A search for “dealership facilitator” on a job site yields pages of results. Some dealerships use automotive consultant/facilitator or automotive sales facilitator. What does that mean?
One job description says the person in this role works with the dealership managers and teams to increase sales and customer retention. To make this happen, they integrate tools and resources, implement and improve processes, and analyze data. It’s an effective way to create a great dealership work culture and enhance the customer experience.
Benefits of Adding the Dealership Facilitator Role
Automotive News tells the story of a Michigan dealership that has added three service facilitators to its staff. Their priority is to lower customer wait times by advocating for the customer in the service department. Facilitators warmly greet the customer and manage the communications with the service team.
You might be surprised to hear service facilitators also do vehicle appraisals. It turns out that after an appraisal, some customers who hadn’t planned to buy a new car change their minds. It’s because they learn how much their car is worth and they can trade it in for a more suitable vehicle without costing much more.
The facilitator reviews shop performance data to create targeted discounts for services for certain types of customers or to fill service time slots. Understanding shop trends aids predictions on future availability. For example, the facilitator can identify the service department’s slow times and use it as an incentive to bring customers in during those times.
How has adding these service facilitators helped? Here are the results for the Michigan dealership:
- Sold 12 to 15 more cars per month
- Lowered customer wait times
- Decreased employee turnover to less than 10 percent
They’re successful because the facilitators focus on helping customers, not selling to them.
Who Makes a Good Service Facilitator?
The dealership wanted employees who have strong interpersonal skills and know a lot about the vehicles they sell. Selected employees undergo training that covers appraising vehicles and interpersonal skills. They learn how to maintain relationships and build customer loyalty.
They also delve into how service operations work. It’s important they understand this to help them do their jobs as the customer’s advocate. To do this requires knowing how to navigate the service center and communicating with its staff.
It’s paying off. Customers have filled out response cards saying they appreciated having a friendly person greet them, how everything went smoothly, and they received help quickly. Process management plays a large role in their success. A good way to gain insight into your processes, backlogs, and foot traffic is with dealership technology like video monitoring.
Remote video monitoring does more than deter theft and damage. Dealerships can use it to increase productivity and boost sales. Management reviews footage to identify opportunities for improving service and operations. When that happens, it makes customers happy. When they’re happy, they’ll come back again to get their vehicle serviced or buy their next car.
To learn more about auto dealership technology and security, please contact us today.
