Automotive BDC

Special Treatment ... Amazing Results

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 by Steve Lausch

The other week, I saw something unique at one of the auto dealerships using Autobase CRM. It is a high volume import store with an automotive BDC (business development center), and in an effort to increase their appointment, show, and sold rates, they have instituted a plan for all customers that set appointments with their BDC.

Upon setting an appointment with the customer, they introduced the customer to the fact that they will receive “VIP” service while at the auto dealership. They prepared the customer by saying that upon arrival at the dealership, the customer should identify himself as a VIP customer. Once identified as a VIP, the customer is escorted to a waiting area that is set up specifically for VIPs; complete with cozy couches and complimentary beverages. A sales manager is immediately notified that a VIP guest is in the showroom and personally welcomes the customer and gives them a brochure outlining the dealership’s VIP sales and service commitment. This brochure details all the amenities that the dealership offers, such as courtesy shuttle, complimentary high speed internet access, and free oil changes. The manager then introduces the customer to a sales person who takes over the sales process.

I tend to be a pessimist when it comes to things like this, and if I hadn’t seen it for myself I never would have believed the appointment show and sold statistics that this store was putting out. If you have a great auto dealer CRM in place (we trust it's Autobase CRM), go beyond and think outside the box when it comes to setting your store apart from the competition and exceeding customer expectations!

by Laurie Simons

Autobase wishes our country a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Friday, July 3, 2009 by Steve Lausch

Tomorrow is the 233rd birthday of our United States of America.

So for today, no post on Auto Dealer CRM software. No dive into the importance of customer relationship management, Internet lead management, automotive BDC, or permission-based digital marketing for the thousands of auto dealerships across America...

Rather, today we're posting a simple and thankful acknowledgement of our great country on the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

** HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA! **

Automotive CRM: Email dealership customers only after ISP testing

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Steve Lausch

At the heart of Auto Dealer CRM software is the ability to successfully communicate with your dealership customers.

Your business development center (Automotive BDC or Virtual BDC) is absolutely vital for communicating via the phone and digital marketing. And a large part of our Autobase Digital Marketing is the permission-based email solution that carries it into your customer's Inbox.

Here are a few more "best practices" to keep in mind for a successful automotive digital marketing campaign:

Use ISP testing. Setting up an “ISP Test List” can be a fast and easy way to find out if your email will pass through spam filters. You can do so by simply setting up email accounts with the major ISPs such as AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. Before sending to your entire subscriber list, send to your test list and make sure your email reaches the inbox of each ISP. If it lands in a bulk folder or is blocked all together, you are then able to investigate and make the appropriate changes.

Avoid "spammy" words and phrases. Systematically scanning email subject lines and body content (also called content filtering) is the most widely used filtering method among ISPs. Avoid overly promotional words and phrases, multiple exclamation points, all capital letters, and other text often used by spammers. This may seem difficult at first for promotional messages coming from an auto dealership, but with a little creativity, it can be done. Remember, always better to tweak the message and make it into the Inbox, than to never make it to the Inbox at all.

"Successful dealerships of tomorrow" - Auto CRM wisdom from the past

Monday, April 20, 2009 by Steve Lausch

I was paging through a book* we at Autobase published (2004), when I stumbled upon the following quotation:

"Proactive franchises should realize that the successful dealerships of tomorrow will not stay on top simply by selling attractive brands or service, but rather through the relationships they have with their customers. Leveraging CRM to generate dialog has the capacity to initiate valued customer contact with prospects and owners. Above all, maintaining customer loyalty should be viewed not as the goal, but as the foundation of business."

That was stated by the [then] Director of CRM and Business Development at the Village Automotive Group... again, back in 2004. Nearly ten years later, we are not just seeing the reality and truth of his statement, we're living it!

Automotive CRM purchased by dealers then is helping them to thrive just five years later in the face of a challenged economy. With all of its components (ILM, Automotive BDC software, Digital marketing and other permission-based marketing solutions, etc.), a true Auto CRM and the data in it IS THE ANSWER to success today as well as the success yet to be experienced another five years from now.

* In 2004, automotive CRM was not only widely growing in popularity, it was leaving many dealers (who were new to the idea) quite confused on the subject. Floor Traffic is for Green Peas was written to help auto dealers understand what a true CRM solution was and how it worked in their dealerships. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) so enjoyed and approved of the book that they reprinted its contents with permission in their "Management Series" as their definitive statement on CRM.