The benefits of offering Online Payments in your Dealerships or Workshop
4 mins
The benefits of offering Online Payments in your Dealerships or Workshop
Customer experience is increasingly becoming a lever for competitive advantage across all industries. Convenience and efficiency are therefore a top priority for businesses. When we apply this to taking payments, we want to ensure that this process is as frictionless as possible for both the business and most importantly the customer.
Traditionally, point of sales has been used within workshops and car dealerships to take payments from customers. Depending on your service, this process can cause a bottle neck and frustration for a customer if they need to wait. Thankfully, with the increased use of mobile phones and trust in online payments, there is now a great opportunity to take the payment experience for workshop and dealership services online.
How can online payments work in your business?
Imagine a customer who drops off their vehicle for a repair. Instead of waiting to settle the bill at the counter after the work is completed, they can receive an email with a secure payment link. This allows them to pay online before even stepping foot in the shop, saving them time and minimising delays at pick up.
This convenient process enables the customer to make payment in a place and time that suits their needs without having to spend additional time at the dealership or workshop finalising their payment. Staff can simply hand over the keys, provide necessary paperwork, and send the customer on their way. This efficiency boosts customer satisfaction and helps staff focus on providing other services rather than being tied up with cash or card payments.
For car buyers, they often prefer the option of paying through secure online platforms when completing a purchase or when paying for add-ons such as extended warranties or accessories. The ease of making payments online appeals to the tech-savvy customer base.
As well as improving your customer experience, other benefits of incorporating an online payment option are:
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Reduced risk of payment errors and delays via manual payments and reconciliation.
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Improved cash flow and reduction in delays via fast settlements. For businesses that offer high-ticket services like vehicle repairs or new car purchases, timely payments are critical. Online payments can be set up to accept deposits or partial payments upfront, further improving cash flow.
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Secure payments - when a payment link is sent via email or text, both parties benefit from the added protection provided by encryption and secure processing systems. For car dealerships and workshops, offering online payments reduces the likelihood of handling sensitive information in person, such as credit card details, which can sometimes be exposed to unnecessary risks.
In summary incorporating online payment options into a car dealership or workshop not only provides immense convenience for customers but also streamlines operations and boosts overall efficiency. By reducing time spent finalising payments, reducing errors, improving cash flow, and offering more flexible options, businesses can ensure a smoother, faster, and safer experience for everyone involved.
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