EPISODE 31
How Carter Myers Automotive Tackles Retention from Day One
Featuring Guest Robert Migliaccio
Episode Description
Most dealerships don’t lose customers years down the road, but at the very first oil change. That early defection is costing dealerships future service visits, tire sales, and even repeat vehicle purchases. The solution? Build retention into the customer’s journey from day one and invest in your culture and technology to keep both employees and customers engaged.
In this episode of Retention Roadmap, Bill Springer sits down with Robert Migliaccio, Service Director at Carter Myers Automotive, to explore the biggest retention challenges dealerships face today. Robert shares how CMA is tackling early defectors, why employee culture is a retention multiplier, and how tools like video MPIs and AI can boost transparency and trust. From tire sales to technician buy-in, Robert’s leadership philosophy blends process, culture, and technology into a practical roadmap for lasting loyalty.
Takeaways from this episode:
- Why the first service visit is the most critical retention touchpoint
- How employee culture directly shapes customer retention and CSI
- The role of video MPIs in driving trust, approvals, and higher RO value
- Tire sales as both a defection point and a retention opportunity
- Practical advice for new service managers looking to strengthen loyalty
BILL SPRINGER
and president of Krex Inc.
Robert Migliaccio
Service Director at Carter Myers Automotive
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How to Become Your Customer’s First Call for Tires
Only about one-third of dealership service customers bought their last set of tires from the dealership. That’s not just a missed tire sale. Once a customer heads somewhere else for tires, that shop gets a shot at the rotations, alignments, brakes, maintenance, and repair work that comes next.
Turning Service Visits Into Future Vehicle Sales
Your next vehicle sale may already be sitting in the service drive. Yet while one-third of customers say they would be open to a sales conversation during a service visit, only 14% report that anyone actually starts one. The opportunity is not to pitch every customer who pulls into the lane. It’s to build a defined process that helps sales and service identify the right customers, start relevant conversations, and keep the relationship moving through the entire ownership cycle.
The Three Habits Behind High Service Retention
A dealership can deliver a great service visit and still lose the customer the next time around. That’s because retention isn’t won through one strong offer, one new tool, or even one memorable experience. Retention is built by making every part of the customer journey reinforce the next.