What this checklist covers
The Upsell Opportunity Identification Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for customer profiling, vehicle model, usage type, finance eligibility, service history, and relevant upsell option identification. 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: Upsell opportunity identification is most effective when it is a natural output of listening rather than a product presentation. A service advisor who records that the customer mentioned a long motorway commute has the information they need to recommend tyre protection, a service plan, and a dashcam — without running through a generic product list. Train advisors to listen for upsell triggers, not to recite upsell catalogues.
The checks
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Customer profile and vehicle model
- Is the customer's CRM profile reviewed before every customer interaction — sales visit or service appointment — to identify relevant upsell opportunities based on vehicle model, ownership duration, and prior purchase history?
- Are upsell recommendations matched to the specific vehicle model and specification, ensuring only compatible and relevant products are presented?
- Are customers approaching the end of their current finance term identified in advance, with a repurchase or upgrade conversation proactively initiated rather than waiting for the customer to make first contact?
- Are high-value customers (multiple vehicles, long service history, prior accessory purchases) identified through CRM data and managed with a more proactive upsell engagement?
Usage type and service history
- Is the customer's vehicle usage profile (mileage, driving environment, typical journey type) used to identify relevant upsell products — e.g., tyre protection for high-mileage drivers, all-weather mats for rural users?
- Is service history reviewed before every service appointment to identify relevant recommendations — e.g., brake pad wear trend suggesting brake inspection upsell, tyre age approaching replacement?
- Are customers who have previously declined an upsell offer re-approached at an appropriate interval with an updated or different proposition, rather than presenting the same offer repeatedly?
- Is the customer's history of declined upsell offers recorded in the CRM, preventing multiple advisors from presenting the same declined offer in quick succession?
Finance eligibility and lifestyle needs
- Is finance eligibility assessed as part of the upsell identification process, with finance- backed accessory or service pack options presented to customers who are likely to be eligible?
- Are lifestyle-based upsell opportunities (extended warranty for customers with a long commute, service plan for customers who struggle to remember service intervals) identified from the customer conversation rather than from a generic upsell script?
- Is the customer's family situation (new child, ageing parent, change in household size) noted in the CRM when raised in conversation, flagging relevant safety or comfort accessory recommendations for the next interaction?
Upsell option matching and governance
- Is a structured upsell identification process followed consistently — not left to individual advisor discretion — ensuring every customer is assessed for relevant opportunities at every visit?
- Are upsell recommendations logged in the CRM at the time of the interaction, recording what was offered, the customer's response, and any follow-up action agreed?
- Is upsell conversion rate tracked per advisor, per product category, and per customer segment — with patterns used to inform coaching and product strategy rather than only reported as a revenue metric?
- Is the upsell opportunity identification process reviewed when new products, finance schemes, or accessories are introduced, ensuring the identification criteria are updated to include new opportunities?
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
