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Cultivate loyal customers by turning your service drive into fertile ground with Nick Shaffer’s farming strategies.

In this episode, the hosts welcome Nick Shaffer, the VP of Sales at TVI-MarketPro3, to discuss innovative approaches to improving customer retention. Shaffer, who recently moved from Northern California to Houston, brings a wealth of experience from his extensive career in automotive retail, particularly in fixed operations. The conversation delves into the importance of shifting focus from customer satisfaction to customer retention, likening the process to farming rather than hunting. Shaffer emphasizes the necessity of a cohesive effort across departments and the value of establishing a robust handoff from sales to service.

The discussion highlights the groundbreaking approach of integrating mobile service drives into the customer experience. Shaffer shares a compelling story of a Ford dealership that effectively markets its mobile service by displaying it live in the service drive, providing customers a tangible and reassuring experience. This fundamental yet radical approach has proven successful in retaining clients by making the service process transparent and convenient.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier and Michael Cirillo
3:32 From Northern California to Houston: Nick shares his recent move and how it impacted his mountain biking hobby.
4:32 Extensive Experience in Fixed Ops: Nick discusses his journey in the automotive industry, starting from 2005, and his roles, including being a service manager at Hendrick Automotive Group.
7:15 Shift from Customer Satisfaction to Retention: Nick talks about the industry's pivot from focusing on customer satisfaction to measuring and enhancing customer retention, explaining why it's crucial for business success.
11:25 The Farming vs. Hunting Mentality: The conversation dives into the analogy of treating customer retention like farming, which requires patience and consistency, versus the immediate results-driven hunting approach.
16:02 Mobile Service Drives: A Radical Fundamental: Nick shares a story from ASOTU CON about a Ford dealership successfully integrating mobile service into their customer experience by showcasing it in the service drive.
19:02 The Sales-to-Service Handoff: Nick emphasizes the importance of a smooth handoff from sales to service, which is crucial for retaining customers and ensuring they return for service.

Nick Shaffer is the VP of Sales at TVI-MarketPro3

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