How Self-Led Kiosks Boost CSI Scores in Your Service Department

Your service department check-in and checkout process could be affecting your CSI scores. Why? For 80% of consumers, customer experience is just as important as a business’s products and services. They judge your service department not only by the quality of the repair but also by how easy and predictable the process feels.

Traditional service workflows often fail to meet these expectations, especially when your team is juggling high volumes and tedious tasks. Kiosks have modernized many customer-facing industries, and they’re an ideal solution for service departments too. To see how they can help, let’s discuss what customers want from the drop-off and pickup experience, and where your current process might be falling short. 

What Customers Expect From a Service Check-in and Checkout Experience

If you want to improve CSI, the first step is understanding what your customers expect from check-in to checkout:

Consistency

Customers want a predictable, repeatable process every visit. Consistency builds confidence in your dealership and reduces friction, especially during peak hours. Think about your own customer service experiences: Sometimes a business serves you right away, other times you wait 30 minutes. That inconsistency sticks with you. In the same way, an inconsistent service process affects customer trust and retention.

Communication  

The latest J.D. Power CSI study reveals that communication is critical to a positive service experience, specifically in the following areas: 

• Completely focusing on customer needs 

• Keeping the customer informed of service status 

• Service advisor immediately meeting with customer upon arrival 

• Contacting the customer after service to ensure satisfaction

Effective communication demonstrates that you understand their needs and value their time.

Convenience 

Everyone is busy, and consumers today are used to having flexible options for everything, from picking up groceries to watching a movie. When it comes to service, they want to be able to drop off their vehicle anytime to fit their schedule. Digital updates and mobile payment options make the process even more convenient. That’s why after-hours options are a huge driver for CSI.

Security

Convenience matters to customers, but not at the expense of security. They expect their vehicle and keys to be handled responsibly. Dropping their keys in an envelope at drop-off and then finding their keys and paperwork inside their vehicle when it’s time for pickup doesn’t inspire trust.  

Where Traditional Check-in and Checkout Processes Break Down

Once you’re familiar with customers’ expectations, you can easily identify where your own service department can improve. Here are the most common shortcomings of drop-off and pickup workflows: 

Key Drop Boxes 

Customers often feel uneasy about dropping their key into an after-hours drop box. This practice is common, but it’s a security risk for your dealership, as many lockboxes are prone to fishing or other types of theft. 

Miscommunications

In addition to being a liability, drop boxes often lead to miscommunications and human error. When the customer fills out the night-drop envelope, your service advisors have likely encountered the following problems: 

• Missing keys

• Insufficient or unclear details required to start the job

• Illegible handwriting

Without the necessary information (or key), advisors then have to contact the customer. This back-and-forth delays the repair, which is frustrating for the customer. 

Manual Steps 

Manual steps slow your advisors down and use up valuable time they could be spending on high-impact tasks like customer conversations and follow-up calls. Yet entering customer details into the DMS and calling to take payments or clarify information remain common.

Long Lines During Peak Times

During lunch hour and the end-of-the-day rush, advisors get tied up processing payments, tracking down information, and retrieving customer keys. As a result, they have less time for meaningful conversations, and customers are left waiting in lines.

Why a Self-Guided Process Is a Win-Win for Customers and Advisors

It’s clear that customers and advisors both need an easier, faster, and more consistent process. Self-guided kiosks inside the service department and outside for after-hours service create that modernized workflow. When customers can complete the entire drop-off and pickup process on their own, you’ll see the following improvements:

Quick, Standardized Intake

Kiosks will guide customers through the same steps every time. When they arrive at your dealership, they’ll:

1. Scan their license or a QR code

2. Confirm their contact details

3. Drop off their keys securely

Advisors won’t have to spend time answering repeated questions and manually entering data. With DMS integration, customer information flows directly into the kiosk, reducing duplicate entry, errors, and rework. During peak periods, lines keep moving with fewer interruptions for your team.

Improved Communication 

With the kiosks handling intake, customers can enjoy a consistent process with clear next steps and digital updates. And your advisors won’t have to worry about missing keys or deciphering messy writing. Fewer interruptions mean they’ll have time to make follow-up texts or calls to keep customers informed and make sure they’re satisfied once their service is complete.

A Better After-Hours Experience

A weather-resistant kiosk designed for 24/7 outdoor use can help you extend your business hours without requiring staff. Customers can stop by when it’s most convenient for them. If it’s raining or snowing, a protective overhang makes the experience more comfortable for them. After following the standardized intake process, they pay easily on their phone. When your advisors retrieve the keys in the morning, they have all the information they need to start the repair order, reducing delays.

Stronger Security and Accountability

Replacing your traditional after-hours drop box with a kiosk improves security and accountability, giving your customers peace of mind. The system verifies their identity with a QR code or driver’s license, preventing unauthorized access. The key remains secured in an individual locker until an advisor or customer retrieves it. This added security reduces your dealership’s liability. When integrated with your key control system, you can monitor the key’s location and repair order status throughout the entire process. 

The Effect on CSI 

Customers might forget the details of their repair, but they won’t forget what it’s like to do business with your dealership. With clear steps, strong communication, convenient 24/7 accessibility, and strong security measures, you’ll deliver the modern experience customers expect. And you’ll see the results in your CSI.