Why this matters
Two goals at delivery.
A great last impression
The customer has to remember who you are. If they do not, they never come back to you.
A customer who stays busy
A bored customer gets frustrated, then angry, then hands you a survey about wait time. An engaged brain makes time move differently.
A handoff to service
Service is the primary revenue generator of an established store. Retain the customer there and your closing ratio goes up the next time.
The delivery sequence
Run these in order. Tick them off on every deal.
DoIf finance will take a while, start delivering now. Pull an equal or lesser trim than the one they bought (never a higher trim they cannot have) and cover the basics: the computer, the radio, the owner's manual (most are digital or on the manufacturer's site). You do not need to program anything yet. If finance falls through, you have spent that hour showing why this is the right vehicle, and they will remember the good service.
WhyI lost the wait-time survey when he walked away and played a handheld game. Customers who stayed engaged did not punish him. Boredom turns to frustration, then anger, then a bad survey.
SayIf they come back rattled from finance: "It's okay, this is just what buying a car is like. Come on with me and let me teach you some cool stuff about your car." Your needs assessment is what makes you the safe one.
DoWalk the vehicle. Look for leftover soap, dirt, a scratch, packaging, plastic or rubber bands. If there is damage, go to your manager first and get the solution before you tell the customer.
DoStart with the five to seven items the customer said they needed, from your needs assessment notes (keep them on paper or scan them). Then cover the items the manufacturer asks you to deliver on., missing one of their five to seven is how you get hammered on functionality surveys.
Say"Here's the key. Push that button on the door." Adults are physical learners. Hand them the key, the start button, the lever. Do not try to cover everything, because the brain holds only about five to seven things in an hour.
DoPlug their phone in and show them the phone, text and maps buttons, then the voice button. For connected-car apps, cover only what they got excited about (for example, starting the car from the phone). It is like delivering a second car on top of the first.
DoWalking them to the car is the last thing you do. Never bring them back in for paperwork. If a manager needs a signature, the manager walks out. Introduce them to their service writer in person and make sure the writer knows this is your customer.
DoTake a photo of you, the customer and the new car. If you know when the survey hits, send them the photo a day or a few days after delivery, before the survey lands., people do not hurt friends on surveys.
Found damage? It is not the customer's problem
Fix it before they see it, and bring the solution with you.
"Oh, there is a scratch. Sorry, can you come back in?"
It makes the problem theirs, kills the survey and costs you the next deal."On Thursday our paint guy is in. I'll drop a vehicle off for you that day so you're never without a car."
Manager decides the fix first. The customer should not pay for it or be stranded.Manager rollout: 15 minutes
Run it in this week's sales meeting.
- Minutes 0 to 3. Ask: what do our customers do while they wait on finance, and who is with them? Name the two goals of delivery.
- Minutes 3 to 6. Walk the sequence. Agree on a shared rule: no customer walks back into the building after they reach their vehicle.
- Minutes 6 to 12. Pairs practice a 5-minute pre-finance walkthrough. The "customer" pushes the buttons while the consultant keeps hands off. The partner checks that the five to seven items came first.
- Minutes 12 to 15. Name the service writers. Each consultant picks one and commits to introducing every delivery to them. Decide who handles damage decisions and what loaner option you have.
Weekly inspection
Inspect the behavior, not the result. Surveys are the lagging number.
| Consultant | Deliveries | Started pre-finance | Five to seven items covered | Service intro done | Photo sent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Want this to run itself?
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See the pilotAndrew Sardone, host of the AutoKnerd Podcast · andrew@autoknerd.com