Getting started - Retention Centre

Summary

This article will explain what the Retention Centres are and some guidance on how to use the retention centre.

More Information

The Retention Centre is a hub to automate and simplify regular actions required to maintain good relations with customers and foster the best possible business relationship with them. The purpose of this software is to help you to retain customers and thus maximise your business by staying in touch with customers in various ways and reminding them of significant events.

Retention Centre Areas

There are currently three different types of retention and each type is designed to be used in accordance with the information to be sent out. These are Workshop, Vehicle Sales and Customer Retention Centres.

Workshop Retention

The Workshop Retention Centre is where you would go to send out 1st Service, 2nd Service, MOT or combined reminders, confirmation of workshop jobs, reminders of an appointment in the workshop or a thank you to the customer once the job has been completed.

• To use the Workshop Retention Centre, go to " Workshop Workshop Retention Centre".

Workshop Advisories

The aim of the advisory work section of the Workshop is to enable the logging of work which is potentially required on vehicles in order that this information can be used in the future to encourage vehicle owners to have this work done when required.

• To process all required advisories for the Workshop, go to " Workshop Workshop Retention Centre".

Vehicle Sales Retention

The Vehicle Sales Retention Centre is where you would go to send out thank you for buying letters, 1st ,2nd ,3rd and 4th year sales follow-ups, Warranty Expiry reminders and finance end contacts as standard. It is also possible to add custom actions.

• To use the Vehicle Sales Retention Centre, go to " Unit Sales Vehicle Sales Retention Centre".

Customer Retention

The Customer Retention Centre is where you would go to send out Birthday Wishes and Christmas Greetings, as well as being able to send out retentions from the other two centres.

• To use the Customer Retention Centre, go to " Reports & Settings Customer Retention Centre".

Retention Centre Processes

Each Retention Centre has two different areas, which are " Regular Processes" and " Individual Process". The difference between the two is that the " Regular Processes" is a one click operation to send out all the relevant media to your client data base, while the " Individual Processes" allows you to choose the media to be sent, by which method and to which customer.

Regular Processes

• This option shows you the processes that the system considers you should be carrying out. The screen has the following fields:
  • "Date" - This is the date the action is due.
  • "Code" - This is the customer's account code.
  • "Name" - This is the customer's name.
  • "Type" - This is the type of action, e.g. MOT Due, Service Due etc.
  • "Contact Due" - This is the type of contact required, e.g. 1st Workshop Reminder, MOT Reminder etc.
  • "Method" - This is how the contact will be sent, either E-mail, SMS or letter.

• You will need to review the various contacts on the screen to make sure that the "Contacts Due" are for the right customers and that the correct "Method" has been selected to send the media out.

Note:  You can control the preferred method of contact with a customer and whether they want to be contacted by adding attributes to the customer record. See this article for details.

Tip: If you need to update any details on a customer's account, press <Shift+F10> to amend the information.

• Once you are happy to send out all of the contacts, simply press <F2> or click [Process All] at the bottom of the screen.

  Information: You will see each contact being sent by the media you have chosen.

• You will then be taken back to the Retention Centre menu screen.

  Note: If you were to click on " Regular Processes" again you will get a blank screen with a warning showing "No Actions Required"

  .

Individual Processes

• Clicking on this option will list out the actions that can be sent to your customers.
• To use a particular action, simply press <Arrow Key Down (↓)> until you highlight the action you wish to send and press <F2> or click [Send]. Alternatively double click the left mouse button on the action you wish to send.
• On all Retention Centres, the "Medium :" is selectable. Choose from either E-mail, SMS or Mail.
• Depending on which Retention Centre you are using and the action you have selected, you will be able to enter one of the following:
  • "Customer:" Enter the customer code requiring the currently selected action.
  • "Vehicle:" - Enter the vehicle requiring the currently selected action.
  • "Job:" - Enter the job number requiring the currently selected action.

See Also

• What Print Records do I Need for the Retention Centre?
• How do I Configure the Retention Centre?
• How do I Send an Email from Platinum?
• How do I send an SMS Message from Platinum?
• How do I filter out Customers I don't want to Contact?
• How do I stop PDI's from appearing in the Retention Centre?
• How do I Get my Logo onto Printed Documents?
• How do I Create a Custom Retention Centre Action?
• How do I Add Advisories to a Workshop Job?

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