How Keyes Bell Road Toyota raised its CSI to 94.7% with Lyft
INDUSTRY | AUTOMOTIVE
Challenge
With 3,800 monthly service customers and only three shuttle vans, getting customers where they needed to go when their cars were in the shop was a daily struggle for the team at Keyes Bell Road Toyota.
Solution
The service department began using Lyft Concierge so that customers could get where they needed to go while their car was in the shop.
Impact
- 94.7% CSI score – up two percentage points from Toyota’s average
- $6,200 savings in the first month
- An increase in repair orders
Auto dealership eliminates shuttle cost and frustration, while delighting customers
The Keyes Bell Road Toyota dealership has been a player in the Phoenix, Arizona vehicle market for over 30 years. In the past few years, sales have nearly doubled, a trend that has caused a corresponding increase in service department business.
The challenge
Initially, Keyes Bell Road Toyota had three shuttles and a rental car fleet to help customers get where they needed to go while their cars were in the shop. “We had three shuttle drivers, three vans, three phones, and a board where we separated east and west,” says Scott Huggett, service director.
Each morning, Bell Road’s shuttle drivers experienced a rush, trying to get customers to work after they’d dropped off their cars for service. Customers got impatient. Drivers got stressed out. When service members recommended potential upsells to customers waiting on shuttles, the answer was likely to be, “No.”
The dealership had also eliminated its loaner fleet as another option for service customers. “You never recover all the potential costs of an internal fleet,” explains Huggett.
The cost of shuttle service — including drivers, vans, gas, phones, insurance, tires, and other costs — was another big budget item. The company was anxious to minimize those expenses, while increasing customer satisfaction.
“Our customer satisfaction index (CSI) score has increased 1.5 to 2 percentage points, up to 94.7% at the end of 2018. I attribute that rise to our Lyft service, because that’s the biggest change we’ve had.”
— Scott Huggett
Service Director, Keyes Bell Road Toyota
The opportunity
In 2016, Huggett heard that a sister store had started using rideshare for their service customers, and decided to explore it as an option for Keyes Bell Road Toyota. Since it was a new concept for the dealership, he wanted to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who could help him through the process.
The solution
Huggett was impressed with the Lyft representative who got him started with Bell Road’s service. “He gave me the lowdown through a webinar, and we basically signed up then and there,” he says. “Lyft made it easy.”
Huggett’s team began using Lyft Concierge in April 2016, to schedule customer rides on demand. “We load the customer’s information into Concierge, hit enter, and the customer gets a text message in seconds, letting them know a Lyft ride will be there in just a few minutes,” says Huggett.
“There’s no service department in America that can get a customer picked up at their store and to their destination that quickly,” he says.
TOP BENEFITS INCLUDE
Fast service
Keyes Bell Road Toyota’s CSI score has risen as high as two percentage points, ending 2018 with a 94.7% score, while servicing 3,800 cars per month. Huggett credits Lyft’s speed of service with that rise.
"I'm constantly complimented by customers. They love the fact that we use Lyft. They love the fact that it's so fast." -Scott Huggett
Lower costs
Keyes Bell Road Toyota eliminated the costs of its shuttles and its internal loaner fleet, saving $6,200 in the first month of using Lyft.
"Customers don't even think to ask for a loaner any more. They just say, 'I'll take a Lyft ride.'" -Scott Huggett
Increased service revenue
Keyes Bell Road Toyota customers no longer have to wait for shuttles. With Lyft as an option, it’s convenient to get where they need to go while their car is being worked on. As a result, they’re more likely to agree to additional services. In the first year of using Lyft, Bell Road’s repair orders increased 400 per month.
"Lyft is a profit center for us. I’m spending $7,000 to $8,000 per month on Lyft, and I know I’m making money on every one of those customers." -Scott Huggett
Looking ahead
Huggett looks forward to partnering with Lyft for additional services in the future. “Lyft is a leader,” he says. “Our partnership offers opportunities for both companies.”
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