Subaru Fixed Operations Lead Handling Toolkit

Transcription

1 Subaru Fixed Operations Lead Handling Toolkit

2 Subaru Fixed Operations Lead Handling Toolkit Table of Contents I. Introduction...3 A. Toolkit Description B. Size & Scope B. Overview C. Impact on CSI D. Management Oversight II. STARLINK Notifications...9 A. Overview B. Customer Experience C. Monthly Vehicle Health Report D. Utilizing Address from Enrollment E. Notification Timing F. Warning Light Action Levels G. Reports/STARLINK TM Notifications H. ILM Dashboard in SI2 I. Prepare for the Call J. Subaru Expectation III. Retailer Setup...20 A. Staffing Model B. Lead Routing C. LMS or CRM Tool Utilization D. Staff Coaching CRM/Phone E. Document Disposition IV. Service Inbound Phone Start...24 A. Service Retailer Inbound Service Call Performance B. Current State C. Inbound Service Call Process D. Best Practice Guidelines E. Subaru Customer Care Compass V. General Contact Us Request Table of Contents

3 Appendix I. STARLINK...43 A. Packages & Features B. Notification Example C. Proactive Phone Call Word Track Example for STARLINK TM Leads D. Process Checklist II. Customer Care Compass for Inbound Service Calls...47 A. Appointment Confirmation Script B. Missed Appointment Script III. Service Follow-Up Templates...49 A. Appointment Confirmation #1 B. Appointment Confirmation #2 C. Missed Appointment #1 D. Missed Appointment #2 E. Ready for Pickup Table of Contents 2

4 Toolkit Description This Fixed Operations Toolkit is designed to guide Subaru retailers in identifying and implementing a process for handling STARLINK notifications, Inbound Service Phone Calls, and Service and Parts Form Leads. According to a JD Power Study titled Improving the Customer Experience, Ease of Scheduling Service is the 2nd greatest area of opportunity to improve CSI for Subaru (1st is Perceived Value of Service ). This toolkit focuses on developing an Action Plan to address retailer infrastructure issues such as personnel, confirmation of lead routing, tool utilization, and lead response management. Most retailers will have several issues that are preventing them from maximizing the opportunities available in their Fixed Operations. To fully capitalize on these opportunities, you will need a retailer specific action plan to address any infrastructure corrections required. Additionally retailers should focus on improving initial responses to consumer notifications including proactive contact, coaching staff on preparing for the communication and utilizing the LMS/CRM. This toolkit will address the most common challenges retailers face in the areas of Infrastructure and Response Process: Retailer Level Issues: 1. Management Oversight 2. Staffing Model 3. Lead Routing 4. Phone Call Routing 5. Utilization of Technology (LMS/CRM) Response Process Issues: 1. Preparing for the Phone Call 2. Proactive Phone Contact 3. Phone Call Coaching and CRM Techniques 4. Document Disposition 5. Communication 6. Follow Up 3 Introduction

5 Size & Scope The amount of shoppers that research online before making a purchase decision is approaching 100%. Once these shoppers become owners they will research their service options online as well. Now with the addition of SUBARU STARLINK the opportunity to be proactive exists. Customers will attempt to contact the Dealership through various avenues to schedule service. Click-to-call has become increasingly popular with the growing use of mobile devices. The number of customers scheduling online through the Dealer Website is also increasing as the technology becomes more user friendly. Some customers still opt to fill out the Contact Us that most Dealerships have. With SUBARU STARLINK coming into play, this will give you the opportunity to be proactive in scheduling service. Owners of SUBARU STARLINK equipped vehicles and their Retailer will receive notification via that there is an issue with their Subaru. This is a great opportunity to maximize your service potential, and build an efficient process. Online scheduling tools like ScheduleConnect are used by 90% of Subaru retailers. Interestingly, this still only represents about 14% of your customers scheduling service appointments using the direct online method. Close to 80% of your customers still prefer calling to schedule an appointment rather than fill out a form. Click to Call has become increasingly popular with the growing use of mobile devices. Customers are finding it easier to than ever to initiate a service appointment request by phone via the click-tocall on their mobile device, rather than completing an online request. So clearly, calls for service appointments will remain the highest volume of customer requests for the foreseeable future. The question is with the rapid growth of the Subaru brand, are we able to properly handle these growing call volumes? Introduction 4

6 Overview Scope of the Problem/Opportunity On a national basis, Subaru averages 97,803 Fixed Operations Phone Leads, per month via the Subaru retailer websites. This equates to approximately 174 Fixed Operations phone calls per Subaru retailer per month. That represents 10 times the number of Parts and Service form leads per retailer. Also bear in mind that this volume excludes calls from other Fixed Ops direct and other tracked numbers that you may utilize. However, Subaru expects this volume to grow based upon a number of factors: Customer Usage: The same customers that used the Internet to assist in their vehicle shopping and purchase process have now become owners. They will use the Internet as their primary source of research before they decide on service. Consumers rate the Internet as the most common form of service research even ahead of family and friends. (Google/Complete Study) Mobile Usage: As more customers trend towards the use of their mobile devices to access content on the web, many find it more convenient to click on a phone number and call rather than complete a form on a small screen. (Click to Call) Subaru CAREConnect: Subaru is out in front of the trend for consumers going digital. Consequently, CAREConnect has been completely overhauled to focus on outbound marketing (instead of direct mail). Customers will interact with CAREConnect s by clicking on links or phone numbers to schedule their next service appointment. SUBARU STARLINK : Owners will now be notified via that their Subaru needs service. The will include contact information for their preferred Subaru Dealership. The purpose of this toolkit is to prepare retailers to properly handle inbound service calls that are generated by the retailer web site as well as your digital marketing efforts. This toolkit will also prepare retailers for handling owners that receive STARLINK notifications. 5 Introduction

7 Impact on CSI According to a JD Power Study - Service Initiation and the Service Advisor represent 40% of the total CSI score. When a customer schedules an appointment online vs calling the retailer there is a 17 point lift in CSI. Although Subaru retailers have a higher use of online schedulers, this still only accounts for 14% of all service appointments. Given that 80% of your customers prefer to call to schedule an appointment it is important to understand how retailer handling impacts your CSI. As the chart on the next page notes, just a one minute delay in waiting to talk to a Service Representative yields a 54 point decline in CSI scores. Introduction 6

8 7 Introduction

9 Management Oversight Historically Service Management in most retailers have had few form leads to focus on and spend most of their time and energy on phone calls and live service drive traffic. Traditionally Service Departments have always been reactive to customer concerns. Normally a Service Department doesn t know a vehicle has an issue until after the customer calls. Now with STARLINK connected services, Service Departments finally have the opportunity to be proactive and reach out to customers to provide a truly exceptional ownership experience. In addition to those leads, as technology improves in Subaru vehicles and more STARLINK enabled vehicles are on the road you will see an increase in notifications for warning lights and extremely accurate maintenance reminders. While current volume may be low at this time, many more of your customers will be enrolling in STARLINK and requesting that they be notified of issues. As the volume of the STARLINK enabled vehicles increases, it is important to identify who will be responsible for these newest leads and how they will be managed. Questions you should address when developing your process: Who will be responsible? Who will be accountable? Who will verify contact? Do we have a backup? Do we have a good understanding of STARLINK? Remember, STARLINK Notification leads are different on many fronts, consider these facts: Your customer doesn t submit any inquiries or forms to alert you they need assistance. Your customer enrolled in STARLINK Notifications and identified you as their Subaru Preferred Retailer. Your customer may or may not act on the notification they receive. Your customer may not know how to proceed to have the issue resolved. Introduction 8

10 Introduction SUBARU STARLINK in vehicle technology provides connected Safety and Security features to our customers. SUBARU STARLINK (Telematics) equipped vehicles contain a Data Communication Module (DCM) embedded mobile device that allows the vehicles to communicate through a cellular network. All vehicles that are STARLINK Telematics-equipped are eligible to enroll for the STARLINK Safety Plus and STARLINK Safety & Security Plus packages. SUBARU STARLINK currently monitors up to 14 critical vehicle systems. If a warning light illuminates on the dashboard, the customer will receive an explaining the issue and contact information for their preferred retailer to schedule an appointment. SUBARU STARLINK will be enhanced to encompass additional technologies as they become implemented in future vehicles. 9 STARLINK TM Notifications

11 Overview SUBARU STARLINK in vehicle technology provides connected Safety and Security features to our customers. With the new SUBARU STARLINK features, customers are able to: Receive automatic emergency assistance in the event of an airbag deployment Receive assistance contacting the authorities in the event their vehicle is stolen (optional feature) Receive vehicle status notifications (warning lights) Remotely access vehicle features (optional feature) Receive monthly vehicle health reports All SUBARU STARLINK enabled vehicles include 1 year free of the STARLINK Safety Plus package. The customer will need to activate their vehicle for the features to work, and this can be done at the time of delivery or through their MySubaru.com account. The customer can choose several enhanced packages at the time of delivery including the STARLINK Safety Plus and Security Plus plan, or term extensions for either package up to 3 years. STARLINK TM Notifications 10

12 Customer Experience SUBARU STARLINK currently monitors up to 14 critical vehicle systems. If a warning light illuminates on the dashboard, the customer will receive an explaining the issue accompanied with a video explaining the warning light, along with a link to their preferred retailers online scheduling tool. Note: STARLINK notifications are not posted in real time but updated twice each day. Below is a chart of the 14 warning lights: Q: How are they notified? A: Warning Lights in the Instrument Cluster will appear. See example below: 11 STARLINK TM Notifications

13 Monthly Vehicle Health Report Once a month, SUBARU STARLINK will the customer a report on all of their vehicle systems. The link within the will take you to MySubaru.com to view the report in full. The Monthly Vehicle Health Report will be available approximately 30 days after the new Subaru vehicle purchase. The customer will begin receiving comprehensive diagnostic evaluations involving most aspects of their vehicle s performance (e.g., systems check, mileage, etc.). To review the report online, the customer will logon to MySubaru.com, select the STARLINK Access Tab and then select Monthly Vehicle Health Report in the sub-menu. STARLINK TM Notifications 12

14 Utilizing Address from Enrollment SUBARU STARLINK automatically runs a diagnosis of critical vehicle systems. If a warning light illuminates, the customer will receive an notification with an explanation of the issue. The example below is for when the BRAKE light is on: 13 STARLINK TM Notifications

15 Notification Timing 1st Notification: warning light(s) notifications are sent to a customer within 24 hours of the first occurrence of a warning light(s) illumination. 2nd Notification: is only sent to a customer if the warning light(s) has not been turned off. Warning Light(s) Customer Notification Please see the chart below for the notification schedule. The second is the final notification of this warning light(s) occurrence. No further notifications will be sent to the customer until the warning light(s) concern has been addressed by the customer or retailer. Example (TPMS light can be handled by the customer, or a Retailer would handle a more complex problem warning light, such as a Check Engine Light.) Note: If a vehicle is being repaired or serviced at an Authorized Subaru Retailer, no SUBARU STARLINK Notification s will be sent to a customer. If a customer has been in an accident and the Automatic Collision Notification (ACN) has been triggered, NO notifications are sent to the customer for the ACN event and any other events for the following 30 days. (ACN - is triggered when the airbag system has been activated; 30 days is the average repair time based on Insurance Industry Accident claims) STARLINK TM Notifications 14

16 Warning Light Action Levels The higher the urgency the greater the need for the retailer to proactively contact the customer directly by phone to schedule an appointment. There are 3 levels associated with the warning lights, Low, Mid, and High. For Low level warnings an informational call needs to be made to the customer by the retailer with an invite to come in to the store at the owner s convenience. For Mid level warnings a sense of urgency is required and an appointment needs to be set for the owner. For High level warnings action is required by the dealer and an immediate appointment needs to be set for the owner. The chart below lists the 14 Warning Lights and the corresponding action level required: 15 STARLINK TM Notifications

17 Reports/STARLINK Notifications The STARLINK Notifications Dashboard will provide Service Lead information on a daily basis. The dashboard will have the following items: Customer Name Customer Customer Phone # VIN# Model Notification Type Status of Appointment Appointment Date STARLINK TM Notifications 16

18 ILM Dashboard in SI2 Subaru is sending all STARLINK notifications to retailers LMS/CRM. Retailers may elect to also receive these to their Service Department address. It is important that you use your CRM tool to respond to the request. Retailers Note: Effective as of January 26, 2016, all STARLINK Notifications are sent to a Certified LMS/CRM. 17 STARLINK TM Notifications

19 Prepare for the Call Subaru SKILS learning system has Phone Training Modules available to sharpen service staff phone skills. These modules can provide phone scripts, word tracks or agendas to help guide staff through the outbound STARLINK notification follow up call. (See example below). Additionally, prior to making the outbound call it would be a good idea to recall the customer s service history file. This may provide information that is beneficial during the call, such as identifying previous concerns with same issue, neglected to reset warning light or upcoming needed maintenance that could be addressed on the same visit. Proactive Phone Call Word Track Example for STARLINK Leads Hello <Customer Name>! My name is <Your Name> and I am the <Staff Title> at <Retailer Name>. We ve been notified via STARLINK that the <Brake> light is on in your [Field: SOA TM Model Year] [Field: SOA TM Carline]. We can help you with that. The light indicates there might be a potential problem with your vehicle s <brake> system. Our next available appointments are, either (day/time) or (day/time)? (Find time slot that works.) (*Note* if your store offers Valet Service, or a Loaner vehicle, now would be a good time to ask if the accommodation is needed.) I will send you a confirmation with all the information you need (navigation link if possible) Once again, my name is (Advisor Full Name) and the direct line to our service department is. If you are not able to keep the appointment, please let me know. There is also an online scheduling link in the I ll be sending you. Thank you <Customer Name>. I ll see you at (time and date of appointment) STARLINK TM Notifications 18

20 Subaru Expectation Subaru recognizes that the volume of STARLINK notifications will be initially low compared to the number that will be delivered to customers and retailers as more vehicles are enrolled. Now is the time to prepare for the increase in notifications by organizing staff and strategies that are most effective. STARLINK TM Process STARLINK TM sends Notification to Retailer STARLINK TM ILM Dashboard Populates LMS/CRM Sent to Staff Address LMS/CRM Sends Staff Alert Auto Response Proactive Phone Call No Phone Call Proactive Phone Call No Phone Call Schedules Appointment No Appointment Schedule Appointment No Appointment/ Staff Enters Notes Auto Send Appointment Confirmation Staff Schedules Additional Follow-Up Task Auto Send Missed Appointment 19 STARLINK TM Notifications

21 Staffing Model For most Subaru retailers, SOA recommends that you designate one staff member to monitor and respond to STARLINK notifications initially. As your vehicle deliveries increase and more STARLINK notifications are delivered you may realize that multiple staff members may be required to handle the volume. Many retailers will utilize their Service BDC s or Service Scheduler to monitor and respond to the notifications, but this staff member could be a Service Advisor or Service Assistant as well. Questions you may ask yourself when developing your process: Who will be responsible? Who will be accountable? Who will verify contact? Do we have a backup? Do we have a good understanding of STARLINK Notifications? There is no single answer that is fail safe, no one solution that always works best. The best approach for your store may be different than other retailers. The three most common Lead Response-Staffing Models are: Dedicated Lead Handlers Leads Distributed to Service Staff or Designated Lead Handlers Business Development Center The challenge is to balance the need for fulfilling customer expectations with the talent and operating practices of the store. For most retailers, Subaru recommends one or more Dedicated Lead Handlers. A Dedicated staff member works the leads from receipt to appointment and can provide the retailer with several benefits: The Dedicated staff model allows for management to hold one person accountable for contact and appointment conversion. When properly trained a Dedicated staff member can devote their full attention to responding quickly and with the proper content. The Dedicated staff model also ensures that there are less distractions and more focus on these leads. Dedicated service phone personnel frees up the Service Advisor to focus on Customers in the Service Department and allows them to perform Walk-arounds and Inspections during the write-up process. Retailers who invest in dedicated Service Phone personnel typically enjoy a higher Call to Appointment Ratio, Higher CSI, and higher Dollars per R.O. Retailer Setup 20

22 Lead Routing Once you have identified the staff member that will manage the STARLINK notifications you will want to confirm the lead routing and delivery method. To accomplish this you will access the Interactive Tools Menu in the ILM Dashboard. Interactive Tools Drop Down: Review of Parts and Service leads in the ILM Dashboard. Note: It is recommended that Notifications are delivered to assigned personnel via your CRM. If leads are sent to the retailer service staff business accounts, you will not have the ability to track your responses. Note: As of Jan 26, 2016, all STARLINK leads are sent to a Certified LMS/CRM 21 Retailer Setup

23 LMS or CRM Tool Utilization How to execute a Best Practice STARLINK Notification and Fixed Operations Lead Process will vary depending on how retailers are set-up from a LMS/CRM tool perspective. Lead Management Systems (LMS) or Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM) for Fixed Operations Leads. There is a distinction between STARLINK notifications and Parts & Service Leads merely being routed to a LMS/CRM and those leads being properly routed & managed within the tool. Parts & Service leads need to be routed directly to parts & service personnel responsible for responding to the leads. If Parts & Service leads are routed with new/used car leads there are a number of risks: Fixed Operations leads will receive vehicle request-for-quote auto responses A LMS/CRM user from the sales department will have to either print the lead or manually forward the lead to a Parts/Service manager address Best practices for utilizing a LMS/CRM for Parts & Service leads include: The LMS/CRM can distinguish between lead types and automatically route (parse) parts and service leads to Service Personnel CRM Access The LMS/CRM allows the service personnel to view the service history files directly on the customer search screen. As of Jan 26, 2016, the STARLINK leads are sent to a Certified LMS. Now may be a good time to be proactive regarding creating user profiles in your CRM for the designated staff member handling the notifications. This will allow the service department to take advantage of all the applications features utilized by the sales staff including timely alerts, documented follow up and disposition data sent to Subaru. In many of the CRM s you are able to access service history as well. Proper use of a Lead Management System (LMS) or Customer Relationship Management Tool (CRM) can make it easier for retailer personnel to contact consumers. Many of these tools require a user license allowing access to the customer data. It is a best practice to contact your system administrator to identify what is needed to add the staff member that will manage the STARLINK Notifications. Retailer Setup 22

24 Staff Coaching CRM/Phone As you add user ID s and passwords to your CRM for the staff members, it is a good idea to add the recommended training modules available from your vendor. Most CRM s will have a video training library for this purpose as well as many live or recorded job aids. As referenced earlier, Subaru SKILS learning system has phone training modules available to assist in learning the best practice techniques regarding inbound and outbound phone calls. This may require some setup under their log in for proper access. A good place to begin would be to utilize the word track referenced on page 17 or in the appendix for some contact techniques. Practice and repetition builds confidence and comfort, role play with co-workers, the goal is to make the script your natural talk track. Document Disposition As of Jan 26, 2016, all STARLINK leads are sent to a Certified LMS. This allows you to take advantage of the CRM s features that includes disposition data sent to Subaru. Once the lead is sent to the LMS/CRM it is important to respond to the customer within the tool by sending an or logging the phone call contact. Once these activities are completed in the LMS/CRM this information is sent directly to Subaru and documents the contact. This not only provides Subaru with an update of this lead, but will trigger additional follow up for your staff including appointment reminders, missed appointment reminders etc. 23 Retailer Setup

25 Subaru Retailer Inbound Service Call Performance As our parts & service customers increasingly move towards online retailer interaction, there is significant evidence that most Subaru owners still prefer to call the retailer to schedule their service appointment. To gauge retailer performance, Subaru requested Shift Digital to conduct live service phone mystery shops with all retailers. (If you have not seen your results ask your DPSM or Shift representative). Posing as a faux customer, Shift called the Service 1-800# on your respective Subaru Retailer Website and graded the call and subsequent follow-up (if any). The charts on the next pages reflect the results of the initial mystery shops of how the service visit was scheduled, and the quality of the call. There are two ways a phone shop can get scored a zero immediately if the call is routed directly to Voice Mail or if the customer is on hold for more than 3 minutes. If the call goes straight to the Service Department, 10 points are awarded, 0 points if not. If there is no more than 1 hold or transfer, 10 points are awarded; 2 or more results in 0 points. If the customer speaks with the Service Rep in 30 seconds or less, 20 points are awarded; sec, 10 points are awarded; anything over 1 minute results in 0 points. Service Inbound Phone Start 24

26 How do Subaru Retailers Perform? Of the calls initially made to Subaru service departments 81% were routed somewhere other than directly to the service staff (Voice Mail, receptionist etc.). Only 19% of the calls went to the service staff. 25 Service Inbound Phone Start

27 Sixty-eight percent of calls were transferred two or more times. Service Inbound Phone Start 26

28 JD Power projects that making a customer wait longer than 1 minute impacts your CSI by as much as 54 points. In our shops 35% of the customers waited greater than 1 minute to speak with a Service Representative. 27 Service Inbound Phone Start

29 Only 22% of retailers obtained customer addresses which is necessary to trigger Care Connect and Schedule Connect follow-up mechanisms such as appointment confirmations and cancelled appointment re-contacts. Service Inbound Phone Start 28

30 With the exception of retailers who captured an address and then enabled follow-up via their online Service Appointment System, virtually no retailer provided next steps (i.e. arrival instructions) or appointment confirmation calls or s. Retailers followed up less than 20% of the time with the customer. 29 Service Inbound Phone Start

31 Most customers will tell you they would prefer to schedule their appointment as soon as possible. Initially 37% of the customers were told they must wait 3+ days for an appointment. Service Inbound Phone Start 30

32 Additionally about 14% of the customers felt the service representative was too busy to be friendly. 31 Service Inbound Phone Start

33 As a retailer you know that everything has to go right for the customer to have a great experience. By transferring a call to voice mail or putting them on hold if the customer is expecting to speak with someone may be a poor first step. Service Inbound Phone Start 32

34 40% of the retailers have 1 or more significant issues with their handling of Inbound Service Calls. When it comes to providing a great customer experience it can be achieved with coaching, preparation and best practice techniques. 33 Service Inbound Phone Start

35 Current State What is your process? One of the questions you should be asking is how am I going to accommodate the number of inbound service appointment calls I receive? If you are like most Subaru retailers you have noticed that with the increase in your units in operation (UIO) comes an increase in service call and customer handling activity. If your inbound service call, service drive and online volume has increased it would be understandable that your staff may be seeing an increase in work load as well. Statistically, it is recommended that each service representative manages around 13 repair orders per day to maximize their dollars per RO and increase CSI. Factors to Consider: What does your Mystery Shop Report reveal? What is the current volume of activity? Calls/Traffic/Repair Orders How long are your customers on hold? How many calls are routed to voice mail or receptionist? Is there value to routing the call directly to the service representative? Are you properly staffed? Who is responsible for coaching staff appointment setting techniques? What are the current results? Appointments Set and Kept Who is accountable for results? Service Inbound Phone Start 34

36 Inbound Service Call Process A good place to begin would be to document your current process and assign staff members to each component in the process. Below you will see an example of a process where the flow highlighted in GREEN would be the recommended path. A best practice is to have a Service Appointment Scheduler or Service BDC agent handle inbound service calls. A Service Advisor is not the ideal candidate to be handling inbound service calls. They should be able to focus on handling active customers in the service lane, walkarounds, upsells, and follow-up. Inbound Service Call Process Service Inbound Phone Call Voic Answered by Service Appointment Scheduler or BDC Answered by Service Advisor/ Manager Answered by Receptionist Schedule Appointment No Appointment/ Staff Enters Notes Transferred to Service Advisor (1) Rings Back to Receptionist Customer Hangs Up Auto Send Appointment Confirmation Staff Schedules Additional Follow Up Task Schedule Appointment No Appointment/ Staff Enters Notes Transferred to Service Advisor (2) Auto Send Missed Appointment Auto Send Appointment Confirmation 35 Service Inbound Phone Start

37 Best Practice Guidelines Subaru recommends that the following processes are set-up for all inbound service calls that accomplish the following: Prepare for the Call Timely Response Gather and Share Contact Information Appointment Confirmation or Call the Day Before the Appointment follow-up specific to the customer appointment outcome ; customer show service performed, customer show but declined service, and pre-survey customer satisfaction follow-up The goal is to be able to execute these five basic Best Practices, but how that is done will vary depending on how Subaru retailers are set-up between Lead Management and Online Scheduling applications. Service Inbound Phone Start 36

38 Prepare for the call Subaru Foundations has Phone Training Modules available to sharpen service staff phone skills. These modules can provide phone scripts, word tracks or agendas to help guide staff through best practice methods of handling the phone call. Additionally, there are included phone scripts and guides in the appendix to build confidence and serve as reminders of the information needed to provide the customers with a truly exceptional experience. Timely Response As in any business transaction today it becomes increasingly important to respond to the customer in a timely manner. We have all been placed on hold, transferred multiple times and waited longer than expected to speak with someone for help, it can be very frustrating. The items below identify areas of opportunity that not only increase efficiencies but improves the customer s experience: Transfers: The goal is to eliminate transfers of any kind. Remember, if they are calling our service line, they should get a service representative who can schedule service appointments and answer the phone when they call. Being Placed on Hold: None of us like to be placed on hold, so why would our customers? Sometimes it happens as we all get busy however; let s make sure that it is minimal at most. Remember, one minute on hold feels like a lifetime. Give the customer the option to have you call them back versus being placed on hold, especially if you know it will be more than a minute. Length of Time to Speak to a Service Representative: This applies to the aforementioned. If we can eliminate transfers as well as being placed on hold, it shouldn t take too long to speak with the right person. 37 Service Inbound Phone Start

39 Gather and Share Contact Information Just as we stated in the previous section Prepare for the Call it is much easier to gather all the information you need if you follow a planned agenda which can include a phone script or word track. Whether you are collecting the customer information or providing your contact information remember to manage your tone and tempo during the phone call. The customer is more likely to share this information if your tone is conversational rather than confrontational. Below are some ideas to assist you in your conversation and improve the customer experience: Obtain Customers Information Including This is important. How do we know who to call back or how to address them when they arrive if we don t know who they are? How can we follow up if we don t have their phone number and ? Gathering the customer s information is the first form of trust you are making with the customer. Be sure to gather all of their information including preferred method of contact. This will not only help your connection rate, it will also show the customer that you care and will help overall OLP scores. Review History: While entering the customer contact information, did you discover that this is a previous customer? If so, thank them for being a loyal customer. Take a moment to review the history to see if the reason they are calling is a repeat concern. Check previous notes to see if there was a recommended service that needs to be addressed during this visit. Provide Your Contact Information Including If the customer has any questions or if they would like to inform us that they will be late, how would they know who to call? This all routes back to the ease of the process for the customer. Remember, the easier it is for the customer to setup, drop off, and pick up their car, the better it is for us to see more customers as well as increase our OLP. Provide Arrival Instructions: Let them know where to go and who to ask for upon arrival. Again, this makes it easier for the customer and increases our chances of providing a quality experience. Focus on the Customer s Needs: Remember the car sales and service experience come with a stigma to most people, so let s prove them wrong. Listen to them, let them voice their questions/ concerns, and then provide them with feedback. Service Inbound Phone Start 38

40 Subaru Customer Care Compass Phone Skills 1. Be friendly 2. Focus on the needs of the customer What the customer gives you 1. Obtain full customer name 2. Obtain active address and best follow-up method: text/ /voic 3. Obtain phone # What you give to the customer 1. Provide advisor full name and contact info 2. Provide earliest appointment available 3. Review what expected service includes 4. Provide arrival instructions 5. Provide helpful advice while at the retailed (dog friendly, etc.) 39 Service Inbound Phone Start

41 Tone of Voice Consider your tone when you are talking to a customer. You want to make sure you sound friendly and courteous. Take a moment to smile before you pick up the phone, doing this will naturally help your tone. Follow the script, but what really matters is how you say it. Tone of voice matters four times as much as what you say. WORDS TONE OF VOICE Appointment Confirmation or Call the Day before the Appointment If you set the expectation that you will call, send an , text, or other message to confirm the appointment, you should follow through. Setting the expectation and delivering on it builds trust with the customer. If you have an online scheduling tool like ScheduleConnect, entering the appointment in the tool allows you to take advantage of the automatic reminders for appointment confirmations and subsequent follow up. For those retailers without these tools the appointment can still be entered in your CRM and a follow up schedule can be created to trigger reminders. Service Scheduling (Could be automatic) ScheduleConnect, Xtime etc. Service Inbound Phone Start 40

42 follow-up specific to the customer appointment outcome: Subaru Retailers Enrolled in ScheduleConnect. Approximately 80% of Subaru retailers have enrolled in ScheduleConnect through the CAREConnect program. Another 15% utilize an alternative real-time online service scheduling application. When ScheduleConnect is fully rolled out, participating Subaru retailers will be utilizing an online service scheduling application. This currently represents about 14% of the customers scheduling an appointment. For the 80% of the customers that call the retailer to schedule an appointment it is recommended that these appointments are entered into ScheduleConnect as well. For these leads (if we obtain the address) the online process will be automated including: Immediate appointment confirmation Subsequent to confirm the appointment Post visit or missed appointment follow-up activity Lifecycle based (vehicle age & mileage) service marketing such as next appointment reminders Lead Management Systems (LMS) or Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM) For retailers without Service Scheduling tools the appointment can still be entered in your CRM and a follow up schedule can be created to trigger reminders. Provided below is a sample of a Subaru Certified CRM s available Parts & Service templates: 41 Service Inbound Phone Start

43 Contact Us Forms On occasion some customers will try to reach out to the Parts and Service Department via the generic Contact Us portion on your website. This type of contact is still considered a lead, and it should be handled no differently than your common service requests. General Contact Us Request 42

44 Appendix 43 STARLINK Appendix

45 STARLINK Notification Example STARLINK Appendix 44

46 Proactive Phone Call Word Track Example for STARLINK Leads Hello <Customer Name>! My name is <Your Name> and I am the <Staff Title> at <Retailer Name>. We ve been notified via STARLINK that the <Brake> light is on in your [Field: SOA TM Model Year] [Field: SOA TM Carline]. We can help you with that. The light indicates there might be a potential problem with your vehicle s <brake> system. Our next available appointments are, either (day/time) or (day/time)? (Find time slot that works.) (*Note* if your store offers Valet Service, or a Loaner vehicle, now would be a good time to ask if the accommodation is needed.) I will send you a confirmation with all the information you need (navigation link if possible) Once again, my name is (Advisor Full Name) and the direct line to our service department is. If you are not able to keep the appointment, please let me know. There is also an online scheduling link in the I ll be sending you. Thank you <Customer Name>. I ll see you at (time and date of appointment) 45 STARLINK Appendix

47 STARLINK Process Checklist Who: STARLINK Appendix 46

48 Appointment Confirmation Script Live Conversation Hello, this is the [Customer Care Manager] at [Retailer Name]. I am calling to confirm your appointment, tomorrow at [Appt. Time]. Are you still planning on making it? YES : Great. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow at [Appt. Time]. Have a nice day! NO : Okay. Would you like to reschedule your appointment? YES : Okay. Our next available appointment time is [Appt. Time] will that work for you? (if not, find a time that works) NO : Okay. When you are ready to reschedule your service appointment, please call me at [Phone Number], again the number is [Phone Number]. I will also send you an with the number and a link to schedule online. Have a nice day! Answering Machine Message Hello, this is the [Customer Care Manager] at [Retailer Name]. I am calling to confirm your appointment tomorrow at [Time]. If you will not be able to make it, please call our [Service Appointment Coordinator] at [Phone Number]. Again, the number is [Phone Number]. Thank You. Text message This is [Retailer Name]. Your service appointment is on [Date] at [Time]. Please call [phone number] if you will not be able to make it. 47 Customer Care Compass for Inbound Service Calls

49 Missed Appointment Script Live Conversation Hello, this is a courtesy call from [Retailer Name]. We missed you [yesterday/this past day/ date] for a scheduled (Time) service appointment on your (Year, Make). Would you like to reschedule at this time? YES : Okay. Our next available appointment time is [Appt. Time] will that work for you? (if not, find a time that works) NO : Okay. When you are ready to reschedule your service appointment, please call me at [Phone Number], again the number is [Phone Number]. I will also send you an with the number and a link to schedule online. Have a nice day! Answering Machine Message Hello, this is a courtesy reminder from [Retailer Name]. We understand that plans often change and we are always flexible and happy to meet your schedule needs. We have sent you an with a link to reschedule your service appointment. You may also contact us at your convenience to reschedule at (Phone Number), the Phone Number is also in the . Our service department is dedicated to your complete satisfaction and we look forward to seeing you soon, thank you. Customer Care Compass for Inbound Service Calls 48

50 Appointment Confirmation #1 Hi [CUSTOMER NAME], Just a friendly reminder of your upcoming service appointment scheduled for your [MAKE] on [DATE] at [TIME]. Should you need to reschedule your appointment, click here [LINK SERVICE MGR ADDRESS] or call our Service Department at [PHONE NUMBER]. We look forward to seeing you very soon! Thank you, [Service representative name] [Title] [Image] Retailer Name Address City, State Zip Cell# direct# TEXT ISA Address Thank you for helping us to Go Green by communicating with you via ! 49 Service Follow-Up Templates

51 Appointment Confirmation #2 From: [Retailer Name] To: [customer name] Subject: [service appointment confirmation] Hello [customer s first name], Your appointment has been scheduled for : Appointment Date Appointment Time If you have any questions or would like to change your appointment, please call one of our service representatives at Also be sure to check our current Online Service Specials or bring your Service Coupon to get great deals on your upcoming service! If you did not receive a Service Coupon, let us know upon arrival and we can tell you about our current special offers. Thank you for your continued business and we look forward to seeing you. Thank you, [Salesperson s Name] Title Picture Retailer Name Address City, State Zip Cell# direct# TEXT ISM Address Thank you for helping us to Go Green by communicating with you via ! Service Follow-Up Templates 50

52 Missed Appointment #1 Hi [CUSTOMER NAME], We missed you on [APPT DATE], for your scheduled [APPT TIME] service appointment on your [MODEL]. We know plans often change and we re flexible to meet your scheduling needs. Our priority is to make sure the safety and performance of your Subaru is maintained and we want to ensure all your necessary services are completed. To reschedule your appointment now, please click here [LINK SERVICE MGR ] or call our Service Department at [PHONE NUMBER]. We look forward to seeing you soon! Thank you, [Service representative name] [Title] [Image] Retailer Name Address City, State Zip Cell# direct# TEXT ISA Address Thank you for helping us to Go Green by communicating with you via ! 51 Service Follow-Up Templates

53 Missed Appointment #2 We missed you. Our records indicate your [MAKE] was scheduled for service on [DATE] at [TIME]. We understand your [MAKE] has more adventurous things to do and we completely understand how easy it is to miss an engagement. If you would like, I will be happy to reschedule your service appointment. Would the same time next week work for you? Or click here schedule online if you prefer: (INSERT ONLINE SCHEDULER LINK) Thank you for your continued business. [Service representative name] [Title] [Image] Retailer Name Address City, State Zip Cell# direct# TEXT ISA Address Thank you for helping us to Go Green by communicating with you via ! Service Follow-Up Templates 52

54 Ready for Pickup Hi [CUSTOMER NAME], Service on your [MODEL] is now complete and your Subaru is ready to go. Your service representative will review the services performed when you come in to pick up your Subaru. Feel free to call us at [PHONE NUMBER] or us if you have any questions. Thank you for your business, we ll see you soon! Thank you, [Service representative name] [Title] [Image] Retailer Name Address City, State Zip Cell# direct# TEXT ISA Address Thank you for helping us to Go Green by communicating with you via ! 53 Service Follow-Up Templates