In 2018, owners of 32.7 million vehicles in the U.S. were notified of a mandatory recall by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and OEMs issued another 14.5 million voluntary recalls. That means one in four vehicles on the road currently have an open recall.

Recalls present a great revenue opportunity for service departments. According to Recall Masters, the average recall customer RO is $485 and recall marketing delivers a 9:1 ROI. 

Yet, the current completion rate for recalls is around 75%. Many consumers aren’t aware that a recall has been issued because OEM notifications are still sent by mail. Many of these mailed notices fail to reach their intended recipients, such as people who have moved. Sometimes the notices are accidentally tossed in the trash, and other times people set the notice aside, and soon forget about it or don’t believe it’s urgent.

That’s why it’s so imperative to create multi-channel video marketing campaigns to reach recall customers. Videos are the ideal medium for getting your customers’ attention, educating them, creating a sense of urgency and issuing a call to action.

Recruit your fixed ops director, service manager or even a technician to appear on the video — whoever feels most comfortable in front of a video camera. Be sure to include the following information in the video:

• Make, model and year of the vehicle(s) affected.
• Explain what the recall is and potential consequences of not having it done.
• Create a sense of urgency by focusing on the safety aspect.
• Show the customer the affected part or area of the vehicle.
• Show the replacement part and ensure the customer you have plenty in stock.
• Remind them that the recall does not cost them anything.
• Tell them how long it will take to complete the repair.
• Highlight your value-add proposition. Showcase your waiting room amenities, let the customer know if you’ve got a free pickup/drop-off service, or if you’re offering loaner cars.
• Issue a call to action; give customers your phone number and an email address for questions.
• Make sure you have enough resources to handle an incoming spike of phone and/or email inquiries, as well, to schedule service appointments.

Once you’ve created your recall videos, send them to owners of all the affected VINs in your database. Email and/or text the videos, depending on what contact information you have.

Also upload the videos to your Facebook page and other social media channels. Alert your followers and ask them to share your video with their friends and family. Customers are much more likely to share content if the content is perceived as being helpful, and especially if you emphasize the safety aspect. 

If your state allows it, add a bundled offer to encourage customers to bring in their vehicles. Try including a general offer like a free oil change, free tire inspection and rotation, free tank of gas or free car wash/detail.

To get an even greater response rate, try personalizing your video campaigns. First, identify customers in your database who are due for a standard maintenance, then create a personalized video just for that group. Offer a discount on the standard maintenance if the customer completes the recall in the next 30, 60 or 90 days, depending on the urgency of the recall. 

Creating personalized video campaigns might take a little more time, but your customers will feel that much more appreciated when they receive a video that includes an offer for a maintenance or repair that they know they need, and can actually use.

If your video marketing platform has the appropriate CRM/DMS integrations, you can also provide recall information to each VIN owner via any video that they watch, whether on your website or auto shopping sites or social media platforms. A platform can recognize that the person watching the video is the owner of that specific vehicle and automatically add dynamic recall information to the videos they’re watching.

Finally, track response rates from your video recall campaign. A week later, send out another video to customers who have not scheduled appointments, reminding them of the safety issue and urgency of the situation. Include a link back to your previous video, so customers who missed the video can easily watch it.

A well-executed recall video marketing campaign is the ideal strategy to boost recall response and appointment rates.

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