Hard to believe we are already more than halfway through 2022, but as the year goes on, more businesses are learning the value of texting. This is important as we get into the Summer months.
We know dealerships are busy this time of year, but some of the biggest challenges come in the form of communication. Service departments are trying to get info out faster, and customers want to be kept in the loop. So how do we streamline this process?
How do service departments navigate the Summer season?
When the weather gets warmer, more customers are looking to dealers for new equipment, or for a tune-up on their old machines. Without fail, every year, this creates a backlog in many service bays, as dealers try to squeeze in as many customers as possible.
The problem is, this can have a negative effect on the customer experience, and create issues with potential customers. So, its important to have a platform in place to keep things moving.
More customers are turning to texting
In the past, before the pandemic, many dealers were content to stick with a phone system for communication. This has been in place for decades, and many people know it. However, once the pandemic hit, many businesses were forced to find alternatives to communication, and texting was the answer.
On top of this, according to a recent study from Pew, more than 300 million Americans now own a smartphone. That means that Americans, across all ages are embracing new forms of communication. More than half of these smartphone users also admitted to checking their texts regularly.
The other side of this is that dealers are catching on, but slowly. In a study from G2 in 2020, only about 70% of businesses have embraced a texting platform to reach customers. Customers have been texting businesses, but many have not been getting them, missing out on questions, and leads!
How does the texting platform work?
Instead of calling customers in your service bay, text them instead!
Think about how much time it takes for an employee to call about each piece of equipment being worked on in the service bay. Maybe they need approval to work on something, or maybe they just have a general question. Either way, it takes several minutes, and if they leave a voicemail, it could take several hours to get a response.
With a texting platform, it will take seconds. According to data we collected, 98% of all texts are opened, and 95% of those are read within 3 minutes. This is a quick response. Think about how much time that will save you overall in your service bay.
Not only will this save you time, but it will also allow you to get information to customers faster. If you have an issue, or you want to give a status update, it takes seconds for you to send a text. No need to leave a voicemail, no need to wait forever for approval.
Also, with the Kenect platform, we connect it all through the existing phone line of the business. No need to have all your employees use their personal cell numbers. They can all connect into the platform, or the mobile app, and it’s all funneled into one spot.
Keep in mind, many of your customers have already seen other businesses use texting, especially during the pandemic, so this will not be as big of a change as you may think. Its something businesses need to embrace as we get further into 2022 so they don’t lose customers or leads.