EPISODE 37
What U.S. Dealers Can Learn from Australian Fixed Ops
Featuring Guest Michael Johnson
Episode Description
Most dealers still treat retention as something you worry about after a customer disappears. But some OEMs and dealers are already experimenting with a playbook built on predictive data, subscription-style benefits, and emotional convenience that keeps customers from drifting away in the first place.
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, you’ll hear how shifting from reactive reminders to proactive, value-rich programs can help your dealership hold onto more customers for longer. Michael Johnson, Director of Customer Success for Infomedia in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, shares what he’s seeing across some of the most competitive and innovative automotive markets in the world. Drawing on experience with multiple OEMs and service technology platforms, Michael walks through the real forces shaping service retention in 2025 and 2026, where the biggest defect points are today, and how “preemptive care” and emotional convenience are becoming the new battleground.
Takeaways from this episode:
- Why retention is shifting from reactive reminders to preemptive care built on connected vehicle data and predictive maintenance
- How emotional convenience matters more than extended hours or fancy amenities
- What Australia’s service-activated roadside programs and fixed-price servicing can teach U.S. dealers about keeping customers past warranty
- Ways OEMs and dealers can share data and design programs that create clear value on both sides of the relationship
- Three big opportunities ahead: practical AI in the workshop, “service loyalty indexing,” and subscription-style service ecosystems that lock in long-term loyalty
BILL SPRINGER
and president of Krex Inc.
Michael Johnson
Director of Customer Success (APAC)
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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.
Convenience Has Changed the Fixed Ops Playbook
Customers are no longer comparing your service drive only to the dealership across town. They’re comparing it to every fast, convenient, transparent experience they have elsewhere. Many dealerships may not realize how quickly that standard is rising. Keeping up means choosing technology and service models that fit your customers rather than adopting every new tool the same way.