How Full-Service Dealerships Can Improve the Service Check-In Experience

Boost dealership revenue and customer loyalty by cutting check-in times with LPR, tablets, and online tools.

May 6, 2025

At full-service dealerships, the customer check-in process is the first critical moment of truth—and it can make or break the entire experience. A slow, confusing, or understaffed check-in doesn’t just frustrate customers; it disrupts the entire service workflow, increasing labor costs, delaying technicians, and limiting the day’s revenue potential. Research suggests that even a brief 3–5 minute wait to be acknowledged can significantly reduce customer satisfaction scores and hurt future loyalty.

Mitigation Strategies for Dealerships

To stay competitive, dealerships are increasingly turning to smart technologies that transform check-in from a pain point into a competitive advantage.

License Plate Recognition (LPR) for Personalized Service

LPR technology transforms greetings from transactional to personal. Dealerships use LPR systems to automatically read incoming plates, pull up the customer’s profile, and alert advisors—often allowing them to greet customers by name before they even exit the car. This enables advisors to access service history, appointment details, and past interactions on the spot, creating a more personalized and efficient experience. By reducing the time spent on manual lookups and data entry, LPR allows staff to focus more on building customer relationships and recommending additional services. Many dealerships report improvements in check-in speed, customer satisfaction, and upsell opportunities after adopting LPR solutions.

Tablets for Advisors

Equipping advisors with tablets allows them to meet customers at their vehicles and complete the check-in process without returning to a desk. With tablets, advisors can scan VIN barcodes, pull up repair orders, review service history, and capture digital signatures right at the curb. This streamlines the check-in experience, reduces manual paperwork, and speeds up the handoff to technicians. Many dealerships report that using tablets helps reduce check-in times, increase daily throughput, and improve both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Online Pre-Check-In & Self-Service Kiosks

Online platforms like Xtime let customers book service, provide details, and even check in from their phones. Meanwhile, some Ford and Lincoln dealers have introduced 24/7 self-service kiosks for key drop-off and payment.

A Ford dealership in Illinois piloted these kiosks and saw impressive results:

  • A 30% increase in after-hours drop-offs
  • A noticeable reduction in morning congestion
  • Positive customer feedback praising the added convenience
    Advisors, in turn, reported they had more time to discuss service recommendations during regular hours.

Conclusion

Full-service dealerships can’t afford to let slow check-ins erode customer loyalty or stall operations. By combining LPR, mobile tools, and online systems, they can deliver a premium, efficient experience that wins repeat business and drives revenue.

Interested in back-of-house operational improvements too?

Discover how PitCrew’s real-time bay intelligence can optimize service flow, boost throughput, and maximize revenue. Get a demo of PitCrew today!

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