“The goal was simple: they [Carvana] may sell vehicles, but we’ll service them,” says “Big” Al Gillespie, Chief Marketing Officer at Feldman Automotive
Introduction and Background
“Big” Al Gillespie, Chief Marketing Officer has worked with Feldman Automotive for 14 years and has been a part of the automotive industry for 27 years. Feldman Automotive has 20 stores in their group and over 50% of revenue comes from fixed ops.
Dawkins, open to testing anything that would grow his business, saw opportunity in using video and digital brochures to overcome those challenges.
Challenges
Five years ago, Carvana marked its presence next to one of Feldman Automotive’s stores, which led to a significant focus on its fixed ops marketing. The goal was simple: Carvana may sell vehicles but Feldman will service them. Gillespie recognized the importance of enhancing their fixed ops marketing to highlight their service offers, allowing them to maneuver around their competition.
A Brief Explanation of Service Offers
TradePending’s Service Offers (formerly Fixed Ops Digital) simplifies managing your dealership’s service offers. We make it easy to educate your customers with transparent pricing that stays in sync across your marketing channels.
Working Together
The platform allowed Feldman Auto to adapt and change specials dynamically based on different times of the year and customer requirements. Whether it’s tire rotation, front-end alignment, or anything else, they can update these specials quickly and efficiently. The ‘Download to Wallet’ feature has also been significant for Feldman’s customers. Customers can download service offers directly from Feldman websites into their Apple wallet. This user-friendly and customer-focused experience has helped increase their service revenue.
Location, Location, Location
TradePending works with each Feldman location individually to meet the specific demands and needs of each region. For example, front-end alignments are a major priority in the Detroit market due to harsh winters and potholes, which is not an issue in Columbus. Therefore, the promotions and customer focus are tailored differently for each market.
The Results
Thanks to Feldman’s great use of the Fixed Ops Digital platform and the continuous innovation from TradePending, Gillespie continued to drive revenue growth and enhance customer engagement, even with steep competition from Carvana.
Gillespie envisions the future of the service platform in bringing value to his dealerships. He shared, “I see ongoing innovation from the team. They are investing in improving the technology continuously. The focus on tech development is one of the main reasons I’ve chosen to stick with TradePending and Service Offers.”