Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Why 24/7 chat? Because Instagram has passed Facebook in popularity
Have you ever been to Starbucks at 11 p.m. when it closes and seen the number of people still on their tablet or laptop?
Once a novel technology that gave internet auto shoppers a novel way to communicate with the dealership, live chat, and especially managed chat, has become a viable source of additional auto sales leads for the sales team.
Does it surprise you that there are now more posts on Instagram then on Facebook? The younger generation doesn’t even make time to fill in a Facebook update – do you think they are going to take the time to fill in a form. Having live chat available around the clock for your customers is one way to get a leg up on the competition, because people like to know there is a live person at the other end of the line, even if that line is a chat conversation.
Today’s car shoppers are more impatient than ever, and not just when it comes to getting the ‘best price’. We even see chat conversations in which people click the chat button to ask for the dealership phone number, when the chat icon is NEXT TO THE PHONE NUMBER. They don’t even want to read far enough down the page to find the number.
How about at the airport early in the morning waiting for a flight. THESE are some of the people you are missing by only having chat during ‘business hours’. Our data show that 30% of chat conversations happen after hours and on Sundays. The internet auto shopper has evolved, and your website chat should evolve to meet their needs – and help you sell more cars!
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Why 24/7 chat? Because Instagram has passed Facebook in popularity
Have you ever been to Starbucks at 11 p.m. when it closes and seen the number of people still on their tablet or laptop?
Once a novel technology that gave internet auto shoppers a novel way to communicate with the dealership, live chat, and especially managed chat, has become a viable source of additional auto sales leads for the sales team.
Does it surprise you that there are now more posts on Instagram then on Facebook? The younger generation doesn’t even make time to fill in a Facebook update – do you think they are going to take the time to fill in a form. Having live chat available around the clock for your customers is one way to get a leg up on the competition, because people like to know there is a live person at the other end of the line, even if that line is a chat conversation.
Today’s car shoppers are more impatient than ever, and not just when it comes to getting the ‘best price’. We even see chat conversations in which people click the chat button to ask for the dealership phone number, when the chat icon is NEXT TO THE PHONE NUMBER. They don’t even want to read far enough down the page to find the number.
How about at the airport early in the morning waiting for a flight. THESE are some of the people you are missing by only having chat during ‘business hours’. Our data show that 30% of chat conversations happen after hours and on Sundays. The internet auto shopper has evolved, and your website chat should evolve to meet their needs – and help you sell more cars!
11 Comments
AutoStride
Yes, but that's why Facebook bought them eons ago. :-) Additionally, they've tried to buy SnapChat and failed, for over $3B. Your point is a good one!
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
if only myspace had the same level of foresight...
Kijiji, an eBay Company
You could argue your entire BDC should be open 24/7 then. Calls, emails and chat.
AutoStride
^Absolutely Robert. When is enough; enough? It's a hard call, no pun intended. ;-)
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Ideally, having a 24/7 BDC is the way to go. However, there are much greater logistical challenges using third party call centers than well-trained and supervised chat provider. Although not impossible... I'm not sure you'd have the percentage of late-night calls as chat conversations. I tend to stay off the phone once the fam is asleep.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
oh, and myspace is aol's special needs cousin
AutoStride
^ Ha ha ha ha... @Tom. Don't tell that to Justin Timberlake (investor).
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
No doubt, Alexander. I think his money would have been better spent opening yet another celeb restaurant, starting an airline, or a football league
Kijiji, an eBay Company
Customers are accustomed already to shopping online 24/7. If they can't find all the information they require from your store at 3:30am on a Tuesday, they will go elsewhere to look.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
HOT CAR graphic for your dealer website or social media
Dealers - this is a great graphic from the TODAY SHOW for your newsletter, Facebook, blog, or other social media. Grab a larger version of the graphic at http://www.carchat24.com/blog/dealers-hot-car-safety-graphic/
See the full article about Tennessee legalizing breaking windows to save a baby from a hot car at http://www.today.com/parents/tennessee-law-lets-you-break-hot-locked-cars-save-kids-1D79887285
1 Comment
Kijiji, an eBay Company
So wait, before now in Tennessee you would be charged if you broke a car window to save a baby?
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
HOT CAR graphic for your dealer website or social media
Dealers - this is a great graphic from the TODAY SHOW for your newsletter, Facebook, blog, or other social media. Grab a larger version of the graphic at http://www.carchat24.com/blog/dealers-hot-car-safety-graphic/
See the full article about Tennessee legalizing breaking windows to save a baby from a hot car at http://www.today.com/parents/tennessee-law-lets-you-break-hot-locked-cars-save-kids-1D79887285
1 Comment
Kijiji, an eBay Company
So wait, before now in Tennessee you would be charged if you broke a car window to save a baby?
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Ignoring chat request is like neverending phone hold
What if your receptionist answered the phone and just put people on hold, never to return and handle their call? That is exactly what is happening if you have live chat on your website and the chat operator is unable to respond to the invite. An OFFLINE message on your dealership website may not be ideal, but at least you are telling them you can’t respond right now and offering them a chance to leave a message without hunting down the contact form. But inviting them to chat and then leaving them in limbo is potentially a deal killer before it starts.
One statistic tracked a few years back showed dealerships missed as many as 50 percent of chats during business hours. In fact, we tell the story about the origins of CarChat24 due to just such situations.
Chat is supposed to add a key component to your ability to communicate with your buyers in a comfortable, non-confrontational manner. Like greeting your buyers on the lot, it encourages them to start the communication process without going out of their way to fill in a contact form. From getting basic lead information to actually setting an appointment, you can leverage dealer chat substantially increase your website lead count in many cases.
That all goes down the drain if your operator or provider isn’t there to answer the call. If you are handling your own chats, be sure you have the staff trained and available when the chats come through or have them take their consoles offline so the shopper doesn’t click the ‘Chat Now’ button, only to be ignored.
Just like answering your phones, responding to chat requests is critical. To remedy this dilemma, you can add staff to handle the conversations, arrange a backup option with a top-notch live chat provider, or opt for a fully managed chat option and use your people to handle the leads when they come in.
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Ignoring chat request is like neverending phone hold
What if your receptionist answered the phone and just put people on hold, never to return and handle their call? That is exactly what is happening if you have live chat on your website and the chat operator is unable to respond to the invite. An OFFLINE message on your dealership website may not be ideal, but at least you are telling them you can’t respond right now and offering them a chance to leave a message without hunting down the contact form. But inviting them to chat and then leaving them in limbo is potentially a deal killer before it starts.
One statistic tracked a few years back showed dealerships missed as many as 50 percent of chats during business hours. In fact, we tell the story about the origins of CarChat24 due to just such situations.
Chat is supposed to add a key component to your ability to communicate with your buyers in a comfortable, non-confrontational manner. Like greeting your buyers on the lot, it encourages them to start the communication process without going out of their way to fill in a contact form. From getting basic lead information to actually setting an appointment, you can leverage dealer chat substantially increase your website lead count in many cases.
That all goes down the drain if your operator or provider isn’t there to answer the call. If you are handling your own chats, be sure you have the staff trained and available when the chats come through or have them take their consoles offline so the shopper doesn’t click the ‘Chat Now’ button, only to be ignored.
Just like answering your phones, responding to chat requests is critical. To remedy this dilemma, you can add staff to handle the conversations, arrange a backup option with a top-notch live chat provider, or opt for a fully managed chat option and use your people to handle the leads when they come in.
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
CarChat24 PRESENTED WITH 2013 DRIVINGSALES DEALER SATISFACTION AWARD
CarChat24 receives its third “Top Rated” Award for Dealer Satisfaction in the Chat Products Category
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Jan. 24, 2014 - CarChat24 - 24/7 Fully Staffed Chat & Advanced Dealer Chat Software is the recipient of a “Top Rated” Chat Product award in the fifth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards, presented at a special event today in conjunction with the 2014 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Expo.
“We are extremely proud to accept this third award and we are very grateful to our dealers who took the time to rate us on DrivingSales.com,” said CarChat24 President and CEO, Shereef Moawad, who started the industry-leading dealer live chat software company seven years ago to help auto dealers generate more quality sales leads through their websites. “The real winners are our dealers, who not only appreciate the value of a quality live chat product, but trust us to help them sell more cars.”
He explained that his extensive management experience taught him the value of an effective chat product and he is determined to provide his dealer clients with the best cutting-edge web technologies and expertise. “Live Chat software is hands-down the best way for dealerships to increase volume and profit by starting the sales process the moment a visitor lands on their website, and we are proud that our efforts at CarChat24 to create a proven live chat solution and provide a world-class dealership chat support service led to this coveted award,” Moawad continued. CarChat24 previously received a “Top Rated” award in the Chat Products category in the 2nd and 4th annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards, announced at NADA 2011 and 2013.
“We congratulate CarChat24 on winning a ‘Top Rated’ Chat Product Award and for being recognized by its dealer customers for high levels of excellence and customer satisfaction,” said DrivingSales CEO and Founder Jared Hamilton. “In our fifth year of presenting these awards, we feel especially proud that DrivingSales Vendor Ratings continues to help dealers make smart and informed decisions through thousands of peer reviews that lead them to service providers such as CarChat24. We congratulate CarChat24 on being recognized for top notch performance by the people to whom their services count the most: the dealer community.”
The DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards measure dealer satisfaction with vendor products and services, and are based on cumulative ratings tallied and verified over the calendar year (January – December) at DrivingSales.com Vendor Ratings. DrivingSales.com Vendor Ratings is the industry’s only neutral, comprehensive vendor rating forum featuring real-time peer reviews and honest competitor comparisons, and provides dealerships with important information from actual customers who have hands-on experience using vendor products / solutions in their stores. Each rating is verified as coming from an actual dealership employee.
Full award results are available online at http://dealersatisfactionawards.com/. Award winners are showcased in the Q1 2014 issue of the DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide which, in addition to being distributed at the 2014 NADA Convention and Expo, is delivered to every new car dealership nationwide, as well as to the top 100 used car dealerships. For more information on the Dealership Innovation Guide, please visit: http://drivingsalesinnovationguide.com/.
About CarChat24.com (http://www.carchat24.com)
CarChat24 provides 24/7 hosted Live Chat Support & Dealer Chat Software for new and used car dealership websites. CarChat24 helps dealers sell more vehicles by converting a higher percentage of their website visitors into quality leads. Since 2007, CarChat24 has been helping car dealers improve their sales and customer service on the Internet. Our mission is to empower car dealers with cutting edge live chat technology, and provide the professional staff and superior processes needed to obtain the best possible results. We are committed to helping our clients get the best return on investment from their websites. We strive to make our support service the very best and are always looking for innovative ways to give our dealers the edge over their competition. Follow CarChat24.com on http://www.twitter.com/CarChat24 and fan CarChat24.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CarChat24 and Google+ http://www.google.com/+CarChat24PalmHarbor
For more information visit http://www.carchat24.com or call Jeff Sterns or Jason Good at 1-800-510-7567
About DrivingSales
DrivingSales is a professional network serving the auto industry with dealer-driven news and information, online training, and performance data, all to enable dealers to make critical business decisions at their dealerships. DrivingSales’ mission is to connect progressive dealership professionals to the people and information they need to maximize their success. Founded by a third-generation car dealer, and opened up to the industry in 2008, today DrivingSales has registered users in over 50% of new car dealerships in the US and is active in several other countries around the globe. To learn more about the DrivingSales community, training or performance analytics visit DrivingSales.com, DrivingSalesUniversity.com and DrivingSalesData.com
Media contact for CarChat24 / ChatLead.com, Inc:
Jason Good
Jason.good@carchat24.com
1592 Lago Vista Blvd. Palm Harbor, Florida 34685
800-510-7567
www.CarChat24.com
DrivingSales Media Relations:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 949.307.1723
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
CarChat24 PRESENTED WITH 2013 DRIVINGSALES DEALER SATISFACTION AWARD
CarChat24 receives its third “Top Rated” Award for Dealer Satisfaction in the Chat Products Category
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Jan. 24, 2014 - CarChat24 - 24/7 Fully Staffed Chat & Advanced Dealer Chat Software is the recipient of a “Top Rated” Chat Product award in the fifth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards, presented at a special event today in conjunction with the 2014 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Expo.
“We are extremely proud to accept this third award and we are very grateful to our dealers who took the time to rate us on DrivingSales.com,” said CarChat24 President and CEO, Shereef Moawad, who started the industry-leading dealer live chat software company seven years ago to help auto dealers generate more quality sales leads through their websites. “The real winners are our dealers, who not only appreciate the value of a quality live chat product, but trust us to help them sell more cars.”
He explained that his extensive management experience taught him the value of an effective chat product and he is determined to provide his dealer clients with the best cutting-edge web technologies and expertise. “Live Chat software is hands-down the best way for dealerships to increase volume and profit by starting the sales process the moment a visitor lands on their website, and we are proud that our efforts at CarChat24 to create a proven live chat solution and provide a world-class dealership chat support service led to this coveted award,” Moawad continued. CarChat24 previously received a “Top Rated” award in the Chat Products category in the 2nd and 4th annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards, announced at NADA 2011 and 2013.
“We congratulate CarChat24 on winning a ‘Top Rated’ Chat Product Award and for being recognized by its dealer customers for high levels of excellence and customer satisfaction,” said DrivingSales CEO and Founder Jared Hamilton. “In our fifth year of presenting these awards, we feel especially proud that DrivingSales Vendor Ratings continues to help dealers make smart and informed decisions through thousands of peer reviews that lead them to service providers such as CarChat24. We congratulate CarChat24 on being recognized for top notch performance by the people to whom their services count the most: the dealer community.”
The DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards measure dealer satisfaction with vendor products and services, and are based on cumulative ratings tallied and verified over the calendar year (January – December) at DrivingSales.com Vendor Ratings. DrivingSales.com Vendor Ratings is the industry’s only neutral, comprehensive vendor rating forum featuring real-time peer reviews and honest competitor comparisons, and provides dealerships with important information from actual customers who have hands-on experience using vendor products / solutions in their stores. Each rating is verified as coming from an actual dealership employee.
Full award results are available online at http://dealersatisfactionawards.com/. Award winners are showcased in the Q1 2014 issue of the DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide which, in addition to being distributed at the 2014 NADA Convention and Expo, is delivered to every new car dealership nationwide, as well as to the top 100 used car dealerships. For more information on the Dealership Innovation Guide, please visit: http://drivingsalesinnovationguide.com/.
About CarChat24.com (http://www.carchat24.com)
CarChat24 provides 24/7 hosted Live Chat Support & Dealer Chat Software for new and used car dealership websites. CarChat24 helps dealers sell more vehicles by converting a higher percentage of their website visitors into quality leads. Since 2007, CarChat24 has been helping car dealers improve their sales and customer service on the Internet. Our mission is to empower car dealers with cutting edge live chat technology, and provide the professional staff and superior processes needed to obtain the best possible results. We are committed to helping our clients get the best return on investment from their websites. We strive to make our support service the very best and are always looking for innovative ways to give our dealers the edge over their competition. Follow CarChat24.com on http://www.twitter.com/CarChat24 and fan CarChat24.com on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CarChat24 and Google+ http://www.google.com/+CarChat24PalmHarbor
For more information visit http://www.carchat24.com or call Jeff Sterns or Jason Good at 1-800-510-7567
About DrivingSales
DrivingSales is a professional network serving the auto industry with dealer-driven news and information, online training, and performance data, all to enable dealers to make critical business decisions at their dealerships. DrivingSales’ mission is to connect progressive dealership professionals to the people and information they need to maximize their success. Founded by a third-generation car dealer, and opened up to the industry in 2008, today DrivingSales has registered users in over 50% of new car dealerships in the US and is active in several other countries around the globe. To learn more about the DrivingSales community, training or performance analytics visit DrivingSales.com, DrivingSalesUniversity.com and DrivingSalesData.com
Media contact for CarChat24 / ChatLead.com, Inc:
Jason Good
Jason.good@carchat24.com
1592 Lago Vista Blvd. Palm Harbor, Florida 34685
800-510-7567
www.CarChat24.com
DrivingSales Media Relations:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 949.307.1723
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Contact Form or Live Chat on your dealer website: there REALLY is a difference
Five reasons chat wins the battle
Just like the early days of the commercial internet, when many auto dealerships were slow to recognize the potential a website held for helping them sell more cars, adding a live chat option is a concept that seems to cause principals and general managers some consternation as a new technology that adds value to their existing internet marketing portfolio. Here are five substantial differences between a hosted live chat service or self hosted live chat software and a static dealer website form:
Chat conversations give shoppers immediate dialogue so they know they were heard and the sales process has begun. |
Forms only (sometimes) give shoppers a courtesy note that it was received and possibly even an automated email response but they wait for minutes or even hours for a response |
Buyers can live chat on every website page if set up properly |
Customers may have to search for a contact form |
An effective live chat operator can guide shoppers around the dealer website and help search inventory |
The contact form sits there. Waiting to be completed. |
Live chat creates a dialogue that can lead to warm phone contact or even a scheduled appointment. |
Buyers may ask for a phone call or request an appointment. Then wait. |
Sales, CSI, service, and parts inquiries can receive a live response with hosted live chat. |
Visitors fill out a form. And wait. |
As you can see, the difference between a contact form and live chat is that chat is, well, LIVE. Much more than a virtual answering service for your phones, a good chat operator can guide visitors through the website (including inventory), set appointments, provide Edmunds.com data about vehicles or CarFax reports up to twenty-four hours a day (with participating dealers and select live chat providers), and much more. The live chat operator becomes a car shopper's 'concierge in the cloud'.
The best time to implement a live chat option is NOW, so be sure your live chat software or live chat hosted service has the experience and portfolio to meet your needs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom LaPointe CarChat24 Interactive Media Manager / Industry Analyst
www.carchat24.com/ 24/7 Interactive Automotive Dealer Website LIVE CHAT Solutions Hosted or In-House Options – FREE web chat software 727-638-0195
Tom has an MBA in Marketing and is an automotive writer and author with more than 15 years experience in virtually every aspect of the retail auto industry. He began working with the internet building websites at Johns Hopkins University in the 90's, and has been a performance leader in nearly every dealer role, from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
1 Comment
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Contact Form or Live Chat on your dealer website: there REALLY is a difference
Five reasons chat wins the battle
Just like the early days of the commercial internet, when many auto dealerships were slow to recognize the potential a website held for helping them sell more cars, adding a live chat option is a concept that seems to cause principals and general managers some consternation as a new technology that adds value to their existing internet marketing portfolio. Here are five substantial differences between a hosted live chat service or self hosted live chat software and a static dealer website form:
Chat conversations give shoppers immediate dialogue so they know they were heard and the sales process has begun. |
Forms only (sometimes) give shoppers a courtesy note that it was received and possibly even an automated email response but they wait for minutes or even hours for a response |
Buyers can live chat on every website page if set up properly |
Customers may have to search for a contact form |
An effective live chat operator can guide shoppers around the dealer website and help search inventory |
The contact form sits there. Waiting to be completed. |
Live chat creates a dialogue that can lead to warm phone contact or even a scheduled appointment. |
Buyers may ask for a phone call or request an appointment. Then wait. |
Sales, CSI, service, and parts inquiries can receive a live response with hosted live chat. |
Visitors fill out a form. And wait. |
As you can see, the difference between a contact form and live chat is that chat is, well, LIVE. Much more than a virtual answering service for your phones, a good chat operator can guide visitors through the website (including inventory), set appointments, provide Edmunds.com data about vehicles or CarFax reports up to twenty-four hours a day (with participating dealers and select live chat providers), and much more. The live chat operator becomes a car shopper's 'concierge in the cloud'.
The best time to implement a live chat option is NOW, so be sure your live chat software or live chat hosted service has the experience and portfolio to meet your needs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom LaPointe CarChat24 Interactive Media Manager / Industry Analyst
www.carchat24.com/ 24/7 Interactive Automotive Dealer Website LIVE CHAT Solutions Hosted or In-House Options – FREE web chat software 727-638-0195
Tom has an MBA in Marketing and is an automotive writer and author with more than 15 years experience in virtually every aspect of the retail auto industry. He began working with the internet building websites at Johns Hopkins University in the 90's, and has been a performance leader in nearly every dealer role, from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
1 Comment
11 Comments
Alex Lau
AutoStride
Yes, but that's why Facebook bought them eons ago. :-) Additionally, they've tried to buy SnapChat and failed, for over $3B. Your point is a good one!
Big Tom LaPointe
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
if only myspace had the same level of foresight...
Alex Lau
AutoStride
MySpace, whom are they? ;-)
Robert Karbaum
Kijiji, an eBay Company
You could argue your entire BDC should be open 24/7 then. Calls, emails and chat.
Alex Lau
AutoStride
^Absolutely Robert. When is enough; enough? It's a hard call, no pun intended. ;-)
Big Tom LaPointe
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Ideally, having a 24/7 BDC is the way to go. However, there are much greater logistical challenges using third party call centers than well-trained and supervised chat provider. Although not impossible... I'm not sure you'd have the percentage of late-night calls as chat conversations. I tend to stay off the phone once the fam is asleep.
Big Tom LaPointe
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
oh, and myspace is aol's special needs cousin
Alex Lau
AutoStride
^ Ha ha ha ha... @Tom. Don't tell that to Justin Timberlake (investor).
Big Tom LaPointe
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
No doubt, Alexander. I think his money would have been better spent opening yet another celeb restaurant, starting an airline, or a football league
Alex Lau
AutoStride
Yep!
Robert Karbaum
Kijiji, an eBay Company
Customers are accustomed already to shopping online 24/7. If they can't find all the information they require from your store at 3:30am on a Tuesday, they will go elsewhere to look.