It is no secret that the way we communicate with our customers has drastically changed in the last four to five years. Texting has become one of the top ways to communicate with your customers. Yet most OEM's still fail to count texting as a touchpoint in the customer's general correspondence regarding OEM leads! Sadly, many still only count phone calls and emails as touch points in reporting! 

Despite trying to explain the value of texting - regardless of the OEM's short comings - most of us have still experienced a meeting with the GM or Owner. A meeting where we have to explain why our total touch average has slipped gradually over the last few years. Spending more time worrying about a report that does not add up versus what is getting results. 

Another concern with the current data models regarding touch points to sale is that, for the most part, do not include texting! So are the studies that continue to say that twelve touch points are the average even accurate? Does one text each way a touchpoint, or is a conversation in its entirety a touchpoint? Does that even matter? 

The answer is NO! Instead of focusing on touchpoint averages on traditional communication forms, we should be focusing on the end goal; that is selling the vehicle! 

One of the many great things about texting is that it enables you to continue the conversation right where you left off! The idea that you are not expected to sit there and anxiously wait for the customer to text you back. Knowing, too, that the customer still has a 98% chance of seeing that text you last sent them. And until they physically delete the text from their inbox, it will remain there as a constant reminder! This does not, however, mean that your dealer should not have texting policies - to remain compliant - either! There are also several best practices to follow, which is a whole other article (coming soon!).

Despite the success we are having with texting, as mentioned above, most OEM's are still stuck in the past! And they tend to reprieve themselves of offering solutions other than providing the obvious "contact your leads." Now more than ever, the OEM's have to provide a clear sense of direction, allowing the dealers who have and continue to evolve their dealerships the ability to do so without the OEM's prohibiting them by failing to count texting in their reports! 

Have You Ditched the Stale OEM Reporting in Favor of Results? If So, What Are Some of the Successes You Have Seen? 

Has Your OEM Counted Texting as A Touch Point in Your Overall Customer Correspondence?