Customer Loyalty and the Car Dealership

As the owner of Auto House dealerships in Mooresville and Salisbury, NC, Samuel (Sam) Ketner works to build a loyal customer base. At Auto House, Sam Ketner strives to ensure that all visitors to his dealership receive high-quality service and feel they have interacted with honest, compassionate professionals.
While many factors influence a car buyer’s decision to return to a dealership for a future purchase, the experience of the initial sale is the most influential. The personal touch is particularly influential. Studies show that greeting each car shopper within two minutes can increase a dealership’s satisfaction rating by more than 40 percent.
Dealers also need to entice their buyers with discounts and benefits. Price ranks as the top reason buyers choose a particular dealership, so loyalty programs and similar offers play a key role in bringing customers back for a subsequent purchase.
Finally, because the car-buying process involves so much online research, dealers need to make sure they stay present in their buyers’ virtual lives. Dealerships that have service departments can create campaigns that help them stay in touch with maintenance needs, and dealers can use the customer data they have to create targeted marketing campaigns and social media ads.
