2023 Service Marketing PLan

To accelerate sales in the new year, you need a well-defined marketing strategy that aligns with your company's goals. Marketing typically drives revenue rather than the reverse in most successful businesses. The US Small Business Administration recommends spending 7-8% of gross income on marketing and advertising if you are doing less than $5 million a year in sales. Marketing for service operations is equally important as it is for sales.

 Service feeds Sales, and Sales feeds service.

 Service marketing will increase COD or cash service calls. The optimum ratio for retail dealers is 70:30, COD to warranty service. Tragically the pandemic has destroyed that ratio, with many dealers now doing 100% warranty to keep their customers happy during the increased demand for new appliances.

 Service operations will never be profitable at 100% warranty.

To turn this around, dealers must increase COD and maintain their warranty service calls. The start of the new year is an excellent time to resolve to turn this dire situation around. These five marketing activities will attract new customers without depleting the marketing budget.

1.    Website – make sure it is instantly evident to visitors of your company website that you offer service, and convey your service value proposition or SVP.

2.    Claim your Google and Bing business pages, and depict your service operations. Pictures can tell a great story about your service offering.

3.    Social Media feeds are essential marketing activities and effective for communicating your sales and service operations to your followers and their friends. Make sure you are addressing your customer’s service issues in your posts. Don't forget YouTube, owned by Google. Video content adds significant search engine optimization to your overall marketing and is simple to create.

4.    Online reviews aid consumers' choice of service providers when the need arises. Make sure your company actively solicits and responds to online reviews.

5.    Service Blogs are an essential part of any marketing plan. Providing they are current, relative, and authoritative in addressing your customer's service questions, such as how to load their dishwasher or remove cranberry stains from a white tablecloth. 2-4 blogs per month are required to be effective, and it can be challenging to maintain that cadence. AVB Marketing offers a cost-effective solution with its Service blog content creation services. Ask your BrandSource member relations manager for details.

I guarantee you this; If you do nothing, there will be no change in your service business, and you'll continue to lose money in service. These five marketing steps are simple, cost-effective, and deliver results. Delegate this activity and hold that person accountable for designing and executing your service marketing plan for 2023.

Marketing is only one component of a successful service operation. The list of necessary service management skills for profitable service is long and includes financial planning, setting service rates, employee relations, increasing efficiencies,  CSR training, parts inventory and warranty claims management, technician recruitment, and training. A good service manager requires these skills to succeed, but such training often falls short or is elusive to many Service Managers today.

The ISM at the 2023 Summit addresses this training shortfall.

In its inaugural event at the 2023 Summit, BrandSource will provide dedicated service management training to support members' Service Managers to excel in their roles back home. Service Dealers, rise above the competition and become a BrandSource Certified Service Manager at Service Source's Institute of Service Management (ISM), an event with a laser focus on Service Management Training. Designed to meet the unique needs of service management leaders, the Institute of Service Management program will explore the strategic and tactical elements of service management strategy. ISM course content will include the following:

·         Service Financials

·         Setting Profitable Service Rates

·         Service Department Efficiency

·         Technician Recruitment

·         CSR Training to Book More Calls

·         Managing Online Reviews

·         Service Marketing

·         Parts Inventory Management

·         Warranty Claims Best Practices

·         Employee Relations

Concluding the 10-hour training, attendees will be required to achieve 80% on the final exam to receive certification. Space for this program is limited, so register today and plan to bolster your service department in 2023. For any questions or registration, please contact your Member Relations Manager at 888-254-9586 or memberrelations@brandsource.com.

Happy New Year!

Paul MacDonald

Senior Lead @ ServiceSource

Coach @ The Expert Service Program

Cell 647-500-7785