Avondale Nissan, the Chick-fill-A of Dealerships

Today, more than ever the car buying process has evolved and truly has changed. Even before the pandemic, there were processes in place which made online car buying possible. But aside from that, there is certainly an increase in transparency directly from the dealership to the consumer. This has a lot to do with the fact that over the years, customers have spoken up about unethical behaviors and bad experiences that really gave customers a negative perception of car dealerships, especially of car salesman. Although it has changed for the better, quite a bit, there are still some things that leave the customer feeling reluctant about visiting a dealership or even calling to inquire on a vehicle they are interested in.

Still, a vast majority of leads come through via email. Thus, the need for a dedicated, well trained department (BDC or Internet) to quickly respond and capture these leads at the early stages. But the competition has grown so much, now that an abundance of car dealerships have moved towards the “one price store” platform. And although this is an excellent benefit to the consumer, it has left a handful of dealerships puzzled. Now that price isn’t necessarily the main focus anymore, your sales people are lost on what to do when they interact with a customer that has already done their research.

To put things into perspective, your customer base and market will never be stagnant. In other words, things will always change and evolve so it is extremely important you evolve with this never ended transformation. This includes training but mostly learning your customer base. How does your customer base prefer to buy? What are they looking for other than price when shopping for a vehicle? I know this may sound strange but take Chick- Fil- A for instance. We all know their menu is a little pricy compared to the competition and sometimes so busy their lines go out to main roads. But for some reason, you feel it’s worth the wait. Yes, their food is quality food and sometimes, simple, yet always seemingly satisfying. So, ask yourself, why would you choose them over the competition?

I recently visited a nearby fast-food place that really had an impact on my thought process of retail and customer service in general. The cashier, for some reason had this unpleasant tone to her voice from the get go but worse yet, she missed all the basic customer service pleasantries. Things as basic as hello, welcome, how are you, how can I help you, thank you and have a great day.  From the beginning it literally made me feel uncomfortable and I would never go back. No matter how much my children begged me to appease their junk food addiction.

Sadly, many retail businesses have not grasped the concept of good customer service. They allow their teams to continue interacting with their customer base the same way this young lady did with me, which has really put a damper on retail businesses success. In a nutshell, customer service is still the number one most important and basic skill to have when engaging with customers. If your dealership lacks this basic necessity, you might as well close the doors now before you go out of business.

At Avondale Nissan, we strive to be like Chick-Fill-A and provide not only great prices, but extraordinary experiences. We know how important it is to treat our customers with respect and compassion. We want our customers to rave about our excellent services, but also to drive home in a vehicle they trust and just feel good about. Whether it’s service, sales or parts, online, phone or in person, we want you to feel good about doing business with us. If you haven’t already, give us a call or stop in to find out why we are Arizona’s favorite family-owned dealership. We look forward to serving you.  Feel free to contacts us with any questions.