Is your dealership millennial savvy?

How many thousand years does it take to change a car tire? You may have to go through more than you think.

A survey of 2,000 drivers earlier this year made a surprising revelation. Nearly three-quarters of millennials admit they don't know how to change a car tire. In contrast, half of drivers 36 and older said they could do so with confidence. Similarly, only half of those under the age of 35 said they know how to check and top up the oil level on their car, and perhaps most surprisingly, millennials are a More than a third said they would struggle to open a car bonnet with confidence.

Millennials, usually defined as the generation born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s or early 2000s, can be the target of much criticism. Obsessed with avocados, hypersensitive or even - shock horror - 'snowflakes', it can be easy to read these statistics as a sign of a younger generation failing to take responsibility for their belongings.

However, dealerships would do well to sit up and take note of such statistics - as an opportunity to better understand the needs of different customer groups. What this survey shows us is that different demographics have different needs from their car dealerships – and, as millennials make up a growing proportion of drivers overall, smart dealerships must consider that. How can they evolve their approach and services to meet these changing needs? .

In any field, offering value to customers comes from understanding their exact problems and how you can solve them. If millennial drivers value the functionality of their vehicles less than older drivers, there will be many opportunities for dealerships.

First, they can ensure that transparency and clear communication are front and center by ensuring their existing aftercare services. legendary drivers Vehicle Health Check solution can be invaluable here, providing a clear, logical and standard walkthrough for each individual task, clearly communicated to the user.

Second, dealerships can help drivers learn more about their vehicle through long-term analytics that software like ours provides. Our data analytics enable visibility into vehicle health and performance over time, and can help provide a platform to communicate how to maximize vehicle performance and avoid common problems.

Third, there may be opportunities for dealerships to develop brand new service offerings, such as how to teach drivers how to perform basic vehicle maintenance.

A deeper understanding of the customer is the basis for more personalized and targeted services, which can result in higher profits and better reputation in the market. Instead of dismissing millennial drivers as incompetent or lazy, dealerships should immerse themselves in such statistics and use them as a basis for innovation and growth – especially important when new car registrations are being sold. The number is constantly decreasing. Data analytics can also enable dealerships to track the profitability and effectiveness of various after-sales jobs and appointments, allowing for better insights and smarter problem-solving.

The first millennial you ask may be unable to change a car tire — but the dealership has a potentially lucrative opportunity to change it.