The buyer’s journey and experience has changed thanks to the digital revolution. Customers are spoilt for choice and let’s be honest, they can have the majority of things with a click of a button. It’s all about convenience. So, to keep the customer happy you need to make the searching and purchasing as simple and straightforward as possible. Amazon have nailed this.
This, however, is something we fail to offer in the automotive world, especially when it comes to the car buying experience. Cars.com reported that having limited finance options or giving a poor customer service experience affects 1 in 4 walk-in shoppers. So, consumers want the same experience they have when they shop with Amazon in dealerships, they want a speedy and efficient process so they can drive away in their shiny new toy.
Auto Trader reported that 80% of consumers find the process of buying and selling cars stressful, with more than half claiming to have been put off altogether.
So, where do you start?
When it comes to dealerships the experience starts as soon as your customer walks through the door. Every member of staff needs to be on the same page, by this I mean they all need to be focused on giving the customer a consistent experience throughout their buyer journey. This means delighting them pre, during and post sales. Reception, finance, sales reps and service crew, everyone in essence becomes a salesperson. To implement this, dealerships need to empower the entire team to complement the role of salespeople.
Next, remove any ‘headache’ the customer may have. You want to make the process and experience pain free, so your team need to do their homework. The modern buyer is now armed with so much information they will no doubt have a list of questions and as the ‘expert’ they expect you to answer and solve any queries. This is the ideal opportunity for you to build trust and resolve any issues, so the process truly is headache free.
A 360-degree approach is needed.
Above, I’ve mentioned the face-to-face interactions but what about the other forms of communication? They too need to sync and offer the same level of customer service. A bad online experience might put a potential customer off so they go to your competitor. A generic marketing touch offering them an invitation to a VIP event on new and used cars will go down like a lead balloon if they have just been in recently and put a deposit down on a new one. Remember, every touchpoint counts, so make sure you have the correct procedures and process in place to avoid the examples given.
Time.
Change takes time and so will the above suggestions. Staff will need time and dealers will need to encourage the behaviour. Dealerships need to be more customer focused and embrace the concept of making the car-buying process simple and easy.
Read More
Topics:
dealerships,
buying,
dealer software,
car buying,
sales,
customer journey,
convenience
45% of people want face-to-face guidance from a dealer during the car buying journey. The main elements people want guidance with is the vehicle (67%), warrantee and maintenance (68%), and finance options (37%).
Read More
Topics:
buying,
car purchase,
digital,
dealer software
The new data protection regulation is just around the corner so everyone’s asking the question “Are you ready?”. Despite being quite ominous, the question is an important one. Dealerships hold a lot of data in their CRMs and DMSs and there needs to be a few changes before the 25th May.
Read More
Topics:
gdpr,
security,
process,
dealer software
Feel like a king
Your dealership management system is the heart and soul of your dealership, this is something that every member of staff will be using every day. This is the communication and transparency you rely on. Your DMS should make you and your dealership feel like a King. It should give you power, control and ensure you are fully informed on the goings-on of your roost.
Read More
Topics:
dms,
dealer software,
digital,
IT,
profit,
dealer management,
software,
integration,
dealerships,
process
The modern customer is savvy, informed and in control. Their expectations are high and their patience is low. This is true in every industry and is particularly the case in the automotive industry and, more specifically, the car-buying and after sales processes.
Read More
Topics:
dms,
data,
technology,
integration,
dealer software,
software,
dealer,
customer experience
According to AutoVHC’s research, failure to complete vehicle health checks cost the average franchised dealership £11,000 in aftersales revenue last summer. AutoVHC’s business unit director Chris Saunders added that service departments are “simply throwing away revenue opportunities”.
Read More
Topics:
CustomerVue,
revenue,
dms,
dealer software,
online,
digital
I’ve said it before, the DMS will be the heart of your dealership. But, what I want to know is, does it match your expectations?
Read More
Topics:
dealer software,
digital,
dms,
technology,
integration,
data,
data alignment
Software gets outdated. There’s always going to be an update or a way your dealership needs to improve. Unfortunately, this is standard procedure but there is a way to spot if your software is really right for you ahead of time.
This is a quick blog that highlights a few points that I think are key when it comes to knowing if your DMS is really allowing you to reach full potential and profitability.
Read More
Topics:
dealer software,
upsell,
communication,
process
I know that your Dealer Management System is at the heart of your dealership so when it comes to thinking about switching your provider it’s no easy task. Your entire dealership will be comfortable with your current system and know it like the back of their hands, so the idea of new technology and change can often be met with some resistance and no doubt a bombardment of questions. Then you also have the anxiety of the whole process itself, will the data transfer correctly? What will the down time be? These are just a few common questions that will naturally spring to mind.
Read More
Topics:
dealerships,
dms,
dealer software,
digital,
technology
