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5 Ways Cross-Selling With the Parts Department Can Raise Dealership Revenue

Cross-selling strategies might not seem like an immediate solution to a lull in sales at the dealership, but when done right they can be very effective. Raising revenue at the dealership is a challenge, especially in the digital age. Now that the majority of consumers are doing their shopping online, competing with other dealerships can easily be lost with the click of a button.

The right cross-selling strategies, with the right tools, can help you make up that lost profit.

What Cross-Selling Strategies Work?

Different cross-selling strategies require different approaches. For dealerships looking to raise revenue, having a strong parts department could be the key. Cross-selling strategies that help improve profits in the parts department are excellent tactics.

There are two major cross-selling strategies that involve and benefit the parts department: cross-selling between the parts and service departments and cross-selling between the sales and the parts departments. Both strategies have distinct advantages.

Parts and Service Strategy

Cross-selling between the parts and service departments is an excellent way to sell more parts and build a solid brand image for the dealership. When a customer gets their vehicle serviced, the service department needs to be part of the sales process just as strongly as the parts department. Service technicians should recommend parts to customers based on their vehicle needs and educate customers to deliver a higher quality service experience.

Customers will also be coming to your dealership to purchase parts. When this happens, your parts department should be able to recommend and help that customer schedule a service.

Parts and Sales Strategy

Another effective cross-selling strategy is to get the sales team involved in the accessories sales process. When customers purchase new vehicles or purchase more surface-level parts, the sales team should take part in selling them accessories to personalize their vehicles. This isn’t just a great way to sell more accessories and increase the bottom line, it’s also a great way to build customer loyalty to the dealership. The more positive you can make the shopping experience, the more likely your customers will think to return to your dealership in the future, whether they are shopping for parts or a new car.

With RevolutionParts, dealers have access to the Accessory Tool, which allows customers to visualize how accessories will look on their vehicle. Your sales team can utilize this feature to promote more accessory sales. Customers who accessorize their care are more likely to recommend their brand of vehicle to family and friends. In turn, accessory sales (and all positive sales from your dealership) can help drive future revenue.

Plus, 90% of all new car buyers accessorize their vehicle within the first 120 days, so be sure they are purchasing those accessories from your dealership.

How Do These Cross-Selling Tactics Help You?

Cross-selling may not be a typical practice within your dealership but it can be used to your advantage. There are five benefits that cross-selling can give you throughout the dealership.

Improves overall sales strategy
Improves customer service/customer satisfaction
Provides value to the customer
Helps streamline inventory predictions/management to meet future parts demand
Build better brand image/credibility

How Do These Cross-Selling Tactics Help You?

Cross-selling may not be a typical practice within your dealership but it can be used to your advantage. There are five benefits that cross-selling can give you throughout the dealership.

Improving Overall Sales Strategy

While cutting overhead costs can be an effective way to boost the bottom line, at the end of the day, no matter how many costs you cut your sales numbers still need to improve to make a decent profit. Cross-selling allows you to improve your sales strategy across the board. It gets all the departments in your dealership to take an active role in the sales process.

Improving Customer Service

Cross-selling allows you to build higher-quality customer service. When customers make purchases from your dealership, they can get a seamless shopping experience between departments. When two or more departments are involved in the sales process, it reinforces the customer’s experience with helpful information and positive interactions with the staff. These can help improve customer satisfaction across the board.

Delivering Higher Value

Customers want to know that they’re getting the best value for their money. Whether that’s through product quality, service quality, or overall experience, they need to see how much value they’re getting in return. Cross-selling allows your customers to get the most value out of their shopping experience by giving them the information, tools, and attention they need.

Assisting Inventory Management

Having trouble determining what parts you need to stock up on for the next inventory cycle? Cross-selling strategies can help you determine what you need to have to line the shelves. There’s no better prediction strategy than having multiple departments report back to the parts counter with a list of the parts and accessories customers want. Stock up on enough of the right parts and you can increase your strongest revenue streams.

Building Strong Brand Image

Oftentimes the best way to increase revenue for your dealership is to build a strong brand image among your customers. Utilizing cross-selling strategies to improve your customer service and make your dealership a credible source of information can strengthen your dealership’s brand image. A high-quality brand image means that your customers trust you and will likely return to your dealership for anything in the future. Which means more potential revenue for your business.

Raise Revenue Within Your Dealership

If you want to increase revenue in your dealership, a great place to start is the parts department. You can use the parts department as part of your new strategy by giving your customers a great modern experience they have come to expect from your dealership while also building your brand image nationwide. Download our free guide, Transform Your Dealership in 6 Months by Selling Parts Online, to learn how you can add additional revenue to your dealership.