The average car owner does not fully trust or understand the service recommendations of dealerships. This lack of trust not only hurts a dealer’s success rate on additional service recommendations today, but also reduces the likelihood that customers will return for future needs. We estimate the average dealer loses at least $5,000 of gross margin every day from declined service recommendations. This panel discussion will focus on the importance of multimedia content, including real-time photos and videos, in addressing this problem. The panel will feature the perspective of dealer principals and executives at leading service-focused technology companies. Brad Simmons, Karen Dillon and Robert Cannon will be sharing their expertise with you.
What will you learn and what action items will you take back to the dealership?
1. How to incorporate photos, video and other media content into the service department
2. How to address trust issues in automotive repair process
3. How to focus on clear communication and education of customers during repair process
4. How to apply web-based technologies commonly used in car sales department to the service department
Brad Simmons is the founder and CEO of ClearMechanic, a technology company that allows service departments to “visually explain” repairs. Simmons has experience spanning a range of business and consumer services industries having spent time at startups and in the financial services industry as both an investor and advisor. Most recently, he was director of business development for RealClearPolitics, a start-up news aggregator purchased by Forbes Media. He also has experience as a private equity investor at Lindsay Goldberg & Bessemer, a $10 billion investment firm, where he oversaw $400 million of equity commitments in business services sectors. Prior to that he worked as an investment banker at Goldman, Sachs & Co. with concentration on consumer services firms. He graduated with honors from Princeton and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Karen Dillon has been involved in the automotive industry for the past 26 years. She is currently the president/CEO of TimeHighway.com. TimeHighway.com is the premier, online solution for service department appointment scheduling, allowing dealership customers to make a confirmed service appointment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It provides many benefits to the dealership – replacing telephone-based scheduling with Internet technology that enhances the effectiveness and customer satisfaction of the dealership, reduces in-bound telephone calls and drives traffic to the dealer’s website. The tool also assists the service manager in managing the service drive and properly loading the shop.
Previous to her association with TimeHighway.com, she was co-owner of LML Technologies, the company that brought LeaseLink to the automotive industry.
Robert Cannon is chairman/CEO of AutoNetTV Media, Inc. AutoNetTV is a pioneer in automotive television programming for customers in waiting areas to educate and entertain them. The monthly program provides multiple options for businesses to integrate their branded messages within the programming content. Cannon has been involved in sales and operations management for various companies. His business background includes extensive work with multi-national corporations in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
11th Digital Dealer® Conference & Exposition Featured Speakers: Brad Simmons, Karen Dillon and Robert Cannon — Seeing is Believing: Using photos and videos to restore trust in the service department.
We’re building out the agenda, selecting speakers and topics for more than 90 sessions that are laser-focused on all things digital – Your Best Bet for Success! www.DigitalDealerConference.com