Dave Koshollek

One goal to shoot for is reducing repetitive actions. Strive to do the task once. Do it right and be done with it. To that effort, a service manager can take a greater role in determining what gets posted on the dealership's website so customers get the information they need without having to call the store. Info like hours of operation, range of pick-up and delivery or cost of routine services should be easy to find online. An excellent example of this can be found on the website of Beartooth Harley-Davidson of Billings, Mont. It won Dealernews' Top 100 Best Website category award last year. In its service section, it posts the days and specific areas of pick-up and delivery and offers a map. By providing this information online, it reduces the number of phone calls they have to handle. In the end, this strategy reduces time on the phone and miles on the road.

Another way service can use the store's website is by creating something I call at-a-glance marketing. In other words, the advertisement design — whether it's a sign, a dyno chart, a flier or a Web screen — has to be understood in a glance; roughly three seconds. Good design attracts the customer's eye and answers his or her first question: "Is this something I would be interested in?" The ad's details can provide more meat if needed. On Beartooth's home page there's an easy-to-find service tab. Click on the "Our Service Department" selection in the drop-down list and you're taken to a page with a headline reading "Service is Everything!" with eight easy-to-read bullet points telling the customer what Beartooth's service can do for them. Nice.

Now, rather than tell you more war stories, I'd like to provide you with a list of ideas that can make your service department more successful in using your dealership's website. Read, react and reap the rewards, my friends!

• Have service staff visit your website monthly and report anything that doesn't look right. Advertising should appeal to and motivate the masses. If more than two staff members aren't satisfied with the content, you should make some changes.
• While they're doing the above, have them check for spelling errors. Service staff are expected to be the detail guys. If there are more than a couple of misspellings, it looks like you don't pay attention to the details — and that's not good for your reputation.
• Make sure the dealership's phone number and the service department's extension are on every page in the service section. Don't make it difficult for customers to contact you.
• Make sure the service section tab is easy to find. Letters should be large and visible on the home page, not small and hidden under another section (see Beartooth for a good example).
• If you're going to advertise service specials, use a big, bold font for the headline, bullet-point the benefits and limit the special offer to 30 or 60 days. Any longer than that loses the sense of urgency to act.
• Limit descriptions of specials, services or self-serving accolades to 100 words or less. Online customers want it concise.
• Make sure the content is updated. Of the last 10 service sections I looked at, three still had winter specials posted (It's May as I write this).
• If you offer a customer scheduling form, have it sent to the service writer's e-mail address, not a general address where it gets lost. Set up the service writer's e-mail system to alert him or her when a new e-mail arrives. This will ensure that customers are receiving prompt attention. Maybe the reason so few customers are using your site is because the forms don't get a quick response. One hour or less would be appropriate.