Customer retention in the dealership service department is about more than just numbers—it's about treating every customer as if they're family and earning their repeat and referral business. In this episode, Tully Williams, Fixed Operations Director at the Niello Company, emphasizes the importance of measuring retention consistently and realistically, sharing his unique insights on why customer-focused recommendations and competitive pricing strategies (especially with tires, brakes, batteries, and maintenance) directly impact dealership loyalty and profitability.
Tully also discusses practical steps dealerships can take to improve retention, such as refining tire sale processes, implementing targeted BDC outreach, and maintaining healthy advisor-to-technician ratios. From operational adjustments to building trust through transparent customer communications, Tully reveals how dealerships can successfully navigate critical defection points and transform everyday interactions into long-term customer relationships.
What we discuss in the episode:
- How to measure customer retention realistically (and why it matters)
- Why tires are a critical driver of long-term dealership loyalty
- The power of human outreach vs. automated messaging in retention strategies
- How technician-to-advisor ratios directly impact your retention and CSI
- Why selling recommendations you'd give your family boosts customer trust
Resources from this episode:
Social Media:
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.