As a savvy customer, nothing is more infuriating than being ignored or receiving a response that dodges all your questions. Pre-Covid, dealerships used to pride themselves on their promptness in addressing leads. Even the OEMs had standards in place to ensure that all inquiries were answered within a specific timeframe. However, during the peak of the pandemic, when demand outstripped supply, some dealerships conveniently chose to overlook their leads. And if they did bother to respond, it certainly wasn't within the respectable ten to fifteen-minute window. A study even highlighted the dismal decline in 2021 - 2022, where dealerships dropped the ball on response time and failed to answer customer inquiries altogether.

Now, let's delve into what went wrong. While we can't change the past, we can certainly revamp our lead response strategy for the future. First off, it's high time you give your CRM workflows a makeover. When was the last time they were given a once-over? If you're struggling to recall, it's a sign you need to dive in. Once you've thoroughly inspected your CRM workflows, spare a moment to scrutinize your automated emails. Are the signature lines up to date? Do these automated messages still make sense? And for goodness' sake, do all those social media links actually work? It may sound like a walk in the park, but believe it or not, some dealerships are still sending automated responses from employees who don’t even work there anymore.

Once you've conquered the CRM basics, it's time to gather your BD agents and Sales Consultants for a pep talk. A quick refresher never hurts, right? After discussing the best practices for responding to leads, holding your team accountable is crucial. By leveraging CRM reporting, you can easily track response times. But don't stop there – evaluate the actual content of their responses. We can all stop the clock, but not everyone is sending out top-notch replies to leads. Let's make sure we answer customers' questions and provide clear next steps. After all, the ultimate goal is to build rapport with customers and boost our chances of securing their business. And that's impossible if we ignore leads or respond with flimsy replies that fail to address their needs.

If your team is still struggling with word-tracking or crafting compelling responses to customers' questions and objections, fret not! We've got your back. Knowing what to say and when to say it can mean the difference between winning or losing a customer. we have the expertise to help you master this crucial skill.

If you're still on the fence, take a moment and request a Dealership Mystery Shop! Once we've completed the test, we'll be in touch. Here's to getting back to the basics and being proactive rather than reactive. 

It's one thing to be great on the phone, have efficient systems in place, or even flaunt a sleek, modern website. But, oh boy, it seems like we're a bunch of klutzes trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with those tasks. Now, ever wonder why we trip over these hurdles? Maybe we're spewing the worn-out "time is a luxury we can't afford" excuse, or even the grand old "we've sold cars since the dinosaurs roamed, and we're doing peachy." Peachy? Really? Is being stuck in the mundane rut of "peachy" enough when it doesn't hack it anymore? My personal favorite is the guy that’s “so busy” he doesn’t have time to actually manage and just spins…

It feels like we have a crystal-clear view of the monster that is our challenge, but we're too frozen to fight back until it lands a sucker punch. Even when we're swaying from those punches, we lash out impulsively rather than addressing the root cause. That being, the absolute need for our Sales Consultants and BD Agents to be trained in an ongoing manner, our systems to be as smooth as a Ninja, and our website to be a welcoming front door for our clients. But, there's a tricky buzzword, "experience," that often sends us down a twisted rabbit hole, a loop that's been our record on repeat for over two decades. The endless saga of auto industry discussions about change, only to half-heartedly implement and forget about.

Newsflash: roping in a trainer for a day of jargon-loaded sessions doesn't count as training, sorry to burst your bubble. Just as a sudden, impromptu brainstorming session with your GSM isn't a genius move. Ever pondered whether pulling a GSM from the thick of his workday is a brilliant strategy? Blindsiding them with a half-baked problem, expecting them to spew out immediate solutions, which turn out to be just that - rushed verbal diarrhea. What happens to team morale when they go back and regurgitate the same nonsense about their performance? Worse still, let's assume you revisit the GSM a couple of days later for updates, and they give you a blank, deer-caught-in-headlights stare. Sound familiar? Well, you might then turn to a random sales consultant or BD agent for a quick "quiz," only to get the same shocked stare in return. Add to this the GM breathing down their necks while they're on a call, and you've got a perfect recipe for a disaster (and turnover).

So, what does this paint? An unpretty picture, that's what. And no, this isn't about playing pinata with the GM. It's a wake-up call to a rampant issue. Everyone wants to level up, but to do that, you need ammunition - clear goals, training, and seamless processes. Without these, we're basically trapped in a chaotic battlefield, drowning in uncertainty. Nobody wants to be the joke of the lot, but it's a foregone conclusion when a nincompoop is running the show. It's high time we ditch the dunce cap and zero in on what can bring about real and sustainable change at the dealership level. Give your GSM a minute of your time, let them rally the troops to ensure the website is all shiny and new, guarantee there's a refresher on procedures, and crucially, set up a system for continuous training. Stop being the hare and start being the tortoise; because when $h!t hits the fan - and it will - chance favors the prepared.

Investing a little time in your managers can reap the results we want, not just in trust, but in fostering a positive, proactive atmosphere in your dealership. It's common to view training or change as "rocking the boat," in the sense that “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” But, have we hit rock bottom to the point where we've forgotten how to patch things up? Maybe, but the silver lining is there's no shame in wanting to "repair" the root of the problem. Confronting the issues that can potentially derail us as we adapt to the evolving new normal. If you're genuinely keen on solving the problem at its source, take a breather and complete a free Phone and Web Mystery Shop and let’s see what’s truly what...

A friend recently attended a seminar for business owners and in a customer-focused break-out session, she heard a story that resonated with the entire room. She shared that story with me.

A woman in my session had purchased her dream car and absolutely loved it. Of course, she loved her car, but her story about the experience is what hit. The dealership had sales reps dressed in all black. A bit more casual than she had seen before, but she loved the vibe. They had fun music pumping throughout the showroom and the atmosphere was upbeat, fun, and celebratory. They even covered her new car with a tarp, called everyone into a room, pulled off the tarp to show the new car and everyone cheered and congratulated her. It was perfect. She continued to go back for 2 years for service and would even buy accessories while she waited. Until her last visit…..

On her final visit, something had drastically changed. The cool black outfits were replaced with ill-fitted and wrinkled dress shirts. The fun music was replaced with bad yacht rock and a general atmosphere of dread. Nobody was smiling nor making eye contact. There was coffee spilled on a desktop and leftover pizza boxes from the night before were in the cube next to the split coffee.

Needless to say, it sounded horrible and she never went back. The dealership went through an ownership change and it clearly was a setback. Outside of the obvious mistakes above, what makes a long-term customer:

How to keep a long-term client

1)   Communicate: make sure you send meaningful communications. Not just pricing. Include product updates and service updates available to your clients.

2)   Be Honest: sometimes pricing doesn’t work or contract terms change. Stay ahead of miscommunication and let your client know where you are in the process and where they stand.

3)   Empathy: Remember important facts about your client's needs. Get a great CRM and keep notes.

4)   Reward: reward your clients with loyalty programs and incentives.

5)   Stay in Touch: remember birthdays, and anniversaries and provide important industry updates.