Tremper: Retention in the Age of Automation: Why Smarter Reminders Win Repeat Business
Editor’s note: NOLN is please to welcome Jeff Tremper, senior vice president of Throttle, as its newest contributing columnist. Jeff brings more than 20 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket. We look forward to delivering his insights on marketing and strategies on engagement and retention to NOLN readers.
Retention has always mattered for automotive service shops. What has changed is how customers expect to be reminded to return, driven in large part by automation and better use of service data. Today, staying top of mind is not about sending more messages. It is about sending messages that feel relevant and timely.
But frequency alone does not drive results. Too many reminders can have the opposite effect, creating fatigue and causing customers to tune out.
Customers now expect communications to reflect what they have already shared. When reminders acknowledge prior visits or known service needs, they feel helpful rather than intrusive. In fact, 81%of consumers prefer companies that offer a personalized experience and 77%say personalization increases trust in a brand.¹
Customers respond better when reminders are based on actual service intervals or known needs rather than generic schedules. A reminder tied to a prior oil change or inspection feels purposeful. One that arrives without context does not.
Timing matters just as much as personalization. Customers do not always act on the first reminder, even when it is relevant. Research continues to show that multiple touches are often required before action is taken. What matters is how those follow-ups are planned. Thoughtful sequencing, supported by automation, allows reminders to build awareness without overwhelming the customer.²
A structured approach to follow-up supports this balance. If a customer does not respond to an initial reminder, a second message can reinforce the same service need rather than introducing something new. If there is still no response, a third reminder can serve as a final nudge. This type of sequencing supports recall and recognition while remaining respectful of the customer’s attention.
Data also shows that customers disengage when messaging feels excessive or irrelevant. Studies indicate that message fatigue is a leading reason consumers unsubscribe from brand communications, reinforcing the importance of relevance over volume.³
Channel choice plays a role as well. Customers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints, and reminder strategies are more effective when channels work together rather than in isolation. Coordinated outreach reinforces awareness and improves recall without relying on repeated messages in a single channel.4
Smarter reminders also change how communications are perceived. That shift influences loyalty and long-term retention far more than discounts or one-time offers.
Automation helps make this possible at scale by removing manual guesswork from reminder timing and follow-up. By using service history and timing logic, shops can deliver reminders that feel personal without adding manual work. The result is more consistent outreach that supports retention while allowing staff to focus on the in-shop experience.
In an increasingly competitive environment, retention is shaped by how well a shop communicates after the initial visit. Smarter reminders are not about sending more messages. They are about sending the right messages at the right time, with a clear purpose.
Footnotes
About the Author
Jeff Tremper
Jeff Tremper has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket. Currently, he serves as senior vice president of Throttle, a product of Matrix Imaging Solutions, is an intelligent marketing communications platform designed for automotive service shops. Tremper works with established national brands to help design repeatable customer journeys that improve engagement and retention.