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Customer experience will make or break you. 

In a world of Google reviews and social media, the power belongs to the people. In 2021, customers want charcuterie boards and live streams of film festivals in the waiting room. Somewhere along the way, the automotive industry married into the hospitality industry, and now here we are—selling cars and imitating the Marriott at the same time. After a collective sigh and a group therapy session, we should all accept reality and transcend. CSI scores, referrals, and front-end gross are at stake. Dealerships in 2021 can meet and exceed OE goals, sell online and in-store, socially distance, provide a stellar 5-star experience, and create repeat business. Yes, even you, and we'll tell you how. 

There are many potential objections for a salesperson to overcome. Arguably, none are more dreaded than the deadpan reply, "I'm not interested." Customers know this is an excellent way to cut the sales pitch off before it starts. Rather than playing into that hand, overcome the objection by reopening the conversation.

While we’re spring cleaning, let’s sweep away some misconceptions about accessories. Are accessories an afterthought? A niche market? A good way to throw away your sale? *Sprays Lysol* No. No. Also, no. 

Buying used versus new shouldn’t matter when it comes to accessorizing. Options to personalize used cars abound. In fact, accessories may be all the more enticing to a used car buyer who is likely settling for what works for them now rather than purchasing their dream car.

Ahh, Spring. The season of new life, raging pollen, and warmer weather accessories. As the country begins to thaw, dealerships across America look for a seasonal accessory shake-up. Bid farewell to ski racks and snow tires adorning your showroom vehicles. Retire your pitch for heated leather seats. Put your hero vehicle’s winter gear in storage. It’s time for a new outfit and a new lead-in product. 

Make no mistake: customer retention is a full-time job. The process of cultivating and maintaining loyal customers should be emphasized as highly as the sales process itself. There are many opportunities, between introduction and post-sale, to build a lasting relationship with a customer. So many of those opportunities involve Vehicle Personalization. From building rapport as you start at the trade, or inviting customers to relax between F&I, as well as offering a tune-up service six months later—accessories are integrated in all of it. This makes personalization the key to customer retention. 

Who better to focus your efforts on than the prospect in your backyard? Local marketing is a form of both traditional and digital marketing that dealerships need to be heavily involved in, if they want to compete for the market share of the automotive industry, in 2021. 

As much as we’d like to, we can’t all approach 2021 with arms crossed, waiting patiently. We’ve got to be on our toes, arms wide open, to every possible lead. Despite the cold, it’s time to take off the mittens and embrace the metaphorical snowball of online car buying. (Unless you live in the North; then you should definitely keep the mittens—frostbite is no joke.) 

When it comes to using Vehicle Personalization to increase revenue, there is more than one way to skin this highly accessorized cat. Offering accessories at the point-of-sale is sure to add to your front end gross, so what about using accessories to get the customer in the door in the first place? Here are some ideas.