6 Things to Think About Before Changing Your Dealership Website
Unhappy with the company hosting your dealer website? You can choose a companion who is ideal for you by taking into account these six crucial factors.
All of us have been there. The honeymoon period has ended. Whether you established them yourself or the company that sold you the website did, you had expectations for the kind of outcomes you’d obtain from your website provider. Perhaps it has happened before, and you’re wondering if your aspirations are simply unrealistic. Or should I look into switching website hosts?
Take it from us: the correct alliances can help your dealership reach new heights when used in conjunction with the appropriate approach. But if you’re considering making this major move, there are a few things you should consider.
Why are you changing this?
Do you require a new website host that will pay attention to your needs? Do your requests take a long time to process? Are you abandoning the OEM’s suggested choices, such as Dealer.com or Dealer Inspire, because your dealership can’t seem to make them work? Consider what motivates the change you desire and what the new website will offer that you don’t believe you are now receiving. Make a list of your website’s pain points and discuss them with any potential new dealer website providers.
Are you going to save money?
Your initial thought might be to search for alternatives that are less expensive than what you are currently paying, but this is the incorrect strategy! The benefits of your collaboration go beyond the financial aspect. It’s a good idea to think about how much attention your dealership is receiving overall. How will the website developer spend enough time getting to know your company and matching their plan with what is happening in your store if they work with thousands of other dealerships?
Even though it can cost more, consider how much you really know. Consultation is very helpful! It’s probably time to switch if all of your interactions are limited to support or account representatives who don’t truly comprehend your problems or if you’re directed to forums and assistance pages rather than receiving a direct response.
If you’re unsure, we’re pleased to offer a free consultation and show you how to cut costs with no commitment!
DISCUSS WITH SimpSocial
Can you bring your data with you?
Examine all the services you now receive from your website provider. Do you get to keep full access to the Google Analytics account that has been used to track website data if it’s just the website? Do your ad accounts follow you when you depart if they are managing your advertising campaigns? Do you own every piece of material that was written for your website? You need to find a new partner if your web provider is preventing you from accessing data, information, or work that you paid for because “that’s our policy.”
Although it first hurts, you are preparing yourself for the future by doing this! If you can access it, the additional information will help the ideal website provider position you for success. If at all possible, make sure to bring it with you.
Is the website actually at fault?
It’s easy to scrutinize everything you’re doing and be overly critical of it when you’re having trouble with your dealership’s profitability. Even if you like your website, spending 30 minutes staring at it with your team will convince you to believe that the website is the issue.
Look at the other aspects of your company and the other solutions you’re paying for, and then decide whether you can reinvest that money. This is a big decision. Are leads from AutoTrader or Cars.com too expensive? Are you receiving enough leads for your BDC department to handle? By outsourcing live chat to a service like Gubagoo rather than hiring someone to conduct it in your dealership, are you missing out on sales opportunities?
To learn what your dealership could be doing better, look at other dealerships and make connections with people you appreciate in the field. Sometimes it’s not the website.
Want to get in touch with an automobile professional who has encountered (and fixed) problems similar to your own? We can locate one for you to talk to.
CONNECT WITH A PROFESSIONAL
Is there a service that better satisfies your requirements?
In the end, a sales proposal that seems too good to be true usually is. In truth, with the larger website hosts, the salespeople occasionally assemble your website from scratch using a template! Not even an artist? Yuck.
Be aware of grand declarations and false promises while searching for a new dealer website provider. People frequently cherry-pick information or only present you with what you want to see in an effort to close a deal. Consider the features and whether they support your goals. Talk to acquaintances in the field who aren’t motivated to offer you a specific website because of affiliate relationships or corporate ties instead of folks who use a lot of marketing jargon. One of the largest assets we have in the automotive sector is the community.
How does the new supplier integrate with the other products you use?
You need to make sure that logging in and starting work doesn’t become a pain, regardless of whether it’s your CRM (DealerSocket, VINSolutions, DealerPeak), automotive inventory software (PBS, vAuto, AIM Experts), or tools that are relevant during customer acquisition (AutoVerify, AutoFi, DealerTrack). Ideally, the website hosting service should be simple to combine with other daily-use applications. Check to see if the new service provider you select can simplify your life by performing things like:
Leads are automatically and error-free fed into the CRM
Managing various inventory streams successfully and without errors
Without the hassle of hearing “no” or being pushed around, adding custom code for website tools
… or anything else that helps people concentrate on what really counts, which is selling vehicles.
Work with a dealer website provider who can meet your specific requirements.
There are a few top-notch website builders for the automobile industry, but not all of them will be the most appropriate for YOUR dealership’s requirements. Since the average client of SimpSocial stays with us for more than 8 years, we are aware of what it takes to forge a solid alliance. Our team is ready to support your team with anything from hosting your dealer website to creating it entirely from scratch, handling your monthly creative and sponsored ads, and working with you on a thorough marketing strategy.
We can direct you to the ideal service provider if you’re unsure about your next dealer website or what tools to get.
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