Is it time for an oil change or annual car inspection? Has it been a few weeks since your last car wash? Help your automotive service and car wash customers keep track of these things by sending timely and useful reminders, through a strong loyalty and rewards program.
Customer loyalty programs can do much more than drive transactions. They can create opportunities for increased customer satisfaction, initiate multiple touchpoints for brand engagement, and build foundations for emotional connections. Consumers are more likely to recommend brands with strong loyalty programs.
Automotive and car wash businesses provide services customers need on a regular and recurring basis. Give frequent customers reasons to continue choosing your business and keep them coming back by offering compelling rewards.
Look to our best practices, based on the data of millions of Bespeak subscribers, for tips on implementing a valuable rewards program.
1. Offer a Good Reason to Join
Overwhelming data suggests that a sign-up offer in an automotive service or car wash campaign is required to create an engaged customer base.
2. Finetune Rewards
What types of rewards drive the most transactions? For automotive service companies, free items and dollars-off service were the most popular reward offers. For car wash businesses, the top campaigns all shared a single common reward type: free items. Earning free car washes is an effective incentive at minimal cost to the merchant.
3. Know When to Send
The top broadcasts in the automotive service vertical were sent on Mondays (27%), Tuesdays (23%) and Thursdays (27%). This timing gives subscribers time to plan their service trips, taking into account any weekly deals and weekend specials.
The top broadcasts in the car wash vertical were sent on Thursdays (56%) and Fridays (31%). This timing puts weekend deals top of mind for the customer and reminds them to work a trip to the car wash into their weekend plans. Consider offering a helpful tip on the best time to come in: “Dirty Car? Beat the rush. Stop in Monday – Thursday to avoid long lines!”
4. Know What to Offer
Free items (43%), followed by percentage-off (24%), were the most popular broadcast offers for the automotive service vertical. Examples included free inspections, free automotive washes, and other free services. Think: “Come in or make an appointment for your Name of Service at Name of Shop. Get 10% off this week only with this exclusive txt! Not valid w/ other offers” or “Everyone loves the gift of a clean car! Today only – FREE CAR WASH w the purchase of a gift
card at Name of Shop! Open until 3 pm!”
Special prices on services were the top performing broadcasts in the car wash vertical. Examples include Detail Packages for $X, Premium Washes for $X, and Upgrades for $X.
For more tips, turnkey messaging templates, and best practices for growing your automotive service or car wash business, contact us.
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