How often are you seeing declined work in your service drive? What process do you have in place to follow up with customers after they decline? If your current process isn’t working well, you could be leaving a lot of opportunity on the table. Every declined service recommendation represents a missed opportunity — not just for immediate revenue, but for stronger customer retention.
That was the case at Uftring Auto Group in Peoria, IL, before BDC Director Rick Sheppard was tasked with finding a solution. The goal was simple –
reengage customers who had previously declined service. But how could they work it into their current operations, and would the customers actually respond?
Crafting Personalized Follow-Up
The first step to fixing the issue of declined services was acknowledging the value that’s left on the table – both in profitability and in customer relationships.
Rick spent each week reaching out to customers with
personalized communications, including vehicle details and the name of the customer’s service advisor. These messages emphasized the competitive pricing and highlighted service specials. And with bold “Important Service Information About Your Vehicle” messages on each envelope, they set a goal to optimize open rates.
Giving customers detailed, personalized information when reaching out about declined service not only helped them understand the “why” behind getting that service done, but also the “why” behind getting it done with Uftring specifically.
The Results
How did the customers respond? Over the first few months, the dealership saw a 12 percent response rate, which outperformed previous marketing efforts. And that 12 percent had great value. The top-performing dealership saw $20,000 in additional sales and averaged $573 in revenue for every repair order completed in response to their letters.
Seeing the impact across different stores has not only improved profitability, but accountability too. Knowing what is possible has encouraged advisors to consistently record declined services to see these same results at their stores.
Taking Impactful Ideas Further
The success of these customer follow-up efforts extended beyond the service drive. Rick saw the opportunity this process could bring across departments. He was able to identify high-dollar repair order estimates for their sales team to reach out to customers and see if they would be interested in a trade-in rather than a repair. In addition, the F&I team began to follow up on declined services and protection plans.
This idea, born from a simple request, has enhanced profitability across Uftring Auto Group and earned Rick a spot in the
2025 Automotive Amplifiers Contest at Amplify where he presented this idea to his peers in the industry at the event. Do you have a best practice you’ve put in place that is shaping the future of your business, like Rick? Be sure to submit it to the 2026 Automotive Amplifiers Contest before June 22! Every day, forward-thinkers like Rick and like you are solving real problems in creative ways. It’s time we celebrate the individuals who are amplifying automotive. Because when we share ideas to better the industry, we can all get better, together.
