Courtesy Chevrolet has emerged as the top internet retailer of new and used Chevrolets. It uses an integrated online and traditional marketing strategy along with business development centers and dedicated internet sales teams to dominate the online car buying experience. The dealership generates over 60,000 online leads annually and sold over 4,000 vehicles in 2006 through its internet sales department by implementing an effective lead management process. This process involves routing online leads into a customer relationship management tool, having staff make initial contact within 30 minutes, and scheduling test drive appointments to convert leads into sales.
IS20G14 - Yesterday's Everything is NOT Today's Anything: What's New for the ...Sean Bradley
Yesterday's Everything is NOT Today's Anything: What's New for the Automotive Industry
IS20G14 - Philadelphia, PA
LIVE! Casino & Hotel
January 11-13, 2022
Leveraging Data for a True Omnichannel ExperienceSandy Karcher
Whether engaging with your brand in store, on the website, via mobile app or across the vast array of social channels your customer expects a consistent brand voice and quality of experience. How do you learn about your customer’s behavior across these channels and adjust your strategy accordingly? Does every brand need to exist on every channel or can you focus your efforts to those channels most popular with your target demographics? Learn the answers to these questions and the specific practices to guide your own brand through this process.
IS20G14 - Yesterday's Everything is NOT Today's Anything: What's New for the ...Sean Bradley
Yesterday's Everything is NOT Today's Anything: What's New for the Automotive Industry
IS20G14 - Philadelphia, PA
LIVE! Casino & Hotel
January 11-13, 2022
Leveraging Data for a True Omnichannel ExperienceSandy Karcher
Whether engaging with your brand in store, on the website, via mobile app or across the vast array of social channels your customer expects a consistent brand voice and quality of experience. How do you learn about your customer’s behavior across these channels and adjust your strategy accordingly? Does every brand need to exist on every channel or can you focus your efforts to those channels most popular with your target demographics? Learn the answers to these questions and the specific practices to guide your own brand through this process.
IS20G14 - The CRM Check-Up: How to Reexamine Your Sales Tools -Mark Vickery, ...Sean Bradley
When was the last time you evaluated your CRM? Priorities in the auto retail industry and within your dealership have rapidly shifted, and the way you use the CRM and other sales tools at your dealership should change, too.
The car sales process has evolved to become more personalized, flexible, and digital, and it's essential to make sure your dealership’s tools are keeping up. But with so many factors to consider in a tool as complex as a CRM, figuring out exactly what you’re missing can be an overwhelming task.
IS20G14 - Philadelphia, PA
LIVE! Casino & Hotel
January 11-13, 2022
Turning Automotive Marketing Ideas Into ActionsBrian Pasch
Brian Pasch leads dealers through marketing strategies and products that can impact sales, increase profits, and grow market share. Brian explains the "WHY" behind his recommendations and the video recording is also available to go along with these slides. Contact Brian Pasch for the video link at: brian@pcgcompanies.com. PCG is proud to be an authorized reseller for marketing automation tools Lotlinx, which enhances our ability to create effective marketing campaigns for our clients. We receive a commission for LotLinx sales and support.
How to increase effectiveness of your business with UX design in your CRM?
Why UX is so important for CRM systems?
What are tangible results of designing
user-friendly CRM?
How to design a user-centered CRM?
What are the elements of well- designed system?
Advanced Ad Targeting Strategies Using Call IntelligenceInvoca
See how digital marketers can use rich caller data and insights for better audience segmentation and targeting that can be applied throughout the entire customer journey.
IS20G14 - The CRM Check-Up: How to Reexamine Your Sales Tools -Mark Vickery, ...Sean Bradley
When was the last time you evaluated your CRM? Priorities in the auto retail industry and within your dealership have rapidly shifted, and the way you use the CRM and other sales tools at your dealership should change, too.
The car sales process has evolved to become more personalized, flexible, and digital, and it's essential to make sure your dealership’s tools are keeping up. But with so many factors to consider in a tool as complex as a CRM, figuring out exactly what you’re missing can be an overwhelming task.
IS20G14 - Philadelphia, PA
LIVE! Casino & Hotel
January 11-13, 2022
Turning Automotive Marketing Ideas Into ActionsBrian Pasch
Brian Pasch leads dealers through marketing strategies and products that can impact sales, increase profits, and grow market share. Brian explains the "WHY" behind his recommendations and the video recording is also available to go along with these slides. Contact Brian Pasch for the video link at: brian@pcgcompanies.com. PCG is proud to be an authorized reseller for marketing automation tools Lotlinx, which enhances our ability to create effective marketing campaigns for our clients. We receive a commission for LotLinx sales and support.
How to increase effectiveness of your business with UX design in your CRM?
Why UX is so important for CRM systems?
What are tangible results of designing
user-friendly CRM?
How to design a user-centered CRM?
What are the elements of well- designed system?
Advanced Ad Targeting Strategies Using Call IntelligenceInvoca
See how digital marketers can use rich caller data and insights for better audience segmentation and targeting that can be applied throughout the entire customer journey.
Digital Dealer Recruit Screen Hire WorkshopRalph Paglia
Ralph Paglia's presentation used during the 11th Digital Dealer Conference "Recruit Screen Hire" Workshop for car dealers in Las Vegas on October 6, 2011
Automotive Digital Advertising for Car Dealers...
For more information on various services available for car dealers, visit http://www.SocialAutoSales.com and join the online network set up by Ralph's ADP Social Media Reputation Management Team at http://www.ADPsocial.com
Webinar - How Marketing Automation can sales fall in love with CRMSalesfusion
SalesFUSION and Analyst firm, Gleanster present a compelling look at how a properly implemented marketing automation solution can dramatically improve CRM adoption and usage by Sales
Google Display Marketing Jargon BusterRalph Paglia
Google Display Marketing Jargon Buster provides definitions and explanations of various buzzwords thrown about so effortlessly by sales reps, trainers and presenters.
Ever been troubled by the blinking sign and didn’t know what to do?
Here’s a handy guide to dashboard symbols so that you’ll never be confused again!
Save them for later and save the trouble!
Core technology of Hyundai Motor Group's EV platform 'E-GMP'Hyundai Motor Group
What’s the force behind Hyundai Motor Group's EV performance and quality?
Maximized driving performance and quick charging time through high-density battery pack and fast charging technology and applicable to various vehicle types!
Discover more about Hyundai Motor Group’s EV platform ‘E-GMP’!
Why Is Your BMW X3 Hood Not Responding To Release CommandsDart Auto
Experiencing difficulty opening your BMW X3's hood? This guide explores potential issues like mechanical obstruction, hood release mechanism failure, electrical problems, and emergency release malfunctions. Troubleshooting tips include basic checks, clearing obstructions, applying pressure, and using the emergency release.
Things to remember while upgrading the brakes of your carjennifermiller8137
Upgrading the brakes of your car? Keep these things in mind before doing so. Additionally, start using an OBD 2 GPS tracker so that you never miss a vehicle maintenance appointment. On top of this, a car GPS tracker will also let you master good driving habits that will let you increase the operational life of your car’s brakes.
Fleet management these days is next to impossible without connected vehicle solutions. Why? Well, fleet trackers and accompanying connected vehicle management solutions tend to offer quite a few hard-to-ignore benefits to fleet managers and businesses alike. Let’s check them out!
Comprehensive program for Agricultural Finance, the Automotive Sector, and Empowerment . We will define the full scope and provide a detailed two-week plan for identifying strategic partners in each area within Limpopo, including target areas.:
1. Agricultural : Supporting Primary and Secondary Agriculture
• Scope: Provide support solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
• Target Areas: Polokwane, Tzaneen, Thohoyandou, Makhado, and Giyani.
2. Automotive Sector: Partnerships with Mechanics and Panel Beater Shops
• Scope: Develop collaborations with automotive service providers to improve service quality and business operations.
• Target Areas: Polokwane, Lephalale, Mokopane, Phalaborwa, and Bela-Bela.
3. Empowerment : Focusing on Women Empowerment
• Scope: Provide business support support and training to women-owned businesses, promoting economic inclusion.
• Target Areas: Polokwane, Thohoyandou, Musina, Burgersfort, and Louis Trichardt.
We will also prioritize Industrial Economic Zone areas and their priorities.
Sign up on https://profilesmes.online/welcome/
To be eligible:
1. You must have a registered business and operate in Limpopo
2. Generate revenue
3. Sectors : Agriculture ( primary and secondary) and Automative
Women and Youth are encouraged to apply even if you don't fall in those sectors.
"Trans Failsafe Prog" on your BMW X5 indicates potential transmission issues requiring immediate action. This safety feature activates in response to abnormalities like low fluid levels, leaks, faulty sensors, electrical or mechanical failures, and overheating.
𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨. 𝙒𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙪𝙨.
Over the 10 years, we have gained a strong foothold in the market due to our range's high quality, competitive prices, and time-lined delivery schedules.
5 Warning Signs Your BMW's Intelligent Battery Sensor Needs AttentionBertini's German Motors
IBS monitors and manages your BMW’s battery performance. If it malfunctions, you will have to deal with an array of electrical issues in your vehicle. Recognize warning signs like dimming headlights, frequent battery replacements, and electrical malfunctions to address potential IBS issues promptly.
In this presentation, we have discussed a very important feature of BMW X5 cars… the Comfort Access. Things that can significantly limit its functionality. And things that you can try to restore the functionality of such a convenient feature of your vehicle.
Symptoms like intermittent starting and key recognition errors signal potential problems with your Mercedes’ EIS. Use diagnostic steps like error code checks and spare key tests. Professional diagnosis and solutions like EIS replacement ensure safe driving. Consult a qualified technician for accurate diagnosis and repair.
What Does the PARKTRONIC Inoperative, See Owner's Manual Message Mean for You...Autohaus Service and Sales
Learn what "PARKTRONIC Inoperative, See Owner's Manual" means for your Mercedes-Benz. This message indicates a malfunction in the parking assistance system, potentially due to sensor issues or electrical faults. Prompt attention is crucial to ensure safety and functionality. Follow steps outlined for diagnosis and repair in the owner's manual.
What Does the PARKTRONIC Inoperative, See Owner's Manual Message Mean for You...
Ralph Paglia ILM Implementation For General Motors Dealers
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3. Dealership Transactional CRM Processes Variable % of Data Pushed/Pulled Automatically and/or Manually Every Dealership has 8 general areas for generating sales opportunities
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5. Courtesy Chevrolet’s Internet Lead Management Process has Allowed the Dealership to Become More Aggressive with Lower Cost Online Marketing Online Advertising is more effective but relies on LMP for results
6. 61,642 Leads Generated & Tracked within CRM System Lead Mix by Source Category is determined by Marketing Strategy
7. 4,008 eBusiness Department Sales of New & Used Vehicles in 2006 Segmented by Marketing Category Internet Sales will vary by the Dealership’s Lead mix by Category
8. Sales/Lead Closing Ratios ranged from 5.15% to 16.64% when segmented into categories based on Marketing Type Closing Ratios vary by Lead Source and the Dealership’s mix by Category
11. Courtesy Chevrolet CRM/eBusiness Teams - February, 2007 Ralph Paglia CRM/eBusiness Director Joel Matteson BDC Manager New & Used Dept.’s George Salman Internet Sales Manager New Vehicle Department Vernon Intara BDC Team Leader NEW Vehicle Sales Bryan Long Internet Sales Manager Used Vehicle Sales Toni Hunter & Jackie Bombardo CRM Administrators Adrian Fajardo Internet Sales Manager Courtesy On Bell CSR 1 CSR 2 CSR 3 CSR 4 CSR 5 CSR 6 CSR 7 CSR 8 CSR 9… CSR 12 ISS 1 ISS 2 ISS 3 ISS 4 ISS 5 ISS 6 ISS 7 ISS 8 ISS 9 ISS 10 ISS 13 ISS 14 ISS 15 ISS 16 ISS 17 ISS 18 ISS 19 ISS 20 ISS 21 CSR 13 CSR 14 CSR 15 CSR 16 CSR 17 CSR 18 Certified Sales Consultants Assigned to Handle Internet Leads Mike Gordon IT Director Eric Steffes, Kevin Youtsy, Omara Spriggs eFinance Sales Team ISS 22 CSR 19 CSR 20 125 sales 125 sales 125 sales 75 sales 60 sales 25 sales Steven Clemens BDC Team Leader USED Vehicle Sales CSR 21… CSR 24 ISS 12 ISS 11 ISS 23 ISS 24
12. Courtesy Chevrolet CRM/eBusiness Teams – Current Expansion , March 2007 Ralph Paglia CRM/eBusiness Director Joel Matteson BDC Manager New & Used Dept.’s George Salman ISM #1 New Chevrolet Vernon Intara BDC Team Leader NEW Vehicle Sales Bryan Long Internet Sales Manager Used Vehicle Sales Toni Hunter & Jackie Bombardo CRM Administrators Adrian Fajardo Internet Sales Manager Courtesy On Bell CSR 1 CSR 2 CSR 3 CSR 4 CSR 5 CSR 6 CSR 7 CSR 8 CSR 9… CSR 12 ISS 1 ISS 2 ISS 3 ISS 4 ISS 5 ISS 6 ISS 7 ISS 8 ISS 9 ISS 10 ISS 13 ISS 14 ISS 15 ISS 16 ISS 17 ISS 18 ISS 19 ISS 20 ISS 21 CSR 13 CSR 14 CSR 15 CSR 16 CSR 17 CSR 18 Certified Sales Consultants Assigned to Handle Internet Leads Mike Gordon IT Director Eric Steffes, Kevin Youtsy, Omara Spriggs eFinance Sales Team ISS 22 CSR 19 CSR 20 120 sales 70 sales 120 sales 80 sales 60 sales 25 sales Steven Clemens BDC Team Leader USED Vehicle Sales CSR 21… CSR 24 ISS 12 ISS 11 ISS 23 ISS 24 Mike Funk ISM #2 New Chevrolet ISS 15 ISS 16 70 sales SLIDE NOT SHOWN IN HANDOUT
13. Document Roles & Responsibilities for All Internet Sales Positions * July 2006 Interactive Marketing Budget
15. Dealer close rates vary from one dealer to the next… Some as low as 2%, while others are as high as 23% What Dealer actions generate more sales, more often?
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17. A: Increasing Closing Ratios is not “Just About” Response Times… Q: Why the variations?
18. *Survey Participants who Purchased a Vehicle were identified via RDR data cross reference and matching with Internet Lead Data Recent Marketing research (Q3, 2006) confirms the Lead Management Practices collected during “Best In Class” Dealer Benchmark studies. How to sell more vehicles to customers that submit Internet leads… Without relying on opinions or seat of the pants management! #4 #3 #2 #1 Top 4 Ways to Close More Sales to Leads Received 11 27% 17% Make Direct Phone Contact with Customer (after sending Email w/availability & prices) 9 27% 20% Send Price Quotes by Email to Customer 5 25% 21% Contact Customer more than once by Email and Telephone (within First 24 Hours) 3 24% 21% Make sure Customers are either Completely or Very Satisfied with the Lead Response Statistical Correlation Factor of Response attribute with Vehicle Purchase % of Purchase* among the Leads who DID Experience the attribute Purchase Respondents* who DID NOT experience the attribute Dealer Response Attributes Experienced by Customers within 24 hours of Submitting an Inquiry
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20. Customer goes online and submits Lead Internet Sales Specialist (ISS) reviews lead, selects 4 vehicles for Price Quotes BDC Staff makes initial phone call, collects customer info, sets up an appointment for the ISS If no appointment, ISS Contacts customer and seeks appointment and/or agreement What happens at Courtesy Chevrolet when a new lead arrives?
21. Successful Email Templates Providing Reasons/Logic to Act Quickly… Create urgency Dealer Differentiation - Why buy here… Homogenous Commodity Multiple Points of Contact and Links to Value-Added Content Confirming Vehicles in Inventory for Test Drive and Delivery Offering Next Steps, Setting Expectations - Demystify Quoting Prices on Multiple Vehicles – Exceed Expectations
22. Lead Process Maps should be indexed (#) to email templates, phone scripts and word tracks so that dealership employees have a “paint by numbers” guide to what is expected when a lead is received. This initial section of a lead management process map focuses on the first 12 hours after a new lead is received. SLIDE NOT SHOWN IN HANDOUT
23. Lead Process Maps should contain brief explanations for the logic and execution tips for employees to review before actually using the email templates, phone scripts and word tracks. Actual template illustrations make it easy for dealership employees to recognize the right template or document when they see it in their CRM tool. SLIDE NOT SHOWN IN HANDOUT
24. When Lead Process Maps are indexed (use letters and numbers) to correspondingly numbered email templates, phone scripts and word tracks, the dealership is far more likely to execute the repetitious tasks that create customer experiences which correlate with higher sales closing ratios. The best process maps break down email and phone contact processes into separate flows so that they can be executed by multiple internal or outsourced resources when scaling up lead volumes and organization structures. SLIDE NOT SHOWN IN HANDOUT
25. Although many car guys will say they believe in the concept of following up until prospects either buy or die… Large scale lead generation through highly effective marketing practices requires that scarce resources be allocated to where they will generate the most sales. Outsourcing followup on leads that have reached a designated status (dormant) or assigning them to alternate resources such as a BDC will allow ISS’s to stay focused on the 50% of the leads that buy, and do so within the first 10 days Have a defined process for “closing out” unsold leads SLIDE NOT SHOWN IN HANDOUT
35. LMP Scoring Index Objective Review of Dealership Employee Lead responses encourages consistency and creates a numeric accountability – an LMP Report Card for Dealer or GM review…
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37. Nothing has more impact on results than phone contact with the customer! Profound Knowledge
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Editor's Notes
Courtesy Chevrolet sold over 11,000 new and used vehicles in 2006, of which over 4,000 originated from Internet generated leads (electronic and phone).
Courtesy Chevrolet is a unique family owned dealership that continuously maximizes the business potential of a single-point Chevrolet franchise…
When assessing a dealership’s variable operations potential, it is important to understand that virtually all business opportunity originates from within 8 categories, 4 that occur on an inbound basis and 4 that require the dealer to execute outbound customer contacts.
Every dealer that says they want to “get serious” about selling cars using the Internet, but how many have a documented strategy that focuses their entire staff on the key components of what it takes to actually sell some cars? Traffic – how will the dealer attract visitors, Interactive Web Site – How will the dealer’s web site convert those visitors into showroom traffic, phone calls and electronic leads? Process – Who will be held responsible for answer the phone calls and responding to the electronic leads? What are the minimum standards, the steps to the sale for Internet Leads? Sales – What will happen with the customer gets to the dealership? Who will prepare for pre-set appointments? What will be done in advance? Who will initially greet the customer? What about other salepeople poaching, or skating the Internet sales Specialists?
As Courtesy’s online marketing efforts have become more effective there has been a dramatic increase in unique visitors to multiple Courtesy operated web properties. As greater efficiencies have been incorporated into online marketing, budgets have remained fairly stable, while site visitors has steadily grown, yielding an ever decreasing cost per visitor and subsequent drops in costs per lead generated.
The real gusher has been the explosion in lead volume over the past 20 months. In 2006 lead volume steadily grw compared to same month the year prior, resulting in lead volume increases over 400%... This overwhelming volume of leads and phone calls has been a prime motivator for many of the organizational changes and eBusiness department growth at Courtesy.
Sales results in 2006 from online marketing and lead generation activities helped propel Courtesy Chevrolet to an all time record total sales volume of over 11,000 vehicles with 4,008 directly attributable to Internet leads, phone calls and BDC data mining of the database created by the massive volume of inquiries.
When looking at dealership closing ratios on Internet Leads and incoming phone calls, it is important to break the leads into categories that corespond to their origination sources. Leads from 3 rd party providers are simultaneously sent to multiple dealerships whereas leads generated by a dealer’s online marketing efforts are exclusive and not shared with other dealers. GM generated CID leads should normally close at the highest rate because of the hoops that GM makes customers jump through in order to submit an inquiry… Only thew most serious of buyers make it through the arduous process!
Despite the fussiness of online shoppers, Courtesy has been able to maintain a high level of sales and service staisfaction relative to other dealers in the Western Region.
Process Mapping a dealership’s lead management process is essential, but do not let it become intimidating… Discussing and flowcharting what steps should be completed based on the various possible customer responses is what we call results-based process flow, and is a lot more realistic than a linear process flow that does not factor in the multiple outcomes of each contact made with a customer.
Moved both the new vehicle and used vehicle BDC’s into newly constructed hi-tech call center after 6 months of contruction and development, Added a full-time F&I Manager to the eFinance Sales Team, installed 2 additional office cube’s for eFinance so they can contract deals in the eBusiness area of facility… The Courtesy Chevrolet CRM/eBusiness Teams combined sales generation capacity goes to over 445 CRM/eBusiness Facilitated Vehicle Sales per Month…
In order to prevent head count shock when looking at Courtesy Chevrolet’s eBusiness org structure it us important to understand the nature of how the organization and its sales keep growing… The growth mechanism is organic by nature and reflects the typical practices used by the Gruwells to grow the entire dealership’s operations over time. Each team is cultivated and grown to a point where it becomes necessary to slit off another team that specializes in a particular operation, or shares the workload with the origina; team. This is similar to what many service departments do when they organize service advisors and techs inyo various “colored” teams……
Clearly defined job descriptions serve strategic objectives before and after hiring people for each eBusiness position… Providing itemized lists of tasks in detail, along with clearly and objective performance evaluation criteria ensure that all members of the team are focused on the same goals and day to day task completion efforts. For recruiting, a clear job description makes it easier for good people to leave their current situation and know what they are getting into, how they will be both evaluated and paid… Demystify the Internet Sales Specialist job!
Pay plans should be progressive in a manner that creates extra rewards for deals sold at the beginning of the month, based on selling incremental units during the second half of the month. Performance bonuses based on process evaluation metrics should have minimum lead volume qualifiers to ensure that those who take on more leads than others are not penalized for handling extra work load.
Internet lead management is the closest process in variable operations that can be treated like the way we optimize fixed operations processes… Everything that a dealer does with every Internet lead is measurable and the sales results can be easily matched with original lead data, then cross referenced to the attributes of the dealer’s response to the leads that sold versus the leads that did not result in a sale.
There are numerous studies that have been done over the past few years by car companies, Internet product vendors and pure research firms such as JD Power, MorPace research, Forrester Research and others… What all the studies show is that how a dealer responds to an Internet lead, and the timing around that response is what determines sales closing rates. If a dealer is not selling enough of their Internet leads, it is almost always a result of what they are, or are not doing, and the timing around the dealer’s response activities.
Amongst all the attributes of a dealer’s response to an Internet Lead, the time from when a customer submits a lead to when they have received a personalized email message that directly addresses their inquiry consistently shows up as correlating with sales closing ratios… All response content equal, faster dealers will outsell slower dealers. However, Content is still King in that a poor response sent quickly will reduce sales closing rates. It is important to realize that lead response time is a qualifier, an index that determines maximum closing rate upper limits. Once again, it is what the customer experiences, not how or who does it that determines the results.
Lead Management Process is no longer as much an art as it has become a science… Numerous studies that utilize an OEM database matching process which tracks leads and the eventual Retail Delivery Report, then correlates sales for the brand, sales by the original lead receiving dealer, with significantly large volumes of customer submitted survey responses provide a clear and objective analysis of what the customer experiences, the differences in those experiences and their correlation with likelihood of purchasing from the dealer that received the lead. This ability to actually measure what each dealer does with their leads, through the eyes of the customer, and how these activities correspond with a sale, or a lost sale, allow a scientific management approach to Lead Management Process in a manner that absolutely WILL impact sales results from a given volume of leads.
Different studies show similar results in multiple formats, in this one, the difference between doing all 5 of these steps within the time frame shown, compared to not doing them resulted in a 400% increase in overall sales closing ratios.
Here is a simplified illustration of what happens at Courtesy Chevrolet in Phoenix when a new lead is received from a customer requesting a price quote on either a vehicle in stock or one that the customer has configured. Although Courtesy is fairly unique in that a BDC supports each Internet Sales Specialist with telephone follow-up, it is important to understand that this is actually a compromise in the store’s original LMP so as to enable the scalability to handling monthly lead volumes that frequently exceed 6,000 leads in a month, and over 60,000 leads a year… It is important to understand that achieving the customer experiences that impact sales closing ratios in a positive manner is a more important objective than who actually completes the tasks associated with those experiences… The customers are less concerned with who provides them with good service, than they are in actually receiving it!
Email content can raise or lower each dealership’s sales closing ratios by several points in either direction. Individually written customer emails are a luxury that simply does not scale well when lead volumes increase and they are prone to numerous errors that cost a dealership many sales. A robust email template library that is loaded into a dealership’s CRM tool and is indexed with numeric file names to process flow maps can create lead response process execution that is less likely to deteriorate from turnover and the inevitable process entropy that occurs in retail environments.
When flowcharting a dealer’s lead management process maps, be sure to start with what the customer does online and base each process map on a specific type of lead request. Request a quote is the most common lead type, but different process maps should be considered for trade-in evaluations and test drive requests.
Splitting a dealer’s process maps into multiple channels for phone activities, email activities and direct mail processes makes it easir to split the task execution work load into various resource’s daily activity schedules.
Using template numbers makes a dealer’s process maps and the day to day execution of these customer contact activities a lot more sustainable when employee turnover issues and hiring new people come into play.
For years we have talked trash about following up with leads forever, but the reality is that follow-up resources at every dealership are a finite resource so a clearly defined process for closing out unsold leads must be decided upon. Do not leave this issue up to sales staff to decide, the point at which we no longer assign resources to working a lead should be agreed upon by the dealer and senior management.
Let’s take a look at some actual real world examples of what actually works in regards to emails and the use of templates.
Keep in mind that the various web sites used to generate most quote request leads make very explicit claims as to what a customer will get in exchange for their personal and private direct contact information… Unless we deliver on the first promises made within the virtual sales environment, we may not get the chance to ever get them to visit the dealership. If your lead source promises price quotes, then you’ve got to deliver those price quotes or you lose the customer.
At Courtesy Chevrolet between 10 and 14% of our customers click on links sent in our email templates.
Autoresponse emails are not an option… Other online businesses such as Amazon.com, eBay and others have conditioned the public to expect some sort of automated confirmation that their inquiry or order has been received by a merchant. Because Courtesy Chevrolet uses so many lead sources and marketing campaigns, we have developed an automated response email template that makes extensive use of merge codes within our CRM application that allows the system to confirm the accuracy and completeness of all information received from the lead source with the customer. Approximately 20% of our prospects respond with additional information or corrections to what was received by our CRM system. Our ISS’s believe this strategy to be one of the most significant built in methodologies we use.
When dealers ask me about email and phone communications while chasing customers for their business I generally advise against sending anything or making a call unless we have the ability to deliver something of perceived value to the customer. We make extensive use of deep links in our autoresponse that guide the customer into specific web site functionality and inventory presorts along with a brief text description so that customers have short cuts to what they want to get to without having to wade through multiple sections and possibly get lost within one of our web sites.
This is an example of an email received from a customer that responded to our autoresponse with an email containing additional contact information… Her cell phone number!
Example of actual email with price quotes sent to a customer that then bought a truck from us…
Example of actual email with price quotes sent to a customer that then bought a truck from us…
Example of actual email with price quotes sent to a customer that then bought a truck from us…
For GM SFE facilitators, we recommend a standardized scoring model that allows each dealer’s response to an online mystery shop to be scored in an objective manner and then compared with other dealers who have been scored using the same index for a relative comparison of each dealer’s lead response effectiveness… Simple, effective and used by many other car companies to achieve much higher closing ratios than GM currently achieves.