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Automotive Storytellers

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

So you’ve been assigned the responsibility to write the vehicle comments on behalf of your store.  While this may be Internet Sales 101, it is more than apparent that dealers can use a refresher course now and again.  As I research dealership after dealership and do comparison studies between my own clients and their competition, I find it disheartening that so many dealers overlook the basics.

It is not that dealerships today don’t recognize the importance of unique vehicle comments on each inventory listing.  It is that there is a time investment that some don’t feel willing to give for a basic best practice.  Or maybe it is that no one spelled out for them how to write quality vehicle comments in the first place.

While some use the valuable, time-saving technology that auto-generates unique comments on their behalf from the vAutos, VinSolutions, and Homenets of the world, others have to do it the old-fashioned way…. By actually writing it themselves.

Unfortunately, even when dealership staff take it upon themselves to write this ad copy for their inventory, it usually turns out limp.  Majority of dealer-written descriptions include the customary smattering of lines such as
Looking for a family sedan?
This vehicle is still under factory warranty.
Just Reduced!
This is a nice one!
CarFax available.
Traction Control.  Front wheel drive.
Must ask for Internet Sales Manager if you want Internet price.
As with all pre-owned vehicles normal wear and tear should be expected.
All of our pre-owned vehicles are sold “as-is”.

Now I ask you, are those statements important to some customers?  Absolutely, yes.  However these exact statements are far too often jam-packed together in the same description.  We need to connect with people searching for our inventory on a personal level, not just educate them.  There are several keys to writing engaging inventory description.  Below, I’ve broken down the more important aspects.

1)  Paint a picture.  Create a visual by exploring the five senses.  Put them in the driver’s seat. “When you sit back comfortably in your…”  “As you drive, you won’t hear any engine/road noise…”  “Within a second of putting your head inside this sparkling clean…. you will realize that no smoker has ever lit up anywhere near it.”  And always remember to write words like “You” and “Your family”.

2)  Appeal to their competitiveness.  “Your neighbors/coworkers will be envious when you drive home in…”  “Your family will flip head over heels…”  And then, if you have the ability to research, discuss other awards/recognition the vehicle may have received.  For instance, if there is a MotorTrend truck/car of the year in your inventory, make sure you mention it.

3)  Descriptive words.  Go buy a thesaurus (or go to thesaurus.com).  It is NOT a black car with leather interior.  It is a jet-black/black onyx/diamond black clearcoat flawless paint exterior filled to the brim with soft buttery tan cream leather throughout.  It doesn’t have AC.  It has nip-at-your-nose ice cold air conditioning.  It doesn’t have am/fm/cd, it has a “crystal clear sound thumping out of its premium sound system.”  Get creative.  Oversell it.  The more fun the better.

4)  Only talk options.  There is no need to mention the standard features of a vehicle in the unique description.  Power, maybe, but most customers researching a vehicle don’t care about intermittent windshield wipers, power steering, rear defrost, vanity mirror, etc.  Only talk about what makes the vehicle exceptional.  (You’ll never see anything with a sunroof that has hand-crank windows).  So only mention things such as chrome alloys like looking in a mirror, sunroof that lets you feel the cool breeze, soft as skin leather, etc…

5)  Get Creative.  Speak to the Consumer.  Call them out.  “You cannot miss the opportunity to see this one-of-a-kind, well-cared-for beast of a mud-flinging 4×4 pick-up. And as you can tell, our dealership is the home of hyphenated words.”  As I mentioned, HAVE FUN.

Don’t think of it as a chore.  Think of it as writing a story, telling a tale, or singing a song.  Make it sound different than the rest.  Overemphasize.  It will help tremendously.  Learning how to write the descriptions will make you that much stronger when you have to verbally describe the vehicle to a customer over the phone as well so the benefits of this skill do not just stop at more eyeballs on your merchandised inventory.

From someone with a journalistic background who fashions himself a storyteller, allow me to say that it does take practice and quite a little bit of creativity.  So get inventive and try to truly create some unique comments.  By including the variables above, you too can be a master of automotive storytelling.

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Posted in Blog, Merchandising | No Comments »



Do You Have a BDC or a BCC?

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

BDC is one of the most incorrectly overused terms in the automotive retail environment. Far too often, the roles and responsibilities of the employees working in these “Business Development Centers” are doing no developing at all. They are simply the communicating with the customers. And there’s the rub.

From what I’ve seen during my limited time training dealers, most that believe they have a BDC have a team of individuals dedicated to answering the phones and sending emails. Well someone would have to do that no matter what, so in this instance, you have a Business Communication Center. You’ve created one place where the basic back-and-forth with customers is handled.
The Merriam-Webster definition of Communication is “a process in which information is exchanged between two individuals”.

While I was last on the retail side of the dealership world, I was running a true Business Development Center. The definition of Development is “the act of improving, expanding, or refining.” My BDC team had responsibilities that far exceeded the realm of basic email and phone unsold follow up communication that is so customary in many other dealerships.

A BDC must do more. They must develop business… on their own… on behalf of the dealership… by being proactive… with sales AND service customers. A Business Development Center creates their own opportunities while a Business Communication Center simply handles the normal dealership interaction that others within the store can handle themselves.

Your typical BCC team will handle inbound calls, manage inbound leads, respond to those leads, make outbound internet calls, and set appointments from each of those avenues. A BDC team should do everything above and more. They should follow up on behalf of the floor’s salespeople with calls to their unsold customers. This call can be done under the veil of a “customer satisfaction manager” call, asking questions about the customer’s in-store experience just a few days prior with the attempt to bring them back in for an appointment.

A BDC should also make post-sale follow up on behalf of each individual salesperson. Know that this doesn’t exclude the salesperson from making their own thank you call, but it should be done in addition to so as to ensure no customer is unhappy with their experience. You can’t rely on your sales team, not only to make the call, but to be truthful about what the customer stated. A second voice on the phone is always a good idea.

At the same time, I feel it is the salesperson’s responsibility to ask for referrals. Provided the salesperson has built the rapport they should have with their sold customer, it is easier to extract referrals if the customer trusts the person they are talking to rather than someone they haven’t met.

You should be actively marketing to your database through both phone and email communication. There is no better way to do this than having your team handle upcoming loan and lease expiration calls. Calls to lease and loan ending clients of the dealership were very prevalent several years ago, but I think they have gone away over time. And that is unfortunate. There is no better client to earn than a loyal one you are keeping. Make sure that you have a team and process in place to make calls to these valuable customers.

Not only is your Business Development Center your first line of defense when a prospect calls or emails in, but it should also be the backstop of the dealership. No customer should ever be marked “lost”, “inactive”, “upside down in trade”, “unable to finance”, or “bought elsewhere” unless another member from your dealership, namely someone from your BDC, has reached out and tried one last time. You need your team to play the role of first and last person to touch each opportunity when possible.

Recognizing that a real Business Development Center is the voice of the dealership on every inbound/most outbound calls, make sure you use them in such a way. While I was managing my BDC, we didn’t only manage the customer relationships inside the dealership, but managed the dealership’s brand outside it as well. I’m a firm believer in investing your time in the local community. We executed many grassroots marketing campaigns where I sent out my staff out into the public (and usually accompanied) to work events. From shaking hands, giving out litte give-aways and tchotchkes, running contests, setting up booths at fairs, and attending multiple chamber of commerce meetings, there was not much my BDC team wasn’t able to handle. If they can be the voice of the dealership and are trained, not only on scripts, but product knowledge and customer service initiatives, there is nothing they cannot handle. This is what I consider true business development.

So either require more from your Business Development Center personnel or start calling them a Business Communication Center. Don’t overpay for someone just because they can handle a script, send out well-worded emails, or exchange information between two parties. If you are going to pay a premium for “development”, make it worth the dealership’s while. Make them sound in the art of improving, expanding, and refining. THAT is development.

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Posted in BDC/Internet Department Structure, Blog | No Comments »



Are Your Emails Being Tivo’d?

Friday, May 7th, 2010

I bought a Tivo the very first month they were introduced in the market. I wanted to be a pioneer before an early adopter. I paid the $300+ one-time fee that was available to be granddaddied into the service for life. Shortly thereafter, they began charging a monthly subscription fee for those jumping on the bandwagon late – so I felt on top of the world for several years (until I switched over the a regular DVR). I haven’t watched commercials since. Never. I will pause a show, find something to do, and return just to fast forward it. I hate advertisements. Now stick with me here as I connect this, as per usual, in my stream of consciousness way.

Dealers ask me to mystery shop them frequently and give them my assessment of their email templates. Over time, I’ve found that dealers are pushing to be more progressive, more professional, in the emails they are sending out to customers.

In the past, emails were sent in plain text, easily read, the occasional spelling error mixed in. Then we began including banners of the dealerships for branding and pictures of the Internet Sales Managers thrown in for good measure. Today, templates have involved into flashy, overdesigned advertisements.

I understand why dealers have paid vendors for these jazzy versions of email responses. They want to appear to be as sophisticated to their consumers as possible and they’re looking for some conformity for all of their templates.

Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I believe these glittery, some say garish, email template advertisements being sent out (being paid for) are getting your customers to fast forward, to Tivo, past your emails. I check email much the way everyone else does, and when I see a bright, shiny picture to review – or worse, click to “show images” – I click past. There is very little value to me in an email that appears to be nothing more than a template advertisement. It is just like a commercial in need of skipping.
There are some consumers out there, I could imagine, that prefer these snazzy, ostentatious emails, but to most who take the time to submit an inquiry, they want a proper, personal email back. They don’t want something that looks as if it is an automated, showy response that is all glitz, no guts.

This is the same reason why some CRMs allow dealers to decide if they want their emails to be sent in html or plain text format. The same reason other CRMs let the dealers decide if they want to include the “opt-out” message or not to their automated templates.

Don’t get me wrong. I actively train to send dynamic video messages, include fun, personal pictures in the emails, and well-created e-Brochures. However, I also request that there are a variety of templates being sent. Specifically, in the initial emails sent, it is important they get through spam filters which is why a plain text email works best. It also seems that a customer would be more willing to read something being sent from a person than a computer system. (And I won’t even delve into the content being sent – which is just as important.)

So put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Sit in their living room and flip open the laptop. Mystery shop yourself and determine if your emails are coming across as emails or getting fast-forwarded like commercials. Do the templates look like the normal spam emails you receive and automatically delete? If so, change the design of what you’re emailing. Don’t let your prospects Tivo past the value propositions you are sending.

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Posted in Blog, Lead Management/Follow-up Process | No Comments »



The Importance of Being Earnest

Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Joe Webb's Automotive Digest blog - The Importance of Being Earnest

Joe Webb's Automotive Digest blog - The Importance of Being Earnest

Dealers — be truthful to your Internet customers. There is a dichotomy in the business development centers and Internet departments of our stores. Many are using their Internet departments to flood the floors and do whatever it takes to bring the prospect from lead to appointment by any means necessary. Others are thinking beyond the sale and creating an entirely new customer-centric experience – based in fact, truth, and value.

This is the Internet age
At this point in the evolution of our dealerships, everyone has an individual or team handling their Internet leads. However, some approach internet leads much the same way they’ve been taught to lure in a phone up. Ask questions, overcome objections and set appointments. We’ve all heard our managers say “Get ‘em in. Get ‘em in. Get ‘em in.”

Way back when…
In the digital age, however, we cannot simply stand by the policies of the past and get them into the dealership at any cost. Too many old pros relied on shadowing the truth to reach their end goal of selling a car and they’ve passed this belief onto our internet teams. With the over-researched shoppers of today, these overused practices of yesteryear are a detriment. Yet, mystery shop your competition and you will still see them mislead and misrepresent the truth to achieve their goal of setting an appointment online.

Do what’s right.
Follow in the footsteps of those dealers that are upfront about pricing and inventory. Unfortunately, I’ve seen dealers still doing the “destination bump” to their internet customers as recently as a few weeks ago. I knew a dealer didn’t have a vehicle in-stock yet still tell me they did. These poor practices continue to negatively affect the entire reputation of our industry. So for your sake, tell the truth to your internet shoppers. Not only are they far too researched to fall for the deceit, but your reputation and trust is destroyed when they catch you in a lie. It damages the way we are all viewed in the industry.

Be upfront in the information you provide your customers and you will see a growth in your sales and CSI. It pays to be earnest.

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Posted in Blog, Competitive Edge, Retail Automotive | No Comments »



A Time To Call

Monday, December 7th, 2009

An individual is interested in a vehicle.  They research the vehicle online endlessly.  Site after site, they peruse through information regarding pricing, features, specs, model configurations, comparisons, and reviews.  To stay away from the stereotypical car sales tricks that they’ve been predisposed to avoid, they decide to send an email inquiring about a specific vehicle to a number of dealerships.  This customer could have called a dealership or simply driven to the local dealer quicker.  Instead, they do all of their homework, hoping to prepare themselves for their inevitable purchase.  Their goal is to receive back information that will help them make the decision between dealers easier. What happens?  The customer’s phone rings.  Sales representatives call unexpectedly and single-handedly shoot themselves in the foot by not utilizing the same medium that the customer has chosen to begin communication.

Why?  Just as the customer has been trained to research and negotiate from the comforts of their own home, the sales associates have been trained to disregard the email and get them on the phone.  Now, let me state that I agree with the trainings of some other consultants that there is a proven importance to getting a customer on the phone.  However, I disagree with their beliefs that a call to an internet customer comes before an email.  That is an antiquated and dangerous philosophy to be teaching people on the floor during these times.  I also believe that a 1-miute auto-responder confirming the receipt of the lead is not a worthy enough email to warrant a call.  A call to a customer without their permission and without warning is often unwanted and automatically eliminates you from consideration.  You are unwilling to take their desires into account when contacting them, they figure, so how are they to trust you in the future?

When do you reach out to them and how do you do so without upsetting today’s temperamental customers?  You must begin by sending a detailed, personalized email with information (and pricing) regarding their exact vehicle requested as well as some alternative options.  In this personalized, customer-focused email answering all of their questions, you must also state that “I understand you are looking for this information quickly.  If I do not hear from you shortly, I will be calling you to confirm you have received this email.”  Ten minutes after this lengthy email is sent, you have earned the right to pick up the phone and call.  However, the phone call has to be under a guise other than “Hey…got your email.  When do ya wanna come in so I can sell you this here car?”  Now, I put a twang in that call because that is what I commonly receive while mystery shopping.  Priceless.  Instead, here is a best practice that I taught my staff at my dealership.  The call must be presented as “Hello Mrs./Mr. Customer, my name is (you) and I am with ABC motors.  I don’t mean to bother you, but I simply wanted to ensure that you have received the email I sent, answering all of your questions that you inquired about.  “Emphasize the last “you” so they realize that they brought this call on themselves and that you are doing them a favor.  Continue with “With all of the spam filters out there today, I needed to make sure it landed in your inbox.  I’d hate to think that you didn’t get all of your questions answered just because of a mail system.”  Whether they have checked or not, once they have acknowledged and understand your unselfish purpose for calling, you can say, “While I have you on the phone, can I ask if you’ve already had the opportunity to test drive this vehicle?”  Then follow your normal script/phone structure.

Your initial email has provided them all of the information that they’ve requested.  At that point, you have essentially done everything that they have asked of you and more.  You gave them a warning shot that alerted them of an impending call.  Now, if you receive an email immediately back stating – no call – or anything similar (even if you receive follow up questions), I believe you should continue to use that medium.  Email may be their security blanket.  Taking that away from them makes you the enemy.  Respect their wishes and continue with that medium of communication.

Reaching out to them in the same method in which they contacted you shows your customers respect.  We’ve all heard a customer say “if I wanted to talk to someone in person, I would have just called myself.”  It’s difficult to talk yourself out of that one.  I’ve tried and, more often than not, any potential relationship is shot at that point.  So don’t put yourself in that position.  Use the customer’s chosen method of communication and only call when you have given them fair warning.  Otherwise, you are liable to come off sounding as a telemarketer, or worse, the dreaded car salesperson they were trying to sidestep.

Opening a dialogue on the phone with the customer will forever remain imperative.  What is equally important?  Knowing the time to call.

To learn how to make the most of your business development center, visit http://www.dealerknows.com/contact

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Posted in Blog, Internet Lead Process, Lead Management/Follow-up Process | No Comments »



Let’s Talk About Text, Baby

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

(written for the October 2009 issue of Digital Dealer Magazine)

Let’s talk about text, baby.  Let’s talk about you and me.  Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be.  Let’s talk about text.

Let’s talk about text for now to the people at home and in the crowd.  It keeps coming up anyhow.  Don’t decoy, avoid, or make void the topic ‘cause that’s not going to stop it.  Now we talk about text in the mags and on the blog talk radio shows.  Many will know, anything goes.  Let’s tell it how it is and how it could be.  How it was, and of course, how it should be.

Okay, fine.  I will stop rapping.  I’ll discontinue altering the lyrics to the famous Salt ‘N Pepa song of the early 90’s, but obviously this first verse and chorus above lend well to the topic of text.  Text, or mobile messaging as it is known, is changing the way people communicate across the globe.

In 2008, the Nielsen Company released a report that SMS text messaging has officially taken over phone calls on all mobile devices.  Simply put, more text messages are sent than calls are made from mobile devices.  While calls haven’t significantly reduced in amount, text messages continue to climb.  I’ve recently heard there are more text messages sent everyday than there are people on the planet.   It is high time dealerships address this shift as it is not a trend, but a standard.

Matt Watson, Chief Technology Officer for Vin Solutions believes “Text messaging will continue to evolve as the preferred way to send short highly relevant messages to your customers. Mobile internet usage is quickly growing and text messages with hyperlinks back to your mobile optimized website is a great way to communicate with your customers.”

The steps to becoming a mobile dealer are not near as complicated as you might expect.  As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes all it takes is the willingness to spend a few Hamiltons to make great things happen.
First, you must contact your online inventory tool/vendor and make sure they can convert your inventory to a mobile listing and check if they incorporate in-house videos of the inventory.
Second, have your website provider (or a mobile marketing vendor) create a mobile website for you.
Third, ensure your CRM is able to convert these soon-to-be-generated mobile leads.
Finally, market the mobile text code in the proper advertising to build traffic and interest.  (I’ll address mobile SEO and lead management at a later date, but the above four steps get you into the mobile game.)

I’ll approach these one by one.  Your inventory on the lot must be able to be viewed from today’s mobile device so it must be sized and scaled correctly.  Some mobile codes can take the interested party directly to your mobile website.  Others will direct them specifically to their vehicle of interest while another text code can lead them straight to a specials page.  Much like your inventory, your mobile website will be scalable, but will not need all of the flashy accoutrements your primary website is accustomed to containing.

Mike DeCecco, Director of Industry Relations for Dealer.com, states “Our mobile websites are designed with the end user in mind.  For example, we believe iPhone websites must function very much like an iphone application so users of that device will easily understand how to navigate through.  Also, dealers should find those services that produce their own in-house videos for inventory and build their own mobile websites.  One upcoming trend that Dealer.com has already jumped into will be to offer real human voice inventory videos on iphone mobile websites.  In addition, mobile websites should automatically detect the device of the end user and serve up the appropriate website for Smartphone or iPhone.”

Many shoppers are not carrying around their laptops with them.  They do not have the ability to crack open the shell to their iMac, wifi in, and research a vehicle or a special.  Mobile applications are allowing for instant gratification.  Much like the internet was once considered the primary tool to obtain information quickly, the mobile phones of today have stepped up that process.  Now, decisions are being made and information sought from the point-of-contact.  The moment you grab the consumer’s attention, they have the ability to connect.

As consumers evolve, so must we as dealers.  Understand that if a customer is searching through a mobile application, that lead is hotter than one from a basic lead provider.  Dealers must adopt a quicker follow up procedure to ensure the needs of the consumer are met.  Some new technology and platforms hitting the market are trying to help dealers engage the customers quicker.

“Until now, mobile ILM applications have only provided alerts when an email lead has been received.  Someone still has to sit down at a computer to respond to the inquiry,” said Stan Thomas, CEO of DealerUps.  “With our product, Mobile Mailroom, you can respond to the email lead directly from your mobile phone.  It’s fast, easy and all of the data is captured and pushed directly into our CRM.”

Lastly, it is the dealer’s responsibility to actively market the mobile text codes and mobile inventory to the public.  There is no use having mobile sites and inventory if you are unwilling to drive traffic there in your advertising and marketing initiatives.

As Richard Abronson, Vice President of Marketing and Products for Gumiyo Inc, puts it “Mobile works best when there is a call to action in all of your traditional advertising.  Whether it is a dealer’s signage, newspaper ads, TV, radio spots, vehicle listings and window stickers, there must be a mobile call-to-action with memorable keywords to engage the consumer.  Dealers doing this have received an incredible amount of responses, specifically in response to text call-to-actions on TV, because, while a laptop is not always on when the television is, everyone seems to have their cell phone sitting nearby.”

Mobile marketing is not only here to stay, but Abronson foresees major mobile advancement in the future.  “Peer to peer messaging is a way’s away from being ubiquitous, but I do believe that will be a wave of the future along with being able to scan your mobile screen for coupon redemption for instance.  In the short term, I think we will see more free apps and those apps will be much more standardized.  While screens won’t get much bigger, we will see the speeds increase, pricing get cheaper, and eventually it may be free, similar to email.   You’ll also see more newspapers offering mobile service – print to mobile packages.“

Dealers that are early adopters of mobile web technologies will be at an advantage against their competitors.  Not only should dealers dedicate some Hamiltons to their mobile web presence now, but they should dedicate one good person in their store to be the mobile expert (or “mobile evangelist” as Abronson calls it) to put the mobile provider in place and keep current on the latest text trends.  Doing this will ensure you are a part of the mobile marketing community of the future.  So break out your cell phones and start tapping.  Start rapping.  It’s time to talk about text, baby.

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Posted in Blog, Digital Marketing | No Comments »



Quick Steps to Website Optimization

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Many of you rely on your website provider to handle the search engine optimization of your dealership’s site(s).Others reach out to credible SEO professionals or consultants to achieve high organic rankings in search.There are a few of you, though, that are in charge of this step yourself.Whether it is something you’ve personally decided to take on or simply do not have the budget to pay someone for outside, it is the role that is carved out for you.

Here are just a few simple, quick steps to optimizing your website.I am not breaking ground here.I am not getting too specific.I also do not want to make this sound easier or less important than it is.It’s a science.However, here are just a few places to focus your SEO efforts.

1)Understand your target audience to determine what keywords you want to optimize with.In other words, “car dealer” alone will not get you thrown onto the first page of Google (or first 10 pages).Make sure to mention in your multiple keywords your location and your brand.Proper keyword targeting is imperative to achieving a decent page rank.

2)Content is king.Whatever the keywords are, your content throughout your site should correlate.The more valid, strong content on your website – that is supporting the keywords – the better.Make sure to have dense body content and a good practice is to make sure it is able to be viewed by all visitors, not just hidden as keywords for the search engine spiders.

3)Title Tags – This could be the most important SEO tags on your site.Google and Ask Jeeves for instance support 60 characters in the title.Only a couple support 120.Choose the most relevant, important keywords in the title and ensure that every page has its own, unique title.

4)META Description Tags – All search engines take into consideration what your description tags are and use this information to help determine your page rank.Write strong descriptions with no more than 200-250 characters. Descriptions tell them what your website (and individual pages) are all about.A strong pitch and summary, if you will.

5)Market Yourself.Make sure you have a few links outbound and some very strong links inbound.Beyond social networking sites, make sure you have your providers linking back to you in some way.This popularity will help drive your SEO page rank.The more popular you are with other sites and visits, the higher your rank goes.Start getting your name out in the multiple business listing sites and blog accounts available to you.

As I mentioned, most website providers will do this for you (except the final step – that is always up to you).If they are managing your SEO, call them immediately and ask if you can review all that is written about you (and chosen for you by them).Much of this can be found in the back-end, but some may be hidden from you.If you are unhappy with the amount of content or wording, ask them to change it.You understand the car business likely better than someone who hasn’t sold a car so you can give them insight.At the same time, always listen to a true SEO professional, but still look out for yourself first and foremost.When all else fails, find a consultant or SEO vendor that can assist you in this.

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Posted in Blog, Websites/SEO/SEM/Display | No Comments »



Why Certified Pre-Owned is the Way to Go

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Having worked in the trenches of auto dealers, I would like to share with you what I told every pre-owned shopper that I’ve ever spoken to. “If I were going to purchase a pre-owned vehicle, I would make sure it is certified.”

This was not some salesperson’s ploy to charge customers more. Truth is, the cost of a certified vehicle opposed to a non-certified is not a significant difference, but there is the potential to be a major difference mechanically.

First, I think it is important to share with consumers the basics of certification-

Most certification programs come with multiple years (average of 7) and multiple miles (average of 100,000) of comprehensive coverage (from date of original ownership).

All certification programs require the vehicle to have passed a detailed, multi-point inspection to ensure all mechanical and electrical functions are in top shape.

Most certification programs require that the vehicle has passed a detailed vehicle history report with no damage beyond one panel.

Most certification programs carry with them a long-term Roadside assistance plan that is equal to the warranty.

Many certification programs offer special financing with their respective vehicles.

Now – What is the Benefit of Purchasing a Pre-Owned Certified Car or Truck as a Consumer?

Easy…peace of mind and protection. Once again, this is not a sales pitch, but from my time in dealerships, my loyal clients and I all found that a certified vehicle seemed to hold up better, be more reliable, and show up in service less than non-certified vehicles. (Now, please note – a vehicle can only be certified by its same brand new car dealer. Hence, a certified Honda can only be certified at a new car Honda dealership. New Toyota dealers can be the only ones to certify a Toyota. Etc.)

Just seeing the benefits/rules associated with most certified programs, you will see that the cost of ownership for a certified used car tends to be considerably less than most non-certified vehicles. And the added cost at the initial investment/purchase will rarely exceed the cost saved later from repairs. (Average cost to a dealer for certifying a vehicle is between $500 to $1,000).

What is the Benefit of Selling a Pre-Owned Certified Car or Truck as a Salesperson/Dealer?

Easy…peace of mind and protection. Same answer, isn’t that interesting? In my travels, I have always found that salespeople and service writers themselves feel much more secure offering a certified vehicle to consumers. In regard to sales staff, a certified vehicle does have a significant value over a non-certified vehicle and salespeople seem to be willing to ask for the extra money because of this obvious value. More money being asked, more gross profit.

Also, those dealers that actively register their certified used vehicles with the manufacturers regularly will tell you that it is often one of their strongest sources of OEM e-leads. Internet shoppers appear to actively search for certified vehicles from the manufacturer sites. The more selection you have of certified used vehicles from the factory site, the more likely you will be to accrue additional leads.

That being said, there are multiple reasons to buy and sell Certified Vehicles. I truly stand by my words when I educate customers of the importance of a certification program. Let it be known that I have assisted both family members and friends while buying cars and those that chose a ”used car” always ended up with a “certified” vehicle. I’d have it no other way…and neither should you.

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Posted in Blog, Retail Automotive | No Comments »



Advertising On-Premise

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

As we hear time and again, your website is your virtual showroom.As a forward-thinker, I’d like to go one step farther.I believe your showroom should be your second website.As a matter of fact, your entire dealership should double as another digital extension of your website and internet marketing efforts.How, you may ask?You can achieve this by infusing your store with the latest in technological solutions, digital signage.

Through digital signage platforms and interactive media screens, you can create your own in-house advertising network to deliver targeted messages to your customers.From experience, I know that dealers cannot guarantee a member of their sales staff is always sitting in the service waiting area, chatting up customers about the newest sales specials.It is impossible for a dealer to ensure the sales team is preparing customers for the many financial options that will be presented to them in the business office.Even in these economic times, dealer management often searches for a sales associate to assist a showroom up.Lastly, dealers cannot guarantee that the people walking in front of their showroom windows or driving by their storefront are being reached by their advertising efforts.Employing a digital signage solution gives dealers the ability to immerse their in-house (and out-front) customers with their own advertising and marketing messages.

Many say that a dealership’s most important commodity is their loyal customer base.If this is the case, you should not only attempt to retain those customers through email marketing while they are in the comforts of their own home, but you should be “selling” to them as they sit at the point of purchase.The Arbitron Retail Media study found that 65% of those that watched digital signage advertisements and in-house video agree that it would influence their decision when making a purchase.30% of consumers that have viewed retail videos have made an unplanned purchase based on the digital message.The potential revenue stream available by marketing to your current patrons must be considered and new avenues must be taken to tap into this all-important resource.

While this technology is just now beginning to pop up in the automotive marketplace, there are already some “Best Practices” to achieve.

Best Practice #1:If a customer is sitting in the service waiting room watching television while their vehicle is being dissected, why not use that very television to brand yourself?Digital signage networks allow you to display your logo, manufacturer incentives, dealership specials, in-house videos, dealer commercials, and digital ads to your customer while they are in your house and you have their undivided attention.Why not use the most popular medium available to engage your customers and cross-promote departments?

Best Practice #2 :D igital Signage allows you to educate your loyal customers (and your staff) on everything from new models, available inventory, discount pricing, vehicle features, parts specials, and service/maintenance offerings, and more.With the deployment of interactive touch screen kiosks in the showroom, dealers can engage customers with vehicle details while they wait to be assisted.

Best Practice #3:By displaying (more futuristic) media screens in the windows facing the street, dealers can literally change the face of their dealerships and broadcast digital messages, images.This can convert walk-bys to walk-ins and drive-bys to drive-ups.

Best Practice #4:Imagine filming your top salesperson giving a professional walk-around on your oldest vehicle in stock.Now imagine in mere seconds being able to upload and broadcast that video throughout your dealership (every three hours, two hours, 20 minutes).Lastly, imagine the service customer dreading the cost of work needed to be done on her/his vehicle and then viewing this engaging video.The potential for return on investment is endless for those dealerships interested in taking the next step from being a dealer with an Internet department to a true Internet dealer.

If you are dropping thousands upon thousands of dollars on the creation of television commercials, digital ads, or vehicle videos, don’t let them go to waste when they’ve run their course.You should broadcast them proudly through your own on-premise advertising platform.It not only gives you more “bang for your buck”, so to speak, but it will save printing costs as well.Customers are blind to the static billboards and banners that hang in dealer showrooms around the nation.However, to have moving flash video and automotive “infotainment” playing across your existing television screens will allow you to become your own profit center.

As ecommerce consultants, we consistently look for new ideas, processes, and tactics to bring our dealer clients into the 21st century and beyond.These innovative, technological solutions just beginning to appear in the automotive market must be considered for a myriad of reasons.While it may be forward-thinking, now more than ever, dealers must continue moving forward.

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Joe Webb’s Proper Car Etiquette While Dating

Friday, June 19th, 2009
To tell you the truth, I knew almost nothing about cars before entering the auto industry. Zero. Zilch. I’m not ashamed to say it. I was selling cars for three weeks before someone explained to me (and showed me) the difference between alloy wheels and hubcaps. True story.What I did always seem to know was how important a role that proper car etiquette played in dating. There are definitely “rules of the road” that a person in the dating world must take into consideration when attempting to make an impression on that certain special someone. I thought it would be fun to list some of the proven (and chivalrous) right ways to use your vehicle on a date as well as a few of the wrong ways. The Do’s and the Don’ts, if you will.

If you have your own practices, whether they are generational or age-related, regional in nature, or gender-specific, please add them. I thought this would be a fun, entertaining, and comical way to remind us the many ways cars shape and affect our lives – away from just the sales and service of them.

Do: Park your vehicle’s passenger side closest to the front door if possible when arriving at your date’s home.

Don’t: Park your vehicle out of sight from the home. When walking back to the vehicle, it makes them feel as if you are leading them to certain doom.

Do: Walk up to the date’s home to meet them.

Don’t: Lay on the horn repeatedly until your date hurries out of the home.

Do: Open up the passenger door for your date.

Don’t: Stand back 10 feet and watch as they get in the car by themselves, all the while creepily biting your bottom lip.

Do: Walk around the back of the vehicle to the driver’s door after closing your date’s door.

Don’t: Walk around the front of the car so your date can hear you mentally psyching yourself up for the night. (Pointing at your own face “Don’t screw this up! Don’t screw it up, you stupid S.O.B.”

Addendum: In days before power locks, it was only proper for the date to lean across and unlock the driver’s door for them.

Do: Have your radio turned off when you start the vehicle. If you know your date’s music genre of choice, a low volume radio station (not a CD – looks planned) can be turned on.

Don’t: Have speakers blasting hardcore gangsta rap, raucous heavy metal, or boy band music. It will either turn off your date or frighten the crap out of their parents still inside the home when they hear you blaring Eazy E’s song Hit the Hooker.

Do: Ask if the date is comfortable and adjust the air/heat to their liking.

Don’t: Demand that YOU put on their seatbelt for them and make animal noises as you drag the belt across them.

Do: Drive at a reasonable rate of speed and obey traffic signals.

Don’t: Drive recklessly and be overcome with road rage by cursing other drivers with sayings such as “I hope your BMW strikes a median and your family is engulfed in a ball of flames!” or “This funeral procession is the bane of my existence. Who do they think they are?! It’s not like the person in the hearse is in a hurry.”

Do: Make casual conversation.

Don’t: Talk about your car like it is a person. “She’s got an Orion subwoofer in the back. I give her bathes thrice weekly.”
And don’t speak about lascivious areas of your car – “Check out how big that back seat is.” “Hey, you ever see the inside of a trunk before?”

Do: Consider taking your date to a drive-in. They are still magical places.

Don’t: Drive to a completely deserted part of town and educate your date “This is where my uncle used to bring me when I was young. He should be getting out soon.” (then shiver).

Do: Wait until your date enters their home before you drive off. Make sure they get in safe. You don’t want them stuck outside. (If walking them to the front door is not necessary).

Don’t: Slam the door shut behind them and peel off dangerously down the road while screaming “Back to the motel room so I can get my drink on!”

These are just a few vehicle tips on how to handle yourself when on a date. I’m well past the age (or need) of dating so I’d like to hear from those others who are willing to share similar advice, as well as from those young single folk out there who have more up-to-date experiences.

Just another Joe Webb “car guy” creation.

 

 

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