Consumers Want Price Transparency From Service Centers, Survey Finds
Price uncertainty is the No. 1 reason a customer won’t visit a dealership’s service center for maintenance, according to results of a survey commissioned by Record360.
SEATTLE — Price uncertainty is the No. 1 reason a customer won’t visit a dealership’s service center for maintenance, according to results of a survey commissioned by Record360, which provides asset condition reporting app.
If dealerships want to bring those weary customers in and improve customer retention, then their pricing needs to be transparent and they need to provide greater visibility into vehicle condition, results of the survey concluded.
“It’s exciting to see that customers are asking for services that are well within any dealership’s ability to offer. Whether it’s stronger transparency around cost and the time it takes to complete maintenance or around visualizing vehicle condition, customers are asking for things that dealerships can implement right now, or with some minor technology upgrades,” said Shane Skinner, co-founder and CEO of Record360.
More than half of respondents said they wanted a free car wash as part of their visit. About 41% stated they wanted an email record of their vehicle’s condition.
One thing that would dissuade a majority of survey respondents from ever returning to a dealership was stolen property, the survey found. Eighty percent of respondents said they would not return to a service center if they thought an item went missing from their car during their last visit.
The survey polled 500 consumers that had taken their vehicle into a dealership service center for maintenance within the past 12 months. Respondents were asked about the factors that determine whether or not they’ll visit a dealership’s service center, as well as what kind of services they would want to see from their service centers.
More F&I

Gitty Up on GAP
The foundational finance-and-insurance product hasn’t kept up with the latest conditions for auto dealers. Is the time ripe?
Read More →
How AI-Powered Coaching Is Transforming F&I Performance
See how AI-powered coaching can turn F&I customer conversations into actionable insights that support compliance, performance and profitability
Read More →
Sell Value, Build Trust
In this video, Trent White explains why selling on value, not fear, builds lasting customer trust, reduces cancellations, and drives long-term success.
Read More →
F&I Sales Give Dealers First-Half Lift
Product business shored up total profits to avoid an overall revenue tanking as product penetrations held steady, StoneEagle reported.
Read More →
Targeted Training Drives Results
Today’s technology, instead of threatening F&I managers, can actually make them better, according to an industry veteran who’s watched market setbacks roil the unprepared.
Read More →
Double the Change, Double the Chance
When an F&I manager gets a customer refusal, it’s a wise move to tweak more than one thing in the product offering.
Read More →
Just Do It
F&I managers need training, but instead of resisting application or expecting perfection, they should improve by simply acting on what they learn.
Read More →
Dealer Lender Preferences Revealed
When lenders provide consistent, fast service, their overall satisfaction scores with dealers greatly improve, according to JD Power research.
Read More →
Leading with Purpose
In this video, Trent White explains how understanding your people’s 'why' is a key leadership responsibility of F&I professionals and how that mindset drives dealership engagement, trust and performance.
Read More →
Integrating Nontraditional F&I Products
The niche presents a strategic advantage for auto dealerships as they move to adapt to fast-changing consumer expectations in today’s market.
Read More →