customer retention at your dealership.

Customers Feel Valued When They Are Offered a Loyalty Program

Rewarding customers through a loyalty program is a proven way to make them feel that their business is valued.

Loyalty Programs Encourage Repeat Automotive Purchases

Repeat business is the primary goal of inspiring customer loyalty. Statistics show that loyalty rewards program members will spend up to 67% more than first-time buyers.

A Loyalty Program Can Help Your Brand to Stand Out

The right loyalty rewards program can be an effective way to ensure that your auto dealership brand stands out from the pack of competitors. Our team at AutoAwards specializes in helping you to develop a program that will allow you to accomplish this goal.

Loyalty Programs Bring in More Referrals

Referrals from loyal customers can make a huge difference in your goal of bringing in new ones. Your loyal rewards program members are one of your most powerful forms of advertising when you inspire them with compelling incentives.

Loyalty Program Members Tend to Spend More

Loyalty program members feel that they are saving money by joining, but the reality is that they will spend more at your dealership than non-members.

You Will Gain Valuable Customer Insights That Are Actionable

The ability to more accurately track customer behavior is a huge benefit your dealership enjoys when you add a loyalty rewards program.

Loyalty Programs Help You Retain Your Dealership’s Best Customers

Keeping your best customers coming back for further services and vehicle purchases is vital to the growth of your dealership, and it is another area where loyalty programs help out.

A Loyalty Program Can Help to Bring Back Lost Customers

A loyalty rewards program can also give customers that you have lost a reason to return by rewarding them for staying with your business. Whether you’re looking to reduce customer churn or increase customer retention, a loyalty program is the answer.

Learn About How AutoAwards Can Help You Launch a Local Marketing Program

Reach out to our team at AutoAwards today to speak with one of our loyalty program consultants about how we can help you launch your local marketing program for your dealership, including loyalty rewards. You can reach out to us by messaging us online, or you can give us a call at 302-696-6000 to take advantage of your consultation with one of our auto dealership loyalty program experts.

How to Improve Auto Dealership Customer Relationships with CRMs

Customer loyalty is more important than ever in today’s automotive dealership industry. This is particularly the case because millennial auto shoppers, as a whole, appear to be less loyal to a specific brand than their older counterparts.

Our team at AutoAwards includes industry experts in car brand loyalty. We want to tell you more about how CRMs can make a huge difference for your dealership in terms of building customer relationships.

Why Is Customer Loyalty So Important?

Customer loyalty refers to a customer’s willingness to continue interacting with and making purchases from a specific business. Many things can help to promote customer loyalty. Generally speaking, creating favorable experiences for your customers is at the heart of what it takes to inspire loyalty.

Statistics indicate that loyal customers spend up to 67 percent more on services and products than new customers. Loyal customers only make up about 20 percent of a dealership’s overall base, and they provide as much as 80 percent of the total revenue.

Challenges to Automotive Loyalty Marketing

Specific loyalty marketing challenges the automotive dealership industry faces include:

• Competitors
• A longer purchase cycle
• Declining overall loyalty

The Benefits of Automotive Customer Loyalty

 The benefits of fostering automotive customer loyalty include:

• A positive impact on your brand image
• Improved customer retention
• Boosted customer lifetime value
• An improved customer experience

Ways to Upscale Your Customer Loyalty Programs

 Upscaling your customer loyalty program can make a dramatic difference when it comes to the success that you enjoy in the area of customer retention and loyalty. You can upscale your customer loyalty program in today’s automotive industry in several ways. These ways include:

• Offer rewards/incentives that are meaningful to your customer base
• Design a loyalty program that encourages up-selling
• Maintain a solid online presence
• Focus on upgrading your customer service

Our Loyalty Rewards Experts Are Ready

At AutoAwards, we are the leading team to turn to when you need to launch a customer reward program for auto dealerships. Reach out to our experts today for your consultation on launching your dealership’s loyalty marketing program that includes loyalty rewards. You can call us at 302-696-6000, or you can message us through our online contact form.

We are looking forward to speaking with you soon and telling you more about how CRMs can improve your dealership’s customer relationships! Contact us online to discuss your rewards program or call 302-696-6000.

Why Customer Reward Programs Build Dealerships

Due to competition, the automobile dealership world is tough to stay relevant. Many dealers focus more on bringing in new customers than doing what they can to keep existing ones loyal to their brand. They may not realize that it is often a better idea for their bottom line to keep existing customers happy. An easy way for dealerships to keep customers loyal is to offer them a customer reward program. A car loyalty program from AutoAwards is the perfect way to extend customer service far and beyond the initial sale.

 What is a Loyalty Program?

There are plenty of marketing strategies to choose from when you’re running a business. Everyone wants to reach new customers and bring in more business. However, repeat customers can make up a considerable percentage of your revenue and sales, so it is vital to offer a loyalty program that will keep them returning for more.

A program that offers your clientele valuable incentives will motivate them to come back to your dealership when they need further services or to purchase their vehicle. The customer and dealer benefit from the deal when you provide an effective loyalty rewards package.

 What are the Benefits of a Loyalty Program?

The main reason to implement a loyalty program is easy- both parties benefit from it! Customers will receive valuable rewards when they return for automobile service or make an accessory or part purchase.

The company enjoys loyal customers who recommend its brand to others through word-of-mouth and social media. Loyal customers will come back for regular vehicle service while making other purchases for their car or truck, often getting new customers to check out the dealership.

 What Does a Loyalty Program Offer?

 You can customize a loyalty program to provide anything your brand wants. Many companies offer “freebies” to their loyal customers, such as basic oil changes and car washes. Others offer discounts on essential car services or roadside assistance. You can also develop an app that allows your customers to schedule these freebies and discounts on their own time easily.

 The AutoAwards Strategy

Suppose you’re looking for a way to build customer service and reward your loyal clientele. In that case, we’re happy to offer you a consultation to show you just how a loyalty marketing program can make your business become the best. Since 1991, AutoAwards has worked with multiple dealerships to create fantastic customer loyalty programs that WORK.

You can reach out to us online or by calling 302-696-6000 to get your consultation to launch your local marketing loyalty rewards program.

5 Marketing Ideas to Assist Today’s Auto Dealerships on Social Media

As digital sales continue to expand in prevalence within today’s auto dealership industry, the effective use of social media marketing continues to grow in importance. Our team at AutoAwards is excited to provide you with five automotive service marketing ideas that can make a big difference for your dealership and its presence on social media.

Utilize a Variety of Social Media Platforms

There are a lot of great social media platforms that are currently available. They range from platforms to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to business-oriented platforms such as LinkedIn. Get active on multiple social media platforms as a part of your efforts to expand your overall online presence.

Constantly Post Fresh Content

One of the top tips we can provide to auto dealership owners looking to boost their social media presence is to share fresh content constantly. Content marketing involves routinely sharing informative blog posts and other types of valuable content to engage your audience. Your social media platforms are a great place to share your latest content offerings posted to your company website.

Use Your Content to Build Trust and Credibility

The content you post on your social channels can help you build your reputation as an authority within your industry. This content can include vehicle spotlights, demo videos, current specials, and information about how you give back to your local community.

Engage With Your Community

Your social channels allow you to engage with your audience and build relationships actively. This interaction can help you gauge where you are currently succeeding and give you insight into how you can improve.

Use Social Media to Promote Contests and Sales

Your social media channels are also the ideal place to promote your current sales or let the public know about any contests you are currently running.

Learn More About Boosting Your Dealership’s Social Media Profile

You can count on AutoAwards to provide you with automotive service marketing ideas that will boost your dealership’s profile on social media. Contact us today for your consultation on launching a loyalty marketing program with included loyalty rewards. You can contact us online, or you can give us a call at 302-696-6000. We look forward to speaking with you today about how we can make a difference for your automotive dealership!

How to Create Loyalty with Your Auto Customers Through a Rewards Program

Auto dealership loyalty programs are a great way to incentivize customer behavior. They can be particularly effective when you encourage your customers to make repeat purchases with your brand. Whether you’re just starting an auto loyalty program or looking for ways to improve your current one, here are some tips and tricks to get you on the right track.

Auto loyalty programs are especially effective when they’re part of a larger marketing strategy that includes other methods of encouraging customers to purchase with your brand repeatedly. This blog post will discuss how auto loyalty programs work in general, the different types of auto customer rewards programs, what makes a good auto rewards program, and how to build an effective auto rewards program for your business—no matter what kind of dealership you own.

What’s the Point of an Auto Customer Rewards Program?

The purpose of an auto customer rewards program is to encourage loyal customers to buy from your dealership repeatedly by giving them rewards whenever they come back for a service appointment or more parts or accessories. The rewards can be discounts, freebies, or special offers just for your repeat customers.

By putting a rewards program in place, you’re saying, “Our customers are so important to us that we want to show them gratitude for their repeat business.” A rewards program can help you attract new customers, retain your existing customers, and increase your sales overall.

Rewards programs also help you track and collect data on your customers. As you see fit, you can use this data later—whether that’s sending an email to a select few customers or using it to create a larger, more general marketing campaign. You can even use data from your rewards program to create new marketing strategies.

Types of Auto Customer Rewards Programs

There are many types of auto customer rewards programs, each of which can be effective depending on your business model, products, and services. Here are just a few examples.

• Service: A service awards program is perfect for any auto shop that offers scheduled services and repairs. This type of program encourages customers to come back for services by giving them rewards.

• Parts: If you sell parts, a parts award program can be helpful. You can give your customers parts as rewards for coming to your store to purchase parts from time to time. This can be especially useful if your store specializes in parts for a specific make or model.

• Accessory: If you sell accessories (including maintenance items such as oil and other car fluids, car cleaning supplies, and the like), an accessory awards program can be a great idea. You can give your customers accessories as rewards for coming to your store to purchase accessories from time to time.

• Retail: Customers who purchase merchandise in your store are likely to return. As they shop, you can incentivize them to do so by offering retailer rewards, such as discounts and coupons. You can tie these rewards to a specific dollar amount spent in your store or give them away as “thank you” gifts whenever a customer returns.

• Other: There are many other types of rewards programs specific to your products and services. You can use these rewards programs in conjunction with one of the programs above or create your unique program from scratch.

Make Sure Your Program Has These 3 Elements

Any auto customer rewards program you create needs to have three elements. An appeal to your customers: Why would customers want to participate in this program? This can be as simple as giving them discounts, free goodies, or other rewards.

• Appeal: It’s essential, though, that your rewards program appeals to your customers. You don’t want to force customers to join your program—they should want to do so.

• A transparent system: What do customers have to do to earn rewards? You must have a clear, easy-to-understand system in place. You can make your program even more appealing by making it easy to participate in.

• A follow-through on rewards: How do you award customers their rewards? You want to ensure that you follow through on rewards that you promise customers, so you need a system to make sure this happens.

These three elements can help you create an effective auto customer rewards program that is profitable for your business and desirable for your customers.

How to Build a Successful Auto Customer Rewards Program

No matter what type of auto customer rewards program you decide to create, a few key elements are essential to making it successful.

• Choose an appropriate reward: Your reward should be something that is appealing to your customers and won’t be a burden for your business to provide. For example, if your business is a car parts store, giving away free oil changes or car washes may seem like an obvious reward.

• Communicate your program to your customers: Make sure that your customers are aware of your program to take advantage of it. You can do this by putting program information on your website, in your physical store, and on your marketing materials.

• Track your customers’ information: You want to make sure that you track customers’ information to keep track of their rewards. You don’t want to accidentally reward customers who don’t deserve them.

Contact AutoAwards to Start Your Rewards Program

An auto customer rewards program is a great way to incentivize your customers to buy from you repeatedly. Rewards programs can be particularly effective when you encourage your customers to make repeat purchases with your brand. Auto loyalty programs are especially effective when they’re part of a larger marketing strategy that includes other methods of encouraging customers to purchase with your brand repeatedly.

There are many types of rewards programs you can choose from, each of which has its benefits. Your rewards program should appeal to your customers, a clear system, and be something your business can follow through on. To build a successful rewards program, make sure you choose an appropriate reward, communicate your program to your customers, and track customers’ information to award them the rewards they’ve earned.

Give us a call at 302-696-6000 to get a consultation with one of our auto dealership loyalty program experts.

What Is a Loyalty Program? — Why Your Dealership Needs to Start One

Keeping vehicles moving out of your showroom floor is essential to the success of your auto dealership. It is equally important to keep your loyal customers coming back to you for future sales and services. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal is to start a loyalty program at your automotive dealership.

Here at AutoAwards, we are the leader in car dealer loyalty programs. Our team wants to tell you more about what a loyalty program is and go into further detail about why your dealership needs one.

A Great Incentive for Customers to Remain Loyal to Your Dealership

The reality is simple when it comes to loyalty rewards programs. They help you attract new customers, and perhaps more importantly, they help you keep your existing ones loyal. Statistics indicate that more than 75 percent of today’s consumers expect the personalized service that a loyalty rewards program offers them.

The Benefits of a Loyalty Program for Your Dealership

The benefits of auto dealership loyalty program rewards are impossible to deny. They include:

• An Incentive That Keeps Customers Returning to Your Dealership — Loyalty programs have a proven track record of helping businesses to retain their customers.

• Loyalty Programs Can Boost Transactions Amounts — Customers will often make more significant purchases from your business if they feel that they will get a future discount or reward.

• They Can Be a Great Way to Promote Your Brand and Bring in New Customers — A rewards program is a great way to promote your brand and can also help you to bring in new customers.

Important Considerations

There are some important considerations to note regarding launching a loyalty rewards program at your dealership. They include:

• You will need to put in extra work monitoring your program
• It could be a time-consuming process to get your program up and running
• You cannot guarantee that all customers will be satisfied with the program

Find Out More About How You Can Launch a Dealership Loyalty Program

At AutoAwards, we are known as the leader in facilitating great auto dealership loyalty program rewards. Contact our team today for your consultation on how you can launch your loyalty marketing program at your dealership that includes loyalty rewards. Call us at 302-696-6000. We are looking forward to assisting you in starting car dealer loyalty programs that will make a difference in your dealership’s bottom line!