ST. LOUIS -

It is easy to fall into the trap that assumes consumers think dealership contact throughout car ownership is a nuisance that should be avoided or at least utilized only when necessary. But that might not be the case.

A recent Maritz research study showed that 18 percent of customers say the dealership they bought from contacted them “too little” after they drove their new car of the lot.

“Both the dealer and the OEM have a vested interest in building an ongoing relationship with the customer,” Maritz said. “The conversation can’t stop once the sale is made.”

The study asked more than 4,200 car buyers what they think, feel, want and need when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle, and what they need to hear as owners throughout their journey, the company explained.

Maritz found that not only do dealers have to keep up with communication efforts with their buyers, they also should take note of how customer expectations change during the years of vehicle ownership.

The communication expectations of recent buyers versus older vehicle owners can be very different.

For example, 14 percent of recent buyers (six months or less) expect dealers to communicate promptly with them regarding follow-up on problems.

Another 11 percent of new buyers want dealers to call and check on whether they are satisfied with their new vehicles.

And 9 percent expect dealers to call them with regular service reminders for their vehicle. These reminders can also serve dealers, as it gets the owner and car back into the service department — an area that produces trade-ins for dealerships as vehicles age.

Lastly, another 7 percent of new buyers expect dealers to call just to check in and see if they have any concerns or problems with their new vehicle — in other words, a courtesy call.

For older vehicle owners, those who have bought during the period of two or more years, the expectations for dealership communication changes slightly.

For these owners, 24 percent expect dealers to check in on satisfaction with their vehicle.

Another 10 percent expect follow-up calls on vehicle problems, and 9 percent expect service reminders.

Interestingly, customers also want dealers to ask them questions; 8 percent of older vehicle owners expect dealers to call to ask for feedback or suggestions.

Auto Remarketing covered more from this study last week, highlighting statistics that found their may be a perceived lack of dealer/customer communication. That story can be found here.

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