After more than a week of preparation, the day had finally come: I was ready for my first live chat interaction as an ActivEngage VSA. I looked over at Jake, who took off his Phillies cap and scratched his head. Like all of our VSAs, Jake knew a LOT about cars; I had watched him provide very helpful vehicle information to inquisitive customers a few days before. He was there to offer me his expertise as a VSA, and to coach me through my first customer interactions.

VSAs also have access to professionally-built information databases which contain just about every vehicle specification one could ask for. Want to know how wide the Jetta’s trunk is or what kind of rims come standard on a Honda Fit? We know the answer to that. Our VSAs have access to more information about automobiles than almost anyone else, and we implement this knowledge in our chats on a daily basis.

Using these tools, my first few chats weren’t just simple – they were fun. I forwarded eager buyers to several dealerships’ finance department, I helped a customer put in a service request, and I used the tools available to me to help customers make informed decisions. Almost all of these chatters gave me a form of contact so that the dealer could contact them with more information. Jake gave me a high-five and handed me a popsicle to celebrate. I’d made him proud.

You probably have some appreciation of how the Internet has changed the car buying process. Maybe you remember a day when your customers were more naive. Maybe when they walked onto your lot, they didn’t know exactly what they wanted. Maybe shoppers once had to ask you for vehicle specifications and price quotes. But the advent of powerful and accessible online information has swept all that away. The auto customer of today researches and browses online – and is sold on his/her vehicle long before setting foot into your dealership.

The reality is that power has shifted from the seller to the buyer. Most of the traditional “sales” process now takes place over the Internet, where buyers can find a wealth of information to answer any questions they might have. But you already know this. The reason you’re reading this – the reason you’ve joined a professional digital marketing community – is to improve your future customers’ initial moment of truth. How can you move your dealership’s signature service for a physical storefront to a website? That’s where ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistants come in.

Despite the vast amount of information available on the Web, no buyer wants a car without looking at it first, and taking it for a spin. They may have a particular question that can’t be answered online, and requires them to see their new car for themselves. ActivEngage VSAs are the missing link between an anonymous website visit and a trip to your dealership. If you don’t believe in the power of live chat, we invite you to test it out. Have an online conversation with one of our dedicated Virtual Sales Assistants. Maybe I’ll see you there.
_
Stephen will be posting weekly updates about becoming an ActivEngage VSA every Monday. Learn more about what makes our chatters the best by subscribing to our blog!

After more than a week of preparation, the day had finally come: I was ready for my first live chat interaction as an ActivEngage VSA. I looked over at Jake, who took off his Phillies cap and scratched his head. Like all of our VSAs, Jake knew a LOT about cars; I had watched him provide very helpful vehicle information to inquisitive customers a few days before. He was there to offer me his expertise as a VSA, and to coach me through my first customer interactions.

VSAs also have access to professionally-built information databases which contain just about every vehicle specification one could ask for. Want to know how wide the Jetta’s trunk is or what kind of rims come standard on a Honda Fit? We know the answer to that. Our VSAs have access to more information about automobiles than almost anyone else, and we implement this knowledge in our chats on a daily basis.

Using these tools, my first few chats weren’t just simple – they were fun. I forwarded eager buyers to several dealerships’ finance department, I helped a customer put in a service request, and I used the tools available to me to help customers make informed decisions. Almost all of these chatters gave me a form of contact so that the dealer could contact them with more information. Jake gave me a high-five and handed me a popsicle to celebrate. I’d made him proud.

You probably have some appreciation of how the Internet has changed the car buying process. Maybe you remember a day when your customers were more naive. Maybe when they walked onto your lot, they didn’t know exactly what they wanted. Maybe shoppers once had to ask you for vehicle specifications and price quotes. But the advent of powerful and accessible online information has swept all that away. The auto customer of today researches and browses online – and is sold on his/her vehicle long before setting foot into your dealership.

The reality is that power has shifted from the seller to the buyer. Most of the traditional “sales” process now takes place over the Internet, where buyers can find a wealth of information to answer any questions they might have. But you already know this. The reason you’re reading this – the reason you’ve joined a professional digital marketing community – is to improve your future customers’ initial moment of truth. How can you move your dealership’s signature service for a physical storefront to a website? That’s where ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistants come in.

Despite the vast amount of information available on the Web, no buyer wants a car without looking at it first, and taking it for a spin. They may have a particular question that can’t be answered online, and requires them to see their new car for themselves. ActivEngage VSAs are the missing link between an anonymous website visit and a trip to your dealership. If you don’t believe in the power of live chat, we invite you to test it out. Have an online conversation with one of our dedicated Virtual Sales Assistants. Maybe I’ll see you there.
_
Stephen will be posting weekly updates about becoming an ActivEngage VSA every Monday. Learn more about what makes our chatters the best by subscribing to our blog!

The most trusted name in live chat brings the best blog posts and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. This weekly edition – the President turns pop star, Hubspot teams up with Hootsuite, and GM makes big changes to employee bonuses.

10.   Artist Turns Dead Cat Into A Helicopter

Whether this is an emotional tribute to a faithful pet or a twisted mockery of its former life, this taxidermied helicopter is certainly notable. Instead of burying his deceased pet, Dutch artist Bart Jensen transformed a dead cat into a remote-control flying device. What do you think about Orville’s flying corpse: art, or bereavement?

9.    Barack Obama Sings “Call Me Maybe,” Sort Of

People of all political persuasions can finally agree on one thing - this video mash-up of President Obama singing “Call Me Maybe” is hilarious. Ever since the Harvard baseball team famously made a choreographed video of the pop sensation, new spoofs have emerged daily. However, nothing is quite as funny as seeing the POTUS describe how all the other boys try to chase him.

8.    CDC To America: There Is No Zombie Apocalypse

Well, that’s a relief. Don’t worry about stocking your underground shelter just yet; the Center for Disease Control reports that they have no knowledge of any zombie virus responsible for the recent string of flesh-eating attackers. Those people weren’t zombies - they were just good, old-fashioned crazy.

7.    You Can’t Just Make The Baby, You Have To Raise The Baby

Joe Webb gives us a lesson in both lead nurturing and parenting on the DealerRefresh forums. Raising a child and nurturing an online lead have one thing in common: you have to care for them until they mature. Is your Internet Sales Manager still caring for its newborn leads?

6.    5 Tips To Consider For Mobile Marketing Success

Have you thought about your mobile SEO? Considered SMS text marketing? Is your website mobile friendly? If you haven’t considered these questions, don’t launch a mobile marketing campaign until you’ve read Brent Albrecht’s blog on DrivingSales.

5.    Internet Lead Lingo: “I’m Not In The Market” Means “Don’t Pressure Me”

Why treat an Internet customer differently from one on the showroom floor? Josh Vajda translates the objections of Internet customers in this excellent Automotive Digital Marketing post.

4.    4 Social Networks To Watch Out For

When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. We’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world.

3.    There Are Big Changes Coming In The Automotive Retail Space

As Ian Nethercrott reports to the DealerElite community, the car retail business is changing rapidly. Luxury brands like BMW are changing the rules of the buying process by adapting the best practices of successful retailers like Apple. To keep up, dealers need to stop selling cars and start selling a top shelf car buying experience.

2.    Hootsuite Partners With Hubspot to Offer Social Media Lead Nurturing

Hubspot promises to “close the loop” on social media marketing by partnering with social media management platform Hootsuite. The new app in development will make it easy for users to identify a lead’s tweets and monitoring for prospective opportunities. Hubspot is currently accepting applications into the app’s closed beta.

1.    GM Will Base Employee Bonuses On Owner Loyalty

GM has offered a year-end bonus to salaried employees if the OEM hits an internal customer-retention goal. This is one example of the company’s strong new customer orientation. GM CEO Mark Reuss expects to make the car manufacturer number one in customer service within two years.
_
Did we miss anything important? Like what you see? Leave us a comment below! Or if you really can’t wait for your automotive fix, follow @activengage on Twitter for daily updates on auto industry news!

The most trusted name in live chat brings the best blog posts and auto news stories right to you! We monitor industry trends, current events and the auto dealer community every week to bring you the top blogs and automotive stories from around the globe. This weekly edition – the President turns pop star, Hubspot teams up with Hootsuite, and GM makes big changes to employee bonuses.

10.   Artist Turns Dead Cat Into A Helicopter

Whether this is an emotional tribute to a faithful pet or a twisted mockery of its former life, this taxidermied helicopter is certainly notable. Instead of burying his deceased pet, Dutch artist Bart Jensen transformed a dead cat into a remote-control flying device. What do you think about Orville’s flying corpse: art, or bereavement?

9.    Barack Obama Sings “Call Me Maybe,” Sort Of

People of all political persuasions can finally agree on one thing - this video mash-up of President Obama singing “Call Me Maybe” is hilarious. Ever since the Harvard baseball team famously made a choreographed video of the pop sensation, new spoofs have emerged daily. However, nothing is quite as funny as seeing the POTUS describe how all the other boys try to chase him.

8.    CDC To America: There Is No Zombie Apocalypse

Well, that’s a relief. Don’t worry about stocking your underground shelter just yet; the Center for Disease Control reports that they have no knowledge of any zombie virus responsible for the recent string of flesh-eating attackers. Those people weren’t zombies - they were just good, old-fashioned crazy.

7.    You Can’t Just Make The Baby, You Have To Raise The Baby

Joe Webb gives us a lesson in both lead nurturing and parenting on the DealerRefresh forums. Raising a child and nurturing an online lead have one thing in common: you have to care for them until they mature. Is your Internet Sales Manager still caring for its newborn leads?

6.    5 Tips To Consider For Mobile Marketing Success

Have you thought about your mobile SEO? Considered SMS text marketing? Is your website mobile friendly? If you haven’t considered these questions, don’t launch a mobile marketing campaign until you’ve read Brent Albrecht’s blog on DrivingSales.

5.    Internet Lead Lingo: “I’m Not In The Market” Means “Don’t Pressure Me”

Why treat an Internet customer differently from one on the showroom floor? Josh Vajda translates the objections of Internet customers in this excellent Automotive Digital Marketing post.

4.    4 Social Networks To Watch Out For

When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. We’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world.

3.    There Are Big Changes Coming In The Automotive Retail Space

As Ian Nethercrott reports to the DealerElite community, the car retail business is changing rapidly. Luxury brands like BMW are changing the rules of the buying process by adapting the best practices of successful retailers like Apple. To keep up, dealers need to stop selling cars and start selling a top shelf car buying experience.

2.    Hootsuite Partners With Hubspot to Offer Social Media Lead Nurturing

Hubspot promises to “close the loop” on social media marketing by partnering with social media management platform Hootsuite. The new app in development will make it easy for users to identify a lead’s tweets and monitoring for prospective opportunities. Hubspot is currently accepting applications into the app’s closed beta.

1.    GM Will Base Employee Bonuses On Owner Loyalty

GM has offered a year-end bonus to salaried employees if the OEM hits an internal customer-retention goal. This is one example of the company’s strong new customer orientation. GM CEO Mark Reuss expects to make the car manufacturer number one in customer service within two years.
_
Did we miss anything important? Like what you see? Leave us a comment below! Or if you really can’t wait for your automotive fix, follow @activengage on Twitter for daily updates on auto industry news!

When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. Below we’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world. Keep your eye on these:

Klout

Social media marketers are constantly trying to find ways to measure their influence – through engagement metrics, total reach, or “likes” and “followers” – but Klout is the first real attempt to refine all of your social media efforts into one number – your Klout score. Though many analysts have completely disparaged Klout’s methodology (one commentary in particular infamously likened it to “internet herpes”), we consider Klout a first-mover in the extremely valuable sector of measuring total social worth. What’s your Klout score?

“These sores will absolutely RUIN my Klout score.”

How Does It Work?

Using Klout really couldn’t be easier – just log in with your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ account and watch excitedly as the social application runs all of your profiles through its extremely complicated algorithm. The number it produces is your Klout score – a total measure of your influence that considers a wide array of data, such as how influential your Facebook friends are, how many dead accounts follow you on Twitter, and how many unique mentions you get. Though the Klout score is still controversial, we believe that a refined social media score could be a highly valuable metric in the near future.

Schemer

The unstructured time that Google allots for its employees has historically produced some interesting results, but Schemer might be chief among them. A group of Google engineers think this latest social network might just be the cure for boredom. Self-described as an app for “doing awesome stuff,” Schemer is a kind of online bucket list that helps you set goals and alerts you to fun things happening nearby.

“They’re all schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds.”

How Does It Work?

The app is populated with user-uploaded “schemes” – goals such as “Learn to Ride a Unicycle,” “Climb the Sears Tower,” or “Outfit My Dealership Website With Some Awesome Live Chat Software.” As you add schemes to your account, Schemer learns what you enjoy and gives you more personal, customized suggestions. Users also can add friends as “accomplices” and team up to accomplish their schemes together. Though currently in closed testing, we expect that this network’s strong Google pedigree will launch it to the top of the social media charts later this year.

Path

When it comes to relationships, Path prefers quality over quantity. Imagine a platform similar to Facebook or Twitter, in which you can share your intimate experiences and personal photos – except you can only have 50 friends! That’s right, Path limits your following to 50 of your closest friends and family (which may lead to some tough decisions).

“THERE CAN ONLY BE 50!!!!”

How Does It Work?

Unlike almost every other social network, Path is extremely user-centric – there are no ads, brand pages or promotional content. This means that communication is intimate and personal, leaving the popularity contests of Facebook and Twitter behind. However, Path provides a glimpse of what a social network of the future might look like. When you don’t have to worry about fighting for everyone’s attention, you might end up actually listening to someone. Path is currently only for iPhone and Android users.

Sonar

Are you ever surprised to learn that your coworker knows your best friend from high school? Or maybe the lead singer of your favorite band is at the same restaurant as you – but you didn’t even realize it. With Sonar, you’ll be aware of these hidden connections right away. This mobile app alerts you when your friends, your friend’s friends, and other interesting people are nearby. Users will discover that it’s a small world, after all

.

“An ex-girlfriend is nearby? Fire the torpedoes!”

How Does It Work?

Imagine going to a conference and getting a readout of who will be there and how you’re connected to them. Sonar connects with your Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts to bring your social networks to life in the real world. The radical concept of introducing complete strangers to each other through social media brings us one step closer to a true geographic network.

_
As we see the social media world evolve around us, we wonder about how long Facebook can sit on the throne. 

When we hear social media, most of us instinctively think of Facebook and Twitter – but new networks spring up all the time, and some have the potential to be just as popular. Below we’ve outlined the four most promising up-and-comers in the social media world. Keep your eye on these:

Klout

Social media marketers are constantly trying to find ways to measure their influence – through engagement metrics, total reach, or “likes” and “followers” – but Klout is the first real attempt to refine all of your social media efforts into one number – your Klout score. Though many analysts have completely disparaged Klout’s methodology (one commentary in particular infamously likened it to “internet herpes”), we consider Klout a first-mover in the extremely valuable sector of measuring total social worth. What’s your Klout score?

“These sores will absolutely RUIN my Klout score.”

How Does It Work?

Using Klout really couldn’t be easier – just log in with your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ account and watch excitedly as the social application runs all of your profiles through its extremely complicated algorithm. The number it produces is your Klout score – a total measure of your influence that considers a wide array of data, such as how influential your Facebook friends are, how many dead accounts follow you on Twitter, and how many unique mentions you get. Though the Klout score is still controversial, we believe that a refined social media score could be a highly valuable metric in the near future.

Schemer

The unstructured time that Google allots for its employees has historically produced some interesting results, but Schemer might be chief among them. A group of Google engineers think this latest social network might just be the cure for boredom. Self-described as an app for “doing awesome stuff,” Schemer is a kind of online bucket list that helps you set goals and alerts you to fun things happening nearby.

“They’re all schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds.”

How Does It Work?

The app is populated with user-uploaded “schemes” – goals such as “Learn to Ride a Unicycle,” “Climb the Sears Tower,” or “Outfit My Dealership Website With Some Awesome Live Chat Software.” As you add schemes to your account, Schemer learns what you enjoy and gives you more personal, customized suggestions. Users also can add friends as “accomplices” and team up to accomplish their schemes together. Though currently in closed testing, we expect that this network’s strong Google pedigree will launch it to the top of the social media charts later this year.

Path

When it comes to relationships, Path prefers quality over quantity. Imagine a platform similar to Facebook or Twitter, in which you can share your intimate experiences and personal photos – except you can only have 50 friends! That’s right, Path limits your following to 50 of your closest friends and family (which may lead to some tough decisions).

“THERE CAN ONLY BE 50!!!!”

How Does It Work?

Unlike almost every other social network, Path is extremely user-centric – there are no ads, brand pages or promotional content. This means that communication is intimate and personal, leaving the popularity contests of Facebook and Twitter behind. However, Path provides a glimpse of what a social network of the future might look like. When you don’t have to worry about fighting for everyone’s attention, you might end up actually listening to someone. Path is currently only for iPhone and Android users.

Sonar

Are you ever surprised to learn that your coworker knows your best friend from high school? Or maybe the lead singer of your favorite band is at the same restaurant as you – but you didn’t even realize it. With Sonar, you’ll be aware of these hidden connections right away. This mobile app alerts you when your friends, your friend’s friends, and other interesting people are nearby. Users will discover that it’s a small world, after all

.

“An ex-girlfriend is nearby? Fire the torpedoes!”

How Does It Work?

Imagine going to a conference and getting a readout of who will be there and how you’re connected to them. Sonar connects with your Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts to bring your social networks to life in the real world. The radical concept of introducing complete strangers to each other through social media brings us one step closer to a true geographic network.

_
As we see the social media world evolve around us, we wonder about how long Facebook can sit on the throne. 

Ken Cosgrove couldn’t believe his ears. In no uncertain terms, the president of theJaguar Dealership Association had just offered to cast his vote for Ken’s ad campaign – if he could sleep with the agency’s voluptuous queen bee, Joan Harris. Ken blinked rapidly, visibly unseated by the scandalous request for both bribery and prostitution. “Was that what I think it was?” His associate Pete Campbell bore a similar look of disgust. “Yes…it was.”

Ken grimaced and got up to leave. “Well, we wanted to be in the car business.”

Sunday’s installment of Mad Men, AMC’s award-winning 1960s drama, had a lot to say about the car business – and none of it was good. Don Draper, the show’s main focus and advertising wunderkind, pitched his Jaguar campaign with the tagline, “At last, something beautiful you can truly own.” In an episode largely about trading women like commodities, the slogan seems eerily appropriate. In a dimly-lit diner, one character consoles another: “Car guys are scum.”

Of course, these are fictional characters in a time period free from sexual harassment lawsuits and the poison of negative press. But do “car guys” still carry this old reputation as womanizing predators around with them? Ad Age reports that Jaguar received Sunday’s episode with equal parts of shock and amusement. David Pryor, Jaguar’s VP of brand development, says that “at the end of the day…we’re confident that people know it’s a fictional character.”

The “car guy” is historically one of the most reviled professions in America, right up there with lawyers, telemarketers, and even advertisers – but what has the industry done to distance itself from the demons of its past? Despite a few recent instances of bad publicity, our profession as a whole has completely reinvented itself within the last decade. Car sales is now a business that is completely consumer-oriented – so much so that sites like these exist to discuss how we can improve our customers’ experience not just in physical dealerships but on their websites as well.

I am proud to be a part of outstanding networks like Automotive Digital Marketing, DealerElite, andDrivingSales. On a daily basis, I watch car guys raise industry standards by banding together, sharing advice, and making the Web feel like a true community. With the spirit of partnership and unity found on these forums, I believe that harsh critiques like those in Sunday’s Mad Men will soon be a thing of the past.

_

For more automotive marketing insights and blogs, subscribe to ActivEngage’s email feed!

Ken Cosgrove couldn’t believe his ears. In no uncertain terms, the president of theJaguar Dealership Association had just offered to cast his vote for Ken’s ad campaign – if he could sleep with the agency’s voluptuous queen bee, Joan Harris. Ken blinked rapidly, visibly unseated by the scandalous request for both bribery and prostitution. “Was that what I think it was?” His associate Pete Campbell bore a similar look of disgust. “Yes…it was.”

Ken grimaced and got up to leave. “Well, we wanted to be in the car business.”

Sunday’s installment of Mad Men, AMC’s award-winning 1960s drama, had a lot to say about the car business – and none of it was good. Don Draper, the show’s main focus and advertising wunderkind, pitched his Jaguar campaign with the tagline, “At last, something beautiful you can truly own.” In an episode largely about trading women like commodities, the slogan seems eerily appropriate. In a dimly-lit diner, one character consoles another: “Car guys are scum.”

Of course, these are fictional characters in a time period free from sexual harassment lawsuits and the poison of negative press. But do “car guys” still carry this old reputation as womanizing predators around with them? Ad Age reports that Jaguar received Sunday’s episode with equal parts of shock and amusement. David Pryor, Jaguar’s VP of brand development, says that “at the end of the day…we’re confident that people know it’s a fictional character.”

The “car guy” is historically one of the most reviled professions in America, right up there with lawyers, telemarketers, and even advertisers – but what has the industry done to distance itself from the demons of its past? Despite a few recent instances of bad publicity, our profession as a whole has completely reinvented itself within the last decade. Car sales is now a business that is completely consumer-oriented – so much so that sites like these exist to discuss how we can improve our customers’ experience not just in physical dealerships but on their websites as well.

I am proud to be a part of outstanding networks like Automotive Digital Marketing, DealerElite, andDrivingSales. On a daily basis, I watch car guys raise industry standards by banding together, sharing advice, and making the Web feel like a true community. With the spirit of partnership and unity found on these forums, I believe that harsh critiques like those in Sunday’s Mad Men will soon be a thing of the past.

_

For more automotive marketing insights and blogs, subscribe to ActivEngage’s email feed!

“If we’re working with Longo Toyota chatters, we direct them to ClientCare instead of Internet Sales.” Carl spoke to me out of the corner of his mouth, keeping both eyes focused on his current live chat conversation. His fingers flew across the keyboard, typing out leasing information on a new Camry as he simultaneously explained the nuances of hundreds of different dealerships to me. Carl is a veteran ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistant, an expert at locating vehicle information and building online relationships. He deftly navigated a dealership website, pulling up a Highlander inventory page in an instant.

I watched him take 5 chats with real dealership customers within a 20-minute period, and I was amazed to see all 5 of these faceless strangers happily give Carl their names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Two of them set appointments to walk into a physical dealership, and all of them left their live chat experiences thanking Carl for his help. I asked him what his secret was, and he responded with a laugh: “You’d be amazed at how quickly people open up to you after you’ve become their friend.” He then turned back to his screen, and began helping a man and his wife find their dream car.

I took Carl’s advice with me back to the training room. It was my fourth day as an ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistant, and my formal training had begun. Jennifer, our training director, put the group of fresh VSAs on a regimen that combined classroom learning with one-on-one observation of experienced associates. I was surprised to learn that the educational part of our training program was very psychological. We participated in insightful discussions about the very nature of human relationships and the conversations we have with each other. Why do people form social bonds with one another? What kinds of service do consumers of the Internet Age expect? How can we become better listeners?

Do you sometimes feel like a robot at your job? Do you complete the same tasks or utter the same sentences in a stiff, routine manner? Unless you’re working on an assembly line, that’s not a good thing. One of the only things that separates man from machines is listening – our unique ability to process information and understand the intention and feelings of the sender. In any position dealing with customers, this is perhaps our greatest asset. Carl could help a family start their search for a new car because he wasn’t just collecting customer data; he was actively seeking to learn what the customer valued in a vehicle, while getting to know him on a first name basis.

Our Virtual Sales Assistants aren’t just chatters – they are sculpted to become experts in sales, communications, and human relations. At ActivEngage, we do not mine website visitors for their contact information. We do not churn out empty, mechanical responses – we listen. “Lead providing” is not our ultimate goal. Instead, we focus on mastering the art of conversation, and we employ our highly-trained representatives to form exactly the kind of friendships Carl told me about. And once you make a real, human connection through chat – the simple act of acquiring lead information occurs naturally and effortlessly.

_

Stephen will be posting weekly updates about becoming  ActivEngage VSA every Monday. Learn more about what makes our chatters the best by subscribing to our blog!

“If we’re working with Longo Toyota chatters, we direct them to ClientCare instead of Internet Sales.” Carl spoke to me out of the corner of his mouth, keeping both eyes focused on his current live chat conversation. His fingers flew across the keyboard, typing out leasing information on a new Camry as he simultaneously explained the nuances of hundreds of different dealerships to me. Carl is a veteran ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistant, an expert at locating vehicle information and building online relationships. He deftly navigated a dealership website, pulling up a Highlander inventory page in an instant.

I watched him take 5 chats with real dealership customers within a 20-minute period, and I was amazed to see all 5 of these faceless strangers happily give Carl their names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Two of them set appointments to walk into a physical dealership, and all of them left their live chat experiences thanking Carl for his help. I asked him what his secret was, and he responded with a laugh: “You’d be amazed at how quickly people open up to you after you’ve become their friend.” He then turned back to his screen, and began helping a man and his wife find their dream car.

I took Carl’s advice with me back to the training room. It was my fourth day as an ActivEngage Virtual Sales Assistant, and my formal training had begun. Jennifer, our training director, put the group of fresh VSAs on a regimen that combined classroom learning with one-on-one observation of experienced associates. I was surprised to learn that the educational part of our training program was very psychological. We participated in insightful discussions about the very nature of human relationships and the conversations we have with each other. Why do people form social bonds with one another? What kinds of service do consumers of the Internet Age expect? How can we become better listeners?

Do you sometimes feel like a robot at your job? Do you complete the same tasks or utter the same sentences in a stiff, routine manner? Unless you’re working on an assembly line, that’s not a good thing. One of the only things that separates man from machines is listening – our unique ability to process information and understand the intention and feelings of the sender. In any position dealing with customers, this is perhaps our greatest asset. Carl could help a family start their search for a new car because he wasn’t just collecting customer data; he was actively seeking to learn what the customer valued in a vehicle, while getting to know him on a first name basis.

Our Virtual Sales Assistants aren’t just chatters – they are sculpted to become experts in sales, communications, and human relations. At ActivEngage, we do not mine website visitors for their contact information. We do not churn out empty, mechanical responses – we listen. “Lead providing” is not our ultimate goal. Instead, we focus on mastering the art of conversation, and we employ our highly-trained representatives to form exactly the kind of friendships Carl told me about. And once you make a real, human connection through chat – the simple act of acquiring lead information occurs naturally and effortlessly.

_

Stephen will be posting weekly updates about becoming  ActivEngage VSA every Monday. Learn more about what makes our chatters the best by subscribing to our blog!