FOSTER CITY, CALIF., March 31, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conversica, the leading provider of artificial intelligence-based lead engagement software for marketing and sales, today announced the launch of the Conversica® automotive service assistant, an AI-based solution for automotive dealerships and their service departments that engages new car buyers and present and past service customers in natural, two-way email conversations to get them into the service drive. This automated yet human engagement with service customers frees up service advisors to focus on the day's service appointments, ensures excellent communication and a great experience for service customers and builds a long-lasting relationship between dealer and customer.
With a 72% gross revenue margin, the service center is the most profitable department in a dealership and is the main point of contact for creating a lifelong relationship with the customer. Moreover, 82% of car buyers that service with their dealership will buy their next car from that dealership and consequently, over a lifetime, one customer is worth on average over $500,000 in revenue from car purchases, servicing and parts. Therefore, keeping a customer engaged with the dealership at every stage of ownership is vital to future revenue.
"The ability to engage service customers – and keep them engaged – is critical to a dealership's revenue and, even more important, its ability to retain those customers through to the next buying cycle," explains Conversica CEO Alex Terry. "But contacting and engaging service customers takes time, effort and close monitoring, and that's just not possible for the typical service team when there are hundreds or thousands of customers to delight each month. Not surprisingly, good opportunities get dropped. But now dealers can leave that engagement process to Conversica, freeing their service people to do what they do best – provide excellent service."
With artificial intelligence for auto service, Conversica also delivers valuable information about potential service customers to the service department. With details from the AI conversation, service advisors will be prepared to engage each customer when, where and how that person prefers. The auto service assistant is designed to easily and effectively handle situations such as:
- Engaging service leads in real time as they come in through the dealer website
- Encouraging new car buyers to make their first service appointment
- Engaging new car buyers who have never scheduled a service
- Reengaging customers who have been in for service but not returned
- Following up after service appointments to gauge customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement
"In service, you're always worried about your defection rate, more than anything else," says Dayn Riegel, Digital Director at Loganville Ford. "A defection is a hard pill to swallow because that customer was hard-won, and if they walk after the warranty's over, you're probably never going to sell them another car. So we're really looking forward to seeing Conversica's new service product do the same for us as they did for our sales: engage, cultivate and help retain customers with whom we otherwise would not stay in touch."
Conversica's new auto service assistant will debut at the 2016 NADA Convention and Expo. Attendees are invited to visit Conversica at booth #3843C for a live product demonstration and a chance to sign-up for their own AI sales or service assistant at an attractive show-special price.
NADA is being held in Las Vegas, March 31–April 3. For more information, visit the event's website at www.nadaconvention.org. For more information on the Conversica automated service assistant, visit www.conversica.com/auto-service.
About Conversica
Conversica is the leading provider of lead engagement software for marketing and sales organizations. Driven by artificial intelligence technology, Conversica's automated sales assistant automatically contacts, engages, nurtures, qualifies and follows up with leads via natural, two-way email conversations until the lead converts into an opportunity or opts out. The sales assistant interprets the lead's intention and sentiment in email replies and extracts key information, such as phone numbers and the best time to call, then expertly hands off the lead to the appropriate salesperson to close the deal. As a result, Conversica customers find their next customers more quickly and efficiently, with no leads left behind.
Used by more than 12,000 sales representatives worldwide, Conversica maximizes sales opportunities by optimizing sales team productivity and has helped create more than $8 billion in revenue. Conversica is a portfolio company of Kennet Partners and Toba Capital, and is headquartered in Foster City, California.
To learn more, visit www.conversica.com and follow us on Google+, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=39649
