Automotive service businesses must adapt new online technologies such as online chat platforms, to help increase consumer acquisition and to grow revenue. From today forward, the way consumers will search for and select automotive services has changed. It’s a ‘digital first’ approach matching the always-on and always online lifestyle of the modern day consumer. These consumers have high expectations when acquiring automotive services and, with Millennials/Gen Z now the largest driving population, there are more digitally oriented vehicle owners than ever before. Today’s consumers expect personalized information unique to their needs and at their convenience no matter the time of day. With information in hand, these consumers will make informed decisions on businesses to service their vehicle.
Here are 15 business benefits any automotive service business will experience when an online chat platform is deployed on their business website.
Align with Changing Consumer Shopping Behavior
Position your business for success in today’s economy
- Align your business with ‘digital first’ vehicle owners who go online to research and acquire products and services
- Align your business website with the preferred method of communication of Millennials and Gen-Z who prefer messaging platforms / chat as opposed to email and phone
Meet – and Exceed – Customer Expectations
Increase customer acquisition and deepen loyalty
- Allow website visitors to communicate with your business in a natural way – via a conversation – on demand, 24/7
- Deliver personalized information and answers to website visitors without the need for the visitor to search the website, fill out an online web form or make a phone call
- Allow customers to book services appointments instantly using a real-time appointment calendar showing available dates and times
- Allow customers to text staff directly while masking business phone numbers – giving real time access to staff
- Build trust relationships with consumers through interactive real-time engagement – always available to answer questions about service
Acquire and Convert On-line Consumers into Customers
Improve ROI, convert online consumers into customers and grow revenue
- Increase conversion of website visitors into paying customers and by reducing customer acquisition costs
- Reduce customer service costs and increase customer satisfaction by automating commonly asked questions
- Free up staff time to focus on customer in-person and other critical work
- Gain new customers by making available vehicle recall information based on year-make-model
- Deliver real-time and automated services estimates based on year-make-model vehicle – and access to millions of service estimates
- Deliver real-time tire and installation pricing to shoppers – shop by vehicle type or tire size
- Never miss a customer request with no wait time for answers to questions about service, 24/7
- Capture customer contact information and preferences
For automotive service businesses, it’s more important than ever to adapt to meet the expectations of the modern day consumer. With an online chat platform, an automotive service business can align their business with fast-changing consumer habits, make their business stronger than ever and be better positioned against competition when the market recovers.
Openbay has helped many automotive service businesses gain consumers and grow service revenue. To learn more about Openbay Otis, Openbay’s advanced chat platform that operates like a Virtual Service Advisor, contact us at [email protected] or call (617) 315-8027.
Why the Automotive Repair and Service Industry Needs to Deploy Online Chat Platforms Now