Service Departments Are Lagging in Communication with Vehicle Owners

Satisfaction is 75 points higher (on a 1,000-point scale) among customers who have an all-digital experience compared with one that is all analog. 

“Service customers want the convenience that technology offers them,” said Chris Sutton, Vice President, U.S. Automotive Retail Practice at J.D. Power. “For example, 34% of customers indicate they prefer to communicate via text message—but this only occurs 9% of the time!” 

Customers are shifting their preferred method of scheduling service toward internet scheduling and away from scheduling via phone. In 2015, the industry average preference for these two methods was 20% online and 64% over the phone. This year those figures are 28% and 59%. 

Source: J.D. Power