Do you recognize this too? Lived by the issues of the day in the after-sales department, something that applies every day and which not only has an effect on customer satisfaction, but also on the workload of your employees.

The chaos within the process creates ambiguity and miscommunication, which causes actions to be performed that the customer has not asked for or actions to not be performed that the customer has requested. A digital after-sales process ensures that all customers are optimally served by means of a standardized working method and digital recording.
Your customer feels more involved in the process when he/she is kept informed about possible costs and progress by means of a photo or video, processed in a transparent overview.

With the transparent and clear communication of all completed work (including photos and videos) and any additional work that is found on the basis of predefined (and adjustable) checklists, your customer feels involved in the process. In addition, a digital after-sales process ensures that everyone in the process can keep track of the status of the work order in real time. This ensures that there is less unnecessary walking and that waiting times for the customer are shorter.

So, by working clear, faster and transparent with the help of a digital aftersales process, you ensure that customer satisfaction increases. And we all know that a happy customer is a returning customer!

It seems to be an increasing 'problem': high workloads.

In 2020, the workload in the Netherlands was higher than ever. Despite the fact that these figures have now decreased, the workload remains high (partly due to the corona crisis). Relieving the pressure at work has therefore become very important. If this does not happen, the risk of long-term outages and, in some cases, the economic damage will be enormous.

We already talked about moving work to the customer in a previous blog. But there are more solutions like this one:

Working 'off stage'. This was already more common outside the automotive industry, but it can also be applied within the automotive industry. How nice is it that by working from home, your service advisor is disturbed less often and they can do their work digitally and in real-time.

Also central guarantee employees can work faster and undisturbed in this way. Where we see that warranty advisors make a round every week to various branches to collect the paper workorders, they can now view the files that need their help digitally and in real-time. And again, they are not disturbed by people who come to their desks to ask any questions.

In addition, you can help your receptionist by installing a keylocker, where your customers can leave their keys in a safe and at the same time leave comments, adjust contact details themselves and digitally approve the work order. Not only does this save workload for your receptionist, but it saves your customers (valuable) time.

In other words, centralizing and digitizing your aftersales process. With this you do not only create a digital overview in which everything is easy to find, but a lower workload by reduced walking and less and shorter waiting times.

Shifting work from your company to the customer: it happens more and more.

At a number of supermarkets, you can scan and pay for your groceries yourself without staff having to attend(other than checks). Several airlines allow you to check in in advance to avoid queues and long waiting times. It has been shown that customer appreciation and customer satisfaction increase when you offer the customer the choice between, for example, a self-scan and a cash register. And satisfied customers are lasting customers. Why aren't we doing this in the car business yet?

Especially in the time we live in now, in which 1,5 meters/6 ft distance is still required, there are plenty of options that we can offer the customer to minimize their contacts with others. The companies mentioned above do not only offer a contactless option, but also a 'personal' option such as the usual checkout with cashier or the check-in desk with staff who can help you with your questions. You can offer the customer the same choice in the car company:

Deliver the keys to the receptionist, to whom they can indicate their wishes or complaints regarding the car OR the fastlane for key delivery in a keylocker, where they can leave comments, adjust contact details themselves and digitally approve the work order.

Not only does this save the customer (mainly in the morning) waiting in line at the service desk, it also saves your service advisors time. Time that he or she can use to serve the customers who need it even more personally.

So, it is also possible in the car company to shift work from the company to the customer! When will you offer your customers the option?