Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins
Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

How To Drive More Traffic To Your Service Drive!

October 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

How To Drive More Traffic To Your Service Drive

Most dealerships losing traffic assume the solution is either advisor training or more marketing. Chris Collins argues that neither is usually the real answer — and that "getting more traffic is very expensive." The better play, he says, is to focus on what you're already doing with the customers you have. But in this episode of Service Drive Revolution, he and co-host Adam (Hoagie) set aside that caveat and walk through what actually works when you do need to drive more cars into the bay.

Why traffic is down — and why retention matters more

The immediate context: many dealerships haven't been selling enough new cars over the last few years. Since most service departments lose roughly 80% of their customers once they're out of warranty, a drop in new-car sales creates a delayed but predictable decline in service traffic about a year later. Customers who would have been warranty-bound start drifting to independents.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:01) **Ad Break** - Shipstation and Mazda advertisements.
  • 2 (01:04) **Show Open & Bears-Packers Banter** - Chris Collins opens the show with Hoagie and Adam, lighthearted football rivalry talk.
  • 3 (03:46) **Question of the Day: Disclaimers on Repair Orders** - Listener "rollerpig" asks about protecting against customers claiming lot damage.
  • 4 (08:02) **Firing Customers vs. Long-Term Reputation** - The hosts discuss the rarity of actually banning customers and its correlation with high performance.
  • 5 (11:05) **The "Broken Windows" Theory Applied to the Service Drive** - The energy and organization of a department directly attract or repel problems.
  • 6 (14:33) **Key Takeaway on Lot Damage** - The solution is to make friends, not just document damage.
  • 7 (15:16) **Top Tog Event Update** - The hosts promote their upcoming live event.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Chris Collins

Show Notes

Does your Service Department really need more traffic—or are you paying to acquire customers your existing process will lose?

In Service Drive Revolution #378, Chris "Bulldog" Collins, Hogi and Adam break down how dealerships and independent repair shops can increase repair-order traffic without relying on ineffective blanket coupons or expensive advertising.

The team explains why retention should come before acquisition, especially when many dealerships lose customers after the warranty period. They cover appointment reminders, declined-work follow-up, lost-customer campaigns, social media storytelling, local events, AEO visibility and the strategic role of a properly managed Service BDC.

Chris also explains why Service Departments should stop posting generic vehicle content and start telling stories about customers, lifestyles and vehicle ownership. Plus: How to track marketing with dedicated op codes, why BDC employees should be compensated for customers who actually show up and why a great customer experience remains the most powerful traffic strategy.

🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Retention Before Acquisition: Keeping an existing customer is easier and less expensive than purchasing another one through advertising.

  • Fix the Experience First: More traffic only exposes a broken phone process, long appointment delays, weak communication or poor customer experience.

  • Use Multiple Reminder Channels: Schedule the next visit before the customer leaves, then use stickers, email, direct mail and phone calls.

  • Recover Lost Opportunities: Call customers with declined work, missed appointments and overdue maintenance.

  • Tell Stories on Social Media: Lifestyle, personality, expertise and real customer stories outperform generic vehicle photos and promotional posts.

  • Prepare for AI Search: AEO helps dealerships and repair shops become visible when customers ask ChatGPT and other AI platforms for recommendations.

  • Use Events to Build Relationships: Car-care clinics and partnerships with complementary local businesses create traffic, loyalty and vehicle-sales opportunities.

  • Turn the BDC Into a Force Multiplier: Compensate BDC representatives for completed shows—not appointments—and use them for outbound campaigns and no-show recovery.

  • Track Every Campaign: Dedicated op codes reveal whether incentives and promotions generated incremental traffic or merely discounted existing customers.

  • Stop Blanket Discounting: A coupon redeemed by someone who already needed a tow did not create the repair order.

FAQ

Q: How can a dealership increase Service Department traffic? A: Start with retention, reminders, declined-work calls, lost-customer campaigns, social media, local events, AI visibility and a properly managed

Service Drive Revolution with Chris Collins

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