Let’s face it! Your dealership is a business and the purpose of any business is to make money. However, in the quest to build the bottom line, the art of customer service can get lost and pleasing your customers is really what will improve your RV sales. So here are a few tips to not only improve your RV sales but also build your reputation as a dealership with great customer service and clients that are raving fans.
Start At The Top
As the business owner, all change must start with you. Your employees will take note and it will give them an example to follow. You can make all the changes you want but if you’re not setting the example nothing will stick, plain and simple.
Be Selective When Hiring
Just like starting at the top, being selective about who you hire to represent your business is incredibly important. Teaching employees that are the wrong fit for your business how to serve your customers will be an uphill battle and one that you probably won’t win.
However, being very selective about who is the right fit for your business will pay off in dividends beyond your imagination. Regardless of their experience, an individual who possesses the right attitude and understands the need for exemplary customer service can change the entire reputation of your dealership for the better.
Use Positive Language
Yes, It’s true. Many times what the customer requests is difficult at best and simply not possible at worst. However, the way you respond to their requests will go a long way in creating a raving client and strong rapport with them.
There are certain words and phrases that you can use to make someone irritated and others that will let them know that you’re on their side and trying your best to serve them.
If a customer asks for something and you’re pretty sure that it can’t be done rather than saying flat out, “We can’t do that”, say “Let me see what I can do” and then go inquire about the issue. Yes, there are some hard fast rules in business but different situations sometimes require rules to be bent a little. Nothing is written in stone. So at least do some footwork to see if what they are asking for is possible. Just making that effort will thrill your customers and let them know that you really want to make them happy.
Even if something is a written policy, rather than saying “Sorry, that’s our policy” try “That’s a tough one. Let me double check on that for you”. Again, the customer will see that you’re doing everything in your power to make them happy and that effort won’t be overlooked.
And lastly, never underestimate the power of good old fashion politeness. Use phrases like “You’re welcome”, “Please”, and “It was my pleasure to help you”. Avoid slang or informal language when dealing with customers and show them respect at all times.
Do Whatever It Takes
Many times giving the customer what they want requires a little more effort on your part than usual. Don’t skulk away from that. These are the types of things that can differentiate you and your dealership from everyone else.
Do whatever it takes to get the customer what they want. After all, they are the reason for your dealership’s success. Without them you have nothing. So make every reasonable effort to try and get them what they want, when they want it.
This is not to say that you should go to the ends of the earth for someone who is obviously being unreasonable. However, most customers are only looking to get as close to what they want as they can before they part with their hard-earned money. They aren’t being difficult just for the fun of it. They are just looking out for themselves, their family, and their budget. You would do the same thing if you were in their shoes.
Listen To What The Customer Is REALLY Saying
Too many people only listen to reply. They are not actually listening to understand what the customer needs. It’s your job to really listen to what the customer is saying. Sometimes the words they are using are not congruent to what they are actually saying.
Try to read between the lines and figure out what they are really asking for and then do your best to deliver that to them. Sometimes just knowing that someone is actually listening to what they have to say makes all the difference, making a raving fan customer out of them.
Under Promise, Over Deliver
This last one can explode your dealership’s business and should really be part of your mission statement. Rather than over promising and under delivering to your customers, under promise what you can do for them and then do whatever you can too deliver more value, more service, and more product to them.
Just as people will readily complain when a dealership falls short of their promises, they will also brag to their friends, family, and colleagues when a dealership delivers more than they promised. This is how businesses build reputations for having outstanding customer service and raving fans.
NetSource Media has a team of experts to help you with all your dealership needs from website development to inventory management to social media management. Give us a call today at (800) 709-3240 or click here to email us to get started.
