The How, What, and Where of Guiding Your Customers Through Reopening Your Dealership

Many states are beginning to put procedures in place to either partially or fully reopen. From allowing restaurants to fill up to one-third of the capacity to setting the stage for retail shops to open entirely, everyone has to learn how to operate in this new normal.

While many dealerships have been experimenting with selling vehicles online, some are getting the showrooms ready to welcome customers again.

Reopening can be good for business, but it’s essential to guide your customers through the reopening process. How do you tell them? What information should you give, and where can they find it? We cover all the steps below. 

How to Tell Your Customers You are Reopening 

You need to approach the process of telling your customers that you are reopening carefully and with as much detail as you can give. This is a trying time for many, so you want to address any concerns or questions. It would be great to include the following features in how you plan to tell your customers about reopening your showroom: 

• Include any details from the local government – Has a stay-at-home order been formally lifted in your area? Include information that points customers to directions from the local government, so they know that your reopening is in line with government messaging. 
• Add an FAQ – Think of all the relevant and vital questions your customers might have and develop an FAQ page dedicated to providing answers to their inquiries. This step is a great way to organize information and make it easy for customers to find the details they need. 

You want to make the messaging straightforward, easy to understand, and transparent. Therefore, only provide details that are currently relevant to customers.  

Related: Must-Do Tasks for Service Advisors in Challenging Times

What to Tell Your Customers 

Using an FAQ or topical heading format will help you to organize information more easily. However, you have to be sure to choose the most pertinent details for your customers. These are the topics you should address: 

• Sanitization – How often are you sanitizing equipment, surfaces, and common areas? Go into detail about your sanitization practices, and be clear about what customers can expect. 
• Capacity – How many people are allowed to be in the showroom area at one time? Be very explicit about how you are handling capacity. Discuss the actual numbers of those who will be there, and how you are ensuring individuals will be able to still social distance from one another. 
• Contact logistics – Are showroom visits appointment-only? Is there a set time that you are opening the showroom to walk-ins? Outline the steps customers need to take to set-up a time to visit. 
• Has the consultation experience changed – Are there any changes that customers can expect if they haven’t been to the showroom in awhile? Be sure to layout any new protocols for how sales professionals and dealership staff will interact with customers. 
• Are you still offering alternatives – Can customers still take advantage of car delivery or repair-related pick-ups? Some customers may feel uncomfortable about coming in to look at or purchase vehicles. If you are still offering alternative ways for customers to see vehicles and test drive cars they are interested in, remind them of the opportunities and tell them where to go to find out more information. 
• Requirements and recommendations – When customers come into the showroom, detail any guidance you have for them. Reiterate any social distancing rules, and let customers know if you require any additional actions. 

There are a variety of other pieces of information you could include. Use the above recommendations as a guide for putting together the relevant details customers need to know as you reopen. 

Where You Can Provide This Information 

It’s a great idea to dedicate a webpage to this information. Have a COVID-19 reopening section that you link to on your homepage. You can then publicize this link on the various social media platforms where your customers are. Additionally, since your top leads and former customers are likely on your mailing list, you may want to offer an abridged version of the reopening page with a link to the main page for more information. The more accessible you make this information, the better. 

Guide Your Customers Through The Process 

Reopening can feel like a daunting process, especially during a time when there is still so much uncertainty around what’s happening with COVID-19. However, the more information you provide to help guide your customers through this event, the more secure they will be. The goal is to make customers feel protected and cared for, while also providing an exceptional customer experience.

Did you enjoy this article from Chanell Turner? Read other articles from her here.

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