“Hello, hello…hello? No, wait, don’t transfer me.”
That generally sums it up for many customers when calling a dealership’s service department, coupled with a few other disconnects that add to their frustrations, according to a CDK Global report.
The details: The study—drawn from a survey of 2,000 customers who had car maintenance and repairs done—found that while customer service satisfaction overall was generally positive, there were some key areas in which dealerships dropped the ball, or rather “the call,” in this case.
4 out of 10 customers (40%) calling into a dealership’s service center reported being frustrated with the call center.
In addition to being put on hold, issues include navigating the phone menu, having a call transferred at least once, and having to call back.
The biggest frustration for callers was having the phone ring repeatedly, with nobody answering. (Been there myself more than once—and without a doubt, this is one of the most frustrating things about needing to get your vehicle serviced.)
What they’re saying: “The positive? A majority of service customers use the phone to make an appointment (64%), and a majority of them had no problem when doing so,” explained Dave Thomas, CDK’s Director of Content Marketing and Industry Analyst.
Why it matters: As CDK notes, even though sales and service operate as two separate departments, for the average consumer, that 15-minute wait on hold amounts to the entire dealership being run poorly. The fallout? Yep, you guessed it—that customer’s wait to schedule a routine oil change just spiraled into, “I’m buying my next new car from a different dealership.”
Between the lines: Sure, not every customer left hanging on a call goes to that extreme—even those that say they are in the moment. However, according to the CDK report, that frustration is definitely reflected in how likely a customer is to recommend a dealership’s service department, measured by what’s known as The Net Promoter Score (NPS).
If a customer was put on hold, transferred, had to call back, or didn’t get an answer, the NPS was significantly below this year’s average of 59.
Customers who were put on hold, waiting an average of over eight minutes, reported an NPS of 39.7.
If a customer never gets through on a call, the NPS was rated the lowest, at 26.7. No big surprise there.
Source: CDK Global
On a more positive note, overall, the Net Promoter Score for dealers’ service departments ticked up pretty substantially to 59 in 2024 compared to 45 in 2023. Dealerships are also gaining ground on independent shops, closing the gap from an 11-point difference in 2023 to seven in 2024.
Another word from Thomas: “I doubt a Service Manager doesn’t realize that mishandled calls are an issue. The stark Net Promoter Score (NPS*) numbers could be a shock, with all scores dropping significantly below the average to varying degrees. The worst-case cuts that average in half…just from a mishandled call.”
The elephant in the room: AI voice assistants are quietly reshaping service departments. They answer every call, eliminate hold times, and let customers book appointments through prompts—or transfer to a human when needed.
Early data from CDK shows that 31% of all customers now prefer booking with AI.
And that number jumps to 44% for millennials and 51% for Gen Z.
Source: CDK Global
Bottom line: The payoff for a dealership improving their service call center operations goes well beyond fixed ops. So, whether it involves investing in a reliable AI solution or a more committed effort by the service team to handle calls more efficiently, it should be a top priority.
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