Why Service Acquisition Is the New Customer Acquisition Strategy for Dealerships

What if your service drive became your most powerful customer acquisition tool? In this episode of the Fixed Ops Roundtable, Sarah Van Tine and Ted Ings sit down with industry leaders from The Niello Company, DriveCentric, Cars.com, ACV, and ACP to discuss why service acquisition is becoming one of the most important growth strategies in automotive retail. The conversation explores how dealerships can use the service lane to strengthen customer relationships, identify trade opportunities, improve retention, and create a better overall ownership experience. Topics covered include: • Why service acquisition is about winning customers, not just buying cars • How service customers create opportunities for future sales and trade-ins • The role of vehicle valuations in the service drive • Creating transparency and trust throughout the customer journey • Using data and technology to identify customer opportunities • Why service departments are becoming a critical source of inventory • The connection between retention, loyalty, and lifetime customer value • How fixed and variable operations can work together more effectively Panelists share real-world examples of how dealerships are creating better experiences by giving customers more information, more options, and more control over their ownership journey. As margins tighten and competition for customers increases, dealerships that connect sales and service around a shared customer experience will be best positioned for long-term success. Featuring: • Matt Leone, DriveCentric • Brian Kramer, Cars.com • Randy Barone, ACP • Craig Quisenberry, ACV • Dennis Gingrich, The Niello Company • Jared Williams, Roseville BMW