Contents
- WHY USE A VIDEO & TEXTING PLATFORM FOR SERVICE
- REASONS SERVICE CUSTOMERS PREFER VIDEO & TEXT
- REASONS TECHNICIANS PREFER VIDEO
- REASONS ADVISORS PREFER VIDEO
- REASONS SERVICE MANAGERS PREFER VIDEO
- OVERCOMING COMMON VIDEO OBJECTIONS
- OVERCOMING VIDEO & TEXTING PITFALLS
- STEPS TO CREATING SUCCESS IN YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT
- WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VIDEO & TEXTING PLATFORM
- CONCLUSION
Why Use a Video & Texting Platform for Service
The automotive service market is increasing as drivers return to the roads. Spending on preventative maintenance and electrical systems repair is projected to increase over the next several years (IBISWorld).
Customers Trust Video
People believe what they can see. A video and texting platform puts the power in the hands of the Service Department to build trust, transparency, and visibility with customers. Customer skepticism is a perennial problem in the automotive industry. When your expert technicians record a vehicle inspection, they give customers a personal connection to what is going on in the vehicle. Customers who have never seen the underside of their car or truck gain the ability to make educated decisions. They can see for themselves why a technician recommends a particular service right in the video.
Video is growing as a preferred content medium among consumers, and it makes people pay attention. One study reports that video is likely to be consumed more thoroughly than any other type of content (Hubspot).
85% of Internet users watch online video content on any device (Statista).
54% of consumers want to see more video content from brands they support (Hubspot).
Delivers a Strong ROI
A reliable video & texting platform turns trust into improvements in CSI, dollars per RO, and increased efficiencies in bay management and workflow. One dealership using TruVideo for used car inspections saw their used car turnaround drop from 10 days to 3 days based on faster internal communication (Hello Auto Case Study). 15-20% increase in parts sales.
Increases CSI
Transparency and convenience are a combo designed to build customers for life. 15-30% improvement in customer pay labor
Improves Accountability
Taking a video of the vehicle’s inspection builds assurance and a digital “paper trail” that relays the exact recommendations made to the customer. 10-20% increase in CSI.
Reasons Service Customers Prefer Video & Text
Now you can talk to your customers the way they speak to each other. Texting is the most used app on smartphones in every age demographic (Pew Research Center).
Customers Prefer “At Your Leisure” Communication
Text and video are “at your leisure” methods of communication that allow customers to review the information when it is convenient. Service customers may not always have time to take a phone call. The video will enable them to learn about their vehicle whenever available with much more information than a call or voicemail would deliver. Customers can easily share videos with people helping them make decisions, and no data gets lost in translation. A higher video share rate predicts increases in dollars per RO (TruVideo Case Studies). 500+ average videos viewed per month.
Would you rather hear a diagnosis from the doctor or the receptionist?
When a technician recommends a service through video, the customer can see firsthand there is no sales spin at play, just expertise. Customers may fear being taken advantage of at dealerships. Thus, video is especially helpful in inspiring confidence in the repair.
Quick and Effortless Communication
69% of consumers report that they want to talk to a business via text, but only 13% of small and medium-sized companies use text messaging (Text Marketing in 2019 Report). A reliable texting platform allows customers to conveniently ask questions and engage with the service department. Video brings the shop to the customer so that they do not have to take your word for it. They can see it for themselves. 69% of consumers report that they want to talk to a business via text.
Reasons Technicians Prefer Video & Text
Video Provides a Direct Connection to the Customer
It is not just about customer trust. TruVideo also builds trust between technicians and advisors. Video ensures that all uncovered work is proposed to the customer, not just what the advisor feels is essential. Video reduces selective selling practices and gives technicians more control over their paychecks.
Who Doesn’t Like More $$$
Technicians appreciate how video dramatically speeds up the approval process. Across industries, the average response time for a text is 90 seconds (CTIA). Less time spent waiting for customer approvals means less nonproductive time in the shop, more efficiencies in workflow and bay management, and ultimately larger paychecks for technicians.
Quicker Turnaround Time
Video minimizes the time technicians spend chasing information or explaining what they have uncovered to service advisors. How many times have you seen a technician hanging around an advisor’s desk while the advisor finishes with a customer or a phone call? With video, information is sent right from the bay so technicians do not need to wait around. It is the perfect way to convey information within the dealership. 90 seconds Amount of time it takes for a customer to engage with a viewed video.
Your customers love to text.
Texts have a staggering 99% open rate, and 95% of texts from businesses are read within 3 minutes of receipt.
– FORBES, THE LOCAL PROJECT
Reasons Advisors Prefer Video & Text
Quicker Response from Customers
Your customers love to text. Texts have a staggering 99% open rate, and 95% of texts from businesses are read within 3 minutes of receipt (Forbes, The Local Project). That means advisors who use TruVideo spend less time playing phone tag and more time in a two-way conversation. They can even text customers directly from the app through a dedicated line without giving out their personal numbers. Quick responses via text from the customer to approve or decline any recommended work spell efficiencies for the entire Service Department.
Educates the Customers on Repairs & Increases CSI
Videos from the shop are a unique selling tool that advisors use to educate customers and increase dollars per RO. Advisors often have to “paint a mental picture” for customers about how vehicles work. With video, advisors can point to the real thing. The visual aid helps customers feel secure about larger expenditures, and it increases satisfaction. A TruVideo case study dealer reported a 34 point bump in CSI after implementation (Hello Auto case study).
Saves Time and Builds Trust
Video can also help sell advisors themselves on big-ticket recommendations from the shop. Advisors receive video information from technicians immediately once the inspection is completed. Therefore, they do not have to just take their word for it when major service is uncovered. Advisors can be more confident recommending major service work to customers because they have the proof to back it up. Advisors also spend less time chasing information by not having to go out to the shop
34 point increase in CSI at Hello Auto Group.
Reasons Service Managers Prefer Video & Text
Service managers prefer video because it delivers increases in dollars per RO and CSI. Plus, video builds trust and improves customer loyalty and retention.
Has Your Finger on the Pulse
Managers know that quick resolution to problems is critical to CSI. The TruReports tool, included for all TruVideo users, has real-time analytics that show managers how customers feel both by the numbers and their own words. Managers relish the opportunity to address a problem immediately. When things go right, service managers can send satisfied customers a request to write a review on Google right away.
Improves Productivity
Managers hate hearing “Oh, I left them a voicemail…” or seeing vehicles sit around while waiting on customer approval. TruVideo speeds communications and brings customer communications into one place. Managers have multiple ways to analyze productivity by drilling down into reporting by technician, service advisor, or customer.
Impressive ROI
The robust reporting in TruReports lets managers measure the impact of video on ROI. Dealer case studies show video send rates, views, and shares are the key engagement stats that predict video strategy success across dealerships using TruVideo. TruReports puts these stats right up front so busy service managers have quick access.Next -> Overcoming common video objections
Overcoming Common Video Objections
Change can be tricky! Be prepared for some of the objections you may encounter from your team.
“I didn’t sign up for this!”
In some instances, technicians may be uncomfortable taking videos or frustrated that they are not being paid to capture video.
Tip: Seek out early adopters and leverage their wins to show the rest of the team how beneficial video can be. Remind the whole team that part of the goal of the video is to showcase their expertise and that will impact their paychecks immediately!
“Wait…I am the middleman.”
With video creating a direct link between technicians and customers, advisors may worry that their jobs are threatened. Though this may be an initial concern, advisors realize quickly what a powerful selling tool video can be for them and how it improves their relationship with the customer.
Tip: Put your advisors at ease by reminding them what an essential piece they are to delivering the best customer experience at the Service Department.
“You want me to use my phone?”
Some dealerships have purchased shared units. However, more than 80% of users on the platform have opted to use their own device to capture and send video. As attached as we are to our phones, it is no surprise that your team will have questions about what happens if a personal device is damaged on the job.
“I’ve been down this road before…”
Service managers who have tried less user-friendly video systems may be reluctant to give it another go. They may also have concerns about the customer experience of TruVideo. Luckily, TruVideo is easy to use for both the Service Department and the customer.Next -> Overcoming video & texting pitfalls
Overcoming Video & Texting Pitfalls
Video strategy struggles often stem from a breakdown in management-level strategy. Read on to avoid the most common downfalls.
Not Enough Videos
If your reporting reflects that your department is not taking enough videos, then there is a breakdown in the process. It is easy to fall into old habits. When technicians stop taking videos, advisors can not send them, the department fails to harness the power of video, and the whole exercise starts to look like a waste of time. Without a drive for compliance, video strategies fizzle before they even get started.
Management Turnover
If video is the pet project of a specific manager and that manager leaves your dealership, what happens? The strategy goes out the door. If you are going to implement a video platform, make sure your entire leadership team is on board. Seek out junior managers to help champion the system and carry it forward in the event of a leadership change.
Team Buy-In
This one starts at the top. It can take a week or two of usage for technicians to see the impact of video on their paychecks. Without that bottom line feedback, video can start to feel like a whole lot of work for no return. Managers need to inform the technician team of services sold using video and documenting increased productivity and billable hours. Share your wins!Next -> Steps to creating success in your Service Department
Steps to creating success in your Service Department
A successful implementation starts at the top but includes everyone in the dealership. Here are some tips for getting the most out of video.
Prepare Your Team In Advance for Implementation
No one likes to be surprised with a big change to their workflow. Tell everyone a week ahead of time what is coming and why you are doing it. We cannot say it enough that planning is the key to effectively launching video in your Service Department.
Find the Early Adopters
You do not necessarily need to sell all technicians on video on Day 1. Identify a group of technicians who are willing to try and track their progress through the first couple of weeks. Then have them share their results with the rest of the team.
Sweeten the Deal
New habits take time to develop. Putting an incentive in place for the first few weeks can increase compliance. We have seen dealers pay 1/10th for each recorded video, or create a weekly raffle and technicians earn a ticket for each video they record.
Share Your Wins
Consistent, transparent feedback will make your team feel ownership over the video program. From the very beginning, make sure the shop is notified every time a big- ticket is sold using video. Using the TruVideo TruReports shows the team the positive results comparing upsells when the video is viewed vs. not viewed.
Take Videos…Take More Videos…Take Great Videos
A video strategy only works if you take the videos! First, make sure everyone knows how to record an introductory video, then work to increase the volume of videos per person, and lastly work on improving the quality of the videos that are being recorded. Dig into reporting to identify team members who are thriving or who are struggling with the new system. Use real-time feedback to see how customers are engaging so you can course- correct as needed.
What to look for in a video & texting provider:
- Effortless user interface
- Real-time customer NPS
- Works consistently with any device
- High message deliverability
- Standard message templates
- Automated welcome, thank you, and surveys
- Appointment reminders through text & email
- Includes a custom Learning Management System for your technicians & advisors Offers optional live training
- Text automations for reviews
- Integrates with your DMS system
- Video library tracking and reporting
- Delta report on the benefit of video to RO value
- The ability for an internal chat by individuals, teams, & per RO
- Accepts mobile pay for services
- Offers an integrated eMPI
- Offers text based estimates
- Next -> Conclusion
Conclusion
At the end of the day, video and texting help any dealership increase revenue and improve the customer experience. TruVideo is at the forefront of companies that deliver video in a simple and easy manner to ensure adoption by technicians and advisors. With over 6 million video views and countless industry-first innovations, TruVideo leads the market for video utilization and is able to deliver quick returns for participating dealers.
