You get out of your CRM whatever you put in and without the right usage and processes, your dealership will be wasting resources.

A common mistake with CRM usage, especially in dealerships, is the follow up process.Every conversation and prospect should be recorded in the CRM.

If a conversation is had and not recorded, it might as well not have happened. This is where dealerships can fall down- The Sales team have a lot of conversation daily and there needs to be a record of updates whenever there is progression. This is the only way you can make the most of your CRM- there’s no point booking a sales meeting about a new model and not making a note of it for the rest of the team to see. This is where miscommunication happens, incorrect comms get sent to customers and there’s no consistency.

 

Another mistake is using your CRM to send mass messages. The point of a CRM is to be able to communicate with each individual contact in a way that specifically suits them. Your CRM provides individual profiles for each contact which allows you to tailor your messages and communications. There are so many cases I’ve seen where CRMs are still being used to send the same message to the same person at the same time- this really defeats a lot of the purpose of your CRM. Your CRM should enable you to upsell specific products to the right people and send them personalised touchpoints to nurture them before, during and after the purchase. One size does not fit all.

Your CRM supports you through every stage of the customer journey. A customer has come in to look at a car for the first time? Record it, should you follow up? Assign a task or notification to remind yourself and keep track of their responses. A current customer wants an upgrade? Upsell to them using information found on their record on your CRM. Their profile says they’ve looked at two models before- focus on that, ask them questions, send them relevant and useful information.

Autino’s CustomerLounge enables you to completely tailor your communications. This is a platform that lets you speak to your customer as if they are across the service desk at anytime, anywhere and on the devices they use.

Your customer relationship management system is just that- something that helps you manage and develop the best possible relationships with your customers and prospects. Taking full advantage of every part of your CRM will mean you are consistent, thorough and reacting in real-time. Your CRM can empower you to take control of internal and external communications, improve efficiency and save time and money resources to drive your revenue. The biggest CRM mistake you can make is to not fully utilise the system to reach your goals.

Topics: crm, Customerlounge, technology

Millennials. If you google the term you will get a number of different descriptions but Millennials are people who are born from 2001 onwards. As I’m classed as a generation Y it’s safe to say I feel old! But jokes aside, there is common misconception of Millennials- they are tight! Well Ally Bank reported that millennials are not buying cars less often than baby boomers or members of Generation X. They are saving money for longer periods before purchasing.

Topics: selling, buying, car purchase, dealerships, millenials, technology, car buying, finance

Customer retention is the end game- it’s what all dealerships are looking to nail and this is becoming increasingly hard. Doug Van Sach, AutoLoop’s Vice President, put it perfectly when he said, “the hard truth for dealers is most consumers have redefined what it means to be loyal in the digital age.”

Topics: customer satisfaction, dealerships, loyalty, technology, retention, customer loyalty, millenials, car buying

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.

Topics: dms, data, technology, integration, dealer software, software, dealer, customer experience

B2B Selling Strategy- A discussion point that came up at a convention recently. The phrase alone left me cold. In 20 years of selling I’ve taken a number of prescribed selling courses, apparently honing my skills in modern selling. After applying and adapting these skills over hundreds of sales meetings I’m convinced that by far the most critical element is almost completely lost on all course providers.

Topics: selling, technology, b2b, sales, customer relationships, communication

We’re delighted to announce that Autino is now a Microsoft Partner at Silver level for Application Development.

Topics: digital, technology, microsoft, development, application, partner

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?

Topics: dealer software, digital, dms, technology, integration, data, data alignment

There are a lot of stages to the modern car-buyer journey. The majority of the process is now online, with customers coming into dealerships only when they have a clear idea of what they’re buying, at the end of their buying journey.

Topics: communication, integration, customer satisfaction, technology, customer experience, car purchase, dealerships, buyer Journey, personalisation, Customerlounge

The word CRM often brings a shiver down many people’s spine, but let’s be honest, if you have a CRM that’s organised and holds clean data, it’s a highly valuable asset. A CRM that is managed and used correctly has the ability to streamline your entire dealership sales process and improve performance of each of your leads.

Topics: crm, technology, profit, process, lead tracking, lead nurturing, retention, digital

We now live in a fast-paced world where technology is forever transforming our daily lives. Within the automotive sector I feel we have embraced technology and used it to our advantage in creating new car designs and models that not only look and perform better but also take into consideration the environment. 

Topics: Aftersales, dms, customer experience, technology, automotive