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Will Automobiles Have the Right of Way in the Future?
Pedestrians have always had the right of way when crossing the roadway, as far back as I can recall. If the driver is inattentive or drunk, a car’s hundreds of pounds of weight and ability may kill a person (or several people) in a minute or less. Yes, crossing in front of oncoming vehicles is unhealthy. You may compare it to the video game Frogger. More often than not, you lose. But who chooses if automobiles or people win? In almost every state, pedestrians have the right of way, and at crosswalks and traffic lights, vehicles must stop for them. Imagine if that were to alter.
Let’s take a brief trip back in time. According to Jalopnik, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) felt it would be a great idea to encourage people to avoid being struck by cars in order to recognize “National Pedestrian Safety Month.” Obviously, no? I’m confident that the promotion was a wise use of our tax funds. Today, Ford is filing a patent for an augmented reality software that will allow pedestrians to know if an autonomous vehicle will stop at the junction… or not… in order to avoid being struck. Seriously? The post continues by sharing the author’s opinions on a few topics with which I completely concur. First of all, it’s not particularly safe for people to be walking around while glued to their phones, and secondly, the app only serves to alert the pedestrian, not the driver. The car can let pedestrians know whether it intends to pass through an intersection, but it cannot be told to stop by a pedestrian. “Hey, I’m walking over here!”
My primary concern is always vehicle safety. The safety of pedestrians is an outgrowth of that. I must admit that I have never intentionally run over a pedestrian with my automobile, but I can only assume that the driver does not enjoy the experience either. But what if the driver is absent? Most likely, passengers will ride in those autonomous vehicles. If the car doesn’t stop, all kinds of pandemonium, such as crashes with other vehicles, bicycles, or people, could easily occur. It doesn’t seem like a good combination. Ford merely stated, “Ford is a leading automotive innovator and submits patents on new inventions as a normal course of business,” in response to the article. An interesting perspective on a technology that excludes the use of a vehicle.
According to Motor Trend magazine, consumer advocate Ralph Nader pleaded with the NHTSA to ban Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” software, adding yet another crucial perspective to the discussion. He thinks technology is developing more quickly than it ought to. He wrote in the piece, “No one is above the laws of manslaughter.” In a full statement that he provided, he added, “Americans must not be test dummies…”
As the proportion of driverless vehicles rises, our roads and highways will face numerous issues. Despite how absurd a concept it may appear, at least one manufacturer is considering it. There will undoubtedly be other developments that we haven’t even considered yet.
Of course, there are also mechanical and technological issues. How do you act if a wheel pops off while you’re riding (not driving; you’ll note I didn’t mention driving) in an autonomous car and you’re reading the paper or otherwise preoccupied while traveling at 70 mph on the freeway? Or do you also leave that to the car?
Autonomous vehicles are on the horizon thanks to the House of Representatives’ bipartisan efforts to advance the development and manufacturing of these vehicles. And they’re arriving as quickly as manufacturers can produce them and legislation can be passed.
They’re headed in that direction, and we may be powerless to stop them. I’m not sure if we should halt it, but I do believe that this area needs a controlled burn. Why are autonomous vehicles being pushed so quickly before the technology has been thoroughly tested? What’s at risk? might be the true question. Should we act as the human equivalent of the technological advancements that will mostly benefit a small minority of Americans? The ideal time to cross this street right now is to look both ways.
Don’t pass up this offer on clearance!
Any object that is built needs a variety of tools for various operations. The prerequisite varies depending on the object. Therefore, it’s crucial to pick the appropriate instruments for each job.
Because they are power tools or are required for precise, delicate work, some instruments can be pricey to purchase. These gadgets can also be utilized to do laborious and arduous jobs. They would require three times as much time as a machine if they were to do it by hand.
Some tools have several uses by design. These may potentially prove costly. It is obvious that fewer other tools will be purchased if one tool can perform multiple tasks. As a result, prices in this particular section increased.
It is human nature to look for used, high-quality tools, and equipment that are on sale, or if there is anyone in their close connections who would advise them better or even lend the product for a brief period of time in order to complete such tasks and save money (Because A Lot Of Money Is Being Invested In Construction).
However, in reality, there is little probability that anything of the sort will happen. Consequently, finding a construction supply online shop is the most typical and practical option to obtain goods. One of the best-known internet stores is Ernie’s Tools. They are having a sale!
One of the best opportunities to evaluate Ernie’s products is right now. Several pricey items are being offered at a significant discount!
Videos: Are You Skillful or Just Gliding It?
Many dealerships have “value proposition” videos, but the issue is that their approach is to have those videos noticed by “the right shopper.” Social media channels like Facebook, TikTok, and others are excellent for branding, high-funnel messages, and the occasional mid to low-funnel contact. The majority of the visitors to this website are mid- to low-funnel shoppers, but there is one location where many more people (every day) will watch your videos than there will be on all of the social media networks put together. Have you figured it out? It’s “your” website, that’s correct.
Listen, it’s quite easy. Getting your video content in front of the right customer at the correct stage of the purchase cycle is one of the most crucial elements of a video marketing strategy. Driving mid to low-funnel traffic to your website costs you thousands of dollars per month. Your value proposition (and testimonial) films should be displayed on THIS, THE MOST IMPORTANT touchpoint. However, they are prominently shown on your SRPs and VDPs next to your New Model Test Drive and VIN-specific Inventory Videos, not on a “videos” tab tucked away on your menu.
On your VDPs, you want to “make the car the star”. But remember this: Most customers are just as interested in finding a dealership they can trust as they are in buying a car. This is something you already know, and your “on the lot” sales technique is built around it. Applying the same reasoning to your “online lot,” instead of hiding your value proposition and testimonial films somewhere on your website, will increase your sales in a way that will astound you.
Since many years ago, video marketing has reigned as a strategy to connect with and cultivate connections with consumers. Many organizations are quickly spending more of their marketing budgets on it as a result of this knowledge. But simply “doing” video marketing is insufficient. Every dealership should have a plan in place and begin with the end in mind. The message you deliver to customers is crucial, just like with another form of marketing. Knowing how you want your dealership to be seen by customers is an important aspect of strategy. What makes your dealership special? What is unique? Is there a feature of your dealership that your consumers adore? Do they have any pet peeves? Your objective should be to identify the distinctive, endearing qualities of your dealership and communicate them to customers since people buy from individuals they like.
According to a recent post on Entrepreneur, it’s critical to connect the dots between your video marketing approach and business plan. Some dealerships intentionally present themselves as wild and insane. Take Winston Salem, North Carolina’s Frank Myers Auto Maxx. In his advertisements, the proprietor, Tracy Myers, has created characters and narrated amusing tales. However, he also makes it clear that his salespeople are non-commission and customer-focused. Here’s an illustration: https://youtu.be/2B4SlESB2Xk
You can watch the entire Emmy-nominated short film he made about the history of his dealership here: https://youtu.be/ietWhebVMQY. The key is that he does this because IT WORKS, not because he just wants to be insane. How did he find out? USING DATA. Even when he receives emails from individuals expressing disapproval of his film, one thing is certain: they saw it. His customers are incredibly loyal.
Your car dealership can tell a tale. There are many other types of videos you may make to share it with your audience; you are not required to make brief films in order to do so. You can start with value propositions, client references, or regular promotional films high in the funnel. You can play inventory films with your dealership’s distinctive messaging and branding as the buyer progresses down the sales funnel. Finally, at the bottom of the funnel, you may reinforce your points with post-sale films and video emails.
To discover whether your message and video are effective, you simply need to decide what kind of message and video you want to spread. You won’t know what works without data, and you risk spending time and money on a plan that isn’t producing the desired outcomes. Never again say, “Buy, Buy, Buy.” Customers who view your videos and advertisements are already aware that you are a car dealership and that you want to sell them a car. By copying every other vehicle dealership, you run the risk of having customers tune you out or, worse, fast-forward and not watch at all.
There are a lot of other techniques you can use video for, but I’m not going to talk about those here. Dealerships need to decide WHO they want to be and WHAT they want to convey, which is the point I’m trying to make. to tell that tale in all of their video (and other) promotions. More significantly, that narrative ought to be conveyed in all of their marketing. Maintaining consistency helps keep a brand in people’s minds. Brand identity is important, and your marketing funnel should be in line with it. Make decisions on what strategy is effective using data.
It is essential to make these judgments; therefore, if you don’t already have a platform that can provide you with the level of data you require, you should look for one. You cannot determine the effectiveness of your plan by looking at Facebook “Likes” and “Comments” (or any other platform).
What objectives is this film trying to achieve, you might ask? Does it fit into my larger marketing plan? Does it reflect my dealership’s character or communicate my dealership’s story? The most crucial question is: How can I know whether it’s working?
Continue doing it once you’ve answered these queries and looked at the data to see if it is effective. Change course if you find that some elements of your plan aren’t working or connecting. Every company fails at marketing sometimes, but that doesn’t stop them from trying again. You will eventually discover that “special sauce” that connects with your customers, moves them down your marketing and sales funnel, and assists you in reaching your objective of raising revenue.
3 Crypto-Friendly Methods for Purchasing Cars
For many prospective automobile buyers, vehicle affordability is becoming a serious concern. The average cost of a new car has reached $48,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, and the average cost of a used car is above $28,000, per Cox Automotive.
How are customers supposed to pay these astronomical prices? more so with cryptocurrencies. According to PipSlay, nearly 50% of Millennials and 28%, 23%, and 23% of Gen X and Gen Z, respectively, are cryptocurrency owners.
The ability to accommodate consumers who wish to use their cryptocurrencies to pay for or finance their vehicles will be advantageous to dealerships that set themselves up to take Bitcoin. The following are the most typical methods which clients utilize cryptocurrency to purchase automobiles.
Purchase Direct
According to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market study from 2021, 19% of vehicle sales are made in cash. If more merchants accepted cryptocurrencies, that percentage might be greater. The CNBC Millionaire Survey found that 25% or more of Millennial millionaires’ wealth is held in cryptocurrency.
I spoke with a dealer about a customer who wanted to use Bitcoin to pay for two cars that he wanted to buy for his two kids. The man left the dealership after the salesperson informed him that it did not accept Bitcoin. He didn’t want to deal with the trouble of having to sell his cryptocurrency, convert it to dollars, transfer it to his bank, and then set up a second transfer to the dealership. He desired to make a Bitcoin payment.
Expect many more automobile buyers to request this option as the cryptocurrency market rebounds and acceptance increases.
The down payment
Redfin conducted a survey recently, and 13% of first-time house purchasers reported selling cryptocurrencies to raise money for a down payment. Similar, if not higher, percentages apply to car buyers.
Many Bitcoin owners view their investment as a long-term one and do not want to part with it. One possibility for these buyers is to use some of their cryptocurrency as collateral for a loan that is just big enough for the down payment, and then have them pay cash for the monthly payments.
Finance the entire car
Millennials make up about 60% of all new recruits at dealerships. A large portion of this generation is knowledgeable about and interested in cryptocurrencies. The subject of financing and payments naturally comes up throughout a salesperson’s interactions with customers. The possibility of using a crypto-collateralized loan to finance the car should be discussed as part of that discussion.
Dealerships will encounter more consumers who do not qualify for loans or who only qualify for sub-prime loans as vehicle costs rise and a potential recession looms. Many Millennials and members of Generation Z, in particular, have well-paying occupations but weak credit histories.
Given that many Bitcoin investors wish to keep their cryptocurrency for a long time, collateralized loans are the best option. Automobile buyers can receive lower financing rates by using cryptocurrency as collateral. For instance, a consumer who uses a crypto-collateralized loan to pay for their car can be eligible for a two percentage point cheaper interest rate than they otherwise would have been.
In the next two years, approximately 75% of U.S. shops expect to accept cryptocurrencies as payment, according to a Deloitte report from June 2022. More than half of those retailers do not intend to store the cryptocurrency, instead planning to have third-party payment processors change the cryptocurrency into fiat at the moment of the transaction. Owning a volatile asset is no longer a danger with the help of this method.
It is obvious that cryptocurrencies are here to stay, and consumer demand is what is driving business adoption. It makes perfect sense for consumers to use cryptocurrencies to finance or assist in paying for expensive items like cars. Hopefully, soon, they’ll be able to use more dealerships.
Make Your Store Stand Out Using Video
In order to inform viewers and improve the customer experience, video can be used to engage sales prospects. Car dealerships may exhibit their inventory, highlight the features and advantages of particular models, and even provide virtual test drives by producing interesting and educational movies. This can aid car dealerships in establishing themselves as a reliable resource of knowledge and a preferred location for prospective purchasers.
Let’s look at some of the justifications for using video communication in your dealership’s customer experience.
Create a Personal Bond
For auto dealers trying to kick-start and maintain the client relationship, video is a potent weapon. Dealerships can offer a more individualized sales experience, respond to customers’ questions, and address their particular problems by using video chat or recorded video messages. Additionally, it provides more transparency and has a friendlier vibe to prospective purchasers. This can strengthen customer relationships and improve the chances of closing a deal.
Present the Vehicle
Offering virtual test drives is another way to use video to engage potential customers. The salesman can give the customer a virtual tour of the car using video chat, showcasing its interior and exterior features and emphasizing its main performance attributes. This can help potential customers get a sense of the car without having to physically visit the store.
By producing brief, educational movies showcasing the inventory of the dealership, dealers may also engage sales prospects. These videos, which can be personalized to certain models or target audience segments, can be broadcast on the dealership’s website and social media platforms. A dealership might, for instance, make a film highlighting the safety features of a specific SUV model and target it at parents of young children.
More Leads to Reach
To access more automobile inventory and locate the dealers they wish to buy from, customers are resorting to Internet sales. This is especially advantageous for smaller dealerships that may have previously struggled to compete in their local market with larger, more established rivals. Dealerships can now target a larger audience and possibly boost sales and profitability thanks to the opportunity to contact more customers online. The process of purchasing a car can be streamlined and made more convenient for customers with the use of video.
Verify the appointment.
For a car dealership, using video to confirm an appointment is efficient since it gives the customer the chance to see and hear the confirmation from the salesman. This personal touch increases the customer’s likelihood of keeping the appointment by fostering a sense of trust and connection.
The consumer may quickly and easily confirm crucial data like the meeting date, time, and location when using video for appointment confirmation. As a result, there will be no misunderstandings or ambiguities, and the customer will be sure to appear at the dealership on time and prepare for their appointment.
Thank you.
Additionally, dealerships can use video messaging at any moment to express gratitude following a successful sale. Both clients and potential clients desire to be treated with respect and worth. Sending a thoughtful video message can be simpler and less expensive than sending a letter. Remember that you can show your thanks without making a sale. Birthdays, holidays, and special promotions are all appropriate times to send a quick note and a heartfelt message.
In general, using video to engage sales prospects at an auto dealership is a potent way to impart knowledge, improve the customer experience, and boost revenue. Car dealerships may exhibit their inventory, emphasize important features and benefits, and provide prospective consumers with helpful information and tips by producing interesting and educational movies.
Video Impact on Dealership Sales in the Past Year
How can you use tailored video approaches across the sales cycle to connect with potential customers, convert opportunities, and close deals more quickly? We all know that video is a key engagement tool to cut through today’s noise.
1. Video Gets Past Inboxes
If it isn’t already, video content ought to be a crucial component of your modern dealership’s sales procedures. Consider it the wave that raises all boats or the message that pierces all email inboxes. A consumer may smile, chuckle, and most importantly, respond with that extra push! A compelling video experience prepares your audience for the information or material that will come next.
By merely integrating and measuring customized films in their sales processes, Gee Automotive Companies, a company that serves 35 dealerships in the Pacific Northwest, demonstrated significant front-end gross.
2. Distance relationships can be created through video
The car industry has learned a lot in recent years about the value of online sales. Many dealerships were unable to keep up with demand, so customers began to look outside of their own state for their new cars. Many of them began their search online. Videos and virtual tours have become crucial tools for establishing rapport with customers and creating a memorable shopping experience.
Weiss Toyota of South County St. Louis’ Internet Sales Manager, Mike Indelicato, shares a tale of a deal he struck with a customer who resided in Hawaii. Through an internet connection, they were able to communicate virtually and watch a series of videos together. According to Mike, “The man spent $1000 to transport the truck to California and another two grand to ship the truck over to Hawaii since he was so satisfied with the video walkaround that was sent and after talking with various dealers around the country. It took him around four weeks to receive the Takoma, but once he did, he was overjoyed. He even emailed me a photo of the truck with the Hawaiian palm trees in the backdrop, and it was dead accurate.
3. Video Speeds Up Deal Cycles
The best technique to appeal to your audience’s emotions is through video. According to research from the University of Southern California, a consumer’s choice to make a purchase may be influenced more by their emotional reaction to a video ad than by the commercial’s content. It all boils down to the reality that emotion encourages empathy, and empathy creates trust, both of which are important for today’s sales.
To integrate video into your sales process, you don’t have to be an expert on YouTube or a TikTok celebrity. You can quickly increase conversions, make personalized videos (like a rock star), and exceed your sales quota by just knowing your business and your clients.
4 Voicemail Strategies for Millennials & Follow-Up Tips
Money is beckoning when the phone rings. Even though it’s every dealership’s mission to pick up the phone and connect every caller with a helpful person, some calls will undoubtedly go unanswered. Voicemail messages left by clients offer a simple chance to follow up and win back their business. However, fewer individuals, particularly millennials, are leaving voicemails. In fact, 80% of callers do not leave a message, according to Forbes magazine. Follow these best practices to make sure callers leave a message and effective follow-up tactics are in place to overcome this difficulty at your dealership.
1. Create a powerful voicemail message in advance.
Instead of depending on the pre-programmed voicemail message that comes with the system, record your own personalized message. This gives you the ability to tailor the experience for your consumers and urge them to leave a message. Make sure your customer understands how important their communication is to you. Customers frequently feel that leaving a message is pointless and that the person on the other end of the line won’t even listen to it. Inform your clients that you will get back to them within the hour. Customers are encouraged to leave messages since there is a list of instructions provided and a deadline for them to be ready for a callback.
2. Send a text after a missed call.
Other means of communication, like texting, might be a useful way to interact with your younger clients. Send automated texts to missed callers so they can text back in response. Sending a text message to millennial clients is an alternative to leaving a voicemail because they could feel awkward doing it. After making an attempt at a follow-up contact, you can manually send these texts if your dealership lacks the means to automate them. Because there is no assurance that your consumer will be available to answer the phone, follow-up calls can be challenging. Since texting is a quick and effective way to connect with clients and let them know you still want to help them, it is advantageous to the dealer.
3. Possess tools for transcribing voicemails.
Even one voicemail message left by a consumer can take a lot of time to listen to. Few dealers have the time to listen to every voicemail while managing all of their other duties. In order to feel fully prepared to offer a solution on the follow-up contact, automatic transcriptions make it simple to provide a fast overview of what the customer’s inquiry was.
4. Designate a time each day for making outgoing calls.
Giving yourself a block of time each day to follow up with disconnected callers ensures that calls don’t get lost in the shuffle. Making outbound calls generates leads that can be followed up on. This time block also acts as a prompt to get in touch with clients who left voicemails. These calls, as opposed to those that hung up before reaching voicemail, should be prioritized because they provide more information about what the client wants.
Voicemail messages from customers give your dealership the chance to follow up and win back their business. You may reclaim these excellent possibilities by encouraging customers to leave voicemails and making sure that recommended follow-up procedures are in place. In general, it’s crucial to make sure disconnected callers are promptly and properly followed. The correct tools can greatly assist your dealership in reducing the amount of time spent sorting through these calls and ensuring that no sales are missed.
Using human evaluations, AI, and CRISP analytics, Car Wars provides the Sales and Service departments with everything they require to Own the Phone. Car Wars gives managers insight into how each contact is handled by listening to and categorizing every inbound and outbound call at a dealership, notifying them when an opportunity requires attention and actively enhancing phone performance in both Sales and Service.
In order to build a high-performance phone culture that assists more callers faster and, eventually, converts more phone calls into scheduled appointments, Car Wars leverages transparent accountability in conjunction with live call analytics.
The Value of Management and Staff Development
Managers, you are the key to fostering employee growth.
In fact, I’ll state that management is the secret to the success of every process implementation and operational endeavor.
Consult any vendor. Consult your OEM representative. Nothing happens without active participation and managerial buy-in. Your GM gets angry because they can’t gain buy-in,” and the store doesn’t develop.
Employee development is driven by managers. Your client’s experience is created by them. They coach and develop your squad. The quality of your organization’s managers affects how well it performs.
Why, then, do you feel so left out? Do you receive the same level of training as the salespeople, BDC representatives, service advisors, etc. that you supervise? Do you have the skills necessary to help your team members succeed, or are you just a glorified babysitter?
The following four actions will help you develop as a manager and leader:
Prioritize both important and urgent tasks.
I hear that managers don’t have enough time to do their jobs all too frequently. You do have enough time, but you must set priorities and drop unimportant tasks.
There is no avoiding irate clients. The service drive cannot be stopped, so you can spend some time coaching your service advisers. You cannot control the sale of cars using a calendar schedule. They must be done immediately.
But significant things need to be given their due time. Important things frequently get overlooked in favor of everything else. Consider how you can organize the chaos in your day. Make time to attend to what is important.
Become personally acquainted
The adage “people buy from people” is common knowledge. Indeed, but there are also those who work for others. Establishing a personal and emotional connection with your team members is essential for coaching and encouraging them.
That does not obligate you to become close friends. It implies that you are aware of the motivations behind your employees’ employment. It implies that you are aware of their job goals. They must feel confident that you are making an effort to support them in achieving their objectives.
Do you understand why your staff members work at your shop? Do you know what drives them to succeed in the real world? Do you know what their goals are for the next two years? Learn more.
Make success-measuring scorecards.
You have to show me what success looks like if you want me to work for you. That goes beyond simply stating how many vehicles are ideal to sell or how many meetings your top BDC agent schedules.
Employees must comprehend the tasks they must complete in order to succeed. Activities produce outcomes. If you can convince your staff that doing tasks on a regular basis will lead to success, you’ll achieve the results you desire.
For a fresh hire vs. an experienced veteran who has been with you for 12 years, these tasks should differ. Make sure your scorecards have experience-based levels. An employee can always “promote” from one scorecard to another as they advance.
growth perspective
I questioned if you were obtaining the same amount of training as your staff earlier in this article. If not, you’re responsible. You have access to practically countless materials that can help you advance your managerial abilities.
You may improve your coaching and mentoring skills by using a variety of channels, including YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, leadership books, and communities. Spend some time using them.
A growth mindset is the conviction that there is always more to learn. You aren’t only managing your team by sitting back and leveraging expertise. You must always be on the lookout for chances to advance and develop.
Execute
Duh.
If you don’t put the following tasks into practice, they are all for naught. With excellent intentions, the road has been laid. Execution is what distinguishes real leaders from babysitters.
Everyone has the ability to make a deal. Your value does not lie in that. The development of your staff is the real reason you are where you are. Keep in mind that you are the difference between a failed and successful dealership.
What Does the Google Bard Ai Service Do?
Search Google
Google has been moving forward steadily with its Google Bard program over the last few years. This program’s goal is to compile all of human knowledge in a straightforward manner that answers your inquiries.
LaMDA stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications.
An overly complicated subject can be rapidly simplified by Google Bard to make it simpler to understand. The Bard system can use a complex set of data to help you find outcomes that are appropriate for your needs. For instance, a person could look for a particular car at a Los Angeles dealership. Following that, Bard might go through the listings right away and give dealerships stock listings for the car on their websites. The Language Model for Dialogue Applications, or LaMDA system, has numerous possible applications. This is why it’s crucial to start listing your business with a company that has a solid understanding of content optimization.
Few things are as powerful as a personal recommendation, which is a well-known fact. You can get your products recommended to customers in a much more direct and customized way with the Bard program. If your car is close to the user asking the query, Bard’s reply can mention its precise location. This is only possible if your website presents all of your information in a proper manner.
The Bard program begins with a query from a client. The system then responds with information that rapidly expands on the query. The most pertinent search engine results are those shown below the response. Psychologically, this results in receiving recommendations and a customized response to the inquiry. The most will benefit from these new Google technologies for businesses.
Learn more about Google Bard and the newest technological developments
In order to help your dealership become more successful, Customer Scout stays on the cutting edge of digital advertising. It’s almost as if your company doesn’t exist when it’s impossible to find it online. Allow us to assist you in creating a properly designated online space intended to attract buyers to your dealership. Don’t miss the significant changes that will soon be made in how consumers process and locate information about goods and services. To be informed at all times and bring more customers to your dealership, get in touch with Customer Scout.
Establishing Appointments 101
One of your objectives when working in customer service for a dealership may be to schedule appointments for individuals to come in and test drive new vehicles. This may seem like a waste of time if you are new to the dealership, especially if individuals frequently drop by without an appointment to buy a car. However, making appointments is one of the most beneficial ways you can boost the dealership’s profits.
WHY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
Even if your dealership receives a lot of walk-in business, appointments are a highly effective technique to guarantee a sale. The majority of people entering from the street undertake window shopping. Although they might know what they want, they might not be prepared to make a purchase just yet. The salesperson has wasted their time if they test drive a few cars and opt to buy somewhere else. The person who calls to make an appointment, on the other hand, is more serious about their plans to purchase a car from your dealership. You can prepare for them by setting an appointment with the sales team. Consider making an appointment as a pre-closing transaction. You are one of their initial contacts, and the impression you make on them may determine whether or not they choose to buy a car from you.
RECURRING THE INFORMATION
Setting an appointment with a customer enables the sales team to prepare for them and ensure that the appropriate cars are placed in front of them, which is one of the major advantages. Inquire about their budget, preferred automobile model, desired features, desired colors, and other pertinent information throughout your phone conversation. Many visitors conduct their own research in advance and bring vehicles they wish to test drive, but having this knowledge might assist your crew in spotting additional vehicles that they may have overlooked. A terrific technique to make the appropriate impression and close the deal is to be treated like a valued customer.
CLOSE THE TRADE
Even though you might not seal the purchase over the phone, every encounter you have with them might set them up to do so. You may appear certain and cover all of your bases by using the phone script. Make sure you fully address all of their inquiries, and ask more in-depth questions as opposed to straightforward yes-or-no inquiries. The prospective customer will feel more confident as a result of all of these factors. Consider what works best and is most convenient for your customer when choosing an appointment time. It’s more probable that they will keep their appointment if you work around their schedule. Talking them through what to anticipate from reminders and their actual appointment is a wonderful idea as well. The more you prepare them, the more likely it is that your appointment will go well.
SPEED METRICS
It’s crucial to monitor the appropriate metrics to make sure that your phone calls are as successful as they can be in scheduling appointments. Both the ratio of phone calls to scheduled appointments and the ratio of scheduled appointments to actual appointments are critical indicators of how well things are running. It indicates a problem with the way the phone calls are going if not many appointments are made or if a significant portion of the scheduled appointments are not kept. This might necessitate further instruction or a change to the current phone scripts. The best performers can be found using these criteria as well. Consider what your top achievers do that is effective and whether you can implement that with the rest of your team.
One of your most effective pre-sales tactics for selling cars is making appointments. These phone calls can prepare the sales staff and the customer for a fruitful visit and make a wonderful impression with the right training. Make sure to concentrate your efforts on improving your phone calls.
Make Your Dealership Loveable
A car must do two things in order to be sold. Consumers must develop an emotional bond with both their business and the automobile they are purchasing. The traditional path to the sale has always included the step of “selling your dealership,” but the current inventory shortages have made this step superfluous. There are many salespeople who have an “I don’t care if you buy it because I know the next person that comes in will buy it” mentality.
However, this kind of complacency needs to be restrained given the decline in used car values, the increase in new vehicle manufacturing, and the impending recession. Dealers must put just as much effort into marketing their business as they do into their inventory of vehicles if they want to stay competitive.
Consumers are doing more of their car shopping online now than they were before the outbreak. Many customers don’t stop by the dealership until they’ve decided to buy a car. In order for auto buyers to make the “where to buy” decision along with their decision on which vehicle to purchase, dealers must actively promote their dealership online.
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In fact, if you can win a customer’s love, there’s a strong possibility they’ll choose to purchase a car from you before they’ve even decided on a particular model! So how can this be done best? Of all media, video is the most effective educational and emotive marketing medium there is. The following should be developed in order to market your dealership.
Indicator of Value Video. In a video, address the query, “Why buy from you?” Ideally, the general manager or dealer principal responds to this in a welcome video. Thank the consumer for thinking of your dealership, and let them know what to expect from their visit.
Videos of customer reviews. Every time you have a satisfied customer, give them a reason to submit a video testimonial. Encourage them to rave about their wonderful experience making a purchase at your dealership.
Create and publish videos to vehicle display pages (VDPs)
What will you do with these fantastic videos now that you have them? DON’T bury them on your website’s “About Us” page. Although you should share them on your social media platforms, don’t stop there. Include them in your email marketing, yes, but don’t end the conversation there.
VDPs are the first—and perhaps the only—website pages that active automobile shoppers visit. Your value proposition and client testimonial videos should be posted on the VDPs themselves.
The simplest method to accomplish this is to make a landing page for each vehicle that plays many videos at once. Consider the last time you watched videos on YouTube. What do you do following a video viewing? The majority of people repeatedly view videos. It’s simple to achieve the same result on your dealership’s virtual dealership program, and it works wonders to keep interested automobile buyers interested.
The buyer first arrives at your VDP, views the vehicle’s images and specifications, and then notices a sizable “View Video” button. They click the button, which directs them to a landing page with videos of your general manager’s greeting, one or two client testimonials, and your vehicle inventory. Another option is to show the customer an inventory video of a different car that they might find interesting.
After viewing the inventory video, the consumer will logically click on and view the next videos as well. When they observe your dealership’s dedication to providing a positive shopping experience, presto! If the experience they get at the dealership is consistent with what you offer them, you may have won over a customer who will remain loyal.
Videos are an effective way to increase client confidence in your decision-making process and gain their trust. However, having movies alone won’t cut it; you also need to make sure that every casual car shopper sees them so they can respond to the question “Why buy from you?” before they even choose which car they want.
Using Data to Solve Your Service Absorption Issues
Goals for Service Absorption
The issue of their customers defecting and having their vehicles serviced at aftermarket facilities is one that dealerships and their service managers are always working to address. In comparison to OEM customers who continue to service through the dealership, OEMs reward dealerships based on the number of OEM customers registered in their core marketing area. In order for dealers to receive their incentive, they typically need to service about 70% of all brand-new vehicles.
Getting Rid of the Defection Issue
What can service managers do if service intervals are increasing but dealerships are not informed of customer defections until it is too late? When the warranty on a new vehicle ends, there is a significant defection period because customers begin to service their cars elsewhere rather than going back to your dealership. The dealership will not know who the owner is unless they have the registration information or if the customer decides to visit the dealership for service when the car is sold to its second or third owner. The dealership must wait until the vehicle is registered in their core marketing area.
How many of your clients are leaving for the aftermarket, then? How much closer would you get to meeting your OEM’s standard for servicing vehicles in your main marketing area if you could take advantage of these known defectors and be “in the market” for service customers?
These Known Defectors are who?
People who reside in close proximity to your dealership and drive a specific brand of car are known defectors. Dealerships may now determine when a mobile device has visited an aftermarket location by employing proximity targeting. In order to identify whether a mobile device is in an aftermarket place and to track how long it is there, proximity targeting uses latitude and longitude data. Whenever a customer spends more than 30 minutes at an aftermarket location, they are deemed to be a “known defector.”
Additionally, data partners have the capacity to scrape credit card statements in bulk in order to determine whether clients have charges from aftermarket places on their credit cards as well as the service that was rendered. These audiences can be specifically targeted with Facebook and display advertising using this data, which may encourage them to visit the dealership once more when it’s time for service.
Exactly how does this operate? Using a real-world illustration Jiffy Lube recently performed an oil change on Peggy. Her phone was found at the aftermarket site, which is in your dealership’s main marketing territory, according to proximity targeting data. Additionally, data partners can see the oil change bill that was charged to her credit card. The following time Peggy needs an oil change, she receives an advertisement for a special deal that encourages her to return to the dealership for service rather than visit the aftermarket facility.
How Can You Tell If a Client Is “In the Market” for Services?
Data can also assist car dealerships in locating individuals who drive a specific brand of car, reside nearby, and are “in the market for service.” Customers’ internet searches for servicing parts and locations, as well as their visits to various dealerships and aftermarket websites, can all be recorded. As a result of this online behavior, you can send the customer a Facebook or display advertisement to persuade them to visit your dealership. You can now use digital advertisements and other special offers to persuade clients to visit your dealership.
For instance, Doug needs a new alternator because his automobile recently broke down. According to the data, Doug is the owner of a Toyota Camry in the key marketing territory of the dealership’s marketing department. Doug has his car towed and asks his friend Ryan to pick him up. They return to Ryan’s home to begin looking up rates and other details. To find out the price of alternators and the expense of having one installed, they can Google “prices for alternators” and then visit aftermarket websites like Jiffy Lube and AutoZone. Doug is now part of the “In the Market for Service” audience as a result of his online behavior, and service advertisements for the Toyota dealership nearby are now displayed to him. Doug then obtains top-notch service from the dealership and decides to stay with them for all future repair needs and vehicle purchases.
How Effective Is This New Technology? For a Luxury OEM, it did!
Because this technology is new to the market, a high-end OEM just conducted a pilot to evaluate its efficacy. The experiment operated for two months in the OEM’s chosen store’s key marketing areas. Nine stores participated in all, ranging in size from tiny to larger businesses, and they used advertising to target owners of luxury OEM automobiles who were defecting or in the market for service. Dealerships typically received $18 in return for every $1 they spent on advertising. Small businesses reported a $16 return on every dollar spent. Large stores reported an ROI of $22 for every $1 spent, while medium stores reported an ROI of $18. In order to continue catching these known defectors and exploiting the data for optimal service absorption, this luxury OEM is now introducing the technology to all of its locations across the nation.
College basketball and how you manage your staff
What does your sales floor have in common with Duke basketball?
There was a ton of excellent stuff at the 2022 Executive Summit, which I just returned from. One of the keynote speakers provided the audience with a fresh perspective on your employee development approach. The Duke basketball team was one of the examples he gave.
Four years used to pass between Coach K and his college athletes. He was able to develop consistency in his squads as a result. Bear in mind Grant Hill. He remained throughout his four years of college. Consider the things that were made possible for college coaches.
The “1 and Done” rule changed the course of events. The NBA’s best players weren’t sticking around when this regulation was put in place. It altered the guidelines. Coach K had his players for 6 months as opposed to 4 years (from the start of the school year until March Madness). He had Zion Williamson instead of Grant Hill.
The coach needed to reconsider his recruiting and coaching strategies if he wanted to succeed. He couldn’t win an NCAA Championship the old-fashioned way.
He altered, for instance, how he found talent. He would explain to high school athletes how he would get them into the NBA while they were sitting with them. The following are some of the messages he conveyed to prospective Blue Devils:
We’ll get you ready for the next stage of your career.
Your worth will increase.
We’ll help you develop both as a player and as a person.
We will surround you with outstanding talent.
Our culture is focused on developing outstanding talent and winning.
Even if you don’t make the NBA, we will assist you in finding employment as a coach, scout, or other position.
He not only altered his perspective but also clarified the playbook. He was aware that he was short on time to instruct his players on challenging plays and defenses. Instead of waiting until they arrived at school, he started the committed prospects’ interactions with the current players as soon as feasible.
Consider what you would do if you were aware that your salespeople were leaving. How might you change your procedure? What would the onboarding process entail?
We are deluding ourselves if we believe that our employees will be “lifers” in the labor market of today. Although most of them won’t, we would all like them to stay. While they are still with us, we can make the most of their contributions and get them ready for their next chance. If they do, fantastic! If they depart, your dealership will have gotten the most out of them.
If workers quit and take worse positions, the dealership is to blame. An excessive number of those is a sign of a flawed employee management system.
Consider how you handle employee relations. How can you streamline your procedures for the workforce of today?
Job sales via the phone versus in-person
One of the questions that can be posed occasionally requires a little more explanation when breaking down the duties of a service adviser in terms of selling work. You might be wondering what that question is.
Here it is, then:
Is it better to sell a project to a customer in person or over the phone in the most effective way possible? A service department is a very ACTIVE location. There is always work to be done and something going on. The majority of the daily routines at most shops are occupied by waiters, who fill the schedule. To pass the time, there are also highly sought-after drop-off appointments. The normal day offers enough work to keep all the technicians occupied when organized properly, with jobs ranging from straightforward oil change-type procedures to a few more task-oriented or diagnostic jobs to occupy the hours. When done correctly, the advisor should drop off appointments when the technicians arrive and sell work to waiters.
While we would all prefer the ideal scenario when it comes to selling work, neither life nor ideal scenarios for doing our jobs (or selling work, for that matter) exist very often. What does this mean, then? It indicates that selling work should be done the same way, whether it is done over the phone or in person. No matter where the client is, the advisor must devise a method for presenting the tasks at hand in an orderly and effective manner. Even if the requirements for each vehicle vary, we should do everything in our power to meet the needs of our CUSTOMERS. Each counselor has a unique selling style, and the finest ones are constantly acquiring new techniques. SELL. The best way to understand what you’re working with before going in to complete the job is to check in with and update your customer. Although it’s not always possible, a superb service department keeps in touch with one another to provide information or advice to the advisor on the job based on their write-up as well.
Therefore, if at all possible, we should establish a rapport with our clients before beginning the procedure. The three C’s are everything after that. Suspicion, Reason, and Remedy. The problem or complaint should be clearly stated, followed by the reason (or, in the absence of one, our best-educated estimate) and the necessary correction and its associated cost. If done that way, the client should be aware of the issue and know how to resolve it. Gaining the client’s trust by offering to show them photos or providing them is a wonderful method to gain their business. If at all possible, always propose multiple repair solutions. We are all aware of how effective aftermarket components can be in lowering consumer expenses. However, we are also aware of when we should stick with OEM parts and when we can do that. Without offering either too little or too much information, the advisor should manage the presentation of all of those possibilities.
In the end, it comes down to providing the greatest possible customer service and making sure that our communications are clear and straightforward. We consider our job done when we have supplied the consumer with all reasonable options for repair and have done our best presentation, whether over the phone or in person. This needs to be executed with assurance and power. Nothing is worse than a hesitant and mumbling adviser. At that point, it will be up to the buyer to choose what works best for them. If the staff functions as a whole in this way, whether the customer is calling or coming in person, the shop should see growth and retention in their department and be terminating more employment than not.
There may always be circumstances that do not go in our favor, but if we are confident that we have done everything in our ability to be as helpful as possible, then our tasks are done. The prized customer will always return to work with us if we put their needs ahead of our own pockets at the moment.
Set Goals as Your New Objective
Success is defined as moving from failure to failure without losing motivation. —William Churchill
Many of us are considering ways to advance and change in both our personal and professional lives as the new year draws near. Setting and achieving goals is one efficient way to do this. But it’s equally crucial to keep in mind that veering off course is acceptable. The most crucial thing is that we continue where we left off and strive toward our objective. Don’t let one, two, or even 10 missteps keep you from realizing your goal.
How then can we work with our staff to support them in setting and achieving their goals for the coming year? Here are some pointers:
Encourage open communication by fostering an environment for it at work. Encourage your employees to discuss their ambitions and goals with their coworkers by having them put them in writing. You’ll have a clearer idea of what your team is aiming for as well as a sense of support and accountability as a result of this.
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Assist staff in setting SMART goals. Set SMART objectives with your team that are consistent with each person’s values and professional aspirations. As they strive toward their objectives, this will support their motivation and concentration. Focus on the person rather than just the work. Performance at work will almost surely increase with positive personal growth. Additionally, it will demonstrate to workers that you value them beyond their contributions to the workplace, enhancing the bond between you two.
Organize your goals into smaller activities. Frequently, goals are created that must be accomplished in a number of smaller steps in order to be successful. To keep yourself on track, look for ways to divide your goals into more manageable chores. Help demonstrate that little victories can be found in the constituent parts as well as the finished product.
Provide assistance and resources: Give your team the tools and encouragement they need to keep track of and accomplish their objectives. This can entail instruction, guidance, or access to particular hardware, tools, or software. You can stay on track by keeping track of how your goals are coming along. Additionally, regular updates that are smaller and more gradual would help alleviate anxiety.
Promote a growth mentality at work by doing the following. This entails motivating your staff to welcome difficulties and view them as chances for development rather than setbacks.
Celebrate advancements and accomplishments: Don’t forget to recognize and honor the advancements and accomplishments of your staff members. This may help to maintain their interest and motivation in their task. Not every employee requires the same level of encouragement or appreciation. Utilize your understanding of your team to celebrate them in a style that will most effectively spur on further advancement.
Nobody Left Behind: We frequently focus on the team members who have the most room for development. Even though this may seem like the ideal course of action, we must make sure that every employee understands our commitment to their personal development in the highly competitive job market of today. So, remember: don’t forget about you! We could become so preoccupied with helping individuals around us that we neglect to set, track, and communicate our team’s goals.
It’s critical to keep in mind that defining goals is a continuous process. It’s a continuous process that needs continual work and dedication. It’s acceptable if we get off course or have setbacks; what matters is that we get back on course and continue to strive toward our goals.
Take some time as the new year draws near to interact with your staff and assist them in setting and achieving their goals. Encourage open communication, provide resources and assistance, and acknowledge success along the way. Also, bear in mind that it’s okay to give yourself (and your team members) a break if you stray from your course because the most important thing is to get back up and keep pursuing your objectives!
Please feel free to contact me directly if you lack a support system or someone to hold you responsible for your goals. I would be happy to be a part of your process. It would also be fantastic for me. I’m always willing to accept outside assistance to keep myself on track!
Keep your NCOs in mind
Do you recall Band of Brothers? Based on an even greater Stephen Ambrose book, it was a fantastic television series.
The 101st Airborne of World War II, notably Easy Company, was the subject of Band of Brothers. I recently rewatched this series, and something immediately stood out. There would have been no progress without the NCOs.
The NCOs were in charge of managing the progress of their squads. The NCOs were present to respond appropriately to issues and carry out the mission. They were the therapists, the father figures, and the law, and they held the team accountable.
Management is represented by the NCOs at the dealership. Without your management, the dealership would not be able to do as much as it does (salespeople, service advisors, techs, BDC agents, etc.). Any vendor with a software platform will tell you that managers have the power to make or break their success in a store if you ask them. This job is crucial.
How do we create a system that enables our management teams to succeed when there is so much reliance on them?
1. Describe the vision. When I was working at the desk, the GM would frequently return from a 20-group meeting and inform us that we would be implementing new procedures, technologies, etc. We were going to succeed with this method after another dealer in the 20 Group did.
Although we would follow business policy and try our best to execute the procedure, technology, etc., we didn’t truly believe in it. We weren’t aware of its significance or where it ranked on our list of priorities. We weren’t convinced.
Any new project needs to have the “why” explained in detail. Any changes you make to your business will cause disruption, so if you’re going to make them, they better last. Making the disruption successful will require communicating the rationale behind your decision to use this new procedure, technology, etc.
2. Involve management in the creation whenever possible. Include your supervisors in the process of creation if one is necessary. This may aid in gaining management support. They have a deeper knowledge of the process because they contributed to its creation. Your managers can also offer advice on how to effectively create a successful process because they work in the trenches every day.
3. Front-line training should not be the end of it. The majority of training that occurs in dealerships is for front-line staff. Since they lack managerial expertise, this is understandable. To help them get that experience, they require extensive training. They must learn the soft skills that will improve their performance at work, such as active listening.
For managers, though, training is equally crucial, if not more so. They must have interaction and engagement skills with their employees. They must acquire the soft skills necessary for mentoring and leading others.
We immediately realized, when developing a training track for SimpSocial University, that managers required just as much instruction, otherwise, the program would never be put into practice. According to my observations, management doesn’t often receive this kind of training. They ought to.
a sign that your managers need to be trained? when they begin telling other people that they feel like a “glorified babysitter”. This is a warning sign that their leadership style is reactive and that they aren’t helping their teams grow.
4. Responsibility. Although this phrase is overused in today’s society, it is accurate. We can keep front-line staff accountable by using all of the reports and dashboards that are accessible in dealerships. What about managers, though? Naturally, they should be held responsible for the success of their team, but they also need to meet expectations for how they interact with their subordinates. What types of coaching are necessary for the workers to succeed? Better still, what coaching and training is required for the manager to raise team productivity?
In my experience, dealerships that have strong management teams have the best success when introducing new software. They are more agile, and the changes they create are durable. Implementation and onboarding proceed more smoothly.
Consider how you can help your dealership’s NCOs grow. Your success depends on your contribution.
Service Drive Vehicle Upgrade Personnel: Benefit or Detriment?
Managers have been sifting through every opportunity at the dealership over the past few years. An amazing invention is referred to as an “upgrade” or “exchange” scheme. If you’re not familiar, a sales associate spends time in the service lane. Their goal is to interact with potential service clients and attempt to persuade them to purchase a new car while still keeping the trade they made in the deal. The largest advantage is that the customer and the car are in the building without the need to schedule an appointment for a sales pitch. There are several advantages to dealing with a client this way and generating leads in this fashion. The second advantage is that they aren’t shopping for you because they aren’t in the market.
A vehicle exchange specialist [VES] should be able to identify which customers are in the best position to present an opportunity if they are handling their leads properly. There are many different situations to deal with every day, depending on whether the customer has a lease that is about to expire, they have never had service before, or their car is nearing the end of its useful life. As they wait in the waiting area, they should attempt to establish friendly relationships with both the service patrons and the service advisers. This is vital because the client always wins when the departments collaborate effectively.
There should be more efficient departmental communication and processing of details. Since they are effectively receiving a free multipoint before needing to assign a number to the automobile, the used car manager should have a better notion of trade value when the vehicle is in for service. A fantastic technique to guarantee that all relevant details are handled and the customer has a reference point throughout the process is to have one person help both departments and the customer. If a customer’s service experience is positive, they are likely to go back to that sales department and their VES before going somewhere else, even if they don’t immediately plan to make a purchase.
It all basically comes down to providing exceptional customer service and making the dealership appear like a one-team rather than a collection of independent sections. In light of this, might a VES be harmful? The answer is, “Yes,” if their communication between the two departments is weak and they are not aware of which vehicles and clients are appropriate to present to. Throughout the process, a VES must be able to communicate with consumers, managers, and service advisers. They are not the proper candidate for the job if they cannot communicate with each of those parties from the beginning of the procedure. A knowledgeable VES is always a valuable tool for both the department and its clients.
A Consistent Sales Process: Who Needs One? We all do!
We’d be lying if we said we didn’t relish the period when vehicles left the lot more quickly than we could add additional stock. But as that comes to an end, we must consider if we are ready to sell vehicles once more. Let’s face it: Throughout the past three years, we have easily overcome obstacles and, more importantly, have maintained gross levels that are records. But in this madness, did we really follow a sales process? Most will acknowledge that they didn’t.
It is likely that the sales process changed in the same way since client response times have decreased over the past three years. Consistency in our sales process has always been a challenge for us, but it will be even more crucial in the coming weeks and months. Customers will soon have more options as inventory shortages ease. So, if we can’t successfully respond to their questions or help them, we’re putting ourselves up for failure.
It doesn’t have to be difficult, which is good news. It’s time to return to the fundamentals or to block and handle the essential components of the sales process, as they say. Considering that consumer purchasing habits have evolved during the past three years. However, it is still true that customers want their questions answered. Customers also want to know what to do next when they enter the dealership, which is more significant. It is safe to assume that the customer does not visit the dealership merely for pleasure. They are at the car showroom to buy a vehicle.
However, since they have more options, customers may lose patience with a lack of a sales process as a result. Furthermore, do we really want to pass on sales possibilities just because we don’t adhere to a sales process? Instead, we should put our attention first on making sure that our BD and Sales Consultants are aware of the process and when it starts, either online or over the phone. That means being aware of the options a customer has when making inquiries before visiting. So that there is continuity when your Sales Consultant or BD Agent works with the customer over the phone, online, or in the dealership.
The customer’s overall experience will be improved by a smooth process both inside and outside the business. Additionally, a positive experience results in more vehicles being sold with a higher CSI since you adhere to a sound sales process. It sounds easy, don’t you think? But the unfortunate truth is that most of the time, each of your sales managers and consultants tends to work according to their own procedures. That only makes managing the breakpoints in their processes more difficult. All of us have room for improvement because none of us are flawless. Why, then, do we make things even more difficult for ourselves by having to coordinate multiple sales processes at once? Instead, concentrate on a single sales process so that, as a Sales Manager, you can simply intervene or support your Sales Consultants without putting extra stress on your customers, regardless of who is dealing with them.
Best Appointment Schedule: Do You Need a Service BDC or Not?
When choosing whether to add a BDC service, there are a few things to take into account. What size is your store? What are your main upcoming appointments? Can your advisers handle scheduling their own appointments, or are they overworked? All of these issues should be taken into account when deciding whether a service is appropriate for your business.
A huge establishment ought to be bringing in a lot of business. Just that claim alone justifies a service. A service BDC is an acceptable addition to the team because the volume is always something that needs more management, even with advisers to match the number of techs so that work is efficient. Keeping the advisers on the go enables them to concentrate on their consumers in the store, which should result in better customer service and, consequently, more lucrative transactions.
Moving on to the kind of appointment. This is important since a service BDC could not be as effective as an adviser receiving the call, depending on the appointments being booked for the shop. It may be most effective to have the advisors make and take such appointments if a recall or service campaign is already well underway, like the Takata Air Bag Recall. They base this on their understanding of the workflow, the skills of their technicians, and the availability of parts. Advisors need a little more control because this can all change depending on other current or inactive projects. A service BDC should be a terrific addition to the team, but if the shop isn’t going through that. In any event, this can also be lessened by employing knowledgeable and well-trained staff. Therefore, let’s not dismiss a service based on this justification. In the end, communication between the department and the BDC standards is what actually matters.
Are the advisors working too hard? We all recognize the appearance of a worn-out advisor. To keep advisers and technicians content, a service manager must execute a delicate dance. In the shop, there is never a flawless situation, and everyone always believes they can do it better. There will always be those who require more work and those on whom we ought to put less emphasis. Fostering a culture of teamwork in the office should aid in easing some of the pressure an adviser faces each day. Another excellent method to handle things is to make sure the lane is fully manned, at least in principle. However, a service BDC is a wonderful method to divert calls away from the advisers so they can concentrate on their present clientele, which includes drop-off appointments as well as waiters. A shop with eager technicians can always turn more cars around with a dedicated advisor. The shop stops when a technician waits on their box for a response to a job. Even the most seasoned advisors can be broken by a cranky tech if they are acting like stubborn mules.
Overall, what we’re saying is that a BDC with skilled staff will always be advantageous to clients. By well-staffed, we mean personnel with common sense who are eager to pick up new skills as they go along and who work hard to satisfy your clientele. We can’t keep hiring people depending on whether or not they have a pulse. Any department will succeed or fail based on its ability to cultivate a culture of diligent workers and hold them accountable for meeting your standards of performance. In the long term, a well-functioning BDC will only be beneficial to your department’s consumers.
4 Proven Techniques to Improve Car Sales Phone Training
One of the finest ways for a dealership to draw customers into the showroom is by setting up appointments. But it could seem like a waste of time if your representatives aren’t having any luck on the phone. Fortunately, effective training techniques boost your agents’ effectiveness in bringing customers into your dealership and closing deals.
Maintain Continual and Regular Training
The effectiveness of your agents’ phone conversations can be significantly improved through phone training, but training is never a one-time event. Holding training sessions on a regular basis will enable you to address existing problems, impart novel ways to attempt, or enable team members to share triumphs. The kind of training you need will depend on how long a person has been working, what their responsibilities are, and how well they’ve performed overall. For company-required training and team updates, you can hold training sessions with the entire team, but you should also put an emphasis on individual and small-group training that enables employees to develop the skills they need at their own speed. These training sessions ought to take place at predictable, regular intervals.
Include a Variety of People
Everyone on your team has unique abilities, and the best way to make use of them is to encourage each person to make their specialties known to the rest of the group. Consider changing the host of the training if the same person has been doing it for a while. This will not only give the former trainer a chance to grow, but it will also give your team a fresh perspective to think about and a novel way to absorb previously heard information. Feeling as though they already know every word that will be said makes individuals less attentive than anything else. You can also look outside of your team for professionals who can assist you in training your staff. When you want to help employees learn new skills and improve their success rates, professional coaches are a terrific resource to leverage.
Make Specific Goals
You might not notice a difference between before and after your training unless the program you are using includes specific objectives that you can use to gauge improvement. If there is no discernible improvement, your effort and the work of your team have been wasted. The outcome of their phone calls is the most quantifiable goal you can give phone representatives at a dealership. Agents must successfully schedule appointments, handle customer issues, and generally provide pleasant phone conversations. Make sure you are aware of each employee’s call metrics before you begin any training, and create a specific objective for them to work toward depending on what they learn. Employees who have goals that are specifically suited to them may feel more motivated to succeed and use what they have learned. After all, you generally shouldn’t anticipate the same outcomes from a new hire and your top performer. To encourage cooperation, you can also establish a group goal.
Offer the Correct Tools
Your phone agents won’t be successful no matter how much training you provide them if they don’t have the right tools. It’s crucial to give them these tools, teach them to use them, and integrate them into every facet of the job. One of the best tools for helping your phone agents succeed at what they do is a phone script, which is a great illustration. Phone scripts give your agents the knowledge and guidance they need to make successful phone calls, but it is unlikely that they will actually be of any assistance to them if they have never used a phone script before. Make sure you have enough training for your agents before updating any software, policies, or other tools they use, and give them the authority they need to do so.
You and your dealership will prosper if you use these techniques to make your training more effective. You need all the resources at your disposal in order to succeed in the ever-changing auto market.
Is it time to start getting help from AI?
Do you recall the days when deal structuring required paper and a pen? During those times, we were compelled to work harder and make independent decisions about how to run our enterprises. The focus has been on technologically assisted sales tools like digital retail and lead engagement systems that use artificial intelligence (AI) to carry out numerous jobs at once. Many people opt to disregard the fact that processes regularly fail and interactions between dealers and clients are misconstrued.
It is not unexpected that the automotive sector has resorted to artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify complex operations as the world’s reliance on technology increases. The sale of vehicles could be altered by artificial intelligence in a number of ways, including through improved customer service and communication.
One way that AI can facilitate the auto deal process is through chatbots. These digital assistants can assist website users with scheduling test drives, communicating with implicit visitors, and providing information about the vehicles that are currently available on the lot. By collecting contact information from potential visitors and transferring it to deal professionals, chatbots can aid in the lead-generation process.
In the creation of unique contract complications, simulated intelligence can be useful again. Based on data analysis, such as the customer’s search history and previous purchases, AI systems can suggest the vehicles that are best suited for them. This saves merchandisers time and guarantees that customers have options that satisfy their needs and desires.
Artificial intelligence can also streamline the finance process. By examining the client’s credit report and financial history, artificial intelligence algorithms help in the identification of loan openings and the calculation of annual payment values. Both buyers and dealer representatives benefit from the time saved by not having to evaluate and investigate numerous backing choices.
AI has the ability to improve corporate operations’ efficiency in addition to these advantages. By implementing AI-powered force operation tools that assist in tracking and assessing demand for various models, dealers can order the appropriate assortment of vehicles. Therefore, providing discounts and other kinds of discounts that would boost overall profitability might not be as crucial.
Although integrating AI in the vehicle sales process has several advantages, it’s important to remember that it should be used in conjunction with, not in place of, human commerce. Dealer reps are still the most important and crucial part of the process, and technology cannot take the place of their persistence and unique touch. By establishing the perfect balance between humans and robots, retailers can fully utilize AI while still offering top-notch customer service.
Retail staff members are being trained to use artificial intelligence and technology in order to save time and provide a positive customer experience. In addition to CRM, many tech retailers in the sector also provide customer engagement services. These systems often have even more features than CRM. However, a common error made by many merchants is not administering these systems themselves. Due to improper data mining and list construction, sending and receiving messages to and from the wrong sort of customer guests happens frequently. Customers may become disappointed as a result, which could result in issues like negative feedback or even legal issues.
To solve any underlying issues, dealer management should unilaterally take charge of their systems and procedures. Technology and artificial intelligence should make our lives simpler and our operations more efficient. Nothing should be allowed to be transferred without management clearance, according to a rule. Retailers ought to gradually adopt artificial intelligence while observing trends in its abilities.
Stopping Inbound and Outbound Spam Calls to Your Dealership
Your phone starts to ring, and as you look down, you find a strange number with the dreaded caller ID labeling the caller as SPAM. Do you respond? Most likely not. Even without the calls that scream they are spam, only 25% of people will even answer a number they don’t recognize. It goes without saying that you DO NOT want your call to be identified as spam if you are a dealer trying to contact a customer or a lead.
Dealers are also familiar with the struggle of having their phone lines clogged with incoming spam calls and the frustration of picking up the phone only to hear a robo-voice in their ear. But don’t panic, there are some simple ways to stop unwanted calls.
The Issue with Incoming Spam Calls
Not all calls that have been marked as spam truly fit that description. That lesson has been painfully learned by a lot of traders. Reps attempt to call a lead or follow up on a voicemail but are met with a repetitive dial that makes no connection. The recipients notice SPAM when they receive messages. Customers may ask why you are getting reported if you leave a voicemail. Have you engaged in any actions that might not be advised? You don’t want a potential client or consumer to be pondering that about your dealership.
Your brand may suffer if your dealer is reported as spam. It also hinders your capacity to engage with customers and prospects, which may result in a revenue loss. Hubspot estimates that a loss of $1.6 trillion occurs annually as a result of subpar customer service. Certainly, you don’t want to be the one paying for those missed earnings.
How to Stop Incoming Spam Calls
Carriers work hard to keep their clients from having to deal with spam. A few years ago, they started designating specific numbers as spam in order to protect their clients and counteract it. They do, however, give companies a chance to confirm their identification. With carrier registration, dealers may stop their calls from being marked as spam.
When you sign up with a carrier, you are confirming your identification as a legitimate caller, and the carriers will remove the spam label once they have established your identity. This aids in avoiding number spoofing, another tactic spammers use to seem to be real calls.
What Causes Inbound Spam Calls?
Inbound spam calls are the other sort of spam that dealers frequently encounter. The dealer is now in the same situation as the majority of consumers, who are also attempting to avoid clogging their lines with spam. Spam consumption increased from 43 billion pounds in 2019 to 56 billion pounds in 2020, and it is continuously rising. There is undoubtedly no shortage of spam calls made to individuals or corporations.
In addition to being a waste of time and effort for your phone representatives, inbound spam calls can accidentally induce you to ignore your actual callers. Your consumer will endure lengthier wait times and perhaps even dropped calls if calls are held in queue for the next phone rep and three of the four calls are spam.
Fixing Incoming Spam Calls
Inbound spam calls can be challenging to get rid of. Verify that the phone bridge you are utilizing calls for action to be forwarded to a department. Press 1 for service, 2 for the showroom, and 3 to speak with a representative, for instance. If no action is done, you then implement an automatic end call. Spam calls will be automatically screened out while legitimate callers will be directed to the appropriate location.
A call management service becomes crucial in this situation. Instead of leaving it up to you to handle these calls, a competent provider will use technology to block them and then follow up to report persistent spam to prevent further issues. Additionally, they will carry out routine phone health checks to ensure that calls are not being dropped because of spam blockage and to route calls to the appropriate department.
3 Benefits of Interactive Inventory Videos
Carvana and Vroom, two online disruptors, have invested millions of dollars in interactive video technology for one specific reason: interactive video enables them to merchandise their vehicles in a way that engages consumers and forges an emotional connection, demonstrating that consumers will buy sight-unseen if provided with sufficient visual information.
It’s crucial for the automobile business to establish this emotional connection with a car. Car buyers often don’t pick up the phone or send an online lead until they have developed an emotional bond with a certain vehicle. Therefore, you will produce more leads overall with the more engaging tools and options you offer to encourage automobile shoppers to connect with (and fall in love with) your inventory.
Let’s go over the factors that make interactive videos such a potent marketing tool for car dealers.
puts the consumer in charge
The ultimate purpose of inventory films and interactive 360-degree spins is to digitally reproduce the emotional connection of a typical vehicle test drive.
Inventory films are expertly crafted with music, voiceovers, and overlays to pique viewers’ interest in a specific car.
However, interactive 360-degree rotations provide customers with control over their sight of a vehicle and are the most accurate representation of being on your lot. A customer can independently see an automobile from any angle, zoom in or out, investigate specific features, and take a panoramic picture of the interior.
Although each of these presentations has an impact on its own, when used together, they are most effective at creating an emotional bond. They have the power to transform someone’s interest from “That looks interesting” to “I want this vehicle—not the one down the street, but this one.” There, you succeed.
elevates involvement
While images alone are less effective at attracting automobile buyers’ attention than linear videos, interactive videos significantly increase that attention.
The average engagement rate for linear films is 26%, whereas the average engagement rate for interactive videos is 48%—an increase of 85% in engagement!
Why is participation so crucial? Consider all the money you invest in promoting your website to attract visitors. Dealers invest tens of thousands of dollars in radio, TV, email, Google, and Facebook advertising. Despite the fact that many advertising campaigns use the dealership’s phone number as a call to action, 90% of consumers actually browse the website before calling.
Many of those marketing dollars are squandered if your website lacks the capabilities to keep these website visitors interested. In my analogy, it would be like spending a lot of money on Curt Schilling as your pitcher (your marketing) but using a rookie catcher with a bad eye and one arm (your website). Make sense? You will never receive value for the millions you are paying Curt. The majority of merchandising funds should be spent on your website since the majority of prospects visit it before visiting your dealership.
higher rates of conversion
According to data from FlickFusion, conversion rates for VDPs with interactive videos and regular inventory videos are 35 to 45 percent higher than those for VDPs with only one or no video alternatives.
So, if you’re asking whether interactive films should take the place of standard inventory videos, the answer is no. Both kinds of videos should be included on your VDPs.
Some consumers prefer a sales presentation when given the choice between linear and interactive movies on a VDP, while others will choose the interactive experience right away. Additionally, some customers may desire to do both.
It’s no coincidence that many retail firms are pouring millions of dollars into interactive video marketing. The more options you offer, the more likely it is that at least one of those options will be used by prospective car buyers to interact with your inventory. In the end, greater engagement results in greater conversions and sales.
Limiting Beliefs that Hold New Car Sales People Back
We adore the potential that the auto industry provides to millions of Americans around the nation. And although though we are better recognized for mentoring high-achieving salespeople and automotive leaders to even greater heights, we also appreciate assisting new people, also known in the business as “Green peas.” We all had a beginning, right? Despite all of these opportunities, only a small percentage of auto salespeople stay in the industry for more than a year.
The biggest things that hold them back—what I refer to as limiting beliefs—are, of course, the same ones that keep any of us back. A limiting belief is a myth, fallacy, presumption, or frame of mind that will prevent achievement, impede development, paralyze, and impair performance.
This blog is meant to reflect our dedication to helping dealerships that would provide those Americans with an opportunity as well as aspiring automotive professionals all around the nation. This blog’s target audience is new car sales professionals who want to find and get rid of the limiting thoughts keeping them from succeeding. This blog will also give sales managers access to some of the coaching questions I’ve used to help new salespeople overcome obstacles to success in sales as one of the best sales coaches.
The limiting beliefs are as follows right away:
“I’d start selling cars if I had my business cards,” the person said.
This is a really serious issue! It’s as though new salesmen think that every business card distributed is a coupon for a car purchase that customers will bring to their dealership in exchange for a car purchase.
The truth is that business cards are termination letters. Giving someone a business card is the easiest option for someone who is reluctant to request a prospect’s contact information. Not to mention that there are significantly more effective and efficient ways to share contact information in 2023. Make a contact of yourself in your contacts list instead of handing out business cards, and give it the title “(Your Name) (Make You Sell) Car Gal/Guy.” In the example above, “Sean Kelley Hyundai Car Guy” would be the name of my contact. Instead of giving a customer your business card, tell them it would be ideal if they saved your contact information on their phone because you were tired of people losing your card. And if they do, they can simply do a spotlight search for “Car Guy/Gal” and your name will appear. Most people will forget your name. The nice thing is that you will also get their phone number when you send them your contact information.
Who were the most recent people to give you a business card? is one or more coaching question(s) that can help you tackle this limiting mindset. Can you immediately remove those cards? Right now, where are those cards? What value do they have for the individual who handed you the cards, then?
Enabling Belief: “I will always have the fortitude to ask for contact information from everyone I meet and to arrange a time to follow up. Because automobiles don’t sell through business cards, and if I don’t establish relationships with my clients, they won’t be lining up to buy cars from me.
Business cards don’t sell vehicles; contact information exchange and follow-up with potential customers do.
2. “The paperwork/software is the most crucial thing I need to learn,”
It takes everything I have not to snort when I hear this one. Inhaling deeply, I’ll tell myself, “Sean, they don’t know what they don’t know.”
The truth is that, although paperwork and software are only a minor part of selling, you won’t have to worry about doing much paperwork if you understand the phases in the sales process and why you’re guiding the customer through each step in that process. Understanding the steps in the sale process and the rationale for each is of utmost importance. Here’s a piece of advice: sell your automobile to yourself to learn paperwork. You may write yourself up from beginning to end as if you were purchasing a car; you don’t even have to buy one. Simply number each piece of paper as you go, from 1 to whatever corresponds to the order in which it was written up. You’ll have a small paperwork manual you can use while learning how to sell someone something if you do this.
What more would you need to learn in order to excel in this field, assuming you could master the paperwork side of things in a few hours? are some coaching question(s) to assist challenge this limiting mindset.
I realize there is a lot more to learn than just paperwork, and I’ll commit to learning for an hour every day from this point on.
After learning the paperwork, you’ll still need to work on learning the sales process, common objections and how to overcome them, your product knowledge, the products of your competitors, how to use the phones (both inbound and outbound), how to engage and sell to service customers, how to network with local businesses, and how to market yourself on social media.
5. “Since I’m good at communicating with people, I’ll do well selling cars.”
That would be the same as saying, “I can stack bricks well, so I am a great architect.”
The truth is that while having a wide comfort zone is helpful in the auto industry, your ability to sell depends greatly on the words you choose. There are many lovely people with amazing conversational skills who have difficulty meeting their monthly sales targets. Learn the essential inquiries instead to determine the needs and desires of a consumer. Learn effective language to dispel consumer concerns and objections. Find the top salespeople who are bringing in all the repeat and referral business, and pay attention to what they are saying and, more importantly, why they are saying it.
What distinguishes a friendly chat with a stranger from a sales conversation with one? are some coaching questions to help you confront this limiting belief.
Creating Belief: “I will choose my words carefully and develop my own understanding of the language of sales!In sales, there are no free words. Sales is a language, and very few people have the natural skill to begin as a black belt, much as martial arts have various levels of blackbelt.
6. “I need to keep my customers from finding out that I’m new to selling cars.”
This anxiety is understandable given that clients respect experience, product knowledge, and process awareness when choosing the best sales consultant to assist them with their needs. However, there are still other, more crucial considerations that need to be made before you try to hide the fact that you’re new to the industry.
The truth is that auto purchasers are also wary of car salespeople who are dishonest, opaque, or even deceitful. Would you want to work with a salesperson that isn’t open, honest, and straightforward with you or a new vehicle salesperson who is still learning everything?What do you believe the response to be? It won’t take long for customers to figure you out if you’re new. Being open about your anxieties is a terrific way to develop trust. You earn immediate trust from a customer by admitting that you are new. This will enable the client to reciprocate and be open about their concerns regarding the purchase of a car and encourage them to work with you more.
What do you think the majority of car customers’ perceptions are about “Car salespeople” generally? are some coaching questions to assist you confront this limiting notion. How would changing that perception by being transparent with them?
Creating Belief: Customers demand honesty and transparency from sales representatives; if you provide them with such qualities, they will trust you. What if you were upfront with the customer and gave them a choice? Customers like to feel in control and avoid pushy salespeople. Use the following phraseology after your greeting: “Mrs. Customer, I want to be totally open and honest with you before we go too far in the sales process. Since I am new to this field of work, you could have questions that I am unable to respond to.
Having said that, if you’re cool with it, my manager and coworkers are here to help, and I would love to keep working with you. Do you feel confident moving forward with me, or would you rather I find you a skilled sales professional to assist you today?The people who want an experienced sales professional certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed working with you anyway. The vast majority of people that continue to work with you build their relationship on trust, which will help you close more transactions while allowing you to be inexperienced and uninformed. How exciting! “I will be open and truthful with the potential clients I meet, giving them the option to work with me while not taking it personally or fearing failure if they do not.”
3. “People get annoyed when you ask for help.”
Would you allow yourself to learn anything new?
Abraham Maslow came to the conclusion that every time a person is growing, they go through four phases of learning. Unconscious incompetence, or stage one, is when you are unaware of your ignorance. Stage 2 is conscious competence; at this point, you are aware of your limitations. You now understand that conscious competence is stage 3! Stage 4 of competence is when you can do an action with your eyes closed since it has become muscle memory. The majority of organizations, managers, and coworkers who are aware that EVERY person must attempt, fail, and learn until they are competent also recognize that a new person will require assistance. “Need” is the important word because you will probably fail if you don’t get assistance.
What could not asking for help cost you? is a coaching question or questions that can help you tackle this limiting notion. What advantages may you have if you asked your team members and management for assistance? What would you seek for help with right now, if you could ask for assistance on any subject at any time?
Enabling Belief: “Even though I work alone, my managers and coworkers would rather assist me than let me fail. We succeed as a team.”
Ask for assistance and look for support, and your chances of success will increase significantly. Don’t ask and anticipate a significantly steeper learning curve that might cost you your job selling cars.
4. “I’m just looking into the automotive industry.”
Poor idea. Update your résumé and start looking for work right away.
The truth is that in order to succeed in the auto industry to the fullest, you will need to step outside of your comfort zone, understand the language of sales, and take actions that only a totally devoted human being would take. You must be 100 percent dedicated to succeeding in this industry. Tony Robins describes the Vikings’ invasions of inhabited islands. Before invading the towns, they would take their boats to the island, jump off with their guns and essential equipment, and then set their boats entirely ablaze before burning them to ash. They did this since they didn’t want to eliminate the possibility of retreat. If you search #GoAllin, you should be able to locate profiles for Anthony Santangelo, an automotive recruiter and sales trainer, who states “If you’re just checking out the car business, you’re going to check out of the car business.”
In my own case, I made the decision to forgo a corporate position at Enterprise Rent-A-Car in favor of going ALL IN on the auto industry. Since then, I’ve been able to rise to the position of top salesperson for a dealer group, advance through the ranks of finance, used car management, and general sales manager, accept offers of ownership or partnership, and now own the most prosperous car business coaching company. while also expanding into a loving family of five. Not boasting, just letting you know that it’s ONLY because I bet everything on the auto industry.
What could not asking for help cost you? is a coaching question or questions that can help you tackle this limiting notion. What advantages may you have if you asked your team members and management for assistance? What would you seek for help with right now, if you could ask for assistance on any subject at any time?
Enabling Belief: “There is no backup plan, so I’m going to seize this auto business opportunity like it’s the most crucial thing I’ve ever done.” I am confident that if I put 150% into it, I will succeed.
You won’t receive all the results you could obtain if you don’t put your all into anything. It is frequently the difference between success/longevity and failure/quitting when you don’t obtain all the outcomes you expect.
“Having product knowledge helps me respond to all of my customers’ inquiries and educate them on every aspect of the vehicle of interest,” I said.
Yes, product knowledge is crucial, and being able to respond to inquiries from clients is helpful, BUT…
The truth is that clients don’t need to be fully informed about the automobile, and doing so will hurt your ability to sell it. Additionally, product expertise is essential for much more than just responding to client inquiries. Understanding your product can also assist you decide which car to sell a consumer. When a customer has chosen the wrong car for themselves and there is a better solution, product expertise enables you to recognize it. By comparing your car to the competition using product knowledge, you may stop your customers from spending their time visiting rival dealerships.
Knowing your product is crucial for a number of reasons, but perhaps none more crucial than the fact that it’s how you both physically and figuratively “build value” for your clients. Product knowledge may be incredibly harmful to someone who doesn’t understand how to create value using a customized walkaround with their product knowledge. Product knowledge can be lethal (in a positive way) in the hands of the appropriate salesperson. Daytime running lights, for instance, increase safety for a mother of four who is replacing a car that was recently in an accident by making her car more visible to other drivers every single day! The same daytime running lights, however, make their vehicle more noticeable and attractive so they will catch people’s attention if you are selling the identical vehicle to a young, single buyer. The benefits and features are the same, yet each sort of customer has different values.
What is the importance of having excellent product knowledge? is a coaching question that can help you confront this limiting assumption. How does product knowledge contribute to the value you place on yourself? How can a skilled salesman add value to a walk-around presentation using their product knowledge?
Creating Belief: “I will acquire product knowledge since doing so will enable me to first customize my sales presentations to my clients and second, because clients value expertise!”
You’ll know you know how to leverage product knowledge to sell and not bore your clients when you use the SAME characteristics of your product to produce value for THREE different categories of purchasers.
In conclusion, everyone among us holds limiting beliefs and knowledge gaps. We also don’t know what we don’t know when beginning a whole new career, and our brains have tried to cover these knowledge gaps with beliefs. Many of them will be restricting thoughts that might hinder our achievement. One of the most enjoyable and rewarding careers on the planet is selling cars.
The automobile business offers enormous potential for development on both a personal and professional level. Having said that, it is crucial to recognize knowledge gaps, limiting beliefs, and to continue to be coachable. You will want to swiftly eliminate these beliefs and swap them out for the successful attitudes when reality sets in and you find that this isn’t as simple as you had thought.
Just Who Are We, Exactly?
There are several things we can do to distinguish ourselves from our competitors. Excellent phone skills, efficient procedures, and even a current website. Yet many of us have trouble completing any of the aforementioned chores. Have we ever stopped to consider why we are unable to complete any (or all) of the aforementioned? There is always the cliched justification that there is “not enough time in the day” or that “we don’t need that to sell cars.” One of the most popular phrases is “We’ve been selling cars before all that was a thing and are doing just fine.” Just right? Being just fine or average is exactly that—fine or average. But what happens when such qualities are no longer sufficient?
It’s as if we are aware of the fundamental problems but choose to ignore them until they are directly in front of us. Even then, as one item after another is thrown at us, we still respond in a knee-jerk manner rather than concentrating on the real issue. That includes making sure our personnel are properly trained, working with streamlined procedures, or using an updated website that provides potential clients with a positive experience. But it’s that term, “experience,” that frequently confounds us. a loop that has been playing continuously for more than ten years. the automatic cycle of having discussions about what we could do to only partially effect those changes.
Sorry, hiring a trainer for a single day of buzzword-filled instruction is not training. Similar to how “grabbing your GSM for an all of a sudden brain dump meeting” won’t work. Have we ever considered the possibility that arbitrarily snatching a GSM in the midst of their work would be a good idea? hitting them over the head with a poorly stated, poorly thought-out issue? wherein, due to the pressure of the moment, their comments are frequently hurried word dumps that do not address the issue. Less than the harm that word-spreading about how well or poorly their teams are performing does to morale, right? And to make matters worse, imagine that when you return to the GSM two days later to inquire about the upgrades, they give you a deer-in-the-headlights expression since they have no idea what you are talking about. Heck, you could even “quiz” a random sales consultant or BD representative; the result would be the same. They gaze at you like you’re a deer in headlights. The Sales Consultant or BD Agent may even have to wait for an answer as the GM stands over them, making the situation worse. Nothing beats attempting to concentrate while talking on the phone with someone on the other end of the line.
What is that, then? It’s not good, I guess. And no, attacking the GM is not the purpose of this. But the issue is all too typical. Not to mention, nearly everyone aspires to improve. Just that you need resources in order to perform better. In our situation, those resources are clear expectations, instructions, and procedures. Without those, it is a chaotic, war-like environment full of uncertainty. Nobody likes to be the class clown, but when the dimwit runs the show, it’s unavoidable. It’s time to put the dunce hat aside and pay attention to the factors that might affect the dealer level. Get your GSM, and wait a moment. Allow them to meet with their teams to check that the website is current, that the procedures are reviewed, and, most importantly, that a plan for ongoing training is in place. When it all comes crashing down, it will try to be proactive rather than reactive since chance favors the prepared mind.
As a GM, investing a brief amount of time in your managers will not only increase trust within your dealership but also foster an atmosphere where your staff will be more proactive with regard to training. It happens all too frequently that receiving training or simply requesting adjustments is viewed negatively or as “questioning the status quo,” as in If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. Do we really have no idea how to solve it since we are so far from being broke? Maybe, but there’s good news: there’s nothing wrong with wanting to “fix” the core problem. addressing the issues that can and will cause us to stumble as we figure out how to navigate the ever-evolving new normal.
Caller ID plus landmark directions equals success
Caller ID was developed to simplify everyone’s lives. It does occasionally happen in a dealership situation, particularly when a consumer has a heavy accent or has trouble remembering their phone number. The caller ID is a communication killer 98% of the time, and staff members should avoid using it at all costs.
Why does caller ID destroy communication? We’ve all heard the adage, “Assuming just makes an ass out of you and me;” Well, assuming that the caller ID information is accurate is one assumption we should never make! We frequently hear staff members repeating caller ID information that is displayed on their screens, forcing the client to correct them or, even worse, agreeing only for the information to be incorrect. It is not a trustworthy source of correct information, so we should ALWAYS try to verbally engage with our consumers to get their contact information. Every time we connect with a consumer over the phone, we want them to readily give us their information. That is how we can be sure we are fostering vital client relationships and a worthwhile consumer experience.
Caller ID also raises the question of whether or not the customer is aware of the dealership’s location. This is a subject that needs to be freely discussed with the client. No one wins when a salesperson just blurts out an address, assuming the consumer is unaware of the dealer’s location. However, if the customer knows the dealer’s location, it is a waste of time; if the customer doesn’t know the dealer’s location, the physical address doesn’t signify all that much either. It takes up time during the call, and anyone can throw out an address. When a consumer requires instructions, we should speak with them first and then use nearby landmarks and other readily observable visual signals to provide them. And it’s always best to confirm that they really do know. Nothing is worse than having a successful call with clear communication only to insult the customer’s intelligence by yelling out an address to them without asking if they require it or not. This is particularly evident when the customer’s caller ID displays a number other than the neighborhood area code and the associate is making an assumption about the customer.
How can we then make adjustments and ensure that our communication is effective? Make sure a system is in place that provides our associates with a surefire approach to obtaining accurate consumer contact information right away. Throughout the entire call, the system should lead the associate and ensure that the communication is efficient, clear, and instructive. There is minimal room for error when a sales or service employee has a procedure that keeps the call moving and communication clear the entire time. When that occurs, we provide excellent customer service, and that ought to be our aim in every engagement. Direct questions should be raised, followed by active listening and subsequent interaction. When we are genuinely invested, our services are always of higher quality. The moral of the story is to always get a customer’s information verbally and to never give them landmark directions without first making sure they are aware of the dealer’s location.
Improving Phone Agents with Call Scoring
Making sure that your phone agents are meeting expectations and having productive phone conversations is one of the most crucial things you need to concentrate on with them. More sales as a result of successful calls equals better success for your dealership. Call scoring is one of the best methods for assessing the success rate of these phone calls.
Describe call scoring
A common method of gauging the effectiveness of phone agents is to score their performance during calls. The calls you are rating must be recent calls that actually occurred for this review to be successful. The evaluated calls are logged and contrasted using a predetermined set of metrics and KPIs.
How to Score Calls Correctly
It’s crucial to create the ideal conditions and pick the appropriate calls to score when getting ready to score calls for your agents. It’s crucial to use current calls and to go over them as soon as you can with the employee following. Score calls that actually occur with consumers rather than role-play calls are also far more beneficial. If you use previous calls, you won’t get a true image of how your salespeople are doing right now, and if you use simulated calls rather than genuine calls, the stakes are lower and the setting is different.
Once you get the call recordings, you can contrast them with the metrics and KPIs you chose in advance. Make sure to provide each measure with a numerical value so you can calculate an overall score. In order to provide the employee with precise feedback about what went well and what didn’t, you should also include remarks explaining why you gave the particular score that you did.
Use of the Scores
Once you get the results, you can utilize them to determine where to concentrate your training efforts on group and individual levels. Spend some time examining the scores for your phone agents to see if there are any patterns. The scores should allow you to determine the group’s and individual contributors’ strengths and weaknesses. Set up review sessions to go over the outcomes with each employee. Even though it could take some time, the sooner you can discuss the findings with each sales agent, the better. They can give context for their choices if the phone call is still fresh in their minds, which will allow you to give them the proper training to help them better. You may track your success and determine who to promote and who may eventually need to be taken off the phone by looking at your scores over time.
There is a training gap that needs to be filled if the team as a whole scores below average in a certain area. If you use an outside organization, such as Phone Agents, to handle your call scoring, they can also offer tools to assist you in actively coaching and training your staff. The best way to achieve outcomes is through continual coaching since it will enable the phone agents to make the necessary adjustments to improve their performance over time.
Other Approaches to Think About
While call scoring is a useful tool for assessing how your team is doing, you shouldn’t use it as your team’s sole means of instruction and evaluation. Regular team and skill building is crucial to development, with Active Coaching being the finest and most successful method. Phone scripts are another weapon you can use to arm your team for effective sales calls. One-on-one training has been demonstrated to be a viable method for assisting less seasoned or newer personnel in acquiring the skills necessary for success. Working with a coach enables students to see how they can put the concepts they are learning and the expectations placed on them into practice.
It won’t happen immediately, but neither will it take an eternity. One of the best methods for assessing the success of your sales personnel is call scoring. Additionally, it gives you the knowledge required to ensure that your training is appropriately targeted and efficient. To keep your focus on the greater vision, make sure to constantly put it into practice.
Put an End to the Good Times
There is nothing more gratifying than viewing a slick P&L statement. throwing air hoops while leaning back in the chair to celebrate a job well done. Or perhaps you’re looking for a new Rolex to add to your collection online. Everything about this is excellent. It’s great, in fact. The difficulties dealers will experience in the upcoming months are less than ideal. When suppliers rush in with the newest tech devices to help your dealership, it’s a telling indicator. They continue to provide a lot of the same things they have for the past three years. claiming that your dealership wouldn’t be as profitable without their items.
The correct tools must be in place, for sure, but before we can even discuss if the tools providers offer will solve your store’s problems, we must first discuss what those problems are. It goes without saying that the ordinary dealer’s claims are beginning to paint a different picture, one that should cause you to pause before making the decision to purchase that new Rolex.
Let’s not be drawn into the whirling rush of cutting this to save that during that little pause. Instead, let’s examine the problem’s core (which is also an opportunity). It’s best to check that you have the correct personnel around you before making any budget cuts. What use is it to lower prices on goods and services, or all of your advertising budget (my personal favorite), if your teams aren’t functioning properly?
And no, you are not calling your GSM or BD Manager into your office on a whim and telling them to solve the problem. After all, stirring up a commotion among your teams won’t get anything done. Telling someone to fix it could make you feel good at the time, but what exactly are they fixing?
Instead, the focus should be on how they perform in their roles as managers. When did you last take some time to analyze your CRM metrics? When things are going well, it is easy to lose sight of the results, commonly referred to as tunnel vision. It’s critical to constantly monitor how many appointments your employees are creating, how many calls are being answered, and whether or not those appointments are being sold. More importantly, do your teams follow up with unpurchased clients and unsellable leads? There’s a chance that a few clients slipped through the gaps. Something that is simple to do when leads are plentiful and customers are gripped by FOMO. However, there’s no denying that things will become a little more difficult over the next few days, weeks, or months when customers start to have more options and dealers start to advertise on TV.
The time has come to speak with your GSM and BD Managers once you have established your goals or benchmarks. where you can discuss the objectives rather than hammering them with what is or isn’t happening. If the objectives are not being achieved, the topic shifts to how to deal with the fundamental problems. Most likely, the fundamental problems are caused by the Sales Consultants and BD Agents not adhering to a reliable methodology. Everything, from properly returning incoming calls and emails to failing to follow up with consumers who were not sold. The best thing about it all is that nothing needs to be invented from scratch. But when we have to get down to the basics of managing a retail sales business, we present it as some sort of revolutionary change in the industry. But the fundamental aspect, which shouldn’t have changed in the first place, is all that has changed. Have you ever stopped to consider why you are so hard on yourself?
However, I digress. It’s time to assess the tools and resources you’re paying for now that you have a handle on what is or is not happening. It doesn’t make much sense to keep the resources and tools around if they aren’t going to be managed (note that I didn’t mean used!). However, you should keep them if they help your sales process or if they can help your managers control the sales process.
Last but not least, despite the fact that training is frequently left out of budgets or is the first thing to be reduced, it is the single most crucial area for Dealers to continuously work on. The dealers that have kept up with team development over the past three years are far ahead of the competition. A game that, in the near future, has the power to make or break your store. In addition, who wants to sell vehicles in a difficult market while sitting around eating stale cake from the customer lounge?
Therefore, let’s concentrate on what actually counts—our teams—before you throw another air hoop, click “buy now” on the following Rolex, or monogram that new fancy pen. They will only be as competent as we train them to be.
Achieving Success with Military-Style Strategy and Tactics
I received a text message from a multimillionaire customer I’ve been working with for the past four years at 2:04 PM on January 2, 2023.
“I know I can still expand,” it stated. “After a record year in both volume and gross, and outselling the top sales consultant in my dealer group by over 100 cars. Let’s make sure we sit down and come up with some fresh ideas when you next visit, so I can expand my business and sell even more cars this year.
His success as a car salesperson is obvious from the text, as is his success in general. The start of a new year is a great opportunity to reflect, so I started wondering about the causes of his success. I want to draw attention to a very small yet crucial element needed for people to succeed in business. My friends, your ability to strike the correct balance between strategy and tactics is a delicate aspect.
Consider this: This KIA salesman is so busy that he outsells his closest coworker by well over 100 vehicles annually. He still recognizes the value of stopping his regular tactical work to brainstorm with his coach, though.
In the military, there is a significant distinction between officers and enlisted personnel. While the enlisted carry out the strategy (mission), officers strategize and choose the objectives (goals) based on a 30,000-foot view of the battlefield. Additionally, enlisted men don’t start a mission unless a “battle plan”—their version of an execution strategy—has been developed. Without as much advance planning and coordination, can you ever envision a nation winning a battle?
I want you to grasp the distinction between strategy and tactics after reading this article because it will help you determine how much time you should set aside in your daily routine for strategy if you want to succeed in business.
What distinguishes tactics from strategies?
To put it simply, strategy is preparation, while tactics are actions. Average performers and underperformers will act in accordance with their abilities, and naturally, the outcomes of their actions (whether positive or negative) will place those actors in the proper roles.
On the other hand, elite performers all share the trait of beginning with the “end in mind”. Top producers are far more likely to achieve their goals because they can visualize the results they want because everything is generated twice: once in our minds and then in reality. Why? They have already materialized their destination in their imaginations before manifesting it in actuality since they were aware of it before beginning their journey.
The brainstorming process includes determining the milestones to hit along the way (goals), the consistent actions required to reach that goal, and lastly, the deliberate acts required to get things moving. Tactics and execution come next.
What Areas Need a Strategy for Me to Achieve My Business Potential?
Well, that depends on where you are in your company. If you are a business owner, you must have a detailed plan that addresses every facet of your enterprise. Assuming you are a middle manager, there will be special methods needed for your areas of accountability. Consider a scenario in which you wish to maximize your sales potential and strive to sell whatever it is that you sell to make you a multi-millionaire. In that scenario, you should treat yourself like your own company and set aside time for planning every part of your daily routine. There are eleven areas you want to take into consideration in developing a routine around planning for, in addition to stepping up your efforts by adding a personal coach to assist you in strategizing effectively:
The Goals for Success
Goals/Benchmarks
Leadership
Managing
Marketing
Creation of Leads
Sales
Money
Consumer Assistance
Technology
Your pattern
Browse the few coaching questions I’ve provided for each type of company strategy below. Then, consider how developing a strategy for each of these components might benefit your company. You have the chance to increase your chances of success by strategizing in these areas if you have some solid responses to these questions.
Leadership: Which employees will you hire? What will inspire them, exactly? How frequently must you get together with each member of your team? What abilities will you require to instruct them? How can you get your team to cooperate? What goods and services could make what I do more valuable?
What standards need to be established, and with whom?
What measurements will I require to evaluate my performance in each area? How am I going to hold myself responsible? How am I going to hold people accountable? How can excellence manifest itself? What level of performance is required?
What do I want my brand to look like in marketing? Who do I want to reach? How can I contact them? What draws them in? What issues are they facing? How can I assist them in resolving those issues? What are my marketing objectives, and do they line up with my corporate objectives?
Lead generation: What characteristics mark a quality lead? How can I turn interest into knowledge? How can I be sure that those who are interested can raise their hands?
What engagement technique am I using for a qualified lead in sales? How can I change? What abilities must I develop if I want to increase my sales effectiveness? What is each client’s highest possible value? Where should I make changes to my strategy to make the most of each opportunity?
How can I reinvest in my business this year in terms of money and finances? What investments would be the best for me to make? Where can I manage my finances more effectively? Is my financial plan in line with my company’s goals, or am I trying to make a profit by cutting expenses?
Customer service and experience: How can I differentiate myself from the competition? What sets my offering apart from the competition in terms of value? What issues do my consumers have? How do I get rid of such grievances? How does my client retention compare to that of my competitors? What expectations does my client have? What adjustments will I have to make to my procedure in order to surpass their expectations?
What technological and software resources do I have at my disposal that I should make the most of? Which systems are outdated or dated? Which software produces more busy labor or drain than it does additional return on investment?
How Frequently Should I Develop My Strategies in Each of These Areas?
That’s a terrific topic, and the answer will depend on your vision, your goals, where you are right now, and how quickly you want to get there. As a result, I’ll discuss my routine for company planning, which has assisted my team and me in creating the leading coaching firm in the automobile industry.
Type of Strategy Session, Frequency, and Length
Planning for the next five years takes four hours.
5-Month Benchmarks – 2 Hours per five months
5 Week Objectives – 1 Hour Every 5 Weeks
Every other month for three hours: Leadership
Annual Marketing Strategy/Content Plan, 4 hours
Quarterly Lead Generation – 2 Hours
Monthly Sales – 2 Hours
Weekly Pipeline Reviews of Sales – Up to 1 Hour
Planning for finances/money – quarterly – 3 hours
Experience with customers – every three months – four hours
Software/Technology: Every 6 Months – 2 Hours
Monthly Management: 2 Hours
Update Personal Schedule Four Hours Each Quarter
Monthly, two-hour coaching sessions with my coach(s).
Do you now believe that you have been devoting enough time to strategy? What areas will you need to plan ahead for in order to maximize your business potential? What low-value tactical tasks will you have to cut out of your routine to make way for strategy? It’s time for you to get strategic and start putting your plans into action. Please feel free to message me and let me know where you plan to start!
Saying Ignorance is Bliss. However, Yours Gives Me Chills
Ouch!
Let’s state up front that this post isn’t about abusing somebody. It’s about giving practical perspectives on the challenges we’re now facing. If we don’t address the problems we have now, we’re setting ourselves up for an unpleasant awakening in the months to come. For those who have been living under a rock, a recent NY Times piece states that by 2023, auto sales will have fallen to levels not seen since 2011. Yes, that would be acceptable given the greater gross profit. However, is that the result of wearing rose-colored glasses?
Interest rates have been rising consistently, which is no secret. Even though it is only a fraction of a point here and there, it is still far higher than it was at this time last year. Dealers historically had little trouble selling beyond MSRP owing to supply constraints, but can they still do so now that inventory levels are starting to saturate and interest rates are at an all-time high? The dealers will actually need to start selling again. And if we don’t have a game plan, whether it be for handling a sales process or managing inventories, we’re in danger.
What the OEMs decide to do with price and inventory is one of the key things that dealers will need to watch out for over the next year or two. It might work out if dealers can maintain leaner, more nimble inventory levels. However, just because dealers keep their inventories at reduced levels doesn’t guarantee that their cars will sell. The customer can be more cautious when buying a car if the rates keep rising. Let’s not forget that buyers who purchased used cars in the previous three years did so at an all-time high. And when it comes time to buy a new car, they’ll probably run into difficulty. Consider this: Those who purchased at the height of 2021 will only have had their car for two years! Are we really going to be able to get those clients into a new automobile when they return to perhaps trade in their current vehicles?
The banks will most likely restrict their book-out values if the consumer is flipped, paid at or over MSRP, or paid 135% of the used automobile value. Are we prepared to handle the fallout from selling at record-high profits? Will this eventually bite us in the rear? Sure, we could continue the Cash for Clunkers program that began in 2008. It’s only that the customers might not think the beaters are worth the cash required to buy a new car. Not to mention, banks with higher APRs may not always grant approvals for loans with significant negative equity without a sizable cash down payment. And will the OEMs be willing or able to start providing more incentives for buying cars? According to the most recent OEM incentive statistics, they are actually declining year over year and are not anticipated to increase.
What does all of this ultimately mean? We must therefore be strategic in the months to come. There isn’t much room for error here. Those who offer pre-approvals and monthly payments through their websites’ digital retailing should make sure that their online procedures are concise and transparent. How many consumers may have left because the “potential” financing was out of their price range? As trade-in values decline and the lenders are only ready to book out a certain amount of value, the situation will only get worse.
Bottom line: This isn’t about predicting doom and gloom; it’s about ensuring that dealers have a strategy to cope with the challenges we’ll face. In the past ten years, if there is anything we have discovered, it is that dealers are resilient and frequently face obstacles head-on. We need efficient dealer-level systems in place if we’re going to face those difficulties head-on. ensuring that we take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way. The heyday of the pandemic, when clients came to us without any reservations, is long gone. There will be challenges we must overcome, and if we don’t meet them head-on, we will struggle.
The good news in all of this is that there are tools at your disposal to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. Calls are more important than ever. Please take a moment to register for a free stealth test. We’ll mystery shop your dealership and provide feedback on how to enhance customer service from your team. And no, this is not a one-time assessment of a phone call. It’s a long-term plan to enhance and perfect their approach. a method that will be helpful in the days to come.
Are you prepared to face the obstacles that lie ahead in 2023?
It’s yours to take or not.
Over the past two to three years, the phrase “Take it or Leave it” has become a recurrent topic in the auto business. Although it appears that customers are changing and adjusting to this label (or reality), should we be allowing it to continue as a practice at our place of business?
Those of us who are looking at the bigger picture are aware that this method of selling won’t be around for very long in this “seller’s market” and shouldn’t be. One year is not enough time for a consumer who may have been buying cars for 15 to 30 years to adjust to this “hot” market. We must never lose sight of the fact that loyal clients stay with us, and each and every one of them will recall their interaction with our dealership when they come to buy a car. Even though we are all aware that not every experience is positive, we should aim for excellence with every client who enters our showroom.
When it comes to this attitude, we also need to have a united front from everyone on our team. It is true that “one bad apple can spoil the bunch.” We will succeed when everyone works together for the team’s benefit. To further this goal, it is essential to present a coordinated front both in person and over the phone. It won’t take long for word to spread about a lack of empathy for the consumer if we have one individual with a bad attitude brooming folks at the front door or on the phone. Given the prevalence of social media “reviews” and the cancellation culture, we must constantly strive to provide superior customer service.
Some clients are simply impossible to please, but if we have a standard that is established and upheld, it is quite simple to relax knowing that we did everything necessary to help and the client was simply unreasonable. Currently, a lot of sensible clients are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to real customer service since the staff members helping them only look 30 days ahead. They believe that they will be able to cherry-pick consumers because they hold the cards, or that the law of averages will force someone else to be interested in the vehicle that their initial customer was not.
The other thing to remember is that hardship is the best place to witness improvement. Customers are required to order or reserve items in advance in sales nowadays more than ever before, and occasionally there aren’t even automobiles available for test drives. All across the board, adjusting to this has been difficult. The employees who continue to put the needs of the customer first will succeed in the long run.
In conclusion, we MUST consider the bigger picture. Focus on providing each customer with the greatest possible service, including communicating all of the options in a systematic and polished way. We cannot fail if this is done and we are comprehensive in discussing the process and present market (even if that isn’t what the customer truly wants to hear).
Whether or not they got what they wanted, a customer will remember how they were handled on the phone and in person. And they’ll discuss it. Make sure the conversation is uplifting and that we are generating lifelong consumers.
FOMO or not?
Anyone can appreciate a good front-end gross profit. If most of us stated otherwise, we’d be lying. Things have changed over the past three years, right? We regularly maintained a healthy front-end gross profit on new cars for the first time in years. something that appeared to be from a previous time. In the past, we would concentrate on how much we were willing to give up in order to complete the OEM’s stair-step program. It’s been a welcome change, but there has to be another discussion about the dealers that outrageously raised their prices above MSRP (I’ve never sold a car for more than MSRP in my life). So now that we are in the present, it appears that the days of losing front-end gross are over. Doesn’t this sound too wonderful to be true? We must get ready for the future as inventory supplies ease.
The days-to-market supply has been continuously rising, according to a number of recent papers. It is obvious that giving clients additional options would result in higher inventory levels. They now have options they didn’t have three years ago. Whereas before, the customer had a choice, now there is only one option: buy what is on the lot. Heck, even before they arrived on dealer lots, cars were selling! But in the upcoming months, there’s a high chance that’s going to change.
What will change about that? It really depends. Some predict a disorganized dance between the OEM, the Dealer, and the customer. Noting that the pricing strategy will be determined by whoever “blinks” first. Will the OEMs begin offering incentives to customers? Will the Dealers resume offering rebates off the front-end gross selling price that is below the MSRP or, worse yet, the invoice? Or will customers object to paying MSRP or more? Who is going to blink first?
There are a few things to keep in mind with these inquiries:
1. If there is a greater selection of vehicles available on the dealer lots, customers will have more options, which may reduce their sense of urgency.
2. In contrast, it might be argued that the past three years have intensified customers’ FOMO because they would really be missing out if they didn’t buy the automobile.
3. However, the buyer might be less motivated to buy a car if there is more inventory and the APRs are higher.
When you combine that with dealers who are slow to respond to consumer inquiries or sales consultants who are unable to follow a sales procedure at the dealer level, we could be in trouble.
a difficult situation that can make it more difficult to sell the consumer on a vehicle. Consider this: Will a buyer be as eager to spend at or above MSRP with higher financing charges if they no longer experience FOMO since there are more options available? Not to add, we need to consider the OEM’s position in this scenario. Let’s say the OEM decides to provide customers with greater incentives along with greater inventory and perhaps lower demand. In such a situation, it may result in a trifecta of insanity that could end the practice of selling anything at or above MSRP.
Not to add, are we offering the consumer a reason to do business with us if we as dealers fail to deliver the experience they anticipate, i.e., a smooth transaction as opposed to one fraught with breakpoints and frustrations? Even yet, this isn’t a “run for the hills” warning from doomsayers. But make no mistake, it’s about ensuring that our dealers have strong, solid sales processes to provide customers with a great experience as price eases, inventory rises, and OEMs rethink incentives. giving them the motivation to buy their upcoming car from us.
So how can you ensure that you are ready? It’s really quite easy. Take a free stealth test first. You can address the issues if you are aware of the potential weak spots in your store. Taking care of those issues is what will set your dealership apart from the competition.
Five Techniques for Handling Difficult Phone Callers
As a salesperson or customer service representative, dealing with challenging phone customers is the most stressful experience. Even if you have years of experience, being angry or yelled at by someone can spoil your entire day. Fortunately, there are abilities you can master that will simplify these calls and even enable you to successfully deescalate the situation.
Never React
When talking on the phone with someone who is irate or demanding, it is never a good idea to adopt their attitude. Reacting and adopting their attitude is likely to make things more challenging and intensify the situation rather than provide you with genuine gratification or resolve any of the problems. Even if you want to yell back at them, remain calm and polite when you sense that they are getting more aggressive. The most beneficial thing you can do in the heat of the moment is maintain your composure and refrain from responding. Once you are off the phone, you can vent to your coworkers.
Make Sense of Their Feelings
People can become agitated when speaking with agents on the phone because they believe they are not being heard or taken seriously. The tension can be greatly reduced by validating their emotions and admitting that a situation might be challenging or irritating. Validation merely indicates that you are acknowledging them without necessarily agreeing with them. If you give a tough phone customer time to express their feelings instead of ignoring them, you can completely deflate their enthusiasm.
Think About the Big Issues
It can be difficult for folks to stop once they begin going, especially while talking on the phone. From what is vital and where you can truly contribute, it might quickly deviate. Instead of pursuing every issue they raise and attempting to address every issue they may be concerned about, pick one issue and concentrate on it. Start with the major problem, which is typically whatever triggered their first annoyance. Because you don’t want to make things worse, this does involve some active listening and verbal ability, but with practice, you can keep them on course.
Provide the Right Solutions
There will be some issues that phone consumers raise that you won’t be able to resolve, no matter how much they want you to. Sometimes people have high expectations or ask for things that aren’t feasible because they don’t grasp what they’re asking for. Give them viable solutions to their primary problems instead of justifying why you are unable to grant their wishes. It can be more beneficial to concentrate on what you can do to assist them than on what you can’t. Additionally, it switches the topic of the conversation to something more constructive, which helps to ease the tension.
Keep to the script
Phone scripts are tremendously useful for navigating any phone call, but they are especially crucial when dealing with challenging callers. The purpose of phone scripts is to provide you with the resources you need to handle various inquiries you may receive, the information you must provide, and the solutions you can provide. These scripts can help you avoid promising things that the company doesn’t deliver or that aren’t appropriate for the circumstance when you find yourself in a difficult conversation by not just providing you with the answers you need. Even if you are anxious, you will be able to handle the situation because you will have a resource in front of you that will provide you with the cues you need and let you know when it is too much for you to handle and you need to call in reinforcements.
You must exercise these abilities on all of your calls in order to build them gradually so that you are prepared for the challenging ones. When there are fewer calls, you can even role-play challenging situations with your coworkers to make sure you’re ready in advance.
Innovating the Automotive Sector: AI and Human Touch
Whether we like it or not, we are all living in a time of rapid technological advancement. And the automotive industry is rapidly using large language models (LLMs), like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in all areas of our business. These AI models provide undeniable efficiency and are adept at a wide range of jobs, from writing technical documents to creating marketing content. However, in an AI-driven environment, we must pause and think about the possible effects on the creative genius of our workforce.
LLMs, like ChatGPT, learn by analyzing enormous volumes of text data from the internet. Since most content is currently created by humans, these models currently represent a diverse range of viewpoints and artistic expressions. However, as LLMs take the helm of content development, we run the risk of entering a “silo effect,” where content created by AI serves as the main source of input for future AI. This self-reinforcing cycle might restrict the inflow of fresh viewpoints and ideas.
Imagine a manufacturing line where AI develops its own blueprints and learns from them. Despite appearing to be efficient, it lacks the originality that, at this moment, is only possible through human invention. Henry Ford’s assembly line and the EV revolution are two examples of groundbreaking developments in the automotive industry that were sparked by human ingenuity and the willingness to disrupt the status quo.
Keep in mind that despite its potential, AI cannot currently innovate in the same manner that humans can. Although it may mimic creativity, it is unable to imagine a ground-breaking design or a paradigm shift—qualities that have advanced the automotive industry.
We must fight for a balanced coexistence of AI-generated and human-generated material in light of these worries, my understanding of LLMs’ current situation, and their role in our industry. Our industry’s evolution, from anti-lock brakes to autonomous automobiles, is evidence of human inventiveness pushing the envelope. Our creative engine needs to be continually fueled by the variety of human thought.
However, this concept has its roots in the LLMs of today. Rapid advancements in AI technology demand that we be watchful in order to keep up. To prevent harmful actors from abusing AI, we need to promote ethical AI use, recognize the limitations of this technology, and press for government control.
Let’s talk about how LLMs and human ingenuity interact, all my friends and colleagues in the auto sector. How do we make sure that, despite the rapid advancement of AI, human ingenuity remains in charge? Your viewpoints could steer the development of AI’s place in our sector.
As we advance with AI, let’s keep in mind that what really propels development is our capacity for creativity and innovation. Instead of only being passengers, let’s continue to drive, making sure that our AI tools support us and encourage our path toward constant evolution and improvement. Without careful control, the alternative might resemble “idiocracy” from the movie more than we’d like to think.
The Full Potential of Your Dealership’s Phone Handling with AI
Leveraging the most powerful tool at your dealership – the phone – not only improves customer satisfaction but also allows you to capture more Sales and Service opportunities. Oftentimes managers don’t have enough time to listen to hundreds of calls to identify frustrated customers, review staff performance, and pinpoint missed opportunities. That’s where artificial intelligence (AI) steps in. More dealerships are turning to AI to optimize their phone processes, support everyday tasks, and enhance their technological capabilities. With the power of AI, managers can spend more time prioritizing high-quality leads, training staff, and dedicating themselves to improving customer experience. Here are three ways your dealership can adopt AI to optimize your phone processes.
Reach Potential Opportunities Faster
As spam calls continue to surge, dealerships need to protect their phone lines from flooding with fraudulent calls to make space for true Sales and Service opportunities. Spam calls can skew phone data, increase phone bill costs, and disrupt operations. An AI tool such as Spam Call Removal proactively detects and blocks spam calls before they even hit a dealership’s phone lines. This ensures valuable time is being spent pursuing legitimate business opportunities instead of sorting through fraudulent calls.
Capitalize on Existing Opportunities
Recapture customer calls that slip through the cracks by using Missed Opportunity Alerts. Leverage AI to review and analyze your phone calls and identify callers that require follow-up. When phone ups aren’t connected to a qualified agent, get booked for a soft appointment, or don’t receive an invitation to come into the dealership, AI detects these calls and sends an automated alert to a designated manager. This provides another chance to quickly salvage the otherwise missed opportunities. AI can provide even further insight into a caller’s experience by detecting their emotions on a call. Sentiment Detection analyzes callers’ tone of speech, cadence, rhythm, and volume to detect dissatisfied callers. For example, AI-powered Sentiment Detection will flag a frustrated caller and send an alert via text and/or email which can be included in your Missed Opportunities Alerts.
Gain Comprehensive Insight
AI provides enhanced reporting that can improve your staff’s phone performance. Voice Recognition identifies each agent’s unique voice pattern and automatically assigns calls to the agent who handled each phone opportunity. This tool boosts agent accountability and productivity with proper assignment of phone leads. Voice Recognition also provides opportunities for individual agent training and coaching. Furthermore, Sales opportunities are automatically assigned to the correct salesperson in CRM, which saves valuable time in managing your CRM.
As we look into the future, we know the phones aren’t going anywhere. It’s more important than ever to enhance your phone processes to give your staff the best possible chance to capture leads, improve their own performance, and provide an optimal customer experience.
Greatest Dumb War? Wars between CTA
Some incredibly stupid wars have occurred throughout history. When a French pastry chef’s store was vandalized outside of Mexico City in 1832, it led to the Pastry War. The 1840s saw the start of the Opium Wars as China sought to prevent the British from smuggling opium into their nation. Captain Robert Jenkins of the British Navy had his ear severed by Spanish coast guards in 1731, and this led to a misunderstanding that, it is believed, led to the War of Jenkin’s Ear.
The CTA Wars, however, are raging on dealership websites, and they may be the most pointless conflict ever.
Whoa, what? We software providers are increasingly fighting to “own the CTA stack” and control the call-to-action (CTA) buttons on a dealer’s website. The tools for trading in items, chatting, making payments, and digital selling are all included in this. We’re all at fault.
The reason for this conflict is that, if you can persuade the dealer to have every CTA on the website link to your tool, suddenly and magically, you are the tool with the highest performance and ROI on the website—but only after you have driven away everyone else. Additionally, you sold a lot more goods. Take that, rivalry!
The CTA Wars utterly disregard the goals of the dealer and the best way to accomplish those goals through the optimum user experience, which is why this fight is so stupid.
The finest salespeople are aware that a consultative sales approach generates future business, trust, and credibility. I’m advocating that the sales representatives (and marketing groups) that use this strategy continue to take the extra time to comprehend the dealer’s objectives. The optimum kind of instruments to achieve those goals will then depend on this.
Push every call-to-action into a chat if the dealer’s intention is to get everyone involved because they want everyone to engage in human connection.
Make every CTA follow the dealer’s direction if their corporate objectives are set up to encourage everyone to engage in digital retailing.
Push that call-to-action traffic into the highest converting tools, based on what your data is showing you, if the aim is to convert as much website visitors as possible into first-party leads.
It is obvious that each of these strategies has its own shortcomings.
Not every visitor to your website wants to chat, therefore when they enter a chat bot, they’ll be confused (and leave at a higher rate) due to the inconsistent user experience.
Some people are unwilling to devote the 20–30 minutes necessary to finish the digital shopping process.
Not everybody wants to fill out a form just to get a price range or trade-in value.
The outcome? Dealers require a variety of solutions to achieve their various objectives and satisfy the various expectations of visitors to their website. It is our duty to act as partners rather than suppliers, to match the appropriate products with the appropriate goals and user experiences, and to call an end to history’s most pointless conflict.
Resolving the Most Frequent Problems with Dealership Communication
Are you aware of the communication problems at a dealership? There are several ways that communication may go wrong and drive customers to a competitor, whether your auto dealership staff is speaking with customers face-to-face, checking in with them on the phone, or reaching out to them via email. The likelihood of communication issues has increased enormously as digital communication has become more common.
Three of the most frequent communication difficulties car dealerships encounter were described in Part 1 of this series. Let’s talk about how to handle these challenges in this essay.
The Three Common Communication Pitfalls at Dealerships and How to Avoid Them
Set a brand-specific tone across all platforms to avoid the first pitfall: failing to establish a company-wide tone.
Auto dealerships should be marketed as brands, just like any other type of company. At a high level, they operate as brand ambassadors for the makers of the particular automobiles they sell—contractors recognized for producing sporty cars with powerful engines or quirky, little cars marketed toward millennials. Dealerships do, however, also stand in for the personal brand that each owner has developed, and what your brand becomes recognized for will set you apart from other dealerships that deal in the same kinds of vehicles.
Your entire workforce needs to be taught to represent and communicate whatever the core of your brand is—high-end and exquisite, fun and lively, or family-friendly—during every client interaction. All employees, from salespeople to service consultants, fall into this category. Consistency across all channels, including phone conversations, in-person contacts, and social media posts, will be ensured by proper training.
Management at auto dealerships must not only exhibit this consistency themselves, but also take the time to clearly express expectations to all employees and offer helpful criticism. Having everyone on the same page makes it much simpler to execute brand-consistent communication.
Pitfall #2: Not Taking Different Writing Capabilities/Styles — Workaround: Develop Templates for Different Communication Scenarios
In the digital age, where sending emails and texts is the norm, having bad writing abilities becomes very difficult to cover up. While an employee might be approachable and effective when speaking with clients face-to-face, the company may suffer if they have trouble writing clearly.
According to Inc., many companies are addressing this issue head-on and investing upwards of $3.1 billion in remedial writing training for their staff. However, you don’t necessarily need to spend money on writing classes: you can probably overcome this communication barrier by creating a collection of templates that staff members can use in a variety of customer-related scenarios.
Examples include, “I appreciate you stopping in to talk with me about our selection of vehicles!” Alternatively, “I’m sorry you had a bad experience at our dealership; is there a good time to talk about it on the phone so we can make it right?” Employees can add a personalized welcome at the start of each message to make it more unique; templates don’t have to be cold and pre-set. Not only would setting up pre-written communications help ensure picture-perfect communication, but it will also help you maintain the corporate tone established when you avoided Pitfall #1.
Avoidance of Pitfall #3: Fail to Address Written Communication’s Limitations; Remedy: Recognize When Written Communication Is Insufficient
Despite how convenient written communication may be, it’s crucial to teach staff members to use excellent judgment while calling a consumer. For time-sensitive issues, such as when a car is on the rack and a service adviser needs the customer to approve an expensive repair before it is carried out, in-person communication is preferred. Talking live will allow the client to ask questions in real-time, but written communication like SMS and emails sometimes fall short when attempting to deliver complicated or confusing information.
When a significant customer service issue occurs, it’s also crucial to exercise caution when writing. It’s usually better to have service/sales workers or management reach out in person to discuss any issues a client may have encountered in their connection with the dealership because it can be challenging to determine the tone or meaning of an email or text message. To get things back on track, this personal touch can make a huge impact.
Communication can be difficult, especially with the variety of digital tools available now. Your dealership can avoid many traps that can harm both sales and customer retention with careful planning and the appropriate training.
Confidence grows through discipline.
We’ve all experienced days when we feel like energy is surging through our veins and we are hitting all of the green lights. How about the days when we don’t feel quite so warm? In the auto industry, you might be at the top of your game one day and then, for some reason, feel like you’ve been through a meat grinder the next. Of course, it’s normal for commission-based jobs to experience ups and downs, but how do excellent salesmen always seem to be on fire?
The secret that all of those excellent salespeople never share with you—or perhaps they do—is that their discipline—regardless of how difficult the day may be—is always present. There is always a process to follow when it comes to sales. Everything simply seems to fall into place when we are working on a deal and are at the top of our game. Before you know it, you have a referral or two from your customer who can’t get enough of you. Some days, all you want to do is pack it all up and head home because you’re worried that, at the rate you’re going, you might accidentally hurt yourself while trying to cross the parking lot.
What does discipline have to do with any of this, then? The same as the rest of us, even those GREAT salespeople who appear to never have a bad day do. The distinction between a decent salesperson and a great salesperson is that the latter continues the process even on poor days. They don’t stray from the tried and tested; rather, they simplify everything and use… You guessed it… plain discipline to make sure they aren’t skipping any stages.
You can still complete the procedures required to sell a car, schedule an appointment, or finish a follow-up even if the words aren’t coming out naturally and your smile is forced. Great salespeople cross their ts and dot their i’s in an almost robotic manner on challenging days. The best and only thing you can do is to break the procedure down into steps and make sure that each one is accomplished. In the end, even though it didn’t feel nice, you executed, which means you succeeded. Knowing you completed your work correctly will give you confidence. Having positive momentum in the right way implies you’ve won the day. The adage that “the best time to sell a car is right after selling a car” is also accurate. With that minor victory, get some momentum, get the confidence boost you require, and keep the ball moving!
Everyone experiences bad days; however, how we respond to them decides whether or not we will continue to experience a “bad day” or whether we will rise above it and succeed. We’ll build the momentum we need to stand up and move in the right direction if we continue to carry out our chores and procedures with discipline. Once we gain the confidence we all require, and momentum in the right direction, we can swiftly get back to business. Knowing that you have taken the steps required to finish your assignment and that they have been done correctly can give you confidence. In many of these situations, you may not immediately see the results of your labor, but when the seeds are properly sown, you will prosper and feel proud of yourself. For any salesperson, discipline will always produce confidence rather than fear.
The Importance of Agent Phone Etiquette Training
Since sales representatives spend a lot of time on the phone, it’s crucial that they make the most of it. Even while some people may have a natural aptitude for marketing, everyone could benefit from at least some instruction. You should concentrate on a few aspects of phone etiquette to make them as efficient as possible.
Active Hearing
One of the most crucial things a salesperson can concentrate on is active listening. They will better comprehend the customer’s true requirements and worries, and it will also make the consumer feel validated, both of which will improve their experience and their opinion of your dealership. Active listening in person involves a different set of abilities than active listening on the phone, though. Sales representatives must become accustomed to vocalizing affirmations and conversational cues because body language cannot be used in this situation. In order to demonstrate knowledge, active listening might also entail asking follow-up questions and repeating the customer’s words. Active coaching is one of the greatest methods for this type of training. Your sales agents’ performance on actual phone calls should be evaluated, but you should also give them the chance to roleplay and learn to say what they might typically do with visual cues.
Dispute Resolution
If there is one thing that sales agents can rely on, it is that they will have to deal with irate customers on the phone. When you work on the phone, you have to deal with it regardless of how much you might like not to. Conflict can be avoided in large part by active listening, but when it does arise, you must be prepared to handle it. The capacity to maintain composure and adapt to changing circumstances is the most important skill you should teach your sales representatives. There is nothing worse than watching a salesperson lose their composure and argue with a client. They should also be provided with tools for resolving the disagreement and the pertinent details of what they may and cannot do to accomplish so. Phone scripts and other resources become quite helpful at this point. They not only show your salespeople the way, but they also assist them in deciding when a call needs to be escalated because all other choices have been exhausted.
Getting Information and Research
Your sales representatives need to be professionals at obtaining information and investigating any subjects they are unfamiliar with in order to respond to any inquiries your consumers may have. This is best achieved if they can stay on the phone with the client and provide them with the information immediately, but on occasion it could be necessary to put a customer on hold and conduct the necessary research. To ensure that they locate the required information as quickly as possible, your sales agents must be thoroughly versed with the knowledge database and how to do searches. In this regard, phone scripts can be of great use, but you should also make sure that your knowledge database is well-organized so that callers can look for any answers they might be unsure of. Give your sales reps enough time to become familiar with the organization’s structure and any search functions, especially any recent ones. A consumer should not have to wait for too long.
Creating Schedules
No matter how much time a sales representative spends on the phone with a client, they are ineffective if they can’t secure commitments and appointments. Although they won’t be successful every time, sales agents must be proficient at getting the people they speak with to make commitments and appointments. This is where phone scripts come in handy, particularly since they serve to guide the discussion through its necessary points. To monitor how each agent is performing and whether they are making the best use of their resources to fulfill obligations, you should also use active coaching and covert testing.
A key component of assisting your sales agents in being successful employees and in their phone interactions is providing them with good phone etiquette training. Make sure you give these sales representatives the attention they deserve because they contribute significantly to the perception customers have of your dealership.
Modern CRM Success: Keeping Things Simple
Each and every CRM vendor boasts that their program is simple to use—until you get the hang of it. Does the ease-of-use test, however, support these claims? Watching your salespeople at work is one way to gauge how user-friendly a CRM is. Do they employ CRM? They use the mobile app, do they? Do they even know that a mobile app exists?
What would you expect to find when you run a consumption report? How long does it take your sales team to use the CRM each day? Your staff should be working in the CRM all day, every day, right? After all, salespeople are meant to utilize the CRM to reply to new leads, communicate with existing leads, and monitor their pipeline.
Unfortunately, many dealerships’ use of CRM frequently falls far short of expectations. Don’t, however, entirely blame your staff or operational procedures. The majority of outdated automotive CRMs still in use today were developed for commercial use over twenty years ago. When CRMs were developed, their user interfaces were designed only for desktop use and did not support mobile devices. Additionally, most of us only used the phone and email to communicate twenty years ago. The emphasis today is on accessibility and fast information. The preferred method of communication is texting. Also, keep in mind the growing desire for immersive experiences and video during the sales process.
Even if historical CRMs have made an effort to modernize and adapt, most systems still consist of a patchwork of integrated third-party solutions, add-ons, and patches. Because of this, scaling CRM operations and processes is challenging. So look further. It could be time to reassess your investment if the system doesn’t fit the way your salespeople desire to work or offer seamless digital experiences.
Do you wish to learn the plain truth? Your salespeople would be using your dealership CRM if it were user-friendly. Every single time.
Discard outmoded work plans
Help Your Sales Team Do More with Less, one of our most recent articles, explained why it’s time to adopt a new perspective. The never-ending work plan should be discarded because your sales staff isn’t utilizing it efficiently. It’s time to concentrate on finding a better solution, one that places all the fish that are biting in front of you every day.
Fact: When a car shopper files a lead, they’ll acquire a car in four to five days in 70% of cases. What use is a work plan if it does not assist in quickly moving customers along your sales pipeline?
A deal-focused pipeline approach provides you with immediate visibility of sales activity and crucial information, such as the preferred method of communication for each opportunity. You don’t need to look further because it tells you where they are in the sales cycle and what steps are necessary to advance the car-buying process.
Instead of having your sales staff try to determine and prioritize activities on their own, you can keep your entire sales team organized, on the same page, and working from the same sheet of music with pipeline data.
Easy visibility, reactivity, and interaction are features of a modern CRM. It should never consist of a series of pointless chores that may or may not be finished. It ought to be an organic, active reaction instead. You have an answer to a query someone has. No chores are required.
Littler Clicks
The user interface (UI) in the majority of older CRMs is obsolete and difficult to use. As a result, many users need training in order to perform basic tasks. For instance, click, click, click to send an email. Several clicks are required merely to begin drafting the email.
Did you have to figure out how to utilize Messenger, Google, or Facebook? No. The reason these applications are popular is that anyone can use them without instruction. You only need one or two clicks to complete your task.
A modern CRM ought to have an interface similar to Facebook, Google, or Messenger. Simply click, open, and begin doing your necessary actions.
Successful Conversations
People in our society enjoy watching movies and prefer texting. Why then do your salespeople continue to call and email customers? Despite having a proper role in the sales process, these channels are not used at the start.
You need a dealership CRM that makes it simple for salespeople to text customers using their mobile phones in order to engage today’s consumers. Customers anticipate communicating with you through the same methods they use to communicate with their friends and family.
Additionally, video communication is needed. A car is a significant and expensive purchase. Automobile buyers want to see it. They prefer a customized, visual tour rather than viewing photographs. Your salesmen must find this process simple, requiring neither logging into separate systems nor using specialized software. Simply shoot a video or live stream, enter it into the CRM on a smartphone, and submit it.
Why do we need video? The dealership that responds the quickest and provides the best experience will win the customer’s business if they contact two auto dealers. The best car-shopping experience you can give a customer is through video.
For every conversation, one screen
Consumers today communicate through a variety of devices and channels. Opportunities are likely to be missed if you have to hunt and dig in multiple places to keep up.
A simpler strategy is to compile all client responses onto a single screen. Increased visibility, response rates, and responsibility result from the multi-channel sequence of calls, messages, videos, and emails. Every ongoing chat is accessible to your whole team, who may even tag supervisors for assistance or take over a conversation if a salesperson is absent.
Portable Go-Go
Any CRM has a mobile application. But the real question is: do all salespeople use it? The majority of CRM mobile apps are not intuitive or efficient for online selling. The mobile app’s CRM interface needs to be identical to that of the desktop version.
Fact: 91% of users use the DriveCentric mobile app!
In a world where customer experience is valued above all else, mobile CRM usage is crucial, and DriveCentric was designed for it! Consumers of today expect digital showroom experiences since we live in a digital-first world. The mobile app is very user-friendly and doesn’t hinder performance. By being mobile, your salespeople can communicate while on the go and interact with customers in person more often.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for conversation
Today is the future! It’s now possible to have a diligent, human-like digital workforce available around the clock to increase sales efficiency and output. For rote jobs, hiring a horde of sales representatives is no longer scalable. You are therefore already behind if you haven’t incorporated digital capabilities like Conversational AI.
Automating processes like a lead response, lead nurturing, data collection, and appointment setting helps move clients through the sales funnel more quickly and ensures that nothing slips between the gaps.
Customers are pleased when there are fewer wait times, higher levels of engagement, and effective customer service, all without having to pay for additional workers. To assist your team in returning to what really matters: customers who are ready to buy, your Genius AI is already incorporated into the DriveCentric platform.
Painless CRM Switching
We are aware that the success of your CRM can be determined by the onboarding procedure. Therefore, our staff is at your side at every turn. To make sure your transfer is painless, we developed a simple, step-by-step onboarding process. And yes, it can be completed entirely online.
Implementation and training are carried out virtually thanks to how simple the system is to understand and use.
The customer success team collaborates closely to collect requirements, respond to inquiries, and provide you with top-notch assistance. Our software is configured for your operations thanks to the data and launch experts who assure data integrity and integration. You always get the most out of your investment thanks to online assistance, which includes everything from onboarding to ongoing performance management.
We inform everyone of developments. As a result, your staff will use the software expertly at the end!
Seen a pattern yet? All of your crucial sales data and conversations should be on one screen, which will increase visibility, response, and accountability. This will save time.
simplicity without giving up anything. Have you ever considered the possibility?