Retention Roadmap: Navigating Service Success for New Car Dealerships

Most dealerships don’t lose customers years down the road, but at the very first oil change. That early defection is costing dealerships future service visits, tire sales, and even repeat vehicle purchases. The solution? Build retention into the customer’s journey from day one and invest in your culture and technology to keep both employees and customers engaged.

In this episode of Retention Roadmap, Bill Springer sits down with Robert Migliaccio, Service Director at Carter Myers Automotive, to explore the biggest retention challenges dealerships face today. Robert shares how CMA is tackling early defectors, why employee culture is a retention multiplier, and how tools like video MPIs and AI can boost transparency and trust. From tire sales to technician buy-in, Robert’s leadership philosophy blends process, culture, and technology into a practical roadmap for lasting loyalty.

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If you're still trying to control every slot on your scheduler, you're probably pushing customers away. Today’s customers don’t want to call. They don’t want to wait. And they don’t want to be told when they can’t come in. They want control, convenience, and clarity. Dealerships that give them that? They’re the ones earning long-term retention. So, how do you design a service experience that gives customers control without losing visibility or profitability?

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill Springer sits down with Tiffani Stefanescu, Director of Performance Management at Cox Automotive. With a 13-year career spanning Xtime’s early startup days to her current leadership role, Tiffani shares how data, technology, and cross-brand collaboration can elevate the service experience from first appointment to final trade-in.

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What builds real loyalty in today’s service lane? It’s not flashy tech. It’s trust. And that starts the moment a customer steps out of their car. Want to make customers come back again and again? Teach your advisors to become “my mechanic.”

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill talks with Ron Maki, a fixed ops leader with nearly four decades in the industry, including corporate leadership roles at Volkswagen of America. Ron shares practical, memorable strategies that blend people-first communication with smart use of technology like video MPIs and OEM apps. If you’ve ever wondered how to maintain a more human approach to retention in a tech-heavy world, this conversation is your roadmap.

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What if improving customer retention had nothing to do with discounts, campaigns, or clever emails, and everything to do with your team? Before you worry about bringing customers back, ask yourself: Would you come back if the service advisor changes every six months?

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill Springer sits down with Austin Conroy, Regional Fixed Ops Director at Rohrman Automotive Group and the creator behind the viral “Dealer Plate Guy” brand. Austin shares why employee retention is the overlooked foundation of customer loyalty and how empowering frontline teams can transform the service experience. He also dives into his journey building a 200K+ following on social media, the surprising ways it’s impacted hiring and culture, and his candid takes on trust, transparency, and what most dealerships still get wrong about tires.

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Most dealerships are intrigued by AI, but many are still stuck in the dark when it comes to using it effectively. Instead of solving real problems, they’re overwhelmed by dashboards, buried in reports, and stuck blasting the same messages to every customer. The result? Missed opportunities, service defection, and underwhelming ROI on the tools they already have.

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill sits down with Todd Smith, CEO and co-founder of QoreAI, to explore how dealerships can use artificial intelligence to enhance their retention strategy. From data hygiene to behavioral targeting, Todd outlines the steps every dealer can take to build smarter communication, improve the customer experience, and stop defections before they happen.

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What if your biggest threat to retention isn’t the competition, but your own calendar? Most dealerships don’t lose customers all at once. They just stop showing up. But with AI and a few simple process shifts, you can catch defection before it happens and make retention feel automatic.

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, we welcome Dave Foy, a veteran of automotive retail and founder of the Automotive AI Summit. With decades of experience across OEMs, dealership groups, and vendors, Dave unpacks how dealerships can use predictive insights, emerging tech, and smarter workflows to improve retention and streamline fixed ops. From managing advisor burnout to identifying service risks in your data, this episode is packed with practical strategies that every GM and fixed ops leader should hear.

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What if your best retention strategy had nothing to do with pricing, loyalty programs, or even your shop’s hours, and everything to do with how your service advisors say "good morning"? Most customers don’t come back because they weren’t helped… they were handled.

The fix? Train your advisors to build relationships, not just close tickets.

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill Springer sits down with Kieran Stack, founder of Service 101 and a sought-after voice in global aftersales training. Known for his practical approach and advisor-first philosophy, Kieran shares why dealership processes haven’t kept pace with modern expectations and how that’s holding back customer loyalty and employee success. From rethinking advisor onboarding to the words that destroy trust at the counter, this conversation cuts straight to the core of what makes or breaks retention.

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Offering mobile service sounds like a win-win, but for many dealerships, the logistics feel overwhelming. How do you staff it? Route it? Make money on it? And will customers even use it consistently?

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill sits down with Amit Chandarana, CEO of Curbee, a mobile service software platform that’s helping dealerships turn these questions into action. Drawing on Curbee’s roots in Tesla’s early mobile service operations, Amit shares how their platform — MARS — enables dealerships to deliver at-home service that’s efficient, profitable, and deeply aligned with customer expectations. From new OEM incentives to optimizing for recalls and reactivating lost customers, this conversation covers what it really takes to make mobile service work.

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Most customers expect a modern, seamless experience everywhere they go, so why does the dealership service lane still rely on clipboards and key drops? It’s time to ask whether your service experience reflects the kind of innovation and convenience today’s customers take for granted.

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, we talk with Richard Lupo, Fixed Operations Director at Apple Tree Honda and Acura, about how he’s transformed his service department with 24/7 kiosks, media-rich inspections, and full tech integration with Reynolds & Reynolds. Richard shares how these changes are driving customer retention, advisor satisfaction, and increased revenue—plus why building trust, empowering employees, and redefining value are just as important as any tool or tech.

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The success of dealership service departments often hinges on effectively setting and securing first service appointments—a pivotal step many dealerships overlook. But it could significantly boost customer retention through strategic processes and engaging customer experiences.

In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Patti Tremonti, CEO of MTN Automotive Training Systems, outlines the importance of dealership-wide participation in scheduling first appointments, proactive communication, and building a transparent and welcoming environment that encourages repeat visits. She also introduces innovative solutions such as subscription-based prepaid maintenance plans and detailed video inspections. We also dive deeper into how these tools build trust, enhance transparency, and provide the convenience that today's customers expect, transforming service interactions into opportunities for long-term customer loyalty and increased dealership revenue.

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