The Challenge
Before partnering with Bowtie Solutions, the dealership’s service advisors were struggling to keep up. Missed calls, no-shows, and frustrated customers were becoming a daily problem. Service advisors were overwhelmed trying to juggle phones, walk-ins, and in-person customer issues.
Customers often had to call multiple times just to get answers, creating frustration and swamping service advisors. Every missed call meant not only lost revenue but also potential damage to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In an attempt to solve these issues, the dealership initially partnered with a service BDC that claimed to be stateside. The solution quickly fell short. Calls were dropped, follow-ups were nonexistent, and the foreign agents didn’t have the automotive knowledge needed to properly support customers. Instead of easing the burden on staff, the service BDC became an additional source of frustration for both employees and customers.
The dealership needed more than a call center. They needed a partner capable of managing call volume, improving the customer experience, keeping service advisors focused on in-person customers, and providing actionable insights to prevent repeat issues.
The Solution: The Bowtie Difference
Bowtie Solutions stepped in to provide exactly what the dealership needed: a partner focused on both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Bowtie began by managing overflow calls, allowing service advisors to focus on in-person customers while ensuring no customer inquiry went unanswered.
The true test came during a major recall. Despite OEM recommendations to use another call center, the dealership chose Bowtie to manage the outreach. Bowtie’s team coordinated staffing for the event, handled every outbound call with care, and ensured that customers received timely information and support. The outcome was a highly successful recall event that outperformed competitors and reinforced the value of having a reliable, knowledgeable partner.
The results spoke for themselves:
• The recall event was fully staffed and highly attended.
• OEM reps noticed the difference, as competitor events suffered low turnout.
• Success led to expanding Bowtie’s role from reactive call handling to proactive campaigns, generating additional service appointments.
Bowtie also uncovered operational inefficiencies: repeat callers, delayed escalations, and a lack of follow-up protocols. With detailed daily reporting and an efficient escalation process, issues were addressed within five minutes, dramatically improving the customer experience.
The Results
Improved Customer Satisfaction:
- Frustrated escalation calls dropped from “an absurd amount” to virtually zero.
- Customers felt heard and supported, even during high-stress recalls.
- OEM reps noticed a clear improvement in service drive communication.
Higher Call Capture and Efficiency:
- Bowtie handled 800-1,200+ calls per month for the Hyundai store alone.
- Daily reporting revealed repeat callers and urgent issues, giving management visibility to act quickly.
- Service advisors could focus on in-person customers without neglecting phones.
Revenue-Generating Campaigns:
- Recall outreach campaigns generated 20-40 additional appointments each time.
- Special recall event promotion saw a full turnout while competitors’ events struggled.
Reputation and CSI Growth:
- Google reviews shifted from negative service complaints to positive, balanced feedback.
- CSI scores increased, strengthening OEM relationships and protecting future allocations.
Client Perspective
“We went from way too many angry escalation calls to almost none. Our hardest complaint recently was someone upset they couldn’t use a double coupon. That’s a huge change.”
– Ted Lesiecki, Chief Marketing Officer
“Other dealers ran the same recall event and nobody showed up. Ours was packed because Bowtie’s team was relentless in reaching customers.”
Why It Worked
Bowtie’s approach succeeded because it combined people, process, and automotive expertise in a way that truly supported both the dealership and its customers.
- Customer-first mindset: Every call was handled with care, ensuring customers felt heard and valued, even during high-pressure recall campaigns.
- Operational transparency: Detailed daily reporting gave management visibility into repeat calls, urgent issues, and overall performance, allowing the dealership to act quickly and prevent problems.
- Intuitive integration: Bowtie’s team of AI – Actual Individuals worked as an extension of the dealership, coordinating with service advisors and escalating issues with context so nothing fell through the cracks.
- Scalable support: The team could flex coverage during surges in call volume or major campaigns, keeping service advisors focused on the lane while maintaining excellent customer service.
- Strategic impact: Beyond answering calls, Bowtie identified opportunities to drive appointments and improve customer satisfaction, turning the service department into a revenue-generating and loyalty-building tool.
The combination of skilled staff, structured processes, and a partnership mindset allowed Bowtie to transform the dealership’s approach from a reactive operation into a proactive, customer-centered advantage.
Conclusion
Bowtie Solutions transformed the dealership’s service department from a source of frustration into a driver of customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. By handling high call volumes, providing timely follow-ups, and giving management clear visibility into operations, Bowtie ensured fewer missed calls and significantly reduced repeat customer calls.
Service advisors were no longer tied down by phones and could focus on in-person service, while customers experienced faster, more attentive support. The result was a smoother, more efficient service drive, happier customers, and a BDC that strengthened the dealership’s overall customer experience.
Ready to improve your dealership’s customer experience and service operations? Contact Us Today!