BURLINGTON, Vt. — Dealer.com, a provider of online marketing solutions, has launched the “Service Marketing Package,” an automated solution that delivers service content for dealers’ Websites.

While fixed operations are a critical dealer profit center, several trends have converged and caused a growing number of consumers to defect to independent service providers.  Dealer.com’s “Service Marketing Package” combats these trends by enabling dealers to build stronger customer relationships through cutting-edge Website content as well as customized communications delivered more frequently and at a lower cost than conventional direct mail.

“We are pleased to introduce this turnkey, ‘set it and forget it’ solution that helps dealers increase their service business by providing rich, relevant content to the right customers at the right time,” said Dean Evans, chief marketing officer of Dealer.com. “This is the ultimate in fixed operations marketing — it requires minimal maintenance or human intervention, yet delivers a proven, trackable ROI.” 

Evans continued, “We are setting a new industry benchmark for Website service content, which is critical because the number of Internet searches for vehicle service is growing rapidly, and about 60 percent of the visitors to a dealer’s Website are going to the service page.”

With the “Service Marketing Package,” all of a dealership’s sales and service customers receive a free Online Garage, powered by DriverSide – an online vehicle ownership service – and integrated with the dealer’s DMS, so it automatically includes personalized service and repair information. It also includes hundreds of proprietary articles and videos, community features, and information and reviews about new vehicles.

Customers receive customized e-mails such as service reminders (based on their service histories and OEM maintenance schedules), recall alerts and newsletters. The solution also includes functionality developed by Dealer.com that enables dealers to automatically send promotional offers or coupons – adjusted based on the customer’s response over time – which are designed to improve search engine performance as well as service sales.

In pilot stores, the solution has significantly enhanced dealer revenues and profitability by delivering a 12 percent improvement in recapturing “lost” customers; a 19 percent improvement in customer loyalty; and a 27 percent increase in customer service frequency.