Why valet
Effortless service is part of INFINITI’s brand promise. Through INFINITI Premium Care, retailers can offer INFINITI Valet, which picks up and delivers a client’s vehicle from their home or office. INFINITI reimburses $50 for each qualifying trip.
Crue Carter, Service Manager at INFINITI of Birmingham, had two reasons to say yes. He wanted to deliver on INFINITI’s promise, so a service visit wouldn’t take a chunk out of his clients’ day. And the reimbursement helps cover the cost of every trip. What he needed was a way to run it without adding work to his service drive.
Getting started
They didn’t launch at full volume. The team started with a small number of trips, scheduled every trip in Dealerware Pickup & Delivery, and refined the process as they went. They send two valets on every trip because that fits their team, and the platform works for any team size.
Clients book pickup from home or work. Clients outside the service range meet the valets at a safe public spot inside it. Valets inspect the vehicle at pickup, bring it in for service, and deliver it back when the work is done, usually to the same place.
Where they are now
In their first three months, the team completed 142 valet trips. That’s 142 times a client didn’t have to rearrange their day. Monthly volume more than doubled over that stretch, and the team is still ramping up. The solution more than paid for itself in month 1. By month 3, the store saw a 3x ROI from eligible INFINITI Valet reimbursements with $2,250 INFINITI Valet eligible reimbursement.
The last sentence is copied exactly as it appears on the slide. If you want a cleaner version, try this: “By month 3, the store saw a 3x ROI, with $2,250 in eligible INFINITI Valet reimbursements.”
Service Manager
INFINITI of Birmingham
142
113%
3x
Start a valet program at your store
INFINITI of Birmingham's playbook translates to any service drive. Leverage a tailored approach to fit your team, document the vehicle at both ends, and let Dealerware PickUp & Delivery align scheduling from the first call to the final signature.
1. Ramp up gradually.
You don't have to launch to every client in month one. Start by offering valet to a smaller group, like clients booking routine maintenance or those who live closest to the store, and let your team find its rhythm. Add more trips as the process gets smoother. INFINITI of Birmingham started with 32 trips in month 1 and more than doubled that by month 3.
2. Build around the team you have.
Build the program around the people you already have. If you have the staff, send two valets so one can follow in a shuttle and bring the driver back. If your team is leaner, one valet can handle the trip and an automatic rideshare will be booked to get them back to the store. INFINITI of Birmingham runs two valets per trip, and the platform works either way.
3. Document both ends.
Make a vehicle check part of every pickup, and inspect again with photos before the vehicle goes back out. That gives you a clear record of its condition at both ends if a question comes up later. A quick text when the valet is on the way means the client is ready at the door.
4. Book the return up front.
When you know the completion time, schedule delivery at booking instead of waiting until the work is done. Clients who need a specific return time can lock it in. Close out every trip with an invoice the client signs, and leave them a copy for their records.
THE RAMP IN NUMBERS
Monthly trips more than doubled by month 3.
