There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to find what you're looking for online - we have all been there. The same applies to our potential customers who are bouncing from site to site, trying to find their vehicle of choice. Where, in many cases, the customer knows more about the car than the dealer does (scary, right?). 

So what can we take away from this dilemma? For starters, we need to make sure that the information we provide online regarding inventory is correct. And while most - if not all - VINS decode automatically, it does not mean that that particular vehicle has those features. And we get it, the car has air conditioning - so why are we posting those "features" first? 

For example, there are many "widgets" or "plugins" offered today - that dealers use on their VDP's - that highlight specific features your vehicle may or may not have. The keyword is "may have." So when the customer is looking online, and the tool decodes the VIN and says that it has "x" feature (mostly pre-owned), and it does not - it causes an unnecessary breakpoint. Not to mention, when/if the customer calls into the Dealership, your team might not even be aware as to whether or not it has that feature or not. In which case, they have to go take photos, ask the manager who is in the middle of a TO, etc. 

To avoid this breakpoint, the used car sales managers must be in the loop with regards to what vehicles are in their inventory. More so, by taking no more than 20 or 30 minutes a day to review their used stock inventory, they can check the "highlighted" features on select units. Starting with non-OEM makes/models first. This way, if you notice that certain features are missing and/or there are listed features that are not applicable, you can easily remove them from the VDP. Remembering, less is more - highlight the "key" or "unique" features, and move onto the next! 

One of the other things your used car sales manager can do is provide the team with an up-to-date inventory list. We use a Google Sheet, so we can edit in real-time, and are not otherwise having to print out a book each morning. For those are unwilling to use the Google Sheet, they can easily print it out. The point is that if you are supplying your team - especially the BDC Agents - with facts/information about your vehicles, it makes it that much easier to work with a potential customer. 

Bottom Line: by providing the correct information on the site - along with your team having the right info - it offers the customer a much better experience. Versus your having to "check the lot," and take photos, and take the time to get with multiple managers, etc. all to answer whether or not it has "x" feature. The customer - on the other end - does not know how the process works, or that we have more than twelve units going through recon so you might not even know where the vehicle is, etc. 

How does your dealer avoid this breakpoint? Do you actively monitor or check your pre-owned inventory regarding its features? When is the last time you spot checked your "features" plugin for those that use one?