Traffic is everything—traffic is ALL. And I don’t mean traffic to your site, or any digital referrals at all. And I don’t mean phone calls, either.

I mean floor traffic:  folks that drove over, parked, and entered your showroom to consider buying a car from YOU.

THAT is Traffic. And it is EVERYTHING.  Prospects visit, and you sell them a car. If they don’t visit, all the other things you do mean NOTHING.

Yeah, that’s old school. Before OEM's CSI, before online reputation, before SEO, before PPC, before CPM, before websites, before phone training, before Internet leads. Back when you papered the tower with the ads from the newspaper.  Remember what you worried about?

It was Floor Traffic.

And it is STILL Traffic. Throw out any consultant or trainer or company or entity that argues it is anything else. Why?

All dealerships spend effort on CSI, and money and effort on other things like online reputation, SEO, PPC, CPM, websites, cable TV, radio, print, direct mail, email, appointment-setting, and so on—all in order to GENERATE TRAFFIC TO THE STORE.

However, the way some people talk and advise in our business, you’d think all of that is done for some other reason. Like we do these things for some lofty goal, some point of artistic beauty. 

Baloney.  Guess what? We do these things ONLY TO GET TRAFFIC, PERIOD.

Don’t agree? Ask any successful GM or owner if they had to choose only ONE thing to spend money on this month, which would it be: a) train their staff, or b) pay to generate more traffic.

The answer will be TRAFFIC. And don’t split a hair in your own answer—we’re not talking “well, we’ve got to train in order to HANDLE the traffic.”  That’s not the point.

And how do you handle and track all this traffic?  CRM.  However, the worst feature of every CRM out there is the lack of CRM use by the dealership.

Well, you can bury every problem on the floor with good sales from great traffic.  Even that one.

However, a great dealership will generate and marry great traffic with great use of CRM by great, trained sales staff. No doubt. And have great sales and make lots of money.

A good dealership will generate great traffic and let the salespeople and managers sort it out. And haphazardly use the CRM. And still make money.

A poor dealership will spend no money to generate traffic and also no money on training the salespeople. And pay no attention to the CRM. And make little money.

So choose to be a great dealership!  Because it is, and has always been, all about:

Traffic. Traffic. Traffic.

By Keith Shetterly
Vice President of Research, CAR-Research
281-229-5887 cell/text keiths@carxrm.com   www.carxrm.com
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved

The Truth About Your Data almost always begins with contracts.  

I know that dealers are often unaware of the full content and ramifications of vendor and services contracts, and that's why the vendor's sales people make a visit and explain the service delivered by the contract.  To sell you on the value.  And the dealer applies his or her trust of the vendor, weighs the value of the vendor's service, and when he or she buys then makes that decision believing the description matches the service.  

The problem can come for the dealer when, in the contract, as I put it, "The Large Print Giveth and The Fine Print Taketh Away".  And that can happen with your data, where it goes, and to what purposes it is put.

For example, your vehicle inventory can be syndicated to whatever additional partner websites you allowed in your contracts with any vendor handling your inventory information--and you often don't know who those sites are!  Or how they represent you.  Or that this is even happening.  Why?  Well, contractually worded, that list of "extra" sites can simply be left to the discretion of the first inventory-using vendor with whom you contracted (though you may be able to find out what it is if you ask them--that is, if you KNOW to ask).  And this inventory syndication can happen (but does not always, be sure to check) under contracts from your website provider, your inventory management company, your merchandising and advertising company, your CRM company, and perhaps even your OEM.  Anyone can ask for this contractually.  And sometimes they syndicate to someone else who further syndicates the inventory!!

Specifically, a lot of discussion is happening about CarGurus.com as one of the sites to which some vendors syndicate.  Or further syndicate.  And some folks think CarGurus.com is good for dealers to get leads from folks who don't necessarily like dealers, since those folks buy cars, too.  And some seem to think CarGurus.com is a dealer-bashing website that deserves no support by dealers no matter what leads it generates.

And, as a dealer, I'm sure you'd agree that is your decision to make.  If this or ANY service by any vendor is right for dealers, the vendor's salespeople should be able to convince dealers, right?  Except, it appears that too often the syndication is done by what the contract allows rather than what you might decide if you were asked.  Well, why do vendors syndicate?  To help you with more online exposure of your inventory, the vendors can say, which sounds like a good thing, right?  And it certainly can be.  However, as well, capitalism is great, so understand that some of the vendors are also re-tasking your inventory in manners to boost their OWN profits (lead generation, trade-off partnerships, relationships, etc. can come into play).

If this syndication can help everyone, including the dealers, is any or all of this bad?  That's up to you. Now that you know about it, you can learn more by investigating and then decide for yourself what is good or bad, and what you do and don't want done with your data.  Which is my very point to begin with, that vendors who want to use your data for their business profit should "man up" (or "woman up", as the case may be) and simply explain to you how it benefits you.  And let you decide.

I'm not bashing anyone or any vendor.  I'm just saying that you have every right to review your contracts and ask these questions.  And a responsibility to do so.  I know that, when I worked at a dealer, that's what I did, so I know it can be done.

Contracts that include access to, and use of, your data:  Inform yourself about them.  And take action as you see fit.

And that's The Truth About Your Data:  YOU are in control.  Just step up and make it so!

by Keith Shetterly
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved
www.keithshetterly.com
Opinions and viewpoints expressed on this blog are my own.

The Truth About Your Data almost always begins with contracts.  

I know that dealers are often unaware of the full content and ramifications of vendor and services contracts, and that's why the vendor's sales people make a visit and explain the service delivered by the contract.  To sell you on the value.  And the dealer applies his or her trust of the vendor, weighs the value of the vendor's service, and when he or she buys then makes that decision believing the description matches the service.  

The problem can come for the dealer when, in the contract, as I put it, "The Large Print Giveth and The Fine Print Taketh Away".  And that can happen with your data, where it goes, and to what purposes it is put.

For example, your vehicle inventory can be syndicated to whatever additional partner websites you allowed in your contracts with any vendor handling your inventory information--and you often don't know who those sites are!  Or how they represent you.  Or that this is even happening.  Why?  Well, contractually worded, that list of "extra" sites can simply be left to the discretion of the first inventory-using vendor with whom you contracted (though you may be able to find out what it is if you ask them--that is, if you KNOW to ask).  And this inventory syndication can happen (but does not always, be sure to check) under contracts from your website provider, your inventory management company, your merchandising and advertising company, your CRM company, and perhaps even your OEM.  Anyone can ask for this contractually.  And sometimes they syndicate to someone else who further syndicates the inventory!!

Specifically, a lot of discussion is happening about CarGurus.com as one of the sites to which some vendors syndicate.  Or further syndicate.  And some folks think CarGurus.com is good for dealers to get leads from folks who don't necessarily like dealers, since those folks buy cars, too.  And some seem to think CarGurus.com is a dealer-bashing website that deserves no support by dealers no matter what leads it generates.

And, as a dealer, I'm sure you'd agree that is your decision to make.  If this or ANY service by any vendor is right for dealers, the vendor's salespeople should be able to convince dealers, right?  Except, it appears that too often the syndication is done by what the contract allows rather than what you might decide if you were asked.  Well, why do vendors syndicate?  To help you with more online exposure of your inventory, the vendors can say, which sounds like a good thing, right?  And it certainly can be.  However, as well, capitalism is great, so understand that some of the vendors are also re-tasking your inventory in manners to boost their OWN profits (lead generation, trade-off partnerships, relationships, etc. can come into play).

If this syndication can help everyone, including the dealers, is any or all of this bad?  That's up to you. Now that you know about it, you can learn more by investigating and then decide for yourself what is good or bad, and what you do and don't want done with your data.  Which is my very point to begin with, that vendors who want to use your data for their business profit should "man up" (or "woman up", as the case may be) and simply explain to you how it benefits you.  And let you decide.

I'm not bashing anyone or any vendor.  I'm just saying that you have every right to review your contracts and ask these questions.  And a responsibility to do so.  I know that, when I worked at a dealer, that's what I did, so I know it can be done.

Contracts that include access to, and use of, your data:  Inform yourself about them.  And take action as you see fit.

And that's The Truth About Your Data:  YOU are in control.  Just step up and make it so!

by Keith Shetterly
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved
www.keithshetterly.com
Opinions and viewpoints expressed on this blog are my own.

Getting anyone to recommend a BDC process, lay out a live agent pay plan, and do some comparison between an in-store, centralized, and 3rd-Party BDC at the same time is often difficult.  Especially written down and public--well, here is mine on the link below.

Local Market factors must still be taken into account, and I'm willing to learn from anyone doing it or who has done it.  I've done it, and I'm doing it, too, so let's discuss, if you want.

And there may well be a typo or two.  One thing about putting something like this out there is that, whether folks comment or not, there will be a LOT of opinion.  :)

Enjoy!  Here's the link to the file, which you can share to your heart's content:

Thanks,

Keith Shetterly
keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved

Getting anyone to recommend a BDC process, lay out a live agent pay plan, and do some comparison between an in-store, centralized, and 3rd-Party BDC at the same time is often difficult.  Especially written down and public--well, here is mine on the link below.

Local Market factors must still be taken into account, and I'm willing to learn from anyone doing it or who has done it.  I've done it, and I'm doing it, too, so let's discuss, if you want.

And there may well be a typo or two.  One thing about putting something like this out there is that, whether folks comment or not, there will be a LOT of opinion.  :)

Enjoy!  Here's the link to the file, which you can share to your heart's content:

Thanks,

Keith Shetterly
keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved

We are not doctors, but I love the idea of “First, Do No Harm” for working with dealers.  Even though that phrase is the common, but incorrect, quote of the Hippocratic Oath for Physicians, it still conveys a lot for the proper doctor/patient relationship—and it also means a lot for vendor/dealer, consultant/dealer, and even blogger/dealer relationships.  And, so, I’m establishing it here as the cornerstone of a vendor/consultant/blogger creed for working with dealers.

When any of us (peers, dealers, vendors, consultants, etc.) are working with, critiquing, or advising dealers—or even affecting the readers on this and other online forums by what we write—we need to remember up front to not over-state and/or overreact:  Help for a hangnail shouldn’t be amputation!  Not even for a frantic, and possibly hypochondriac, patient. 

Next, we need to remember that the “patient/doctor confidentiality” from medicine goes a long way towards the trust we also need in place to really help a dealer--so neither a minor outing nor “going tabloid” on a dealer issue to the public (especially online) will do anything to help that dealer and may in fact hurt.  The “facts” online for dealers are all too often a frustrating mix of good and bad information already, and singling out particulars (even wrong ones) in public--even if you mean well!--can just lead to a cascade of bad feelings mixed with possibly-damaging SEO effects:  For example, customers should NOT be able to search a dealer and find links on SERP 1 pointing to automotive professionals writing negatively about the dealer.  Or on any searchable page, for that matter.

So, as a simple reminder to all that, Shetterly’s Creed is hereby founded for vendors, consultants, and bloggers in the automotive professional space:  First, do no harm; second, seek to fairly assist as can be agreed; third, deliver on what you promise.

by Keith Shetterly, www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved
keithshetterly@gmail.com

We are not doctors, but I love the idea of “First, Do No Harm” for working with dealers.  Even though that phrase is the common, but incorrect, quote of the Hippocratic Oath for Physicians, it still conveys a lot for the proper doctor/patient relationship—and it also means a lot for vendor/dealer, consultant/dealer, and even blogger/dealer relationships.  And, so, I’m establishing it here as the cornerstone of a vendor/consultant/blogger creed for working with dealers.

When any of us (peers, dealers, vendors, consultants, etc.) are working with, critiquing, or advising dealers—or even affecting the readers on this and other online forums by what we write—we need to remember up front to not over-state and/or overreact:  Help for a hangnail shouldn’t be amputation!  Not even for a frantic, and possibly hypochondriac, patient. 

Next, we need to remember that the “patient/doctor confidentiality” from medicine goes a long way towards the trust we also need in place to really help a dealer--so neither a minor outing nor “going tabloid” on a dealer issue to the public (especially online) will do anything to help that dealer and may in fact hurt.  The “facts” online for dealers are all too often a frustrating mix of good and bad information already, and singling out particulars (even wrong ones) in public--even if you mean well!--can just lead to a cascade of bad feelings mixed with possibly-damaging SEO effects:  For example, customers should NOT be able to search a dealer and find links on SERP 1 pointing to automotive professionals writing negatively about the dealer.  Or on any searchable page, for that matter.

So, as a simple reminder to all that, Shetterly’s Creed is hereby founded for vendors, consultants, and bloggers in the automotive professional space:  First, do no harm; second, seek to fairly assist as can be agreed; third, deliver on what you promise.

by Keith Shetterly, www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved
keithshetterly@gmail.com

First, let me assert this:  There is NO such thing as “purity and sanctity” of a customer review of a business.  Of ANY business, dealership or not.  Why?

For any review "collector" (Google, etc.), trying to police reviews while thinking otherwise is Pollyannaish and is really an enormous “plate of spaghetti” (whether the reviews were performed on the business’ property or off)—because either, or both, the business and the customer may have agendas that bear little on the actual experience and more on their personal and/or business reasons.   And that’s assuming the review came from a real customer—as both businesses and individuals can “game” any system of reviews, and they will.  So, again, whether the reviews are done on or off property of the business does not change that.

And gaming is hard to fairly detect, even if you start by looking at a pattern of reviews done by a single individual, or reviews done once by an email that is never used again, etc.  None of that will ever be fair—because, for example with Google Places, customers may or may not use Google as their primary email, they may not review often, etc.  And seeing a review IP a thousand miles from a reviewed restaurant may just indicate a review after travel.  And so on.  What makes a lot more sense is looking for patterns of abuse that have to do with relevance of review content.   And even that can be misleading.

As to IP monitoring, watching a business IP for review creation on-property is also unfair to both the customer and the business.  Shouldn’t a customer on the business’ guest wireless be able to review that business?   Should the business be forced to purchase tablets on the local cell network just to avoid being “detected” while taking REAL reviews from real customers?

And the whole idea that reviews that are asked for are somehow invalid is ridiculous:  It’s long-known before the Internet that happy people don’t write letters and unhappy people DO.  Modern online reviews are the same way; human psychology hasn’t been so altered on this point by the Internet as to make any difference in the outcome.  Businesses have a right to ask happy customers to share their experiences because the business MADE THE EFFORT TO PROVIDE THAT EXPERIENCE.  More so, the business has a responsibility to future customers to provide the full spectrum of their experiences.

Finally, understand that “gaming for profit” will happen in any review system.  Customers have in the past threatened bad reviews (and will again) in order to get their way (or even gain financially) when they should NOT be allowed to do so; businesses will also be approached by 3^rd parties who promise “great reviews” from shill customers in return for $.  And combos of all that and more will happen.  NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE—and the more policing that is done, the more valid reviews will be discounted.  And lost.

The best path is to remain as neutral as possible and allow the market to do what it will wherever that is possible—and so reviews taken at a business are valid, but maybe reviews of a business that are always 5 star might need a look.  However, the real push should be to educate shoppers on what to look for in business reviews so that they can police validity themselves.

Because customers started reviews of some kind way back in the annals of time.  And they should be able to continue that wherever they want, unfettered, but strongly educated.

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved www.keithshetterly.com
keithshetterly@gmail.com

First, let me assert this:  There is NO such thing as “purity and sanctity” of a customer review of a business.  Of ANY business, dealership or not.  Why?

For any review "collector" (Google, etc.), trying to police reviews while thinking otherwise is Pollyannaish and is really an enormous “plate of spaghetti” (whether the reviews were performed on the business’ property or off)—because either, or both, the business and the customer may have agendas that bear little on the actual experience and more on their personal and/or business reasons.   And that’s assuming the review came from a real customer—as both businesses and individuals can “game” any system of reviews, and they will.  So, again, whether the reviews are done on or off property of the business does not change that.

And gaming is hard to fairly detect, even if you start by looking at a pattern of reviews done by a single individual, or reviews done once by an email that is never used again, etc.  None of that will ever be fair—because, for example with Google Places, customers may or may not use Google as their primary email, they may not review often, etc.  And seeing a review IP a thousand miles from a reviewed restaurant may just indicate a review after travel.  And so on.  What makes a lot more sense is looking for patterns of abuse that have to do with relevance of review content.   And even that can be misleading.

As to IP monitoring, watching a business IP for review creation on-property is also unfair to both the customer and the business.  Shouldn’t a customer on the business’ guest wireless be able to review that business?   Should the business be forced to purchase tablets on the local cell network just to avoid being “detected” while taking REAL reviews from real customers?

And the whole idea that reviews that are asked for are somehow invalid is ridiculous:  It’s long-known before the Internet that happy people don’t write letters and unhappy people DO.  Modern online reviews are the same way; human psychology hasn’t been so altered on this point by the Internet as to make any difference in the outcome.  Businesses have a right to ask happy customers to share their experiences because the business MADE THE EFFORT TO PROVIDE THAT EXPERIENCE.  More so, the business has a responsibility to future customers to provide the full spectrum of their experiences.

Finally, understand that “gaming for profit” will happen in any review system.  Customers have in the past threatened bad reviews (and will again) in order to get their way (or even gain financially) when they should NOT be allowed to do so; businesses will also be approached by 3^rd parties who promise “great reviews” from shill customers in return for $.  And combos of all that and more will happen.  NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE—and the more policing that is done, the more valid reviews will be discounted.  And lost.

The best path is to remain as neutral as possible and allow the market to do what it will wherever that is possible—and so reviews taken at a business are valid, but maybe reviews of a business that are always 5 star might need a look.  However, the real push should be to educate shoppers on what to look for in business reviews so that they can police validity themselves.

Because customers started reviews of some kind way back in the annals of time.  And they should be able to continue that wherever they want, unfettered, but strongly educated.

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved www.keithshetterly.com
keithshetterly@gmail.com