Newsletter ISSUE 2 | JULY 2019
Industry News & Trends
embracing technology The advancement of new technology and digital media has disrupted many industries, including the auto retail and repair industry. New technology and innovations can be hard to understand and implement, leading many car dealerships to want to continue operations the old-fashioned way. However, doing the same thing they always have would hurt dealerships in the long run. Embracing new technology and digital media and using it to improve and streamline operations cannot only help service departments, but it can also help dealerships reach new audiences, retain customers, and expand their business. Technological and digital advancements can help all areas of a dealership. From marketing to sales to service, going digital can help increase a dealership’s bottom line while also making employees’ jobs easier and faster.
An easy way to incorporate more technology and digital media is through marketing and customer management. Utilizing social media and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can help attract, retain, and engage customers. Social media requires some time to create and schedule content but it is a simple and cost-effective way to engage and attract new customers. Advertising through social media tends to be inexpensive compared to traditional advertising channels. It is also easy to test out what kinds of posts get the most engagement from your audience on social media. CRM software is another way to incorporate technology into your marketing strategy. This software can help keep track of leads, generate service reminders, and create lists of who hasn’t been emailed or sent a postcard in a while. It helps keep everything in order and make sure that customers are receiving marketing materials at the right time.
There are also tools to help the service department better identify, report, and track vehicle repairs as well as schedule and keep track of appointments. Multi-point inspection technology helps the service department diagnose vehicle problems faster and more accurately, thus increasing customer satisfaction. It also helps catalog service history and what deferred services should be offered to the customer again during their next visit. In addition to better inspection technology, there are AI-driven online scheduling tools that allow customers to easily and quickly schedule a service appointment in a few clicks online. AI also helps identify what other services their car may need or what it may need in the future. Currently, there are a lot of new technology and digital advances out there that are helpful to the auto sale and repair industries. Start small, trying out one or two new software programs or an upgraded digital marketing strategy, and work in more advanced technology as time goes on. It may seem intimidating at first but it is necessary in order to stay competitive in this fast-changing industry.
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fun fact:
According to CarMax, the best-selling car color last year was black! White was a close second.
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Newsletter ISSUE 2 | JULY 2019
Sales Team Spotlight
Product Feature Slip-N-Grip® seat covers
Adam Ward
Clean matters more than you think. Our Slip-N-Grip® vehicle protection products give your service operations the professional edge that keeps customers coming back. Slip-N-Grip® seat covers are manufactured in the USA and are the only interior protection used in both OEM and aftermarket applications.
Clings. Covers. Protects.
Features and benefits include: MULTILAYER CONSTRUCTION LAYER LAYER
Fused with a top layer ayer that is smooth so porters ers and service technicians echnicians can slip in and out of vehicles ehicles quickly and easily.
LAYER L AYER
Formulated ed of high friction plastics so it grips the seatt of any surface; cloth, carpet, or leather.
Years as a sales associate at Slip-N-Grip®? 3 years What vehicle do you drive? Toyota 4Runner What is your dream vehicle? A loud and lightly lifted ‘86 box Chevy pickup with an LS3 swap and F/R lockers. What is your #1 selling tip for distributors? If you are doing well with seat cover sales, ask your customer about other complimentary items that are used alongside it. In this example, other products that are used in a 1:1 ratio with seat covers would be paper or plastic floor mats, steering wheel covers, dispatch numbers, key tags, and service reminder labels. When your customer sources all of these items from you, it saves them from making an extra phone call or paying that extra invoice. Streamlining your customer‘s life will make you their hero. What is the best product add-on and why? Service reminder printer and labels remind your customer’ s customer how professional the shop is, or is not, every time they sit down in their vehicle. Custom service reminder labels give you a quick and effective way to level up the branding and professionalism efforts of a shop for pennies on the dollar.
Slip-N-Grip®’s dual layers have extra elasticity and strength, outperforming even thicker single-ply plastics.
What is an interesting market trend you’ve heard about recently? Independent repair shops and installers are working to win business away from dealerships by emulating their best practices of using a seat cover, floor mat, and steering wheel cover, as well as branding their shop with customized service reminder labels. This leads to a more professional image for the shop, and a more positive experience for the customer.
logo here
DISPOSABLE & RECYCLABLE
Sales Specialist Birmingham, MI
CUSTOM PRINTING
ROLL OR BOX
What is something most distributors don’t know about Slip-N-Grip®? Petoskey Plastics secured the patent on multi-layer seat covers back in 1986, and is the only OEM-approved manufacturer of these products in North America.
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