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5 Simple Ways To Help Your Dealership Stand Out Using Mobility Software

Photo: ShuttleControl
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Khatir Soltani
We interviewed 3 dealership managers with 20+ years of experience in the industry to find out how they achieved that

In collaboration with ShuttleControl.

Major changes in the automotive industry have created never-before-seen opportunities for growth and development. Undoubtedly, the industry has been responding to many new technologies, innovations, and market shifts that are disrupting traditional ways of doing business. Factors such as changing consumer preferences, market uncertainty, and intensifying competition require automotive dealers to respond with flexibility now more than ever.

Advances in digital communication technologies and mobile devices are driving up consumer expectations. People now expect to have more information, and a digital experience that they can take with them wherever they go. One core aspect of emerging trends with greater emphasis on technology is how people now perceive Mobility Services.

For the auto industry, these mobility services can include shuttle services, valet or concierge vehicle pick-up, auto parts deliveries, as well as vehicle deliveries, at-home test drives, and many others. The demand for an extended list of such services has seen a significant increase since the COVID-19 pandemic.  

With the growing need for integrated transportation platforms, streamlining mobility services can transform the daily running of dealerships’ operations. ShuttleControl is a new Montreal-born company that serves to offer just that - providing a digital solution for businesses that helps increase operational efficiency and customer satisfaction while making everyone’s life easier. The platform is packed with key features for managing your day to day mobility, keeping detailed logs of every trip, and fine-tuning the experience that clients receive.

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ShuttleControl currently offers a solution for shuttle management, valet pick-up and drop-off, at-home test drives, parts delivery, and vehicle delivery, for dealerships across Canada and the U.S. In 5 simple ways, the platform alongside the ShuttleControl Driver app work together to transform dealerships’ daily operations:

1.    Give your clients an unforgettable experience
For clients, not knowing when they are going to get picked up is anxiety-provoking. Give them peace of mind by showing them their shuttle or valet driver’s location in real-time. This will not only increase customer satisfaction but lower the rate of time-consuming calls your advisors get from customers asking where the shuttle is. This also reduces your team’s stress, allowing them to focus their energy on clients and work in front of them.

2.    Stop wasting time with pen and paper
It’s 2020. Why use pen and paper to manage any schedule? At the end of the day, it’s costing the dealership time and money and then there’s that client who ends up forgotten. Save the headache and just send all the pick-up information directly to your driver’s smartphone.  Not only that, but every manager and advisor will have access to this information from their desktop; no need to refer to a single sheet of paper with illegible writing.

3.    Track every trip to better understand your bottom line
All these shuttle rides, valet pick-ups, and parts deliveries can really add up! Why not track every trip created, every kilometer driven, and every client helped to truly understand the ROI for each of your services? Fortunately, ShuttleControl automatically tracks all this information and makes the data easy to read for actionable decision-making.

4.    Pool your resources together across multiple locations to increase efficiency
If you’re a dealer group with multiple co-located rooftops, there is a ton of money to be saved by pooling your drivers and vehicles. Instead of having one or two drivers servicing a single location, use ShuttleControl’s smart dispatching to pool your drivers from co-located rooftops and have them pick-up and drop-off clients in the same area. This will lower client wait times and lower the KMs you put on your vehicles for lower gas bills and less wear and tear.  

5.    Make communication simple and easy for your service team
We all know things can get incredibly busy in the service department. Ensuring there is seamless communication between mechanics, advisors and drivers is key for a great customer experience.

Changes in customer demands, especially among younger demographics who now seek greater digital connectivity, means adapting to new technologies has become essential. Keep your clients well-informed by providing greater visibility and tracking of their shuttle rides, while simplifying and streamlining the entire mobility process. Dealership managers should view it as an incredible opportunity to widen their services portfolio and reinforce their brand loyalty.

When asked about operating mobility services before subscribing to ShuttleControl, Erik Bissonnette, General Manager at Spinelli Honda said:

“It’s a given: if we don’t follow the technology, if we don’t innovate, we will lose customers. Before ShuttleControl, we had a good old magnet board with the in’s and out’s, we had to fill in everything by hand and hope that the little piece of paper wouldn’t fall off the wall. Drivers would drive all the way to a destination and come back only to find out they have to go back there for more pickups. ShuttleControl has helped us save a lot of time, prepare our routes ahead of time, and provide better customer satisfaction.”

Stephane Seguin, Service Manager at Hyundai Gabriel Ouest about operating mobility services before subscribing to ShuttleControl:

“Our old system was on an excel sheet. So there was a lot of miscommunication and disorganization. Customers had the tendency to wait a lot. Now we know where our drivers are, drivers know how many customers they need to pick up or drop off, and from there, service advisors can avoid making all these phone calls. I would say communication and organization are 10 times better with this system.”

Michelle Lacaille, Service Manager at 440 Ford Lincoln:

“We used to call the driver on the road and he had to take notes, sometimes while he’s driving, which is unsecured. Then, ShuttleControl came to see me with this application and I found it extraordinary - we were able to send addresses - no notes, no phone calls, no paperwork. We use ShuttleControl for shuttle service, in our parts department, and for business drives.”

As mobility becomes more user-centric, transportation services must be responsive to the needs, habits, and preferences of the customer. New and emerging mobility trends such as subscription services are constantly evolving and infiltrating regions from dense urban centers to rural communities and smaller towns.

ShuttleControl designed its pricing fairly, so that it helps you scale your business. We charge based on the amount of trips you do. So if you are a smaller dealer with low-volume, you won’t pay much, and bigger dealers will have the clients to support our affordable platform.

The automotive industry also tends to be highly cyclical in nature, sensitive to economic expansions and downturns. This has been largely proven by the recent global pandemic. In times like this, you would see yourself spending much less for our platform. Expanding the scope of your mobility services can, therefore, expand your client base and provide a safety cushion in any economic scenario.

“It’s a no brainer:  it’s very cheap and very efficient. I love it.”

- Michelle Lacaille

This transformation in mobility services is an incredible opportunity for dealers to streamline operations which will contribute to wider margins. This shifts the focus to a memorable experience with the dealership brand, yielding an aftersales value that keeps them coming back. ShuttleControl facilitates the whole process - manage all aspects of operations, data analytics, customer engagement and satisfaction, and fleet utilization. Dealers will never need to look back again.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada