Touch-free service key for customers

In one customer survey after another, vehicle owners have expressed a desire to have dealerships offer more amenities such as pickup and delivery of service vehicles. But franchised dealerships have mostly resisted — until now.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced parts and service departments to adopt more "touchless" alternatives to abide by state-mandated social distancing protocols. Such steps also help customers feel safe while keeping shops in business.

A Cox Automotive survey of more than 600 U.S. dealerships shows 73 percent will pick up a customer's vehicle at home, bring it in for the needed repairs or maintenance and then return it when the work is complete. And of those dealerships, 78 percent said they plan to continue offering the service once their operations return to normal.

David Foutz, vice president of sales at Cox's Xtime brand, said service departments are smart to offer the amenity. He also said customers will demand a greater voice in the service process even after the pandemic passes."The shift that will stick is that consumers will want to define their experience more than having a preset option given to them or have the dealer define how they're going to interact for service," he said.

The Cox survey also showed consumers continue to delay service out of concern for their health and safety. Foutz said service advisers can allay some of those concerns by explaining steps they are taking to clean and disinfect the service drive and customers' vehicles.

It goes back to trust. It's not enough to simply tell a customer, "Don't worry; we disinfect it well," Foutz said. "Consumers want to know more than that."