Consumers can instantly check their credit rating online and share with automotive dealerships

Las Vegas, NV – September 18, 2017 –  Gubagoo Inc., the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today announced a new Credit Pre-Qualification feature that checks against consumer credit information stored at the leading national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  This will be beneficial to consumers who are interested in purchasing a vehicle but are uncertain of their credit status.

Consumers who visit a Gubagoo powered dealership website using their desktop or mobile device can access and submit a credit pre-qualification form while in a live chat.  The dealer will receive rich data relating to the consumer’s credit score and outstanding vehicle loans, and can tailor their sales response to suit the consumer’s automotive needs and budget and also prioritize lead follow up.

“Car buyers will now find it easier to pre-qualify for a car loan while shopping online for their next vehicle,” said Brad Title, CEO of Gubagoo. “It is a win-win for both car buyers and dealers in terms of convenience and time saved.  We expect that car dealers who use our solution will see a dramatic increase in the number of qualified leads they receive.”

Gubagoo’s Credit Pre-Qualification feature is available now and will be demonstrated live at the Digital Dealer Conference (#DD23) Booth #505 on September 18-20 at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  
 

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Gubagoo is the leading provider of 24/7 auto dealer live chat, text, video, and call monitoring solutions. With a mission to provide a smarter, more cost-effective alternative to the old lead generation model, Gubagoo is the first dealership website solution that successfully makes anonymous traffic identifiable, and converts the 95% of dealer site traffic that traditionally defects.  More than 2,800 dealerships, including some of the nation’s largest dealer groups, as well as OEM-certified programs, are using Gubagoo’s omni-channel communication platform to take their customer experience to the next level.  For more information about Gubagoo, visit www.gubagoo.com, e-mail hello@gubagoo.com or call 855.359.2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Dealerships can centrally manage and oversee SMS communications and ensure compliance

Las Vegas, Nevada – September 18, 2017 – Gubagoo Inc., the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today unveiled a seamless new capability for its communication platform: Outbound Texting. This new functionality enables dealerships to easily engage in permission-based communications with their customers via SMS, using their Gubagoo mobile and desktop app (ResQ) as a centralized communication center.

“Today, it’s all about the convenience of your communication with consumers,” said Brad Title, CEO of Gubagoo. “But it’s also a balancing act with efficiency and time: getting back to consumers quickly and establishing a positive expectation is critical as the sale moves forward. Our solution opens up a new channel of communication for dealers and consumers –ultimately helping to improve customer loyalty and drive more sales.”

Like all software solutions built by Gubagoo, the technology is designed for dealers, with simplicity and power in mind.  Outbound Texting also centralizes texting so that dealer managers can more effectively ensure compliance and managerial oversight. To learn more about Outbound Texting, stop by the Gubagoo booth #505 at the Digital Dealer Conference (#DD23), September 18-20 at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
 

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Gubagoo is the leading provider of 24/7 auto dealer live chat, text, video, and call monitoring solutions. With a mission to provide a smarter, more cost-effective alternative to the old lead generation model, Gubagoo is the first dealership website solution that successfully makes anonymous traffic identifiable, and converts the 95% of dealer site traffic that traditionally defects.  More than 2,800 dealerships, including some of the nation’s largest dealer groups, as well as OEM-certified programs, are using Gubagoo’s omni-channel communication platform to take their customer experience to the next level.  For more information about Gubagoo, visit www.gubagoo.com, e-mail hello@gubagoo.com or call 855.359.2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Chat operators can quickly search and push vehicle part information to consumers over live chat or SMS

Las Vegas, NV– September 17, 2017 – Gubagoo, the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today unveiled Parts Directory, a new and instant way to provide auto parts information to consumers, expanding the power of its best-in-class communication platform to better serve auto dealerships. Through Gubagoo’s seamless integration with an extensive auto parts directory, consumers can now request vehicle part details via live chat or text message and, in just moments, see the part and get a description with pricing.

“Gubagoo Parts Directory is a great way for dealerships to acquire new leads and boost parts revenue. It also saves time for dealerships – who no longer need to field cold calls from parts-seeking customers – and for consumers who, in today’s fast-moving world, don’t want to wait while someone flips through a catalogue,” said Brad Title, CEO and Founder of Gubagoo.

The technology is as simple as it is powerful: Gubagoo operators can search a database of vehicle parts using parameters such as VIN, year, make, model, part name, and push the part information to the consumer during a live chat.  Visit Gubagoo’s booth #505 at the Digital Dealer Conference (#DD23) on September 18-20 to see a live demonstration of Parts Directory.

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Gubagoo is the leading provider of 24/7 auto dealer live chat, text, video, and call monitoring solutions. With a mission to provide a smarter, more cost-effective alternative to the old lead generation model, Gubagoo is the first dealership website solution that successfully makes anonymous traffic identifiable, and converts the 95% of dealer site traffic that traditionally defects.  More than 2,800 dealerships, including some of the nation’s largest dealer groups, as well as OEM-certified programs, are using Gubagoo’s omni-channel communication platform to take their customer experience to the next level.  For more information about Gubagoo, visit www.gubagoo.com, e-mail hello@gubagoo.com or call 855.359.2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Brady brings over 30 years of automotive and governmental experience to the firm, and will provide counsel on generational transitions and corporate planning.

Irvine, CA, September 5, 2017– Kerrigan Advisors, the leading buy/sell advisory firm to auto dealers in the US, today announced the appointment of Phil Brady as Senior Advisor to the firm. Brady will put his deep experience and extensive relationships in automotive retail to work as an advisor to Kerrigan Advisors and its clients for generational transitions and corporate planning.  

“It’s impossible to overstate the value of adding Phil Brady to the Kerrigan Advisors team,” said Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “Few, if any, understand the automotive retail space better, nor the needs of dealers when it comes to managing the complexities of their businesses, whether it’s a legislative issue, an economic challenge or planning for the future, particularly as our industry evolves.”

That experience will add immediate value to Kerrigan clients.  “Phil brings with him the experience of industry leadership during some of the toughest times our industry has ever seen,” said Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “In leading NADA through 2012, he navigated auto retail through collapsing sales, a brutal financial market, and OEM bankruptcies. It’s this sort of depth of industry understanding and perspective that Kerrigan clients will really benefit from as they consider their business’ future in today’s consolidating auto retail market, whether that means passing to the next generation, gearing up for growth or considering a sale.”

As a Senior Advisor, Brady adds insight and perspective based on his automotive and legislative background, advice that will be especially valuable in helping dealers navigate the changes and complexities of today’s automotive retail landscape. “It’s a privilege and a pleasure to be associated with Kerrigan Advisors, the well-recognized consummate professionals in representing dealers as they evaluate strategic options for their businesses,” said Brady. “I very much look forward to re-engaging with my many friends and colleagues in the auto retail industry.”  

Brady was President of NADA from 2001 to 2012, and served as Deputy Counsel to the President during the Reagan Administration and Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary in the White House from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush, as well as General Counsel to the US Department of Transportation. He retired in 2015 as Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Phillips 66 and is now an adjunct professor at Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. Brady, a cum laude graduate of both the University of Notre Dame and Loyola University School of Law, practiced law in California before entering government in Washington, D.C.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $2.5 billion in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values.  Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News.  Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine. 

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340

Dealership Buy/Sells Steady in the First Half; Increased Activity Likely in Q3 and Q4, according to The Blue Sky Report™ released by Kerrigan Advisors

Over 200 transactions expected for the year; dealers begin taking on equity partners, while reinsurance profits increasingly factor into buy/sells, and key manager retirements spur sales    

Irvine, CA – August 28, 2017 – Dealership buy/sell activity during the first half of 2017 reveals a notable willingness by auto dealers to take on minority and majority equity partners, according to analysis from the Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly. Released today, the report also shows that buy/sell activity through the first half of 2017 remained high. Kerrigan Advisors expects activity in the second half of the year to surpass the first half, resulting in the 4th year of over 200 buy/sells.

“2017 is on pace to be a record year for equity partner investment structures,” said Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “We think this shift in buy/sell activity is mostly due to the increasing size and complexity of the dealership groups coming to market. In addition, dealers are attracted to the opportunity to remain involved in the business post-transaction, while also taking some chips off the table.”

The Blue Sky Report, published by Kerrigan Advisors, is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership M&A activity, as well as franchise values. It includes analysis of the first half of 2017 - laying out the high, average and low blue sky multiples for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments for the quarter - and offers a detailed view of public and private company dealership acquisition activity.  

Key data and analysis from the first half of 2017 includes:

• 101 dealership buy/sell transactions completed in the first half of 2017, compared to 106 transactions during the first half of 2016.[1]
• Multi-dealership transactions represented 25% of completed transactions in the first half of 2017.  Those transactions saw a 23% rise in the number of franchises represented per transaction.
• Public retailers increased spending 61% in the first half of 2017, compared to the first half of 2016.
• Domestics’ share of the buy/sell market remained at 44%, while non-luxury imports saw their share of the buy/sell market increase to 39%.
• Toyota, Honda and Subaru dealerships enjoy high buyer interest, with consistently high profitability
• Amongst the publics, Lithia and Penske have acquired 21 US dealerships
• The private sector acquired 93% of the franchises sold
• Dealership real estate prices and rents rose slightly as compared to 2016

“We see resilience in the buy/sell market,” continued Kerrigan. “Even though SAAR is down, it remains within a historically high range. Auto sales in the first half of 2017 were actually 5% higher than the trailing five-year average, and dealerships remain highly profitable.”

The report identifies three key trends moving forward into Q3 and Q4 of 2017:

• Dealers take on majority and minority capital partners
• Reinsurance profits increasingly factor into buy/sells
• Retiring key operators prompt some dealers to sell

“One of the more interesting trends we see moving into Q3 and Q4 of 2017 is retirement-driven transactions, but not necessarily in the way you think,” said Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “When a key lieutenant retires, that’s prompting some older dealers to sell, versus finding a replacement. As a result, the retirement of key management, in combination with the aging of the dealer body, is increasingly prompting older dealers to sell.”  

Kerrigan Advisors is deeply involved in the Buy/Sell Market, having advised on the sale of 59 dealerships, including four of the Top 100 Dealership Groups in the US. Most recently, Kerrigan advised on the sale of Downtown LA Auto Group to Lithia Motors. Kerrigan Advisors’ extensive experience representing the largest dealership groups in the country provides the firm with a unique perspective on the trends shaping the industry and today’s franchise values. 

The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, is published four times a year and includes Kerrigan Advisor’s signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. The multiples are based on Kerrigan Advisors’ view of franchise values in the current buy/sell market and can be applied to adjusted pre-tax dealership earnings to estimate blue sky value. To download the report, click here: www.kerriganadvisors.com/the-blue-sky-report/. 

Kerrigan Advisors also releases a monthly index, The Kerrigan Index, composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The KAR Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access the Kerrigan Index™, click here: www.kerriganadvisors.com/the-kerrigan-index/.

Erin Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought-after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal. For a recent video of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here.

Ryan Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors and an expert on US auto retail buy-sell transaction work. Prior, Ryan served as Managing Director at Serent Capital, a $250MM private equity fund investing in middle market companies and served as General Manager of the family’s auto dealership. Mr. Kerrigan began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on growth strategies, organizational issues, pricing and business valuation.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $3.0 billion dollars in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values. Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News. Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine.

Contacts

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
mWEBB Communications
Melanie Webber, 949-307-1723
melanie@mwebbcom.com

New PERQ consumer behavior data reveals key tips to clean up websites leading to 42% increase in CTRs, 15% profit lift, and a 5-fold increase in lead data

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 13, 2017 - Decluttering dealership websites and focusing on targeted messaging and “personalized” Calls to Action (CTA) can significantly increase click-through rates, lead data collection, and, ultimately, dealership profits, according to consumer website data(1) analyzed by PERQ. PERQ, who are experts in website conversion and consumer behavior, released the information in conjunction with the launch of their Auto Website Conversion Course, a series of online best practices tutorials that can help dealers clean up their websites and create more effective conversion paths.

“Most dealership websites are jammed with a cacophony of offers, messages and static lead forms that, more often than not, lack relevance to the visitor. It’s the equivalent of walking into a dealership and having multiple salespeople yelling offers and information at you all at once without bothering to ask what your name is, if you’re ready to buy or if you want a new or used vehicle,” says Russ Chandler, Product Marketing Manager at PERQ. “It’s no wonder the average dealership website converts less than 3% of their traffic(2).”

Most dealership websites simultaneously display a potpourri of offers and actions — from ‘get e-price’ static lead forms to incentive offers — creating a cluttered look and unfocused consumer experience. According to PERQ data, dealerships who declutter their websites by offering a streamlined and interactive experience that doesn’t treat consumers as anonymous strangers see a 42% increase in CTRs, 15% profit lift and a 5-fold increase in the amount of data collected on sales leads. These websites are not ‘bugging’ visitors with messages they have no interest in but, instead, target consumers based on their website behavior, dynamically adjusting what is pushed to them.

For example, if a consumer has already received a quote for their trade-in vehicle, it is a waste of digital real estate and consumer attention span to display more CTAs asking them to value their vehicle trade. However, this is how the majority of websites behave. A declutter strategy, on the other hand, leverages smart CTAs to automatically change the trade-in Call to Actions to test drive Call to Actions, moving this customer down the conversion funnel. This instantly streamlines the site.

“Basic declutter tactics seem obvious, yet we see websites that are stuck in the clutter rut every day,” Chandler says. “A declutter strategy also offers opportunities for your dealership to gather data that will help provide a more informed sales interaction.”

Among the declutter best practices advocated by PERQ and included in its complimentary Auto Website Conversion course are:

1. Entice visitors to seek more useful information. Offering customers something of value creates an opportunity to gather data that will help provide a more informed, streamlined sales interaction. 
2. Inventory CTAs and conversion tools to understand what works and what doesn’t. 
3. Analyze how effectively (or if!) a CTA is converting. If a CTA is not performing well, be prepared to get rid of it – it is just taking up space and overwhelming visitors. 
4. Re-evaluate remaining CTAs and make informed decisions on which CTAs to display based on user behavior. 
5. Consolidate CTAs on SRP and VDP pages.

All data and analysis was gathered from PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement, a platform that ‘virtually’ trains dealership websites to have relevant, real-time ‘conversations’ with each visitor through dynamic interactions (such as incentives, appraisal, warranty information, etc.), that change based on the consumer’s journey across the website.

For more information about accessing PERQ’s Auto Website Conversion course, click here.

About PERQ 
PERQ (http://www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions.

PERQ Media Contacts 
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie(at)mwebbcom(dot)com or 949-307-1723 
Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra(at)mwebbcom(dot)com or 818-397-4630

(1) Behavior data gathered from 45,000 consumers who appraised their vehicle via PERQ’s FATWIN trade-in tool in 2016 
(2) DATA point: January 2017 Dealer.com insights report

CallSource clients have increased call-to-appointment ratios by 20% YOY; effective lost call recapture, strong analytics and training driving increases

Westlake Village, CA – January 26, 2017– CallSource, pioneers of award-winning solutions to help dealerships track, analyze and improve incoming call performance, has helped auto dealers recover nearly half a million (over 420,000) mishandled phone leads during 2016 through its DealSaver Alerts product alone.

DealSaver triggers an alert when a call is lost – whether it’s due to a rude or unprofessional exchange or a call handler simply failing to set an appointment with a qualified customer or obtain basic contact information. DealSaver is one of multiple safeguards CallSource customers are successfully using to significantly reduce the volume of mishandled phone calls and improve overall call handling and appointment setting, all designed to drive more cost-efficient sales.

“Our dealer customers improved call-to-appointment ratios by 20% in 2016 on a call volume that was constant year-over-year,” said David Greene, SVP, Automotive Strategic Accounts. “Zeroing in on better handling of calls that are already coming in versus increasing marketing spend to drive additional call volume demonstratively increased incremental sales and marketing ROI for our dealers.”

As an example of this, CallSource reports that the average number of validated sales calls dealers receive each month is around 100, while the average number of missed opportunities is a whopping 41. By realigning process to focus on recovering even a small percentage of those calls and converting them into appointments – and likely sales – dealerships can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the bottom line.

“The good news is that dealers know they have a problem,” said Greene, citing a survey the company conducted in early 2016 in which 60% of dealers acknowledged that their sales teams were not handling inbound call traffic effectively – and a third were losing at least 1 in 5 car buyers to competitors due to poor phone handling skills.  “We continue to believe – and our data proves it - that our industry would do well to shift more focus onto their processes for handling phone leads.”

Casey Jenkins, Manager at TN-based Jenkins & Wynne Ford, Lincoln and Honda, concurs: “With CallSource, we are able to see the direct link between professional phone handling and higher customer satisfaction and profits. Now that we know exactly what’s happening on the phones, we’ve enacted tight accountability measures and can accurately monitor the team’s overall effectiveness.”

CallSource ties all the elements of a successful call management program into one system – closing the loop and delivering measurable results. Fifty-three of the top 150 dealer groups use CallSource.

CallSource will be at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in New Orleans taking place January 27-29 in Hall B1, Booth #627.

About CallSource

CallSource, providers of award-winning solutions to help dealerships track, analyze and improve incoming call performance, has tracked more than a billion calls since 1991. For over 25 years, CallSource’s award-winning solutions have gone far beyond call tracking to providing marketing insight, including cost-per-lead analysis and sales conversion percentages, training and coaching solutions to improve phone skills, and tools that enable businesses to recapture mishandled sales opportunities. Based in Westlake Village, Calif., CallSource serves multiple industries including automotive, home services and healthcare, as well as numerous franchise businesses. Visit callsource.com.

Media Relations: 

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com 

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, (818) 397-4630, cassandra@mwebbcom.com

New Data from PERQ Indicates Significant Lag Time Between ‘Ready-to-Buy’ Consumers on Dealership Websites and Actual Purchase

Data analyzed from over 45,000 consumer profiles offers key insights into digital consumer purchase cycle and shopping behaviors 

Indianapolis, IN – January 25, 2017 - New consumer data gathered and analyzed by PERQ shows a significant lag between the time consumers submit an online vehicle appraisal and the time the actual purchase takes place, in spite of the fact that nearly three quarters of these consumers indicate they are “ready-to-buy.” The data further reveals that nearly 40% of the consumers are not current customers at the dealership where they are engaging in the appraisal. This, while confirming that consumers are neither brand nor dealership loyal, reveals ripe opportunities for dealerships to win over these ready-to-buy customers on the dealership website. The consumer behavior analyzed by PERQ was gathered from 45,000 consumers who appraised their vehicle via PERQ’s FATWIN trade-in tool in 2016. 

“These findings confirm how important effective post lead activity is for dealerships, and indicates that consumers are not getting the information, follow-up or relationship build they need to easily transition from a ‘ready-to-buy’ to a ‘purchasing’ customer,” said Russ Chandler, Product Marketing Manager at PERQ. “We know that consumers are submitting leads on an average of four other dealer websites[1], so it’s critical that dealerships offer an interactive, customized website experience that helps guide the consumer into the dealership showroom, while also gathering the lead information that will facilitate more effective sales engagement and conversion.”

This is precisely what PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform is achieving for dealerships. Unlike any other platform in the industry, FATWIN ‘virtually’ trains dealership websites to have a relevant, real-time ‘conversation’ with each visitor through dynamic interactions (such as incentives, appraisal, warranty information, etc.) that change based on the consumer’s journey across the website. This essentially ‘warms up’ that consumer for his/her in-dealership experience, while at the same time gathering increasingly relevant information (by asking for new information based on each step of that journey). This information is then sent as an update to the dealer CRM so that follow up can be better aligned with that consumer’s recent online activity. All of this has led to significant increases in lead volume (200%, on average), five times more consumer data and up to 15% lift in profit directly tracked to those leads for dealerships using FATWIN.

Other data gathered from PERQ’s interactive Trade-in tool, which is just one element of FATWIN, indicates that the miles consumers are putting on their vehicles before trading them in has increased year over year. But, on a positive note for resales, 30% of vehicles appraised were under five years old, and over a third had no loan on them. Interestingly, the data also indicated that dealership personnel should stay on alert at lunchtime on Wednesdays - when the highest level of appraisal activity is occurring.

“Know thy customer is an old mantra in our industry, but the challenge is that most dealerships simply don’t know a thing about the consumers who are landing on their websites. The data gathered from our Trade-in tool is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to knowing and understand not only overall industry trends, but also the needs of each specific customer so that every interaction makes sense for that consumer,” continued Chandler. “Given that today’s consumers are shopping vehicle first, versus dealership first, being ahead of, and aware of, their needs can give dealers a significant competitive advantage.”

Data Highlights

• Domestics were the most appraised, with Ford, Chrysler and GM in the top three, followed by Toyota and Nissan.
• Trucks and large SUVs were the top two most appraised body styles.
• Average time from trade-in appraisal on a dealer website to purchase was 12.7 days
• 44% of the vehicles appraised had over 100k miles versus 38% the year before.
• 39% indicated they were currently servicing their vehicle at another dealership than the one they were currently getting an online appraisal from
• 37% of appraisals indicated there was no loan on their current vehicle
• 30% of the vehicles appraised were less than 5 years old 
• The highest online appraisal day/time of the week was Wednesday from 12-1pm
• 74% of consumers appraising their vehicles indicated they were in the market to purchase now
• 29% were interested in New and 42% were interested in used, the rest were unsure

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

This partnership includes the integration of PERQ’S high-engaging FATWIN platform with AutoHook’s high-converting incentive solutions and sales match attribution data, powered by Urban Science.

Indianapolis, IN – January 18, 2017  - AutoHook, powered by Urban Science has partnered with PERQ, specialists in personalized, interactive web engagement technology, to deliver auto dealers a one-two punch when it comes to engaging and converting website traffic. The partnership also enables enhanced lead attribution by streamlining actionable automotive data and reporting.

AutoHook’s test drive incentives will be integrated into the FATWIN platform, at no additional cost to dealer clients, and will further enhance the conversation between consumers and dealers, influencing in-market buyers to engage with dealerships through test-drive incentives and customizable offers.

“PERQ has an impressive reputation among the dealers we were already working with, and we recognize they are creating great conversion tools for dealers and their websites,” said David Metter, president of AutoHook, powered by Urban Science. “We look forward to a successful partnership and driving unprecedented results for our combined clients.”

The new partnership is particularly synergistic because both AutoHook and PERQ focus on targeting customers with precisely relevant experiences/information and offers/incentives based on real time consumer information and behavior. 

PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform converts static Calls To Actions (CTAs), such as banners and buttons, and lead forms into customized, relevant, interactive conversations with online shoppers. PERQ is able to capture five times the amount of data points on online auto customers, helping dealerships better engage with, and convert, website shoppers into showroom buyers - and has already generated over two million leads through its more personal, collective website experience.

The partnership also facilitates integration between PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform and AutoHook’s sales match data, giving dealers and OEMs the power to attribute all showroom visits and sales to a single campaign. AutoHook’s incentive solutions are proven to drive incremental leads and sales, while delivering show rates of up to twice the national average.

“We’re thrilled to integrate our FATWIN platform with AutoHook’s powerful incentive engine,” said Andy Medley, co-founder and president of PERQ. “The integration helps us supercharge FATWIN’s already interactive and engaging experience while providing solid lead attribution through AutoHook’s showroom and sales match data - and, most importantly, driving more leads and showroom visitors to our dealer clients.”

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions.

About AutoHook, powered by Urban Science (http://www.DriveAutoHook.com)

AutoHook, powered by Urban Science provides targeted incentives that convert at every touchpoint. Their solutions integrate across all three automotive tiers to drive more incremental sales, more new to brand buyers, more showroom visits, and optimum conversion rates across channels. AutoHook has shattered the trend of vague industry metrics with concise attribution reporting that proves actual ROI. No other digital endeavor has come close to mastering AutoHook’s ability to attribute all showroom visits and sales to a single campaign while delivering show rates of up to twice the national average. Drive Conversion. Drive Showroom Visits. Drive the Experience. Drive Sales at DriveAutoHook.com.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

“Gubagoo’s RESQ’s technology is all about saving dealerships time and money, while increasing their opportunity from lead to sale,” continued Title. “RESQ goes wherever the dealership sales team goes, keeping them connected 24/7 to not only ‘rescue sales’ but, now, provide any customer the information they need.”

RESQ also provides support to the service department, pushing real-time calls from customers to service advisors’ mobile phones wherever they may be on the shop floor. Together with Gubagoo’s TalkSmart and ChatSmart, RESQ can send push notifications to any salesperson or service advisor’s mobile phone, notifying them that a customer needs assistance. In return, the service advisor or sales team member, on their mobile phone, is able to ‘whisper’ back to the Gubagoo operator, giving direction, or seamlessly requesting the call or chat to be handed over to them and take control of the conversation from any location.

RESQ technology is both desktop and mobile and available for iOS, Android and web browsers.

Gubagoo, one of the fastest growing and most effective chat and website engagement providers for automotive dealerships, tracks and scores over 18 million shoppers every month through its B.E.A.S.T. scoring technology and sends over 110,000 leads to dealerships every month. The integration of RESQ into Gubagoo further boosts the effectiveness of the company’s ChatSmart and TalkSmart products.

Gubagoo is demonstrating the new RESQ features at DrivingSales Executive Summit in Las Vegas, October 23th – 25th.

 About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Gubagoo is the leading provider of dealer live chat, text, and call solutions. Gubagoo offers seamless integrated web-based, SMS, and call monitoring technologies for automotive dealerships. Our passion for customer service and lead conversion, makes Gubagoo the best 24/7 car dealer chat, text, and overflow call provider in the automotive industry. Gubagoo’s U.S. based operators, receive the highest level of training and certification to make certain every customer that engages in a live chat, text, or call, receives the best possible customer experience. Gubagoo delivers the best quality of service to automotive dealership customers and strives to maximize the dealership’s lead conversion rate and long-term auto sales. For more information about Gubagoo products, visit www.gubagoo.com or contact 855-359-2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com