The latest study from DMEautomotive, a leading automotive marketing firm, reports that 59 percent of car service customers under age 35 want to use mobile communication as part of their maintenance process.
More than one-third of customers are open to using a variety of platforms and technology to keep up with their scheduled maintenance, including 89 percent who want to receive emails, 64 percent who want texts and 59 percent open to mobile apps.
"Reaching younger customers is a whole new ballgame: they're thirsting for communication, prefer it across many platforms, and are researching vehicle maintenance in many new digital places," said Doug Van Sach, vice president at DMEautomotive.
Many of these younger drivers use new technologies to stay updated on car news and trends, as well as researching issues that may come up with their vehicles. To meet these drivers' needs, several companies have made strides when it comes to their mobile development. Service centers have begun creating apps to help keep customers informed about their car systems, while programs for planning road trips, finding low gas prices and tracking down new driving destinations have also become popular. Some, such as the new app from Precision Tune Auto Care, combine many of these elements into one convenient program that also tracks service history and maintenance schedules. This app, like many other aspects of mobile technology, also lets drivers find solutions on-the-go, whether it be to deal with an alternative route to avoid traffic or a quick fix of a car issue before bringing it in for service.