What this checklist covers
The Service Marketing Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for service reminders, seasonal campaigns, lapsed customers, AMC, extended warranty, and conversion. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: Service marketing audits should check the full funnel, not just campaign activation. Confirm that reminders are being sent AND that the response (appointment booked, customer re- engaged) is being tracked. A well-executed reminder programme that is not converting to bookings is a message or offer problem, not a volume problem — and the two require completely different interventions.
The checks
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Service reminders and seasonal campaigns
- Is a service reminder process in place that contacts customers at the appropriate interval before their next scheduled service is due, using at least two contact channels?
- Is service reminder content personalised by vehicle model and last service date, rather than sending a generic reminder to all customers?
- Are seasonal service campaigns (e.g., pre- summer, pre-winter checks) planned and activated in advance of the relevant season, not reactively?
- Is campaign response rate (reminders sent versus appointments booked) tracked and used to refine future reminder timing and messaging?
Lapsed customer campaigns
- Is a lapsed customer segment defined and maintained in the DMS, identifying customers with no service visit within the defined lapse period?
- Is a dedicated outreach programme for lapsed customers in place, using a distinct offer or message appropriate to a re-engagement context?
- Is lapsed customer outreach tracked to capture reason for lapse where possible (competitor, vehicle sold, relocation, dissatisfaction)?
- Is lapsed customer recovery rate (returned customers as a proportion of those contacted) tracked and reviewed?
AMC and extended warranty promotion
- Are Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) or prepaid service plan offers actively promoted to eligible customers at the point of service delivery?
- Are extended warranty options proactively communicated to customers approaching or past the standard warranty expiry, not only when the customer asks?
- Is AMC and extended warranty take-up rate tracked per service advisor and reviewed to identify training or communication gaps?
Campaign conversion and reporting
- Is campaign conversion (enquiries or bookings generated from each campaign) tracked against the number of contacts made?
- Is campaign cost-per-booking or cost-per- return-visit calculated, to allow comparison of campaign effectiveness across channels and offer types?
- Are campaign results reviewed by the service and marketing team together, with findings used to inform the next campaign plan?
- Is a rolling service marketing calendar maintained, ensuring campaigns are planned rather than executed reactively in response to volume shortfalls?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
