CENTREVILLE, Va. -

Carfax has recently launched a new program designed to boost revenue for service locations, including the service shops of dealerships.

In essence, the Carfax Service Network — which includes dealerships as well as aftermarket providers like Pep Boys — offers several free tools that can be used to foster customer loyalty and pull in new business.

And for dealerships, specifically, it’s another tool they can employ when using the service lane as a way to generate used inventory, just to name one benefit.

To shed some more light on how the new Carfax Service Network can help dealerships, Carfax public relations manager Chris Basso shared some of its dealer-specific benefits with Auto Remarketing.

For instance, the Carfax Service History check element of the network allows users to see the service and maintenance information from more than 24,000 participating service locations.  

Having access to these service records helps the dealer know which vehicles have been well-maintained, Basso explained. So say a used-car customer comes onto the lot and put a great deal of importance on knowing that a vehicle has been well taken care of before he or she buys.

With this added knowledge, the dealer can now show the consumer which of the store’s vehicles best fit that bill.
Additionally, this information allows dealers to make more informed service recommendations to their service customers, which can help build trust, Basso said.

And not only is the dealership itself able to make better service recommendations, there is proof to back the store up, he added. The customer can see exactly what services have been done to the vehicle in the past and what needs to be taken care of based on the vehicle’s maintenance history.

As Auto Remarketing has reported previously, many dealers also use the service lane as an avenue to generate used inventory. Having this kind of access to maintenance/service data allows the dealer to better indentify which vehicles might be well-suited for their certified pre-owned program, for instance, and takes a lot of the guesswork out.

Carfax also notes its network can help dealers get their name out. The company says the service records of Carfax Service Network members are turned into free advertising via Carfax Vehicle History Reports.  

“When vehicle ownership changes, new owners tend to bring cars back to where the vehicle was previously serviced,” Carfax officials noted.

So, that gives the Carfax Service Network member a plug when the customer sees that particular dealership on the history report.

“Carfax Service Network puts maintenance information to work for participating service locations and their customers," said Jeff Ranalli, vice president of Carfax.

“We provide no-cost tools that help increase revenue and customer satisfaction,” he continued. “Members get their name in front of millions of potential customers who view Carfax Vehicle History Reports every year. In addition, a detailed service history helps better maintain the value of a customer's car."