Whether you’re selling Land Rovers, Ferraris, or Toyotas, your customers are investing a good deal of money in your company every time they purchase a car. An economy car may only cost $11,000, but that’s still thousands of dollars. Think of the way you’re treated at a 5-star hotel when you go on vacation. You spend significantly less with them than your customers spend with you, and you get treated like royalty.

If you read that first paragraph and thought, “But they’re in the hospitality industry…” you’ve already lost the game. Thanks for playing. Come back when you realize you’re in the hospitality industry, too. You see, you’re not just selling a car. You’re also selling a warranty, a service package, and maybe future cars, all to the same person or family.

When you boil it down to the basics, your customers always have a choice. They can get the competing car brand, or they can go across town to the other dealership that sells the same cars you do. You’re not just selling cars. You’re selling your dealership and your customer service. If you make your potential customers feel as though they’re getting the best service possible, they’re much more likely to buy from you than they are to buy from anyone else. Here are a few tips for making them feel this way.

Remember Them

When potential customers walk into your showroom, have a receptionist or one of your sales people there to hold the door open for them. Welcome them in before they’re even over the threshold. If they get to the point that they’re waiting on your F&I department, offer them refreshments. Make a note of what they choose. When they come in next time (either to pick up the car or for its first scheduled maintenance), you’ll be able to impress them by saying, “Good afternoon! Would you like your coffee with cream and two sugars again, or would you like something else this time?”

Entertain Them

Don’t ever play the news in your showroom or waiting area. While it’s good to stay up to date, you don’t want to bring your customers down. The last thing you want them to see when they’re thinking about spending money is news of the unstable economy, war, or anything else that will make them think about saving, rather than spending.

Instead, if you have a TV in the waiting area, keep a selection of fun, light-hearted movies available. Put together welcome-back packages for your returning customers. You can do this by encouraging them to give you some information about their tastes before they leave the dealership when they buy the car. Then, when they come in for maintenance, you’ll have their preferred newspaper or magazine, soft drink, and refreshments.