Autobase Internet Lead Management

I noticed that automotive consultant Jim Ziegler recently encouraged automobile dealers to drop the fear factor and get back to their processes.  Certainly good advice at anytime, but certainly most important now. 

Of course if your auto dealership uses Autobase CRM, your dealership sales management would have been exposed to this push to process from the earliest stages of your involvement with us.  Our insistence on process begins with the sales contact at which time we spend considerable effort to learn how the dealer does business.  In short, what are their processes?  We then work to weave them into the fabric of our product where we can show that everything from the road to the sale, the Daily run, literally hundreds of settings that trigger events that reflect their schedule for everything from post visit contact to renewal contact. Along the way, we build a Save-a-Deal process, a managers review process, letters and forms library, an Internet Lead Management process, service scheduling marketing plans and reports , reports, reports and much more. 
 
On top of that, our Dealer Services teams continue to process map for the auto dealer and our deployment, installation and technical support team’s work to keep the processes on track.  Integral to this concept are the account managers and account analysts that keep the dealer focused on processes and the correct application of the same. 

One of our earliest dealers once told me that when he hit his first patch of rough economic times, he immediately realized that our insistence on process was what recession-proofed his business.  Sounds like good advice the current times doesn’t it?

by Phil Barras

I once had a college professor who was a bit of a sarcastic cynic who felt that you had to be wary of charitable institutions that were fighting something (cancer, world hunger, the common cold) because you needed to realize that if they ever found a cure, they would be out of business.  A somewhat skewed vision of the world but such are the inclinations of most cynics that I know.  What I took from that is that they will never be done -- reminds me of Autobase CRM (but in a MUCH more positive way).

I remember serving auto dealers back in the days of our Autobase DOS product.  Some of you may recall DOS from your visits to the Museum of Natural History (think Pong vs. Wii and that describes where Autobase has come from and where we are today). 

We have some GREAT things brewing that will be revealed at NADA 2010 ... beyond that, it's an open book as yet unwritten, but you can believe that it will include the cutting edge of technology and keep us in the catbird seat of the industry.  From our DOS days when we were virtually a simple shell that was an electronic file cabinet (but very high tech for the time) to the robust product of today.

Today our solution includes (among other things) showroom control features, a permission-based marketing suite, 70+ integrations, desking capabilities, digital marketing, newsletters, Internet lead management (ILM) ... as part of a TOTAL lead management system, and elements of every hot technology that can make a dealer more successful in today’s environment.

We are not done by a long shot, and we never will be either!  Now get me some more Legos.  I feel a product enhancement coming on!!!

by John Champeau

So your auto dealership just purchased an automotive CRM and everyone is excited; everyone except for you.  Maybe you aren't as familiar with a computer. You believe your phone is your primary tool in the showroom.  When you do come near a computer, you use two fingers to key everything. 

If the CRM system your dealer has installed is Autobase, we have good news for you.  though you may feel like you may get left behind, there is hope.  Here are a few tips that will help ease your apprehension and chase away those CRM jitters:

1. F1 Help – In order to feel comfortable with Autobase, you have to get to know Autobase.  What better way to get to know it than through the Online Tutorial.  F1 is the universal help button for any program.  In Autobase F1 is an online tutorial that provides information from Adding A Client, Internet Leads Management.  Using this option will prove to be beneficial.
2. Ask for help – At your dealership, someone may have been designated as the Autobase Champion.  Start looking to them for assistance.
3. Work at your own pace – You know that you are not the computer star at your dealership and there is no reason you have to be.  Autobase doesn’t require you to be a computer whiz or to type 55 words per minute.  Just work at your own pace. 

Tomorrow we'll look at a few more tips that will help you succeed with Autobase CRM.

by Tami Davis

I was reading an article in an automotive magazine by Mark LaNeve, GM’s Vice President of Vehicle Sales and Marketing, about a test program that GM is currently running with eBay and I started wondering: "Where is Internet Lead Management (ILM) headed?"

The article tells how potential automobile purchasers will be able to go to gm.ebay.com and browse the inventory for all GM dealerships located in California.

Not only will these Internet shoppers be able to see the new car inventory, but they will be able to compare prices, determine the value of their trades, chat with automotive sales experts, and even utilize eBay’s “Buy it Now” feature.  A whole new approach to the common understanding of an automotive dealership.

Internet Lead Management (ILM) will continue to evolve in ways no one could have imagined years ago.  Whichever way it turns, strong auto dealer CRM software should be supporting the ILM effort -- right on the cutting edge.  Things are moving fast and this is no time for an auto dealership to be left behind.

by Johnny Ohl

A few days ago, I posted a blog on putting some creative ideas together with use of your Auto Dealer CRM software.  Of course, if you're using Autobase CRM, it's got you covered for those days when your creative juices are flowing in abundance. Here are a few ways Auto CRM from Autobase can be used to "sell outside the box" ... and, yes, these are shameless plugs!

• Autobase Digital Marketing – Juice up your email correspondence with the components of our of hi-powered, digital marketing suite. Turn your old in-store "Why Buy Here?" presentation into a video email that drives traffic!

• Auto Sales Software - Use our Sales Center tool to track customer hobbies and interests and market toward these special interest groups. Then, have a car show, cigar bar party, or golf outing!

•  Autobase Permission-based Marketing  - Put our Business Solutions to work in concert with Sales Center CRM to create a targeted newsletter (or other customized webad), and track the deliverability of your message through detailed built in reporting within your Autobase Sales Solution!

• Business Development – Utilize the Autobase Loyalty Center or Virtual BDC (outsourced) to leverage your Autobase CRM solution further for lead management, follow-up, and appointment setting!

by Zach Thompson

I’m a car guy, if it’s got an engine I’m instantly in love. I’m sure my gear head roots will be a common theme on many of my blog posts moving forward. Maybe it is because of my love for cars that I find myself actually sympathizing with several tons of metal, while I watch some of the YouTube videos of guzzlers having salt and sand pumped through their veins until their hearts seize into a hunk of scrap.

Aside from my emotional response to the activity of disabling these vehicles, the fact remains that Cash for Clunkers could pose a challenge to the Used Car business. After all, the act of disabling clunkers is in fact depleting the countries inventory of used cars (especially trucks and SUVs) by destroying perhaps millions of vehicles. Moving forward, many dealers may be in for a real treat, when attempting to match prospects to used vehicles.

Automotive CRM, namely the dealership sales software from Autobase, utilizes Want List functionality, an extremely valuable tool that assists auto dealerships to instantly and seamlessly match an existing prospect in their database, to a vehicle in the car dealers inventory list. Once Autobase CRM matches a prospect to a vehicle, an email will be dispatched to the salesperson notifying them of the pending match possibility. This Want List functionality is a built-in tool included in your Autobase sales solutions.

With imminent challenges in locating used car inventory, Auto Dealer Software and lead management can be used to keep track of deal opportunities.

by Zach Thompson

Every now and then I drop in and see what's going on with the guys at www.drivingsales.com.  They've built a pretty good resource for dealers, whether it's the networking, their newsletter articles, or the vendor ratings.

Vendor ratings can be a tricky animal.  There are those few dealership sales and service managers who can't give a bad review and perhaps a few more who couldn't give a good one if they tried -- these, of course, are the exceptions.  One the whole, though, you have to look for the trend, especially when higher numbers of reviews have been posted.

I am so pleased to watch the number of reviews grow on this site.  And though we have not yet broken down our dealership technology into automotive sales software, business development products, dealership lead management, marketing solutions, etc ... we have seen 58 auto dealer professionals reach out (48 more than the runner up!) to give their honest opinion about us.  And what have they said?

With 95% recommendation, the original CRM (since 1988) is still by far the one helping more dealers to drive more traffic, sell and service more vehicles, build more customer loyalty, and make more money.  Thanks, Autobase customers!  We appreciate the loud vote of confidence in the middle of the marketplace!

This past weekend was one of those weekends.  One appointment backed up against another, and one to-do item overlapped with something else.  My wife and I were at times moving on parallel tracks trying to successfully manage the weekend's events.  If it wouldn't be for my DayTimer, I'd be loss -- plain and simple.

This kind of pace is experienced in auto dealerships across the country every day (can I get an "Amen" from someone out there in dealership sales management?)  If you're using some form of automotive CRM in your auto dealership (of course, www.autobase.net we hope you've invested in Autobase CRM), you have the equivalent of my DayTimer at work ... hopefully, it's successfully managing the dealership's success in everything from traffic generation, lead management, variable and fixed ops business processes, as well as marketing for more of the same.

Auto Dealer CRM helps drive the processes that make your dealership profitable.  It aligns everything you do against the specific business goals at your store.  If you need something along the lines of this dealership software or if you need more from your current CRM system, check us out.

Hopefully, next weekend is a bit easier! :)

I once heard a very wise but very old and somewhat physically infirm man say that he tried to stay mentally young by learning something new each day.  He said he greeted each new day dawning as a learning experience. 

After ten years with Autobase, I try to learn something new about our auto dealer CRM software or our organization each day.  Funny thing is that no matter how familiar you think you are with Autobase, I have no problem finding things I didn’t know (and invariably, I always seem to wish that I had found them earlier than I did!)

If you are looking for a good source document to help you keep abreast of capabilities and functions of Autobase, a good place to start is the product release notes that are generally published to all users a few days ahead of the actual release.  Now, it's possible that you may discard this documentation or store it (with every intention to revisit it, but somehow you never do); but by doing so, you will have missed a great deal of highly beneficial information.  In fact, it's possible you have already missed several opportunities to put the information to good use.

Here are some nuggets for today from our product documentation.  For instance did you know that:

1. Users have the ability to search by email address in the Internet Lead Management (ILM) side of the software?
2. Salespeople will now have the Search functionality in the ILM?
3. Users with multi-store access will now have the ability to sort and view leads for individual stores in the ILM?
4. CARFAX integration is now available through the Inventory and Appraisal screens?

I visited an auto dealership in New Jersey about two years ago and met “Bob,” the salesman.  Bob was able to play 9 holes of golf in the morning, come in to the dealership around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and sell 2 cars daily ... once again (for effect) DAILY!  I didn’t believe Bob’s story until I reviewed the Sold Units log within their Autobase CRM; Bob was single handedly responsible for more than HALF the auto dealership’s monthly sales and was EASILY the top performer.  I asked, “Bob, how do you do it?  What is your secret??”

Bob didn’t have a secret.  He didn’t drink a special potion that turned him into “Super-Salesman.”  He practiced the golden rule: he made it a point to establish solid rapport and maintain personal relationships with customers with which he did business.  Simply put: he followed up with them!  Whether it be the customer’s birthday, a holiday, or a family member graduating high school /college, he kept his and the dealership’s name in the customer’s ear throughout the entire life of the sale.  Here is the “MAGIC,” when it came time for the customer to renew -  he called and ASKED for the next sale!

Bob practiced this fundamental skill long before an auto dealer CRM system was installed at the dealership.  However, when it was installed and he learned of the Renewals Log, his trusty paper notebook was immediately transferred over and his sales began to double and triple (yes, triple!). 

“I don’t take floor ups, answer the phone, or take internet leads.  I only sell cars to people I’ve done business with and their referrals.”  AMAZING!  Bob doesn’t have to log countless hours at the dealership.  He can forecast all of his sales for months to come, allowing him to create his schedule accordingly.  Amazing!

by Josh Bateson