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.
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
Dealer Live Chat Tip: Establish chat operators, NOT salespeople
It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but if an auto dealership wants to establish a successful website live chat program in-house, it is wise to position your chat staff as online operators, and NOT as internet salespeople. There are three reasons this strategy will help create live chat success:
Allows the operator an excuse to gather lead information. Shoppers have an aversion to salesperson that is nearly encoded into DNA. When you position your staff as ‘operators’, their role is merely to provide information for the shopper and earn enough trust to gather lead information and hopefully, even an appointment.
Stops 30-minute live chats that have salespeople reading numbers off tires on used cars. If your chat staff are operators, the shopper won’t have the power to demand that they run from car to car worrying about speed rating on tires, or transmission ratios. They can stay on script moving toward a quality lead or car sales appointment.
Less likely to prejudge or sell the car online. As sales managers, we have all had sales people who ‘knew’ whether a prospect was going to buy, or avoided an appointment because they ‘knew’ the shopper couldn’t get a loan approved. Chat operators won’t have all this ‘expert knowledge’. Additionally, they won’t be focused on scheduling appointments around a shift or day off, as a salesperson might be tempted.
Numerous factors affect the success or failure of an in-house dealership website live chat program, and having proper fundamentals and training in place can make a huge difference. What is your live chat success (or lack of) story?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
2 Comments
MyAutoSearch.com
Hey Tom, Just found out that one of our top lead generating dealers is using your chat product. I did not realize we placed your code inside our Craigslist product for him. He says you increase our leads over 10%. Strong product.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Thanks Andrew! As Jeff Sterns would say, "Tell a Friend!" lol.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Dealer Live Chat Tip: Establish chat operators, NOT salespeople
It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but if an auto dealership wants to establish a successful website live chat program in-house, it is wise to position your chat staff as online operators, and NOT as internet salespeople. There are three reasons this strategy will help create live chat success:
Allows the operator an excuse to gather lead information. Shoppers have an aversion to salesperson that is nearly encoded into DNA. When you position your staff as ‘operators’, their role is merely to provide information for the shopper and earn enough trust to gather lead information and hopefully, even an appointment.
Stops 30-minute live chats that have salespeople reading numbers off tires on used cars. If your chat staff are operators, the shopper won’t have the power to demand that they run from car to car worrying about speed rating on tires, or transmission ratios. They can stay on script moving toward a quality lead or car sales appointment.
Less likely to prejudge or sell the car online. As sales managers, we have all had sales people who ‘knew’ whether a prospect was going to buy, or avoided an appointment because they ‘knew’ the shopper couldn’t get a loan approved. Chat operators won’t have all this ‘expert knowledge’. Additionally, they won’t be focused on scheduling appointments around a shift or day off, as a salesperson might be tempted.
Numerous factors affect the success or failure of an in-house dealership website live chat program, and having proper fundamentals and training in place can make a huge difference. What is your live chat success (or lack of) story?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
2 Comments
MyAutoSearch.com
Hey Tom, Just found out that one of our top lead generating dealers is using your chat product. I did not realize we placed your code inside our Craigslist product for him. He says you increase our leads over 10%. Strong product.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Thanks Andrew! As Jeff Sterns would say, "Tell a Friend!" lol.
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Strengthen your website chat business plan with three key elements
An effective dealer chat strategy is a key puzzle piece for increasing leads and sales from dealership websites, and dealers continue to add chat to their portfolio of services – whether they opt for an in-house staff or hosted chat vendor.
The scary truth is that many dealers who jump on in-house chat or the cheapest hosted chat expecting that it will magically pull them out of a sales slump overnight often end up with the same feelings as someone who 'tried' the latest trendy diet or fitness contraption: “I tried it and it doesn't work”.
We may not be experts in diets or workout equipment, but we know live chat like Chef Ramsey knows cooking, and our experience teaches us that there are three key elements for live chat success:
- Processes and people
- Software
- Web interface
Each piece is critically important, but once you have chosen your software or vendor, the PROCESSES and PEOPLE piece is the one element that dealers can control. First, you have to determine WHO will be involved with your live chat process. In-house, there are several steps to increase your odds of success:
- Determine WHO will take the chats (hire additional staff?)
- Assign management
- Develop effective scripts (effectiveness AND speed)
- Establish policies, processes, and escalation for ALL CHAT TYPES
- Train, train, train for best practices on EVERY CHAT CONVERSATION
Once you have all this in place, be sure to position your chat staff as online operators, NOT as internet salespeople, to boost your chances of gathering lead information. This helps avoid your sales or BDC staff from running around to find out what brand or speed rating of tire is on a specific car, so they can get an appointment set.
If you are using your sales force to respond to live chat inquiries, you want to make sure they are strong on the phones before putting them in front of a keyboard, figure out how you will handle chat conversations when your store is full on a Saturday afternoon, then decide if that is REALLY how you want them spending time.
Choosing to use BDC staff to handle chat conversations needs other questions answered, like how much free time do they currently have and what if they are on the phone when a chat inquiry comes in (response target is 7 seconds or less). Dealers must recognize that industry statistics show that 30% of chat requests are missed by a BDC, and as many as 35% of requests can be missed during off hours.
Generating more dealership website leads and increasing car sales is very possible with an effective live chat strategy, but as with anything else, it take planning and preparation to maximize its chances for success.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Strengthen your website chat business plan with three key elements
An effective dealer chat strategy is a key puzzle piece for increasing leads and sales from dealership websites, and dealers continue to add chat to their portfolio of services – whether they opt for an in-house staff or hosted chat vendor.
The scary truth is that many dealers who jump on in-house chat or the cheapest hosted chat expecting that it will magically pull them out of a sales slump overnight often end up with the same feelings as someone who 'tried' the latest trendy diet or fitness contraption: “I tried it and it doesn't work”.
We may not be experts in diets or workout equipment, but we know live chat like Chef Ramsey knows cooking, and our experience teaches us that there are three key elements for live chat success:
- Processes and people
- Software
- Web interface
Each piece is critically important, but once you have chosen your software or vendor, the PROCESSES and PEOPLE piece is the one element that dealers can control. First, you have to determine WHO will be involved with your live chat process. In-house, there are several steps to increase your odds of success:
- Determine WHO will take the chats (hire additional staff?)
- Assign management
- Develop effective scripts (effectiveness AND speed)
- Establish policies, processes, and escalation for ALL CHAT TYPES
- Train, train, train for best practices on EVERY CHAT CONVERSATION
Once you have all this in place, be sure to position your chat staff as online operators, NOT as internet salespeople, to boost your chances of gathering lead information. This helps avoid your sales or BDC staff from running around to find out what brand or speed rating of tire is on a specific car, so they can get an appointment set.
If you are using your sales force to respond to live chat inquiries, you want to make sure they are strong on the phones before putting them in front of a keyboard, figure out how you will handle chat conversations when your store is full on a Saturday afternoon, then decide if that is REALLY how you want them spending time.
Choosing to use BDC staff to handle chat conversations needs other questions answered, like how much free time do they currently have and what if they are on the phone when a chat inquiry comes in (response target is 7 seconds or less). Dealers must recognize that industry statistics show that 30% of chat requests are missed by a BDC, and as many as 35% of requests can be missed during off hours.
Generating more dealership website leads and increasing car sales is very possible with an effective live chat strategy, but as with anything else, it take planning and preparation to maximize its chances for success.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Tips for choosing dealership live chat software
More and more auto dealers see the value of an effective live chat strategy for their website, and choosing the right software is critical to help ensure a strong return on investment (ROI). Successfully managing live chat in-house requires a commitment of manpower and development of processes, and since CarChat24 is just one of several companies that offer affordable or even free chat software, choosing can be a daunting task.
Essentially, a dealership live chat program is an extension of existing tools, like your website and BDC. After all, the goal is to increase the amount of quality leads (and sales) without cannibalizing leads from the CONTACT FORM, so the last thing you (or we) want is for your live chat implementation to end up like the last unsuccessful private sale you held.
Here are seven key elements your dealer chat software should include:
- Engineered specifically for the auto industry so it can be easily incorporated into current processes
- Comprehensive, yet easy to operate DASHBOARD for both users and managers
- Compatible with your website / web integration / branding, so it looks organic to your brand, rather than seems stuck on
- Forward lead information (including transcript) to CRM / Email so prospects receive effective follow-up and follow-through
- Usability features, including an ability to watch as guest types, easy information lookup, versatile user management
- Variety of looks for invites / icons / surveys so your interface doesn’t look 'cookie cutter' to website visitors
- Powerful reporting so you can measure the progress and success of your team
Setting up live chat in-house can entail a substantial investment of time and energy, and many dealerships are able to show a positive impact on their bottom line. If your team struggles to make an in-house chat strategy work, or you discover you can't answer chat requests after hours, you will want to look at a managed / hosted live chat option either as a backup to your staff or even as a full-time option.
Dealers that find the right chat software or managed live chat service typically stick with it, because the ROI us undeniable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
www.facebook.com/CarChat24 / https://twitter.com/CarChat24 / bit.ly/CarChat24GooglePlus
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Tips for choosing dealership live chat software
More and more auto dealers see the value of an effective live chat strategy for their website, and choosing the right software is critical to help ensure a strong return on investment (ROI). Successfully managing live chat in-house requires a commitment of manpower and development of processes, and since CarChat24 is just one of several companies that offer affordable or even free chat software, choosing can be a daunting task.
Essentially, a dealership live chat program is an extension of existing tools, like your website and BDC. After all, the goal is to increase the amount of quality leads (and sales) without cannibalizing leads from the CONTACT FORM, so the last thing you (or we) want is for your live chat implementation to end up like the last unsuccessful private sale you held.
Here are seven key elements your dealer chat software should include:
- Engineered specifically for the auto industry so it can be easily incorporated into current processes
- Comprehensive, yet easy to operate DASHBOARD for both users and managers
- Compatible with your website / web integration / branding, so it looks organic to your brand, rather than seems stuck on
- Forward lead information (including transcript) to CRM / Email so prospects receive effective follow-up and follow-through
- Usability features, including an ability to watch as guest types, easy information lookup, versatile user management
- Variety of looks for invites / icons / surveys so your interface doesn’t look 'cookie cutter' to website visitors
- Powerful reporting so you can measure the progress and success of your team
Setting up live chat in-house can entail a substantial investment of time and energy, and many dealerships are able to show a positive impact on their bottom line. If your team struggles to make an in-house chat strategy work, or you discover you can't answer chat requests after hours, you will want to look at a managed / hosted live chat option either as a backup to your staff or even as a full-time option.
Dealers that find the right chat software or managed live chat service typically stick with it, because the ROI us undeniable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
www.facebook.com/CarChat24 / https://twitter.com/CarChat24 / bit.ly/CarChat24GooglePlus
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Want live chat success in-house? Four tips to help you plan it, script it, work it
As dealers continue recognize the benefits of either hosted live chat or chat software managed in-house on their automotive websites, many still feel using their staff to handle the chats is their best option. With some proper planning and execution, it is possible (we’ll cover staffing investment another time). Here are four live chat success tips to help you implement a successful in-house live chat strategy.
- Be sure to use a proactive (popup) live chat invite. This is the equivalent of greeting a buyer on your lot, and can increase your interaction by 80 percent or more.
- Don’t demand contact information up front. It is surprising how businesses using live chat in every sector blow shoppers off their website by demanding names and emails (as if that’s really a lead) before the chat. USE THE CHAT to build rapport so you can get a quality lead
- Answer the chat – QUICKLY! It seems like a basic step, but dealers using in-house staff often report their BDC or sales staff are tied up on a call and NADA reports as much as 55 percent of chats are missed during business hours.
- Create an effective plan of action and scripts. Ensure your chat processes are managed and that effective scripts and processes are firmly in place. Just like a phone-up, the goal is to set an appointment, or at least generate a quality car sales lead. That is why chat operators MUST stick to their processes and scripts.
Dealerships that can implement these in-house live chat success tips and stick to the program show very measureable increases in leads and car sales. Live chat is a web technology that is here to stay, and the stores that can best use it to engage their shoppers should see a measurable increase in sales.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
www.facebook.com/CarChat24 / https://twitter.com/CarChat24 / bit.ly/CarChat24GooglePlus
No Comments
Preston Automotive Group MD/DE
Want live chat success in-house? Four tips to help you plan it, script it, work it
As dealers continue recognize the benefits of either hosted live chat or chat software managed in-house on their automotive websites, many still feel using their staff to handle the chats is their best option. With some proper planning and execution, it is possible (we’ll cover staffing investment another time). Here are four live chat success tips to help you implement a successful in-house live chat strategy.
- Be sure to use a proactive (popup) live chat invite. This is the equivalent of greeting a buyer on your lot, and can increase your interaction by 80 percent or more.
- Don’t demand contact information up front. It is surprising how businesses using live chat in every sector blow shoppers off their website by demanding names and emails (as if that’s really a lead) before the chat. USE THE CHAT to build rapport so you can get a quality lead
- Answer the chat – QUICKLY! It seems like a basic step, but dealers using in-house staff often report their BDC or sales staff are tied up on a call and NADA reports as much as 55 percent of chats are missed during business hours.
- Create an effective plan of action and scripts. Ensure your chat processes are managed and that effective scripts and processes are firmly in place. Just like a phone-up, the goal is to set an appointment, or at least generate a quality car sales lead. That is why chat operators MUST stick to their processes and scripts.
Dealerships that can implement these in-house live chat success tips and stick to the program show very measureable increases in leads and car sales. Live chat is a web technology that is here to stay, and the stores that can best use it to engage their shoppers should see a measurable increase in sales.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 has been a performance leader in everything from sales and service, to web development and viral marketing.
www.facebook.com/CarChat24 / https://twitter.com/CarChat24 / bit.ly/CarChat24GooglePlus
No Comments
1 Comment