This document discusses the importance of customer relationship management (CRM) systems for car dealerships. It notes that 69% of car buyers visit dealerships without calling or emailing first, so dealerships should focus their efforts on in-showroom sales. Effective CRM systems integrate customer data and follow-up processes to track sales opportunities and ensure accountability. When implementing a new CRM system, dealerships need buy-in from all employees by linking the system to clear benefits like increased sales.

1. Pg. 33
The Power of a CRM
Robert Gruen
CEO
The Higher Gear Group

2. What is WRONG with YOUR
PROCESS and WHY are YOU
CHANGING your CRM?
• The short on how YOUR next CRM
vendor is trying to hurt your
chances of success!

3. What people are saying…
• “I just got a NEW GSM and he is familiar
with “X”
• “My internet manager says we will sell
more cars with “Y”
• “This company called “Z” keeps calling me
telling me that I would do way better with
their software”

4. Robert C. Gruen
• Who I am…
• What I love?
• Why I care?

5. Keep This Stat in your Mind
“We found that 69% of buyers had just
walked into the dealership for the first time
without calling or emailing first. Only 23%
called while only 8% sent an email to that
specific dealer.”

6. Why does this matter?
“We found that 69% of buyers had just
walked into the dealership for the first time
without calling or emailing first. Only 23%
called while only 8% sent an email to that
specific dealer.”
Where should your focus be?

7. How car buyers choose to
initiate contact with the dealer
Transaction complexity drives
consumer behavior

8. Who Said it?
“We found that 69% of buyers had just walked
into the dealership for the first time without
calling or emailing first. Only 23% called while
only 8% sent an email to that specific dealer. “ –
Chip Perry, President and CEO AutoTrader.com
(May 9th, 2012 – Chicago DigitalCon)

9. How car buyers choose to
initiate contact with the dealer
New Cars Used Cars
Sample Size:(38,900) Sample Size:(71,726)
Source: 2011 AutoTrader.com New Vehicle Sourcing Studies and 2011 AutoTrader.com Used Vehicle Sourcing Studies
Used Cars
Q2: Which of the following source(s), if any, did you use or see while vehicle shopping?
Sample Size:(71,726)

10. The Showroom Visit
Eventually this becomes
a
Showroom Opportunity or UP

11. Process vs. System
What is a process?
how you meet and greet
when you demo ride
what kind of follow up- who and when…
What is a system?
what you enter customer data into
your configuration of follow-up letters, to-do’s,
and email marketing reports on efficiencies
and more

12. How to Get Buy-In?
• Different approaches for different employees
(Different strokes for different folks....)
• What doesn’t work
• Marriage between Process and System
– Spiff Q
– Weekly reviews, accountability
– Feature and benefit

13. How to Get Buy-In?
• EMBRACE
Every
Member of the TEAM
Bares
Responsibility
And
Commitment
Equally

14. System Utilization
• Start over TODAY, You can decide to be
GREAT anytime
• Re-launch your CRM initiative
• Evaluate your sales force automation
process
• Make it about ACCOUNTABILITY

15. Tricks of the Software CRM Trade Off’s
The short on how YOUR next CRM
vendor is trying to hurt your
chances of success!

16. Real Life Stories….
• “I just got a NEW GSM and he is familiar with
“X”
• “My internet manager says we will sell more cars
with “Y”
• “This company called “Z” keeps calling me telling
me that I would do way better with their
software”

17. Change is GOOD
IF……
IF……
IF……
IF……

18. THANK YOU for your time!
EMAIL OR CALL
ROBERT GRUEN
ANYTIME AT
847.833.5677 – direct
rgruen@highergear.com