Retention Roadmap: Navigating Service Success for New Car Dealerships

How Smart Dealers Turn Recalls into Long-Term Customers

Most dealerships treat recalls like an obligation, but what if they’re actually one of the most powerful opportunities to win customers back? The question is whether you’re using it to rebuild relationships and drive long-term value.
In this episode, Bill Springer sits down with Adam Mancuso, CEO of Automotive Data Analytics and former COO of Ferrari Lake Forest, whose family has spent nearly a century in the car business. Adam shares how dealerships can unlock the hidden potential of recall campaigns, from improving data accuracy to executing outreach that gets customers back in the door. The conversation covers the operational gaps most dealers overlook, the role of phone-first communication, and how recall visits can lead to customer pay work, future service visits, and even vehicle sales.
What we discuss in the episode:
Why recalls are one of the most effective ways to re-engage lost or inactive customers
How poor data quality and lack of process limit recall performance
Why phone calls drive the majority of recall conversions
The revenue opportunity behind recall visits, including 20–30% customer pay conversion rates
How to avoid common pitfalls like scheduling recalls without parts availability
Resources from this episode:
Automotive Data Analytics
Social Media:
Connect with Adam on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn

The Leadership Discipline Behind Real Retention

What if your retention problem isn’t hiding in your marketing, but in your leadership? Too many dealerships treat retention like a report to manage instead of a standard to live by. And when leaders focus on numbers instead of behaviors, both employees and customers quietly drift away.
 
In this episode of Retention Roadmap, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill Springer sits down with Joe Clementi, Executive Vice President at Traver Connect. With nearly 30 years in automotive retail—including overseeing more than 100 service operations nationwide—Joe shares why retention isn’t a metric problem, but a standards problem. From employee engagement and structured development to technology, trust, and the future workforce, Joe breaks down how dealerships can move from transactional thinking to transformational leadership that keeps both customers and employees coming back.
 
What we discuss in the episode:
Why retention is a leadership behavior issue
The direct connection between employee retention and customer loyalty
The difference between one-off training and true development (and why it matters)
How culture shows up in everyday service lane behaviors
Why investing in people is the #1 strategy for protecting retention in 2026 and beyond
Resources from this episode:
Traver Connect
Social Media:
Connect with Joe on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
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The Real Role of AI in Service Retention

The service drive isn’t always where customers decide to leave. More often, it happens after hours, between visits, or during a second call that never gets answered. Nothing dramatic, but just enough friction for a customer to try somewhere else.
 
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill Springer is joined by Sean Hartman, Founder of Toma AI, to explore how AI can help dealerships capture and resolve these moments without sacrificing trust or personalization. Sean shares where communication most often breaks down in fixed ops, how adoption matters just as much as capability when introducing new technology, and why AI should be designed to support service teams. The conversation also dives into what dealerships should measure early on to ensure AI is actually improving retention, not just efficiency.
 
What we discuss in the episode:
Where service communication breaks down most often and why customers notice
How missed calls and stalled conversations quietly erode trust
Why AI adoption depends on design, transparency, and continuity
Which interactions AI handles well today and when human empathy still matters most
The KPIs that matter when rolling out AI in service operations
Resources from this episode:
Toma AI
Social Media:
Connect with Sean via Email
Connect with Sean on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn

Why Retention Will Define the Dealerships That Win 2026

Most dealerships talk about retention like it’s a campaign. Eddie Campbell sees it as a culture problem. From the service drive to the GM’s office, the decisions leaders make every day quietly determine whether customers come back or disappear without a word.
 
In this episode, Bill Springer welcomes back Eddie Campbell, industry veteran, former General Manager of Forest Lane CDJR, and the first repeat guest on Retention Roadmap. Eddie shares hard-earned lessons from moving up through service into the GM seat, why most dealerships underestimate service’s impact on the entire store, and how tires, social media, and employee stability play a bigger role in retention than most leaders realize. The conversation also digs into why short-term thinking kills loyalty, how social media is becoming a retention engine (and an AI signal), and what kindness and culture really have to do with long-term profitability.
 
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why service experience changes how GMs lead the entire dealership
How tires became the #1 customer defection point and how to fix it
The hidden cost of constant GM and employee turnover on retention
Why social media is now a direct retention and trust-building tool
How kindness, culture, and consistency quietly drive long-term loyalty
 
Resources from this episode:
Eddie In Service
Social Media:
Connect with Eddie on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn

How Mobile Service Protects Post-Warranty Revenue

Convenience isn’t just a perk anymore; it’s the line between keeping a customer and losing them for good. As vehicles get more expensive and expectations rise, dealerships face a hard truth: customers won’t fight friction just to stay loyal. The solution? Meet customers where they are — literally — while removing confusion at the moments that cause the most defections.
In this episode, Bill Springer sits down with Karl Murphy, CEO of Get Spiffy, to unpack how mobile service and clearer tire education are reshaping dealership retention strategies. Karl shares what dealers are getting wrong about post-warranty defection, why tires remain one of the biggest loyalty killers in fixed ops, and how convenience-first service models are helping top dealerships dramatically outperform industry averages.
What we discuss in the episode:
Why post-warranty retention is the most overlooked profit lever in fixed ops
How mobile service shifts from “nice to have” to a strategic necessity
The role convenience plays in keeping customers loyal
Why tires are a major moment of truth (and how poor communication drives defection)
How tools like EasyTread turn tire conversations into trust-building experiences
Resources from this episode:
Get Spiffy
Contact Karl via email
Social Media:
Connect with Karl on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn

12% Gone: Where Dealerships Are Losing Service Visits

Ever feel like your dealership is doing all the right things and customers still drift away? Skyler Chadwick says the problem is a lack of clarity and confidence at the moments that matter most. His fix: stop checking boxes and start building trust with transparent pricing, tighter processes, and a service experience that makes customers feel certain they’re in the right place.
In this episode, Bill Springer sits down with Skyler, Director of Product Consulting at Cox Automotive, to unpack the latest findings from Cox Automotive’s Service Industry Study and what they signal for 2026 planning. They dig into why dealerships have lost ground to general repair, where the biggest retention drop-offs are happening (and why it’s earlier than many leaders think), and how fixed ops teams can turn the service lane into a retention engine.
Key takeaways from this episode:
Dealerships have lost 12% of service visits to competition since 2018 — and the biggest share shift is happening in general repair
The most alarming retention slide shows up as early as year 2, meaning the “safe zone” is shrinking
Longer service intervals mean fewer chances to impress, so the customer experience has to be sharper every time they visit
“Installed” technology doesn’t equal results
The service-to-sales handoff is a 2026 advantage: identify trade-in signals in the lane, do the work before the customer arrives
Resources from this episode:
Cox Automotive
Reach Skyler via Email
Social Media:
Connect with Skyler on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn

Service Is the Dealership: Don Hall’s Wake-Up Call for 2026

What if your service department isn’t being “outperformed”… but simply misunderstood? Don Hall argues that fixed ops is the real engine of the dealership, and the stores that treat it like an afterthought are quietly training customers (and technicians) to leave.
 
In this episode of Retention Roadmap, Bill Springer sits down with Don Hall, President & CEO of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA), for a candid conversation about what’s holding dealership service departments back — and what to change heading into 2026. Don breaks down why service advisors are the “biggest salespeople” in the store, how employee turnover becomes a retention killer, and why post-warranty customers are the most critical to protect. They also dig into recalls and warranty work as major loyalty opportunities, and the policy battles dealers can’t afford to ignore.
 
What we discuss in the episode:
Why senior leaders still underestimate fixed ops
How facility quality and technician treatment directly impact hiring, retention, and customer experience
The trust trap: why “trying to hit a home run” on one RO can cost you the next 10 visits
How to sell the dealership advantage vs. quick lubes and independents
Why recalls and warranty policy aren’t just “admin work”

What U.S. Dealers Can Learn from Australian Fixed Ops

Most dealers still treat retention as something you worry about after a customer disappears. But some OEMs and dealers are already experimenting with a playbook built on predictive data, subscription-style benefits, and emotional convenience that keeps customers from drifting away in the first place.
 
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, you’ll hear how shifting from reactive reminders to proactive, value-rich programs can help your dealership hold onto more customers for longer. Michael Johnson, Director of Customer Success for Infomedia in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, shares what he’s seeing across some of the most competitive and innovative automotive markets in the world. Drawing on experience with multiple OEMs and service technology platforms, Michael walks through the real forces shaping service retention in 2025 and 2026, where the biggest defect points are today, and how “preemptive care” and emotional convenience are becoming the new battleground.
 
What we discuss in the episode:
Why retention is shifting from reactive reminders to preemptive care built on connected vehicle data and predictive maintenance
How emotional convenience matters more than extended hours or fancy amenities
What Australia’s service-activated roadside programs and fixed-price servicing can teach U.S. dealers about keeping customers past warranty
Ways OEMs and dealers can share data and design programs that create clear value on both sides of the relationship
Three big opportunities ahead: practical AI in the workshop, “service loyalty indexing,” and subscription-style service ecosystems that lock in long-term loyalty
 
Resources from this episode:
Explore Infomedia
Social Media:
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Retention Roadmap on LinkedIn

Service Lane Appraisals That Actually Drive Retention

Most dealerships obsess over selling the next car and overlook the goldmine rolling through their service drive every day. If you’re only talking about retention at the CRM or marketing level, you’re missing opportunities. The fix is building a simple, disciplined service-lane acquisition process that treats every repair order as both a retention play and an inventory opportunity.
 
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill talks with Brian Kramer of Cars Commerce, who helped turn AccuTrade into a service-drive powerhouse for sourcing used vehicles while boosting service traffic and loyalty. Drawing from his time leading Germain Toyota of Naples and now working with large dealer groups, Brian breaks down how to appraise more vehicles with less friction, what KPIs actually matter, how to align service and sales without blowing up trust. You’ll also hear why AI-driven data and better digital experiences on your service and parts pages will separate tomorrow’s winners from everyone else.
 
What we discuss in the episode:
Turning everyday RO conversations into consistent service-lane vehicle acquisitions
Using a clear “acquisition champion” and simple KPIs to track appraisals, acquisitions, and missed trades
Aligning sales and service with guardrails, not micromanagement, to protect trust and CSI
Appraising more vehicles to increase trade capture and reduce missed trades
Leveraging AI and better UX on service/parts pages to grow fixed ops revenue and long-term retention
Resources from this episode:
Check out Cars Commerce
Social Media:
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn
Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube Channel
Follow Brian on Instagram

The OEM–Dealer Alignment That Keeps Customers Loyal

Chasing CSI while customers drift is like polishing the hood of a car that won’t start. If you’re measuring satisfaction but not repeat behavior, you’re missing the point and the sale. One quick fix: align OEM and dealership processes around ruthless convenience, proactive outreach, and service-drive plays that turn today’s RO into tomorrow’s trade.
In this week’s episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill talks with Dan Cantrell, Director of OEM Operations at Victory Automotive Group, about what moves retention in 2025. Dan shares why the real metric is whether that service customer buys their next vehicle from you, how Toyota reframed stores around loyalty and engagement (not vanity scores), and where clunky data and inconsistent DMS/CRM usage quietly erode trust. From service-drive appraisals to over-communicating tires, Dan lays out simple, repeatable programs that make returning feel like the default.
What we discuss in the episode:
Making the goal the next vehicle sale, not just the next visit
Turning connected-car alerts into automatic, human outreach and booked appointments
Closing the tire leak with constant, clear messaging and same-day conversion
Standardizing data so your processes actually scale
Using service-drive sales to feed both retention and used inventory
Preparing for EV + mobile service: software updates and at-home convenience raise the bar
Resources from this episode:
Victory Automotive Group
Social Media:
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Follow Roadmap Retention on LinkedIn