Joe Webb Blog
Total Posts: 55
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Nov 11, 2010
A Vendor Scorecard
With advancements changing in the online marketplace daily, vendors must realize their products must change as well…just as quickly. Dealers won’t wait around forever as their vendor clients continue to sit on their hands. So here is my challenge to every vendor:
I want a Vendor Scorecard. I believe vendors should create a scoring system that allows all of their dealers to see, review, and vote on what advancements their teams should put into action. Not support issues (though a Vendor Scorecard could be beneficial for this as well), but an idea exchange where people on the ground can tell the people in the high-rises what their system NEEDS to be able to do. It could be a small password-protected community within your software that allows ALL dealers to post their product enhancement requests so that ALL other dealer clients can see. Make it available to your own loyal public. Each product enhancement request should be time-dated and stamped so we know just how long it takes the vendor to react. Not respond to… React. Fix. Change. Develop.
Then, take it to the next step, and allow every dealer client to VOTE on which product enhancements they most desire to see active sooner rather than later. You will create your own weighted scale as to which improvements to focus on completing. If you so desire, consider giving those few dealers that utilize your system to its fullest, are your oldest clients, or represent you in the online communities a heavier VOTE than others.
DrivingSales has taken one step by bringing Vendor Ratings into the forefront and asking the automotive retail professionals that peruse this site to vote on who and why they recommend the companies they’ve chosen. This has been a good way to help vendors gain exposure and allow dealer personnel to give feedback to their peers. When a vendor’s reputation is questioned on these sites, it is amazing how quickly they respond. They either scurry to cover up the negativity or do their due diligence to correct it before it damages their business.
The end goal here is to let your own community of clients that USE your product to IMPROVE your product. I think there is a progressive way to do this without risking a vendor’s reputation.
If you are a vendor reading this, please don’t hate me for saying it, but your product/solution/sites CAN improve. Not “will”, but “can”. You can enhance your offerings to dealers if you just listen closely to your current clients. As someone who helps dealers maximize their current providers’ solutions, I see far too many no-brainer enhancements that still are not being implemented. When I request a change from a vendor or give them (free) advice on how to better their offerings, I hear the same responses constantly. “We are working on it.” “I’ll pass it along.” “That is scheduled to be in our next release of enhancements 6 months from now.” What else do I hear? “I don’t understand.” THAT is the problem. You aren’t using the product the same way an Internet Sales Manager or Sales Manager uses it so you have your blinders up to the real needs of your software.
Dealers are asking themselves daily: “Where the heck do all of my product requests go?” “How many times do I have to suggest an improvement for it to go overlooked?” “When will this feature become available or active?” “Is anyone listening to what I want?”
I see no better way to get a vendor’s attention than making product enhancement requests a centerpiece to their customer service initiatives. Customers will finally be able to track their relationship with the vendors and hold them accountable if need be. Make them time-stamped suggestions with enough of your constituents voting for it and there will be no way a dealer can have a deaf ear. It is time more vendors listen to their clients first instead of listening to their own random ideas.
As I said, this is a CHALLENGE. The first vendor who decides to make the direction of their technology a democracy by creating a similar Vendor Scorecard available for all of their dealers wins my approval and another blog post dedicated to their innovative ways. Fair enough?
And if you need more questions or details on what it should look like, just reach out to me at joe@dealerknows.com - http://dealerknows.com - or - http://virtualdealertraining.com .
And if you need more questions or details on what it should look like, just reach out to me at joe@dealerknows.com - http://dealerknows.com - or - http://virtualdealertraining.com .
3788
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Nov 11, 2010
A Vendor Scorecard
With advancements changing in the online marketplace daily, vendors must realize their products must change as well…just as quickly. Dealers won’t wait around forever as their vendor clients continue to sit on their hands. So here is my challenge to every vendor:
I want a Vendor Scorecard. I believe vendors should create a scoring system that allows all of their dealers to see, review, and vote on what advancements their teams should put into action. Not support issues (though a Vendor Scorecard could be beneficial for this as well), but an idea exchange where people on the ground can tell the people in the high-rises what their system NEEDS to be able to do. It could be a small password-protected community within your software that allows ALL dealers to post their product enhancement requests so that ALL other dealer clients can see. Make it available to your own loyal public. Each product enhancement request should be time-dated and stamped so we know just how long it takes the vendor to react. Not respond to… React. Fix. Change. Develop.
Then, take it to the next step, and allow every dealer client to VOTE on which product enhancements they most desire to see active sooner rather than later. You will create your own weighted scale as to which improvements to focus on completing. If you so desire, consider giving those few dealers that utilize your system to its fullest, are your oldest clients, or represent you in the online communities a heavier VOTE than others.
DrivingSales has taken one step by bringing Vendor Ratings into the forefront and asking the automotive retail professionals that peruse this site to vote on who and why they recommend the companies they’ve chosen. This has been a good way to help vendors gain exposure and allow dealer personnel to give feedback to their peers. When a vendor’s reputation is questioned on these sites, it is amazing how quickly they respond. They either scurry to cover up the negativity or do their due diligence to correct it before it damages their business.
The end goal here is to let your own community of clients that USE your product to IMPROVE your product. I think there is a progressive way to do this without risking a vendor’s reputation.
If you are a vendor reading this, please don’t hate me for saying it, but your product/solution/sites CAN improve. Not “will”, but “can”. You can enhance your offerings to dealers if you just listen closely to your current clients. As someone who helps dealers maximize their current providers’ solutions, I see far too many no-brainer enhancements that still are not being implemented. When I request a change from a vendor or give them (free) advice on how to better their offerings, I hear the same responses constantly. “We are working on it.” “I’ll pass it along.” “That is scheduled to be in our next release of enhancements 6 months from now.” What else do I hear? “I don’t understand.” THAT is the problem. You aren’t using the product the same way an Internet Sales Manager or Sales Manager uses it so you have your blinders up to the real needs of your software.
Dealers are asking themselves daily: “Where the heck do all of my product requests go?” “How many times do I have to suggest an improvement for it to go overlooked?” “When will this feature become available or active?” “Is anyone listening to what I want?”
I see no better way to get a vendor’s attention than making product enhancement requests a centerpiece to their customer service initiatives. Customers will finally be able to track their relationship with the vendors and hold them accountable if need be. Make them time-stamped suggestions with enough of your constituents voting for it and there will be no way a dealer can have a deaf ear. It is time more vendors listen to their clients first instead of listening to their own random ideas.
As I said, this is a CHALLENGE. The first vendor who decides to make the direction of their technology a democracy by creating a similar Vendor Scorecard available for all of their dealers wins my approval and another blog post dedicated to their innovative ways. Fair enough?
And if you need more questions or details on what it should look like, just reach out to me at joe@dealerknows.com - http://dealerknows.com - or - http://virtualdealertraining.com .
And if you need more questions or details on what it should look like, just reach out to me at joe@dealerknows.com - http://dealerknows.com - or - http://virtualdealertraining.com .
3788
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Oct 10, 2010
The Push and Shove Proposition - by Joe Webb
Just how much can a dealer and their team be pushed into the digital age? Just how far can a dedicated Internet Sales Manager push the dealer ownership into an internet culture? Just how fast can a trainer push the dealership’s online efforts? Just how quickly can a dealer demand old dogs to perform new tricks? Total buy-in is hard to come by, worth its weight in gold, and tremendously hard to achieve. Still today, opposition lurks around every corner.
This is the quintessential problem facing ISMs, facing trainers… and facing dealerships. Many know where their dealership should be, but are far too reluctant to cause an upheaval in the way the showroom and service department operates. No one wants a mutiny on their hands. So how hard should we push?
While visiting a new dealer client of mine, I found that the entire showroom still utilizes an up sheet to log their customers. (I use the word “utilize” amazingly loose here). The owner backs this strategy as they don’t even use a computer themselves. Worse off, only the customers that were sold were ever logged on the up sheet. “Phone ups taken are NOT to be logged on the sheet” said management. “Too confusing.”) To that, I say “WHAAAAAAT?” Their store is achieving strong numbers (I can only assume by sheer luck, will, and determination), so I wonder if it is right to force a CRM upon them if it possible the sales staff and ownership would never enforce its use?
Top-down support can be successful, but even a direct initiative from the top (or from a trainer) cannot guarantee total buy-in. Could the expense of a CRM cause more damage than good? Obviously, as a trainer, I believe if I impose my will, I can get the culture of the store to change for the better. But am I wrong to PUSH for it? Would an ISM bringing in a new technology be able to have the same push? If not… if it is for the good of the store… when would it be right to go from push to shove?
These are the types of questions many dealers, ISMs, and trainers ask. Obviously, I believe a CRM is one of the most useful tools that could EVER be employed at a dealership, but when pushing for something becomes shoving, it may be best to focus training efforts on those changes we can control. Is it just enough to have an ILM for the Internet and BDC team?
Should merchandising, pricing strategies, soc med, lead management, sales training, and phone skills be our focus until the salespeople and management switch sides in the game of dealership tug of war? Must we always wait until we have a team pulling with us? Sure, once the dealer and upper management help the push and majority rules, it is an easier change to make.
As a trainer/consultant, it is my duty to suggest (and push for) what is best for my dealership clients… even if they don’t know what is best for them. It is like forcing a child to eat their vegetables. It helps them grow no matter how much they hate the taste. Not all dealers are growing. Some are happy where they are, but still seek help from others just because they don’t know. When basic, real-world data is not enough of a driving force to make a switch, logical thinking gets you nowhere, and potential growth is disregarded because the fear the unknown, a Shove strategy must be utilized. Times like these call for the push and shove proposition.
2681
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Oct 10, 2010
The Push and Shove Proposition - by Joe Webb
Just how much can a dealer and their team be pushed into the digital age? Just how far can a dedicated Internet Sales Manager push the dealer ownership into an internet culture? Just how fast can a trainer push the dealership’s online efforts? Just how quickly can a dealer demand old dogs to perform new tricks? Total buy-in is hard to come by, worth its weight in gold, and tremendously hard to achieve. Still today, opposition lurks around every corner.
This is the quintessential problem facing ISMs, facing trainers… and facing dealerships. Many know where their dealership should be, but are far too reluctant to cause an upheaval in the way the showroom and service department operates. No one wants a mutiny on their hands. So how hard should we push?
While visiting a new dealer client of mine, I found that the entire showroom still utilizes an up sheet to log their customers. (I use the word “utilize” amazingly loose here). The owner backs this strategy as they don’t even use a computer themselves. Worse off, only the customers that were sold were ever logged on the up sheet. “Phone ups taken are NOT to be logged on the sheet” said management. “Too confusing.”) To that, I say “WHAAAAAAT?” Their store is achieving strong numbers (I can only assume by sheer luck, will, and determination), so I wonder if it is right to force a CRM upon them if it possible the sales staff and ownership would never enforce its use?
Top-down support can be successful, but even a direct initiative from the top (or from a trainer) cannot guarantee total buy-in. Could the expense of a CRM cause more damage than good? Obviously, as a trainer, I believe if I impose my will, I can get the culture of the store to change for the better. But am I wrong to PUSH for it? Would an ISM bringing in a new technology be able to have the same push? If not… if it is for the good of the store… when would it be right to go from push to shove?
These are the types of questions many dealers, ISMs, and trainers ask. Obviously, I believe a CRM is one of the most useful tools that could EVER be employed at a dealership, but when pushing for something becomes shoving, it may be best to focus training efforts on those changes we can control. Is it just enough to have an ILM for the Internet and BDC team?
Should merchandising, pricing strategies, soc med, lead management, sales training, and phone skills be our focus until the salespeople and management switch sides in the game of dealership tug of war? Must we always wait until we have a team pulling with us? Sure, once the dealer and upper management help the push and majority rules, it is an easier change to make.
As a trainer/consultant, it is my duty to suggest (and push for) what is best for my dealership clients… even if they don’t know what is best for them. It is like forcing a child to eat their vegetables. It helps them grow no matter how much they hate the taste. Not all dealers are growing. Some are happy where they are, but still seek help from others just because they don’t know. When basic, real-world data is not enough of a driving force to make a switch, logical thinking gets you nowhere, and potential growth is disregarded because the fear the unknown, a Shove strategy must be utilized. Times like these call for the push and shove proposition.
2681
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Sep 9, 2010
Your DSES Homework Assignment
The 2nd annual DrivingSales Executive Summit is rapidly approaching and Jared Hamilton and Charlie Vogelhiem has assembled a rock n’ roll cast to open our minds to the changing efficiencies of digital marketing for dealers. As it is with all conferences, there is no reason to go if you are just going to hobnob. Last year’s event was a marvel in quick, big picture discussions, engaging roundtables and motivational learning.
Some of the valuable memories from last year’s event was the SEO panel with Brian Pasch, JD Rucker, and Paul Rushing as they detailed out the impending trends that will (and have) taken place on the front of Search Engine Optimization. Skip Streets broke out some eye-opening data about the internet shopper’s lifecycle as a buyer. Dennis Galbraith discussed dealer operations and marketing strategies (and reminded us that any good closer has a beautiful wife by his side). Will Travis discussed the power of a changing media environment and Aaron Strout targeted specific movement in the social media realm.
As you can see, I took my notes at the event, but I came prepared. Here is your Homework Assignment to ready yourself for the deluge of intensive information you’ll get from the 2nd DrivingSales Executive Summit.
Let’s focus on the Speakers:
Scott “the Full” Monty from Ford Motor Company and creator of The Social Media Marketing Blog is going to detail how Ford has stayed ahead of its competitors with their top-tier uses of social media.
Question #1:
Scott “the Full” Monty from Ford Motor Company and creator of The Social Media Marketing Blog is going to detail how Ford has stayed ahead of its competitors with their top-tier uses of social media.
Question #1:
Scott Monty coined the Oxford Dictionary of English-accepted term
- Herewitherto
- Tweetup
- Social Mediarrhea
- Flaced (the act of having your Facebook page stolen)
Another amazing speaker at the event is Jeremiah Owyang of the Altimeter Group. A master in web strategy, his blog Web Strategy, is read by 70,000 unique visitors a month. Mr. Owyang is going to be detailing the organizational shift dealers must make because of the current online trends of the world.
Question #2:
Jeremiah "not Amish regardless of first name" Owyang was famously quoted...
- “God punishes those who attempt to defy me”
- “Social media ain’t nothing’ but a thang.”
- “What’s the one thing brands, gangs, and dogs all have in common? They all mark their territory.”
- “My pillow has a heartbeat.”
The venerable Dale Pollak of vAuto will be speaking on his favorite topic of presenting your inventory specifically based on the market demand and the cultural mindset that must be abandoned to move forward with your pricing strategies.
Question #3:
Dale Pollak made headlines this past month after it was announced he
- Sold vAuto to AutoTrader
- Spoke only 18 times at conferences and 20 Groups instead of his usual 25 times a month
- Defeated his sensei in battle to become an official 8th degree Hachidan black belt in Kenpo martial arts
- Bought a sweater.
Eric Miltsch, Internet Director for Auction Direct USA – a used car superstore – will be discussing the many uses of location-based, mobile technologies and how dealers can drive visitors and brand awareness using these and similar social media tactics.
Question #4:
Eric recently launched his very own iPhone app titled…
- Eff / Marry / Kill
- Contagious?
- CarZar
- NachoDaddy
NY Times Best-Selling Author and Sales Trainer, Grant Cardone, is a last minute addition to the DrivingSales Executive Summit agenda. Grant will be discussing how technology is changing the sales field and talk about the fundamental skills needed to move forward.
Question #5:
After headlining the Innovative Dealer Summit in Denver last month, Grant Cardone and yours truly, Joe Webb, battled in an intense billiards tournament with (fellow DSES speaker) Brian Pasch of PCG Consulting Group and Brock Allen. Who lost the billiards tournament?
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
Once again, I, along with many of my peers (and friends that I don’t consider peers) will be in attendance at the DrivingSales Executive Summit and I am looking to take away some more great information. For you to do the same, make sure to familiarize yourself with these speakers and take this homework assignment. If you honestly can’t answer any of these questions above – you don’t just need to register and attend, but likely visit the hospital for an MRI because you were probably dropped on the head as a baby.
2377
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Sep 9, 2010
Your DSES Homework Assignment
The 2nd annual DrivingSales Executive Summit is rapidly approaching and Jared Hamilton and Charlie Vogelhiem has assembled a rock n’ roll cast to open our minds to the changing efficiencies of digital marketing for dealers. As it is with all conferences, there is no reason to go if you are just going to hobnob. Last year’s event was a marvel in quick, big picture discussions, engaging roundtables and motivational learning.
Some of the valuable memories from last year’s event was the SEO panel with Brian Pasch, JD Rucker, and Paul Rushing as they detailed out the impending trends that will (and have) taken place on the front of Search Engine Optimization. Skip Streets broke out some eye-opening data about the internet shopper’s lifecycle as a buyer. Dennis Galbraith discussed dealer operations and marketing strategies (and reminded us that any good closer has a beautiful wife by his side). Will Travis discussed the power of a changing media environment and Aaron Strout targeted specific movement in the social media realm.
As you can see, I took my notes at the event, but I came prepared. Here is your Homework Assignment to ready yourself for the deluge of intensive information you’ll get from the 2nd DrivingSales Executive Summit.
Let’s focus on the Speakers:
Scott “the Full” Monty from Ford Motor Company and creator of The Social Media Marketing Blog is going to detail how Ford has stayed ahead of its competitors with their top-tier uses of social media.
Question #1:
Scott “the Full” Monty from Ford Motor Company and creator of The Social Media Marketing Blog is going to detail how Ford has stayed ahead of its competitors with their top-tier uses of social media.
Question #1:
Scott Monty coined the Oxford Dictionary of English-accepted term
- Herewitherto
- Tweetup
- Social Mediarrhea
- Flaced (the act of having your Facebook page stolen)
Another amazing speaker at the event is Jeremiah Owyang of the Altimeter Group. A master in web strategy, his blog Web Strategy, is read by 70,000 unique visitors a month. Mr. Owyang is going to be detailing the organizational shift dealers must make because of the current online trends of the world.
Question #2:
Jeremiah "not Amish regardless of first name" Owyang was famously quoted...
- “God punishes those who attempt to defy me”
- “Social media ain’t nothing’ but a thang.”
- “What’s the one thing brands, gangs, and dogs all have in common? They all mark their territory.”
- “My pillow has a heartbeat.”
The venerable Dale Pollak of vAuto will be speaking on his favorite topic of presenting your inventory specifically based on the market demand and the cultural mindset that must be abandoned to move forward with your pricing strategies.
Question #3:
Dale Pollak made headlines this past month after it was announced he
- Sold vAuto to AutoTrader
- Spoke only 18 times at conferences and 20 Groups instead of his usual 25 times a month
- Defeated his sensei in battle to become an official 8th degree Hachidan black belt in Kenpo martial arts
- Bought a sweater.
Eric Miltsch, Internet Director for Auction Direct USA – a used car superstore – will be discussing the many uses of location-based, mobile technologies and how dealers can drive visitors and brand awareness using these and similar social media tactics.
Question #4:
Eric recently launched his very own iPhone app titled…
- Eff / Marry / Kill
- Contagious?
- CarZar
- NachoDaddy
NY Times Best-Selling Author and Sales Trainer, Grant Cardone, is a last minute addition to the DrivingSales Executive Summit agenda. Grant will be discussing how technology is changing the sales field and talk about the fundamental skills needed to move forward.
Question #5:
After headlining the Innovative Dealer Summit in Denver last month, Grant Cardone and yours truly, Joe Webb, battled in an intense billiards tournament with (fellow DSES speaker) Brian Pasch of PCG Consulting Group and Brock Allen. Who lost the billiards tournament?
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
- Brian Pasch and Brock Allen
Once again, I, along with many of my peers (and friends that I don’t consider peers) will be in attendance at the DrivingSales Executive Summit and I am looking to take away some more great information. For you to do the same, make sure to familiarize yourself with these speakers and take this homework assignment. If you honestly can’t answer any of these questions above – you don’t just need to register and attend, but likely visit the hospital for an MRI because you were probably dropped on the head as a baby.
2377
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Aug 8, 2010
Overthinking It
Setting the Insane Parameters for a Legitimate BDC/Internet Sale
While on-site training at a dealership recently, the dealer and I put into place a new pay plan for their BDC team. However, he had a concern that the BDC team would reach new heights in their bonus levels by taking credit for sales that they didn’t put enough work into to deserve. Reasonable enough concern.
My answer was that they simply needed to be spot checked by a manager to keep them honest. Unfortunately, this answer was not good enough and I was asked to detail the very specific parameters that count for a BDC/Internet sale. Since I myself have managed leads and handled internet sales myself, I know the time that is put into bringing a customer in from prospect to appointment show. I understand not all customers set appointments. As I started putting the rules in place, I realized that I was overthinking it. However, if it has to be written and defined, I didn’t want to leave anything out.
Allow me to first state my professional opinion that what can count as a sale for BDC members is subjective. You should indeed review and spot check each and every sale the BDC team turns in, but this can be time-consuming so it is best if it is handled by their own department manager. You hired the person and put them in charge so allow them to use their best judgment to decide what is “significant involvement” and if it warrants a sale. Regarding “significant involvement” being a legitimate reason to count a sale, we have to recognize that 40% or so of all customers in contact with a dealership will not set a specific appointment, but will use the data they acquired to still negotiate and purchase from the dealership they were best handled by. That is why I believe there IS a value for continued, true, live contact and information exchanged with a customer.
If you do attempt to put a specific framework around what is deemed a sale or appointment, here are a few potential “requirements” to look for that could, in each instance, warrant counting the sale.
1) Inbound call was handled and an appointment was set. Customer arrives for appointment and purchases the vehicle.
a) If customer purchases the vehicle within a 48 hour window around the appointment time, after it was set – if post appt. time, follow up call for missed appointment must have been made by BDC team member, but contact on the follow up call is not necessary.
b) Customer arrives for appointment set by BDC agent, doesn’t purchase, but significant notes are put in by the BDC agent after hearing the outcome from manager/salesperson, and the salesperson OR BDC agent follows up with customer enough to bring them back in (within 10 days time) and then the customer purchases.
a) If customer purchases the vehicle within a 48 hour window around the appointment time, after it was set – if post appt. time, follow up call for missed appointment must have been made by BDC team member, but contact on the follow up call is not necessary.
b) Customer arrives for appointment set by BDC agent, doesn’t purchase, but significant notes are put in by the BDC agent after hearing the outcome from manager/salesperson, and the salesperson OR BDC agent follows up with customer enough to bring them back in (within 10 days time) and then the customer purchases.
2) Inbound call was handled, customer asks for information not privy to BDC team (pricing for instance), BDC logs all customer information with detailed notes, and hands it off to sales manager. Provided manager sets appointment with customer, and BDC agent updates the customer profile (adding notes) and stipulates information regarding appointment or potential appointment. Provided the customer purchases under the same 48 hour window detailed in section #1, and makes an appointment confirmation call, then that can be viewed as “significant imvolvement”.
a) a) A call must have been made to the manager both after the first contact with customer and after the manager has spoken to the customer. Notes must be made on each occasion.
3) For unsold walk-in customer sale, follow up call must be made a pre-determined time in action plan, appointment must be made by BDC agent, notes put in system, and manager alerted. If customer comes in for a be-back within 48 hours around the time of the set appointment, a sale is warranted.
4) For unsold walk-in customer/internet sale, if a customer leaves the dealership unsold, gets online and submits a lead, you follow the pre-determined follow-up process in the CRM, sending out the proper e-templates as specified, make live contact by phone and set the appointment (and they purchase within 48 hours of appointment), then it is a BDC sale.
a) All dialog must be documented with customer and an advance search must be performed to ensure it wasn’t another BDC agents customer.
a) All dialog must be documented with customer and an advance search must be performed to ensure it wasn’t another BDC agents customer.
5) For phone customer, initial contact must be documented and noted in CRM when customer is logged. If contact is consistently made with customers at scheduled times, provided detailed notes are made and information is exchanged, it will be a sale if the customer purchases within 48 hours from last live contact with BDC agent and customer. (There IS a value for continued true contact and information exchange with a customer).
6) Internet lead is answered by the BDC agent and the correct, price-matrix e-templates are sent to the customer at the pre-determined time by the action plan. If the customer engages the BDC Agent back with either
a) information/implication that they will be stopping (via email or phone) and its logged in the notes
b) additional questions that the BDC Agent does their due diligence in answering to the best of their ability and there is a modicum of back and forth question answering (even by email) – and call attempts have been made or offered to customers trying to lure them in then it is a sale provided -
c) They set the appointment with the customer and the customer comes in within a 72 hour window from last email contact (or appointment scheduled) and purchases within two weeks after visit provided detailed notes of the salesperson and BDC agents involvement after the initial visit or a sale is made on initial visit – or -
d) The customer arrives without an appointment, but every step of the action plan with all e-templates are being sent at the pre-described time with all the information at their disposal and there Is a back-and-forth question answering (via phone or email) that could legitimately have value for a customer and the customer stops in within 72 hours from last phone call attempt or email sent.
a) information/implication that they will be stopping (via email or phone) and its logged in the notes
b) additional questions that the BDC Agent does their due diligence in answering to the best of their ability and there is a modicum of back and forth question answering (even by email) – and call attempts have been made or offered to customers trying to lure them in then it is a sale provided -
c) They set the appointment with the customer and the customer comes in within a 72 hour window from last email contact (or appointment scheduled) and purchases within two weeks after visit provided detailed notes of the salesperson and BDC agents involvement after the initial visit or a sale is made on initial visit – or -
d) The customer arrives without an appointment, but every step of the action plan with all e-templates are being sent at the pre-described time with all the information at their disposal and there Is a back-and-forth question answering (via phone or email) that could legitimately have value for a customer and the customer stops in within 72 hours from last phone call attempt or email sent.
Caveat: The only way to get credit for a Phone Up sale or an Internet Lead sale is to follow the action plan set in the CRM, sending out all templates designated on the day they are to be sent out, filling in any information required of said template, all calls are being made/attempted to customers (or connected with customers), and detailed notes are logged in the system defining your work to bring the customer in and/or the customer’s expectations/motives are documented. In other words, MAKE THE CALLS ON TIME, DO YOUR BEST TO LEAVE OR SEND VALUABLE INFORMATION, SEND THE e-Templates ON TIME FILLING IN NECESSARY FIELDS IN SAID TEMPLATES, and follow the complete time-line. Then meet one of the “requirements” listed as 1-6 above and you earn the sale.
As you can see how complicated this is, and I still cannot be 100% certain this is absolutely correct, and I’m not missing anything, I still suggest every sale, if it will be reviewed by Manager anyway, should be taken on a case by case basis to determine its validity.
I’d love to hear your opinion about this over-thought concept. And PLEASE let me know if I’m missing anything on this list.
Joe Webb
President
DealerKnows Consulting
President
DealerKnows Consulting
5714
No Comments
JW
DealerKnows Consulting
Aug 8, 2010
Overthinking It
Setting the Insane Parameters for a Legitimate BDC/Internet Sale
While on-site training at a dealership recently, the dealer and I put into place a new pay plan for their BDC team. However, he had a concern that the BDC team would reach new heights in their bonus levels by taking credit for sales that they didn’t put enough work into to deserve. Reasonable enough concern.
My answer was that they simply needed to be spot checked by a manager to keep them honest. Unfortunately, this answer was not good enough and I was asked to detail the very specific parameters that count for a BDC/Internet sale. Since I myself have managed leads and handled internet sales myself, I know the time that is put into bringing a customer in from prospect to appointment show. I understand not all customers set appointments. As I started putting the rules in place, I realized that I was overthinking it. However, if it has to be written and defined, I didn’t want to leave anything out.
Allow me to first state my professional opinion that what can count as a sale for BDC members is subjective. You should indeed review and spot check each and every sale the BDC team turns in, but this can be time-consuming so it is best if it is handled by their own department manager. You hired the person and put them in charge so allow them to use their best judgment to decide what is “significant involvement” and if it warrants a sale. Regarding “significant involvement” being a legitimate reason to count a sale, we have to recognize that 40% or so of all customers in contact with a dealership will not set a specific appointment, but will use the data they acquired to still negotiate and purchase from the dealership they were best handled by. That is why I believe there IS a value for continued, true, live contact and information exchanged with a customer.
If you do attempt to put a specific framework around what is deemed a sale or appointment, here are a few potential “requirements” to look for that could, in each instance, warrant counting the sale.
1) Inbound call was handled and an appointment was set. Customer arrives for appointment and purchases the vehicle.
a) If customer purchases the vehicle within a 48 hour window around the appointment time, after it was set – if post appt. time, follow up call for missed appointment must have been made by BDC team member, but contact on the follow up call is not necessary.
b) Customer arrives for appointment set by BDC agent, doesn’t purchase, but significant notes are put in by the BDC agent after hearing the outcome from manager/salesperson, and the salesperson OR BDC agent follows up with customer enough to bring them back in (within 10 days time) and then the customer purchases.
a) If customer purchases the vehicle within a 48 hour window around the appointment time, after it was set – if post appt. time, follow up call for missed appointment must have been made by BDC team member, but contact on the follow up call is not necessary.
b) Customer arrives for appointment set by BDC agent, doesn’t purchase, but significant notes are put in by the BDC agent after hearing the outcome from manager/salesperson, and the salesperson OR BDC agent follows up with customer enough to bring them back in (within 10 days time) and then the customer purchases.
2) Inbound call was handled, customer asks for information not privy to BDC team (pricing for instance), BDC logs all customer information with detailed notes, and hands it off to sales manager. Provided manager sets appointment with customer, and BDC agent updates the customer profile (adding notes) and stipulates information regarding appointment or potential appointment. Provided the customer purchases under the same 48 hour window detailed in section #1, and makes an appointment confirmation call, then that can be viewed as “significant imvolvement”.
a) a) A call must have been made to the manager both after the first contact with customer and after the manager has spoken to the customer. Notes must be made on each occasion.
3) For unsold walk-in customer sale, follow up call must be made a pre-determined time in action plan, appointment must be made by BDC agent, notes put in system, and manager alerted. If customer comes in for a be-back within 48 hours around the time of the set appointment, a sale is warranted.
4) For unsold walk-in customer/internet sale, if a customer leaves the dealership unsold, gets online and submits a lead, you follow the pre-determined follow-up process in the CRM, sending out the proper e-templates as specified, make live contact by phone and set the appointment (and they purchase within 48 hours of appointment), then it is a BDC sale.
a) All dialog must be documented with customer and an advance search must be performed to ensure it wasn’t another BDC agents customer.
a) All dialog must be documented with customer and an advance search must be performed to ensure it wasn’t another BDC agents customer.
5) For phone customer, initial contact must be documented and noted in CRM when customer is logged. If contact is consistently made with customers at scheduled times, provided detailed notes are made and information is exchanged, it will be a sale if the customer purchases within 48 hours from last live contact with BDC agent and customer. (There IS a value for continued true contact and information exchange with a customer).
6) Internet lead is answered by the BDC agent and the correct, price-matrix e-templates are sent to the customer at the pre-determined time by the action plan. If the customer engages the BDC Agent back with either
a) information/implication that they will be stopping (via email or phone) and its logged in the notes
b) additional questions that the BDC Agent does their due diligence in answering to the best of their ability and there is a modicum of back and forth question answering (even by email) – and call attempts have been made or offered to customers trying to lure them in then it is a sale provided -
c) They set the appointment with the customer and the customer comes in within a 72 hour window from last email contact (or appointment scheduled) and purchases within two weeks after visit provided detailed notes of the salesperson and BDC agents involvement after the initial visit or a sale is made on initial visit – or -
d) The customer arrives without an appointment, but every step of the action plan with all e-templates are being sent at the pre-described time with all the information at their disposal and there Is a back-and-forth question answering (via phone or email) that could legitimately have value for a customer and the customer stops in within 72 hours from last phone call attempt or email sent.
a) information/implication that they will be stopping (via email or phone) and its logged in the notes
b) additional questions that the BDC Agent does their due diligence in answering to the best of their ability and there is a modicum of back and forth question answering (even by email) – and call attempts have been made or offered to customers trying to lure them in then it is a sale provided -
c) They set the appointment with the customer and the customer comes in within a 72 hour window from last email contact (or appointment scheduled) and purchases within two weeks after visit provided detailed notes of the salesperson and BDC agents involvement after the initial visit or a sale is made on initial visit – or -
d) The customer arrives without an appointment, but every step of the action plan with all e-templates are being sent at the pre-described time with all the information at their disposal and there Is a back-and-forth question answering (via phone or email) that could legitimately have value for a customer and the customer stops in within 72 hours from last phone call attempt or email sent.
Caveat: The only way to get credit for a Phone Up sale or an Internet Lead sale is to follow the action plan set in the CRM, sending out all templates designated on the day they are to be sent out, filling in any information required of said template, all calls are being made/attempted to customers (or connected with customers), and detailed notes are logged in the system defining your work to bring the customer in and/or the customer’s expectations/motives are documented. In other words, MAKE THE CALLS ON TIME, DO YOUR BEST TO LEAVE OR SEND VALUABLE INFORMATION, SEND THE e-Templates ON TIME FILLING IN NECESSARY FIELDS IN SAID TEMPLATES, and follow the complete time-line. Then meet one of the “requirements” listed as 1-6 above and you earn the sale.
As you can see how complicated this is, and I still cannot be 100% certain this is absolutely correct, and I’m not missing anything, I still suggest every sale, if it will be reviewed by Manager anyway, should be taken on a case by case basis to determine its validity.
I’d love to hear your opinion about this over-thought concept. And PLEASE let me know if I’m missing anything on this list.
Joe Webb
President
DealerKnows Consulting
President
DealerKnows Consulting
5714
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