Michael Webb from AutoEngage joined the conversation at the NCM Feel the Future Fixed Ops Summit to discuss a challenge that continues to impact dealerships of every size: keeping service lanes full while delivering a customer experience that matches modern expectations.
Many dealerships still rely on workflows that require customers to complete multiple steps before securing an appointment. A customer receives a text, clicks a link, enters vehicle information, selects services, and then waits for confirmation. While functional, these processes create friction that often reduces engagement.
Customer expectations have changed. Consumers interact daily with companies that provide immediate responses, personalized experiences, and seamless transactions.
The easier it becomes for customers to schedule service, the more likely they are to return and maintain an ongoing relationship with the dealership.
"People expect now an Amazon experience."
Michael Webb
Effective communication between service visits plays a major role in customer retention.
Rather than sending generic reminders or asking customers to call the dealership, AI-driven scheduling tools can use information already stored in the DMS to create personalized conversations. Vehicle history, mileage, declined services, recalls, maintenance recommendations, and customer information can all be used to guide scheduling discussions.
The objective is to remove unnecessary steps for the customer. Instead of directing someone to another website or asking them to contact the dealership, the conversation itself becomes the scheduling process. Available appointment times can be presented immediately, capacity can be managed automatically, and appointments can be written directly into the scheduler.
One of the most valuable aspects of automation is reducing administrative workload.
Many dealership teams spend significant time managing appointment requests, uploading customer lists, creating campaigns, and coordinating follow-up efforts. AI scheduling platforms help automate those activities by continuously reviewing DMS data and identifying opportunities for customer outreach.
Declined services, maintenance intervals, recalls, connected vehicle alerts, and previous repair history can all trigger proactive communication without requiring constant manual intervention.
For service managers, this allows more time to focus on operations, staffing, customer experience, and capacity planning.
Technology alone does not create customer loyalty. The experience surrounding that technology does.
Dealerships are increasingly competing against the convenience consumers experience elsewhere. Customers expect fast communication, simple scheduling, personalized interactions, and minimal effort. When service departments remove friction from those interactions, retention improves and customer pay opportunities increase.
The focus is moving beyond operational efficiency and toward creating a better overall customer journey. Scheduling, communication, service recommendations, and follow-up all contribute to how customers perceive the dealership experience.
AI-powered scheduling is helping dealerships simplify service operations while creating a more convenient customer experience. By using DMS data intelligently, automating appointment workflows, and maintaining personalized communication between visits, dealerships can improve retention, reduce administrative workload, and create stronger customer relationships.
As consumer expectations continue evolving, convenience and responsiveness will play an increasingly important role in fixed operations success.