What is a customer service vision in the automotive retail industry, and how do you achieve it?
According to McKinsey report, “companies that prioritized customer service realized three times the shareholder returns relative to companies that did not during the last economic recession.” The economy is tough, and many car dealers are barely getting by. It hardly seems like the right time to begin a company makeover. However, the current situation is hastening the need to put consumers to the forefront.
The time to invest in customer experience, also known as CX, is now
Few car dealers would doubt the value of improving customer experience. However, getting things started is a difficult challenge. Particularly in organizations based on silos, where each department faces its own set of challenges that must be addressed separately. A pleasant smooth road is created by pouring concrete onto a uniform surface. It will be patchy if there are bumps all over the place. However, if you want to get anywhere, you must first construct the lane. Rome, thankfully, was not created in a day. Breaking down the transition of the customer experience into tiny, manageable chunks will make the process a lot simpler. The first step in a validated strategy for improving your customer experience and protecting your competitive edge is to define a simple CX vision. Let’s look at what we mean when we say “customer experience vision,” why it’s important, and how to get started.What is the concept of a customer service vision?
A customer experience vision is a statement that describes the effect that a dealership wishes to have on its clients. It instructs the entire organization on how to communicate with consumers and make sound choices that are in line with a higher purpose. Since consumers are at the heart of modern, customer-centric businesses, the terms “company vision” and “company intent” are often used interchangeably. “A vision for helping automobile shoppers better manage their car search,” according to CarGurus, an example of a customer service vision from an auto retailer. It not only prioritizes what consumers care about—a better car shopping experience—but it also aligns with the company’s mission of “building the world’s most trustworthy and open automotive marketplace.”Three reasons why car dealerships need a customer service strategy
Increase the likelihood of a customer service strategy’s success
When we don’t know where we’re going, it’s all too easy to slip off the wagon. Your CX strategy’s guiding light is the CX view. It provides a clear path for an organization, assists you in staying on track while setting priorities, planning and implementing a plan, and ensures that customers are still at the forefront of all business decisions.Transformational catalyst for a customer-centric community
A customer-centric aspiration will help to transfer the whole company’s attention to the customer. Employees make decisions with the consumer in mind, and executives and sales staff begin to discuss clients rather than leads. You suggest we’re talking about clients, not leads. How are we going to make some sales? Customer-centric businesses, on the other hand, are 60 percent more profitable than businesses that prioritize “winning a sale.” It’s better to talk about people rather than sales. The irony, oh the irony.Consolidate corporate silos
If you haven’t noticed, silos are the greatest annoyance. Departments live in a metaphorical bubble, causing confusion between customers and staff and making dealership management much more difficult than it needs to be. One way to unify these silos and build a sense of a unified corporate culture is to create a customer engagement vision. In the words of Customer. Think, a global community for customer-centric business planning, departments work against the same goal, employees feel more aligned with colleagues, and consumers have a more cohesive experience across the board, or a “one-company experience.”There are four aspects of your customer service vision that you should consider
While each company’s vision will be unique, there are a few guiding principles that will assist you in creating a vision that can lead to success. A clear vision is typically:Customer- and business-focused
Customers’ wishes and desires are, indeed, the basis for CX vision. However, the vision must be in sync with the company’s vision, principles, and mission. A dealership that aspires to sell inexpensive vehicles to the general public would have a somewhat different vision than a high-end vehicle store with a niche target market. Your vision must be unique to your organization and clients in order to work for you.Brevity and brevity
Long vision claims will seem remarkable, but they will most likely fall flat. Employees will find them difficult to understand, let alone remember. A clear, main message that can be conveyed in a single sentence should be included in your vision statement. The sweet spot is thought to be between five and eight words, but use as many words as you need to get the point across without losing the message. The simpler it is for staff to remember your mission statement, the shorter it is.At any organizational level, it’s simple to understand
Avoid jargon, superlatives, and any subjective terms like “perfect,” “best,” and “superior” that could contribute to uncertainty. Use simple words that don’t need to be explained. To build something that the entire dealership will understand and produce, you can solicit employee feedback.How to build a vision for the automotive customer experience
Recognize what customers value
Many businesses slip into the pit of assuming what matters to their customers. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Before you can write a customer service plan, you must invest in getting to know your customers on a deeper level. End-to-end consumer path mapping is one way to get there. Customer data from all stages of the customer experience should be collected and analyzed. Gather information from your CRM, solicit input from customer-facing staff, and engage in lengthy discussions with your customers. Make a map of the whole journey and mark the places that fuel loyalty, drive customers away, and everything else you should be doing.Know what your company’s mission is
Reminding yourself of your company’s larger ideals, mission, and vision is a good idea. If they are no longer applicable, this may be an opportunity to revisit them. To identify a specific CX vision that sets you apart from your rivals, you must first understand your company’s DNA.Make your vision a team effort
Gather feedback from the entire dealership to build a common vision once you have a clear understanding of customers and company values. This aids in bringing the entire organization on board, especially front-line employees who interact directly with customers.There will be no bumps in the road
The car industry is on the verge of collapse, and auto dealers have no choice but to reshape their customer experiences to meet the needs of today’s customers. This might entail minor tweaks to a few touchpoints, but it’s more likely to entail a complete redesign. In any case, having a clear vision that drives your future plan and your entire dealership is critical to getting you where you need to go and avoiding any bumps along the way.Back to Blog