Colonial Hyundai

 

With so many challenges facing dealerships these days, it is hard to imagine hearing about any good news. With sales departments closed across the country and dealerships with reduced hours and staff, dealerships have had to adjust their day-to-day operations and find creative solutions to overcome the current circumstances. For many industries, delivery and contactless service have been the go-to solution to overcome customers' fears of contracting COVID-19. This fear is changing the way we think about how we service customers, and forcing the evolution of the automotive retail space. The following Hyundai dealer success story explains how implementing a pick-up and drop-off process helped them stay in business, retain customers, and be prepared for a future where this is the new standard for an elevated customer experience.

 

The recent increase in customer satisfaction was just one of the many benefits Kevin Wagner, Fixed Operations Manager at Colonial Hyundai of Downingtown, mentioned to us over the phone in regard to his pick-up and drop-off program. We spoke for a little over 30 minutes and discussed his program, how it works, and the future of the customer experience.

According to Mr. Wagner, 30% of their current business is pick-up & drop-off valet, which allows customers to stay in the comfort and safety of their home while having necessary work done on their vehicle. With customers saving time by scheduling their vehicle pick-up & drop-off, Kevin and his team have been able to approve additional work and spend more detailed time on each vehicle that might normally be lost due to time constraints.

Digging a little deeper into his process, we asked him why his dealership decided to offer this service and how it works. "This is something we have wanted to do for a while. We are a destination dealer and not on an auto strip," stated Mr. Wagner.  Colonial Hyundai's pick-up & drop-off service has helped his dealership provide a luxury experience while expanding his reach to customers who normally would think they are too far away. So far, the process has been working great for both Colonial's service department and for the customer. Customers who utilize the pick-up and drop-off service have the option of being left with a loaner vehicle, which gives them the option to see another Hyundai vehicle they may be interested in, or Colonial can take advantage of their partnership with Lyft, and get dropped off at the customer's home so they can take the vehicle in for service.

Regardless of what method the customer chooses, safety measures are strictly enforced, such as disinfecting the customer's vehicle and using protective equipment. What all these processes have in common is that they help reduce the number of people in the lounge and allow for the safety of the customer and the employees who are diligently working in the service department.