The Reynolds and Reynolds Company announced on Nov. 10 the creation of a new Loyalty Solutions Group. Focused on providing automotive retailers with a suite of solutions to increase customer retention, Reynolds Loyalty Solutions Group will help automotive retailers choose and implement loyalty programs best suited for their businesses, according to Reynolds and Reynolds.

The company said its loyalty solutions work in various areas of the dealership, from the sales to service department, maximizing customer interactions throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. "By leveraging incentives and personalized service, solutions such as LoyaltyLink® are designed to help improve sales and service gross profit while keeping customers coming back for repeat business," Reynolds and Reynolds said in a prepared statement.

"At Weikert Ford, our goal is to keep customers coming back after the sale," said Bob Weikert of Weikert Ford in Lake Wales, Fla. "That's why we chose Reynolds LoyaltyLink solution. Since implementing the solution, we've seen an 87 percent retention rate with customers who are on the solution. Our customers love the ease of the solution, and for our dealership, it's a way to take care of customers after the sale. Plus, LoyaltyLink helps differentiate our dealership from other competitors in the area."

"In today's incentive-driven automotive retailing market, a dealership's highest profit potential doesn't come from individual vehicle sales, but from lifetime customer relationships," said Scott Collins, vice president of Reynolds Integrated Document Solutions. "However, dealerships only capture 36 percent of the market when it comes to routine maintenance. In response to the industry trends, Reynolds Loyalty Solutions is poised to help retailers increase customer retention and boost profitability.

"Today, many dealerships are making more money in their service department than in new vehicle sales," Collins said. "With the costs of attracting new customers constantly rising, it is vital for automotive retailers to concentrate on keeping the customers they have today. It's crucial to the health of their bottom line."

A recent customer survey by Reynolds indicated that 56 percent of car buyers' purchase decisions were positively affected by the presence of a Reynolds loyalty solution. Sixty-seven and a half percent of consumers surveyed said they'd be more likely to return to that dealership as a result of the dealer offering that Reynolds loyalty solution.

According to Collins, "Maintaining strong relationships with customers is too important for dealerships to leave to just one initiative. By regularly communicating and offering incentives from multiple areas of the dealership, during different stages of the shopping experience, retailers can take advantage of every customer interaction point to increase revenues. With Reynolds Loyalty Solutions, every dealership department can help reinforce loyalty messages to customers while maximizing opportunities to build lifelong customer relationships."

Reynolds said its suite of Loyalty Solutions helps retailers build customer retention and dealership profits by implementing loyalty programs to reach customers:

• In-person while they're purchasing, dropping-off or picking up a vehicle

  
  

  
  

• In-vehicle by leaving a message or incentive in a customer's vehicle

  
  

  
  

• As a follow-up after they've left the dealership

  
  

  
  

  Ranging in complexity and scale, Reynolds' suite of Loyalty Solutions includes:

  
  

  
  

• LoyaltyLink® - Helps retailers close more sales with a higher margin and pull customers back to the dealership for service with high ROI service promotions loaded onto a "smart" card that can be conveniently stored in a customer's wallet or purse.

  
  

  
  

• Dealer Choice Rewards(tm) - A new solution, Dealer Choice Rewards provides the ability to give and track bonus dollars/points to customers to be used in the dealership at each visit. In addition to the hardware, retailers also receive two secure Internet sites - one for dealership reporting and one for customer balance inquiries.

  
  

  
  

• In-Vehicle Merchandising (IVM) - The 3-in-1 dispatch control number includes a care card with coupons, a key tag with coupon, and a direct mail postcard. Dealer results show that IVM helps to increase oil change business and CSI scores.

  
  

  
  

• Card With-A-Peel® - Helps generate repeat visits to the sales and service departments using Card With-A-Peel - a customizable set of discount service coupons presented on a wallet card, key fob or postcard for use in a variety of loyalty-building situations.

  
  

  
  

• Static Cling Plus - Custom windshield labels featuring personalized customer messages. Custom labels put the dealership logo and information directly into the customer's vehicle.

  
  

  
  

• Service Reminders - Increase customer-pay business by mailing personalized promotions to customers based on their projected mileage.

  
  

  
  

• Service Maintenance Books - Service Maintenance Books enable retailers to offer customers sales and service-based coupons as incentives to return to the dealership, while helping them follow their vehicle's recommended maintenance schedule.

  
  

  
  

  In addition to Loyalty Solutions, Reynolds offers customer relationship management solutions including Contact Management, Reynolds Web Solutions, Networkcar(tm), and Loyalty Management University.

  
  

  About Reynolds and Reynolds

  
  

  Reynolds and Reynolds (www.reyrey.com) is a provider of integrated solutions designed to help automotive retailers manage change and improve their profitability.

  
  

  Serving the automotive retailing industry since 1927, Reynolds says it enables OEMs and retailers to work together to build the lifetime value of their customers. The company's product, service and training solutions include retail and enterprise management systems, Web and customer relationship management solutions, learning and consulting services, documents, data management and integration, networking and support and leasing services.

  
  

  Reynolds serves more than 20,000 customers comprising nearly 90 percent of the automotive retailers and virtually all OEMs doing business in North America. The Reynolds International Division serves automotive retailers and OEMs through Incadea AG and its partner network as well as a worldwide consulting practice.