In fixed ops we constantly worry whether or not we are getting a return on every one of our ad dollars. Every manufacturer tracks it. Every ad vendor tracks it. And when we spend the money and don't get an immediate return, we start to fret.

Here is the rub.

Customers don't make a connection with an ad. Customers don't make a connection with an offering or a  "service reminder", they make a connection with a person. Your Advisor.

Bed, Bath and Beyond sends a coupon every week. I don't need to go there every week. When I do go there, I go with a coupon. If I were the marketing manager for their organization it would be easy to determine the value of advertising.

Advertising keeps your name name in front of the Customer, namely me.
But, when I do go to BB&B, I want to be treated like a person, not a number, not an ad campaign respondent.

That's where the effectiveness of marketing becomes a reality.

If you can get them in and you can't take care of them when they get there, no amount of advertising dollars will be enough.

When I need to have service, sure, I'll pull the coupons out of the glove box, look through the paper and read my home mailer to see if there is a deal worth investigating. And when I show up, you can bet the advertising dollar you spent to get me in your service drive was worth it...I'm ready to buy!

But treat me like I'm not important, greet me with "Do you have an appointment" instead of a smile and a handshake, ignore my request for personal service, interrogate me instead of asking questions, keep me in the dark while waiting for an update, make me call you for information instead of the other way around, talk to me in a condescending manner, don't tell me about what other service(s) might be important to maintain my vehicle, fail to go over my repair with me when I pick up my vehicle, give me grunts and one word answers instead of explanations and recommendations, and frown at me instead of smiling, and see how much your advertising dollar is worth.

Not much.