AUTOMOTIVE DEALERSHIP

How one California dealership raises customer satisfaction with Lyft.

Automotive Dealership logo

INDUSTRY | AUTOMOTIVE

Challenge

The dealership’s customer shuttle system was inefficient, generated complaints, and was open to liability issues.

Solution

Using Lyft Concierge, the dealership now delights customers with convenient courtesy rides while their cars are being serviced. Managers can also view ride details such as time and destination to help ensure a smooth customer experience.

Impact

  • Increased customer satisfaction to 95%
  • Enabled employees to focus on high-value tasks instead of logistics
  • Replaced shuttle fleet saving time, fuel, and cost of insurance

A more flexible option for busy customers.

One innovative California dealership is changing the way its customers experience car service and repair.

image a man driving

The challenge

Maintaining high CSI (customer satisfaction index) scores is a challenge to any car dealership’s service department. To start, taking the car to the shop is on no one’s list of favorite things to do. Often, customers are frustrated, especially when slow service keeps them from getting on with their day. Typically, car dealerships operate a fleet of shuttles to help customers get to their next destination while their cars are being serviced, but many are finding this traditional transportation solution to be lacking.

Like many others, one regionally respected dealership was struggling to maintain a decent CSI score. Shuttle drivers were often flooded with a rush of anxious people, especially during the mornings. Customers were equally frustrated. After paying for shuttle vans, drivers, fuel, insurance, and fleet maintenance, service directors still dealt with customers who simply wanted more convenience for their car service dollar.

“With the shuttle, they had to wait while the driver collected enough passengers to make a trip, and then sit through multiple stops. The whole process could take up to two hours. Now they’re picked up in three to five minutes.”

Sr. Director of Service Operations

The opportunity

The dealership’s managers realized that ride share offered an opportunity for more flexible, less expensive courtesy rides. They made a bet that such a service would also raise satisfaction ratings and keep customers coming back.

The solution

Today, the dealership’s employees can focus more on customers and their cars and less on getting customers to and from the dealership. Using Lyft Concierge, service managers can request multiple courtesy rides at the same time, even scheduling rides up to a week in advance, all from a single, easy-to-use portal.

Service directors can track and manage costs easily through the Lyft Business Portal. The company saves significantly by paying for Lyft rides as needed, rather than shelling out for full-time shuttle vans.

“I have more staff in place. The driveway is clear, and the line is moving more quickly.”

TOP BENEFITS INCLUDE

Five stars

Top-quality service

What was once a wait time of up to half an hour now takes three to five minutes. Instead of having to wait through multiple shuttle stops to pick up and drop off other passengers, customers receive top-priority service, direct to their destination.

heart eyes

Happier customers

Eliminating an inflexible shuttle system removed a source of customer complaints virtually overnight and increased customer satisfaction from 80% to 95%. As a result, the dealership is seeing improved service center efficiency and growing its customer base.

Documents

Enhanced budgeting capability

From the Lyft Business Portal, team members can view important ride details such as time, cost, and destination, so they can accurately forecast their transportation budget.

Looking ahead

The service operations director anticipates continued customer growth, with more opportunities to focus on providing better, more convenient service.

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