A popular question in the automotive industry today is, “Does Complimentary Maintenance lead to retention? And, if so, how?”

Here is a step-by-step guide to show how a Certified Maintenance® Complimentary Maintenance Strategybridges the gap between Sales and Service to give EVERY customer a reason to return to your dealership for service (and then drives them back for vehicle repurchase.)See the steps below or watch the video.

The Road To Retention

The goal of Complimentary Maintenance is to bridge the gap between purchase and repurchase through service interactions. Each Certified Maintenance® plan works as a retention roadmap that is put in place before vehicle delivery, equipped with Automotive Marketing and communication materials, Service Management Software and Dealership Performance Reports to make it easy for franchised dealerships to stay connected to customers after they drive off the lot. By staying connected with customers during the first 12 months of vehicle ownership, customers are more likely to return for repurchase and refer friends, family members and colleagues to do the same.

Here’s how it works:

1. Build a Complimentary Maintenance Retention Strategy
2. Promote “Maintenance Included” to Your Customer Base
3. Improve the Customer Experience with Proven Processes
4. Communicate with Customers Using Personalized Materials
5. Follow-Up and Stay Connected After Delivery
6. Send Timely Service Reminders to Remain Top-of-Mind
7. Don’t Be Home to the Two-Hour Oil Change
8. Post Claims Online to Protect Your Program From Fraud
9. Capture Lost Opportunity Customers and Recuperate Service Dollars
10. Focus on Building Relationships In The First 12-24 Months