Aftersales teams must focus on building trust to increase profits

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25 February 2013

Aftersales departments need to concentrate on building trust to secure long term profitability, according to Richard Beevers, director of Customer Plus.

The company, which delivers customer satisfaction programmes for a range of retailers including Ford Retail’s Moments of Truth training programme, believes dealers should be focusing on developing trust particularly in a fast-moving communications world where good and bad experiences can be shared with a massive social network within seconds.

Beevers will be the keynote speaker at AM’s Aftersales Conference at the Hilton Hotel, located in the complex of the newly opened national football training centre St George’s Park in Burton on Trent, East Midlands on April 24, 2013. He thinks dealers should put the notions of closing the deal and upselling to one side and concentrate on delivering an exceptional experience.

With its culture of upselling, aftersales personnel have to work even harder to achieve a good balance between making additional sales and benefitting the consumer – as soon as a consumer has even an inkling they are being ‘ripped off’, they’ll take their business elsewhere, argued Beevers.

Upselling can prove to be a trust breaker in a heartbeat but equally if customers believe the product they are offered is beneficial, it can lead to an even more positive retail experience.

“It’s very simple; if dealership aftersales staff behave properly and don’t use their knowledge to disadvantage the customer, trust will follow,” commented Beevers. “There’s sometimes a belief that acting unethically leads to profitability and behaving ethically is unprofitable. In fact, the opposite is true.

“You only have to look at the recent horse meat scandal and the breast implant problems raised in 2012 to see that behaving unethically can cost companies millions of pounds.”

Tickets are available to dealers and manufacturers, with a limited number of supplier tickets on sale. To book, please contact Nicola Baxter on 01733 468289, email nicola.baxter@bauermedia.co.uk or visit www.aftersalesconference.co.uk

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Allen Vincent - 25/02/2013 17:27

This should be common sense. It's shocking how many have that burn em quick attitude which I've always despised. When I was at Nissan Doncaster as a sales executive & motability specialist I had one of the highest "Be Backs" because I treated customers with respect. Shame I was dismissed after 6 years in 2010 when I was formally diagnosed with aspergers syndrome and dyspraxia.
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Matt - 25/02/2013 21:36

It's not rocket science. The advisors that I employ need to gain the trust and sell products that can be seen to be beneficial to all parties. We need to enhance the customers vehicle and produce a profit, too many advisors see this process as a chore, they need to see this as an opportunity but they need to understand the product before they try to sell it. We sell air-conditioning refresh treatments and fuel treatments, they do what they say on the tin...... Make the car smell nicer and make the car drive further, if only all the advisors believed in the products and talked about them. We are great at keeping secrets.....!!
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sgcb - 25/02/2013 22:33

Talk about stating the obvious.I think horse and stable door spring to mind.Maybe the motor trade will soon start to realise VHC is not the answer to aftersales decline and never has been.I am sick to death of manufactures and consultancy firms telling me about duty of care etc as a way of doing a VHC.People have been seeing through this con as stated in this article since it started.If the customers car was serviced correctly and customer advised and followed up regularly there would be no need for an electronic VHC and the expensive lease required.
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