New research from PERQ tracks the behavior of thousands of consumers on dealership websites, revealing that consumers are more likely to purchase if offered a guided online experience, versus one that simply seeks to ‘capture’ a lead – all of which results in an increase in conversion and gross profit

Indianapolis, IN – November 14, 2017 – New research on active online car shoppers offers compelling evidence that dealers should focus on engaging and guiding consumers, rather than seeking to drive them into a lead funnel trap. The insights are part of a new book, just released by PERQ, and are a clear sign that today’s car buyers expect a guided sales experience where they need it most: at the dealership website.

Research revealed in the book, “Engage: No More Lead Traps! How to Improve the Online Experience to Increase Sales,” found that when a shopper goes through multiple interactive online experiences, he/she is three times as likely to purchase as someone who fills out just one static lead form. What’s more, those one-and-done static form users exit the dealer website as rapidly as 40 seconds after completing the form.  

“Dealership websites should not be simple lead traps,” said Scott Hill, executive chairman and co-founder of PERQ, who co-authored the book. “And if your website is built that way, you’re losing out. Car buyers actually want to engage on dealer websites because that’s where the transaction gets complicated, and its where they have the questions that will actually matter to the sale. And they want answers to their questions without being forced to speak to a salesperson.”

Hill equates fulfilling this consumer need to what a dealer salesperson does at the showroom: provide engagement and expertise within a guided experience. The book research supports this theory, proving that engagement and personalization improve close rates for in-market shoppers. The book also offers an in-depth guide for dealers who want to increase engagement on their websites.

Increased Engagement with Enterprise-Level Tools

In addition to the connection between engagement and closing rate, PERQ data shows a strong customer desire for an enterprise-level and interactive user experience. In fact, the research in the book found a 12% boost in lead conversion when originated from interactive – versus static – lead forms. 

Key results from dealerships who implemented this engaged model include: 

• Up to 300% increase in click-to-lead conversions
• Up to 200% increase in website engagement
• Up to 200% increase in visitor-to-lead volume
• 10-50%increase in lead-to-close volume
• 5-15% average gross profit increase (per lead sold)

“Most dealers would never allow their showroom experience to be like the website experience,” said Russ Chandler, co-author and Product Marketing Manager at PERQ. “Their expectation is that the sales team will engage, inform and provide a critical value to the car shopper. It’s the same online, except your website is doing the initial relationship-building. Our data shows that customers expect that kind of approach at the online retail level. It’s not about lead traps. It’s about selling cars and building customer loyalty.”

To request a free hard copy of “Engage: No More Lead Traps! How to Improve the Online Experience to Increase Sales,” contact Muhammad Yasin via email: myasin@perq.com. To download a copy click here: http://bit.ly/PERQ_NoMoreLeadTraps

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

PERQ Eliminates “Lead Traps” on Dealer Websites; Launches Upgrade to its Online Guided Shopping Platform

Enhancements, including optimized assessments, an interactive calculator, and a new welcome guide, enable dealers to better meet the expectations of today’s “expert researcher” through a completely connected shopping experience

Las Vegas, NV – October 23, 2017 –  PERQ, experts in online consumer engagement and behavior, today announced significant enhancements to their award-winning online-guided shopping experience for dealership websites at the DrivingSales Executive Summit. The powerful new enhancements are a direct result of feedback from over 400 dealer customers, and an analysis of consumer behavior on dealership websites.

“One of the key goals of our new solution is to transform dealership websites from being ‘lead traps’ to a dynamic shopping environment that guides ‘leads’ into a positive website experience…and then into the showroom,” said Andy Medley, co-founder of PERQ.

The conversations with dealers gave PERQ engineers a series of key insights that helped provide a pathway to the following critical enhancements:

• Significant review and refinement of the PERQ algorithm, to more accurately match and create a specific guided experience

• Development of an interactive payment calculator, with an upgraded user experience

• Powerful new customer welcome guide experience

• Improvements to the PERQ vehicle valuation engine, for an expanded and precise result that includes options

• Enhanced and optimized transitions, from the PERQ online shopping experience to key dealer website pages

• Improved integration with dealer website lead capture system, and digital retailing workflows

The upgrades make PERQ’s online shopping and sales technology a must-have experience that bridges a guided interface into transactional dealer website sections – a strategic move that helps drive high quality leads while improving the online experience. It’s based on seven key entry points, including the new welcome guide, vehicle of interest, trade-in and test drive. It simplifies online car shopping and research through guided questions and decision points, designed in an enterprise-level user interface. Customers are no longer forced to re-enter basic personal information on static forms, can use sophisticated assessments to figure out the right model and trim for themselves, or wade through endless credit approval questions as they look to finance via the dealership.

“Bringing websites more in line with the experiences found on big brand sites like Amazon, Google and even OEM sites, means dealers will reap more sales,” said Medley. “Consumers have become ‘expert researchers,’ and don’t want or need to be sold in the traditional sense and our solution encourages consumer engagement rather than putting up road blocks that interfere with the process. End result? More sales, more happy customers.”

In addition, the company also released a new eBook, ENGAGE: No More Lead Traps! How to Improve Online Experience to Increase Sales, to help dealers understand how online consumer engagement results in more showroom sales.

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, and its Online Guided Selling Solution is a 2017 Gold Stevie® Award winner for lead generation software and a 2017 Ventana Research Digital Innovation Award Winner for Marketing.

PERQ Media Contacts

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

Car Buyers Prefer Texting Over Phone Calls for Dealer Communication, According to a Myth-Busting Report from PERQ

Based on the behavior of thousands of consumers on dealership websites, PERQ’s Car Buyer Insights Report upends preconceived assumptions, including finding that the majority are NOT in the BUY PHASE and that PHONE CALLS are their LEAST DESIRED method of contact

Indianapolis, IN – October 3, 2017 - New data from thousands of consumer profiles studied by PERQ, experts in online consumer engagement and behavior, in their Car Buyer Insights Report questions key assumptions about dealership website visitor behavior, from where these consumers are in the buying cycle to how they prefer to be communicated with, and with what content.  

Among the topline findings are that, despite a prevailing view that consumers are in the “buy phase” when they reach a dealership website, the majority are, in fact, nowhere near ready to transact: 76% are only at the beginning or middle of the process. And, when it comes to communications preferences, email trumps phone by a mile (67% versus 8%) while text is preferred by nearly a quarter of dealership visitors.

The study identified these Five Key Myths and Realities:

“The idea that a consumer will only engage with the dealership website at the end of the buying process is simply not true,” said Muhammad Yasin, Vice President of Marketing at PERQ. “Especially because many are still researching, which is something they want to do on their own. Our report found that consumers are often looking for research assistance and information to help them in their journey and that they have very specific communication requirements. Dealerships should be optimizing their websites with relevant tools and information across the car shopping journey.”

“Clearly, these results indicate that dealerships should not be looking at phone calls as their communications priority: consumers are telling them that text or email is better, and less intrusive,” continued Yasin. “This is all about delivering the digital retailing experience that the modern car shopper wants and it is a huge, generally unmined opportunity for dealers. These consumers have found the dealership website through effective online marketing, and, if dealers optimize to give them the information and communications they need, when and how they want it, the likelihood of them buying from that dealership should dramatically increase.”

To read the full report, click here: bit.ly/Car_Buyer_Insights

Study Methodology

PERQ reviewed consumer data captured from thousands of leads in Q2 of 2017, from a sampling of 100 auto dealerships. Data is collected via all types of lead formats, and during all phases of the consumer journey in order to provide a more clear and targeted view of important consumer buying and research preferences.

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, and PERQ Web Engagement is a 2017 Gold Stevie® Award winner for lead generation software.

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