DealerSocket CRM Product Overview

Product Snapshot

Why DealerSocket – The vendor’s top arguments to select them

1.  Automation: The CRM provides the ability to automate unique and targeted consumer messages, as well as automate e-mail and phone communications that can serve as employee reminders.                
2. Push Notifications (mobile & desktop): Receipt of web-leads, opened consumer e-mails, and dealership vehicle repricing are examples of system push notifications.                
3. Business Rule Functionality:  This feature provides employees with the ability to query and identify customers in CRM based on specific vehicle information, models of interest, and specific service information.             
4. Mobile Sales CRM: The platform offers full functionality of CRM on mobile devices. This allows for proactive customer communication from any location.         
5. Marketing Capabilities: Comprehensive marketing functionality offered through an email library of over 1,000 templates tested for high inbox placement.         

Product Highlights

Key Features of the DealerSocket CRM

• Start-to-finish mobile capabilities – Support of all core deal functionality through the mobile application
• Coaching reports with simple red/yellow/green scoring system helps improve employee efficiency    
• Successful marketing campaigns can be converted to CRM business rules to enhance process efficiency    
• Experienced support consultants dedicated to continuous improvement both with the CRM and dealership process development
• Service drive lane integration with optional vehicle equity component, highlights potential sales opportunities

CRM Functionality

Mobile

DealerSocket CRM offers managers and salespeople a fully functional and intuitive mobile application to execute day-to-day dealership CRM processes from anywhere via smartphone or tablet (all core CRM capabilities are available using the mobile application). 

To start the day, the salesperson’s mobile dashboard view offers a simple snapshot of their daily work plan. 

The initial interface allows for quick access to all of the mobile application’s functionality. Enter a shopper quickly with a driver’s license barcode scanner that imports contact information and photo into their contact card.  Without a driver’s license a salesperson can input a customer with first name, last name, and one form of communication.  Customized checklists allow salespeople to execute a consistent process. A salesperson can attach photos and videos to the customer file using the handheld's camera capability.

Whether a lead is sourced online, as a walk-in to the dealership, or at a neighborhood gathering, the salesperson is connected to dealership’s database and inventory without being tethered to a desktop.  The mobile application allows salespeople to access and customize communication templates and immediately trigger automated messaging based on business rules.

The system can activate default communications based on channel availability specific to contact information provided by the customer.  DealerSocket analyzes each process for its automation capability to eliminate the potential for human error.  If a customer opts-in to text, the salesperson can quickly begin a conversation within the CRM (while the dealership protects their customer database if the sales rep leaves).

The mobile platform is designed to make communication throughout the customer purchase cycle simple to initiate by the user and highly relevant to the customer.  A few specific examples of the CRM’s mobile capabilities:

• Real-time push notifications (available on both the mobile and desktop platforms) ping the salesperson when a customer interacts with dealership e-mail communication.  This dynamic interaction with the customer allows the sales person to respond in a timely manner and provide relevant information pertaining to the deal.

• A salesperson can send comparable inventory with an attached YouTube video.  The communication’s design never directs the customer away from the dealership to a YouTube feed.  While a video is being viewed, the shopper has access to the dealership with “one-click to contact” integrated in the space surrounding the video.

• If a customer is lost to competition, the salesperson is able to note the customer file and potentially send an invitation and coupon to their all-makes service department.  This practice is based in research that more interactions with the dealership substantially increase the likelihood of future vehicle purchase.

Along with the sales-friendly features, managers can access in-depth reports, view leads and daily activity, and analyze sales data via the mobile platform. 

All the mobile communication capabilities are also possible within the desktop version and accessible in real-time across platforms.

Desktop – Salesperson View

Key desktop features include; enhanced reporting capabilities, detailed insights, and broader customizable rules to manage accountability and drive behaviors in dealership staff.

The salesperson landing page or employee dashboard opens to a Rolodex business card view of all contacts.  When initially entering a customer, DealerSocket uses Authenticom for reverse phone and address lookup and verifies e-mail addresses via a server ping.

A secondary tab in the salesperson view organizes daily workflow.  Filters allow users to customize and sort their display based on a variety of functions.

In an effort to ensure system utilization and address a leading salesperson complaint about CRM systems DealerSocket designed a “duplicative tasks” workflow called “Smart Work Plan”. 

Example of a typical customer call progression within CRM:

My Work Plan: Today is Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Friday, August 13, 2015: Call Sally S.  (Incomplete)
Tuesday, August 18, 2015: Call Sally S.  (Incomplete)
Thursday, August 20, 2015: Call Sally S.  (To-do)

The “Smart Work Plan” solution adds an additional accountability factor.  When tasks pile up on a respective customer (like our example), all but the most recent are deleted and the incompletes are reported to management.

Desktop – Customer Experience

DealerSocket has responded to the automotive community’s increased focus on customer experience within the CRM tool.  The desktop platform includes core features for customer loyalty tracking and integrated online reputation management. 

Loyalty Tracking: The desktop view offers a snapshot of an individual’s history with the dealership: total sales, last purchase date, number of service ROs, average cost per RO, and more.  The dealership may define business rules outlining a silver, gold and platinum status and the benefits associated with the levels of lifetime value.  These features give the dealership a method to identify valued customers and distinguish them in a largely commoditized and price transparent retail environment.

Online reputation management: Within the CRM system, dealers can automate delivery of customer surveys.  Did the automation generate a positive response?  The system initiates a review request via the dealership’s social platform(s) of choice (i.e. Yelp, Google+, etc.).  Did the request generate a negative review?  The CRM user can flag that customer and craft an apology with a coupon or partial refund for the opportunity to make-good and regain the customer’s confidence and future business.

Desktop – Managers View

The desktop platform offers managers a graphic dashboard of dealership KPIs displayed in three key areas: prospect data, inventory activity, and salesperson rank by unit and gross.  From each dynamic graph, the GSM, Dealer Principle or GM can access any active customer record in two clicks. 

A managerial-level calendar view breaks down daily appointments by salesperson within variable operations and can flip to the same format for fixed ops providing a big-picture view of the service customers coming into the dealership for the given day.

Managers have access to helpful inventory and trade information within the CRM tool:

• Inventory Re-pricing with push notification to sales people with customers interested in the specific inventory
  • Vehicle specific
• Trade wish list functionality
  • Generate two deals from one customer inquiry based on previous customer appraised vehicles

Managers have the ability to share individual checkout reports with salespeople that outline key productivity metrics.  A simple red/yellow/green scoring system promotes accountability and identifies areas for improvement and continued training.

Marketing Capabilities

Reaching customers within DealerSocket’s CRM is made possible through automated communications based on detailed business rules.  The average DealerSocket CRM customer utilizes 125 unique business rules, while the largest dealerships apply over 400.  DealerSocket will provide new installations the top 25 to 50 best practice rules from across their user base and tailor these rules based on unique markets and dealership preferences.

Campaigns that are demonstrated as successful over a given period of time may be converted to an automated business rule for ease of execution.

A DealerSocket marketing principle is, “The DealerSocket difference focuses on creating automatic processes delivering the right message, to the right customer, at the right time, wherever they are in the sales lifecycle.”

The optional analytics offering supports decision making with valuable insights and comparisons based on competitive dealer sets.  Segmentation is available by dealership size, manufacturer, vehicle, geography and more.

As mentioned earlier DealerSocket has an integrated loyalty program.  Dealers have the ability to set status levels, parameters, rewards, and the associated communications with their elite customers.

Additional Product Offerings

Analytics:  Leverage DealerSocket user data to compare operations within your dealer group and/or across the nation by brand, region, and size.  The tool offers insights for managers on a macro level to ensure accountability for key performance metrics.

Desking:  Unlike many CRMs, Desking is not included within the core package.  The additional offering includes inventory comparisons, lease/finance/balloon comparisons, full push support to major DMS providers and the ability to attach a quote to the customer record for future reference.

Revenue Radar (Equity Mining Tool):  DealerSocket’s equity mining tool “drips” into the system, in other words, a user cannot be in the CRM without knowing a customer’s equity position.  There is an equity indication integrated throughout every customer record, every to-do, service write-up, etc.

Service CRM: Integrate your fixed ops business into your CRM tool with service reminders, service appointment management, and real-time service metrics.

MyDealerLot (MDL): RFID integration to notify the sales representative when the customer is on the lot.

Installation & Support

Pre-Installation Activities

Expect an approximately 30-day timeframe for DealerSocket CRM pre-installation.  The road to onsite installation begins within the first week of the relationship.  DealerSocket dedicates a team including a CRM and Data Specialist for a series of transition, data alignment, and platform building conference calls with key dealership personnel.  DealerSocket provides composite best practice KPI’s and processes from its installed base to guide discussions.

Running concurrently to the dealership process and setup discussions a full merge and cleanse of the dealerships DMS and CRM records is occurring.

Onsite Training

Once the system is tailored to support the key processes, business rules, and campaigns within the dealership, DealerSocket arranges four full days of onsite training and consulting, consisting of 2 to 4 representatives depending on store size and products purchased.  DealerSocket believes it maintains one of the highest caliber dealership consultant teams due to their demanding selection process.  DealerSocket boasts a 92% retention rate for CRM users.

Ongoing Support

After installation, the core support package gives dealers access to a dedicated consultant and a variety of ancillary tools to continue education and improve the use of the product.

• Phone Support: No charge 24 hour 1-800 DealerSocket Support Line
• DealerSocket University: Ongoing training with videos, quizzes and interactive web classes
• Monthly Web Consulting: Webinars with strategic reviews for managers to increase dealership efficiency and improve usage
• Quarterly Site Visits: Dedicated in-territory consultant spends one half-day in the store with managers and users to review monthly consulting calls and for hands-on re-training

Dealer-Driven Product Improvements

A key advantage of a dedicated consultant/liaison between the dealership and development team is the opportunity for dealer-driven product improvements.  The “What’s New?” tab in the desktop-view notifies users of system changes (enhancements are posted every three weeks) with accompanying written and video instructions for use.  Dealers are encouraged to provide comments and critiques within this space. 

Company Profile

• Type – Privately Held
• Size – 501-1000 employees (company wide)
• Founded – 2001
• Location – San Clemente, CA
• Number of Clients – 7500 dealerships nationwide (all DealerSocket products)

Additional Information

• 40 of Wards Auto Group Top 100 utilize DealerSocket CRM
• 4 of the nation’s top 10 dealer groups use DealerSocket CRM
• www.weareautomotive.com - real-time market statistics