Messaging is quickly becoming integrated into the communication channels of dealerships.  It’s quick and efficient, and customers can interact at their convenience with a representative from your dealership. What are customers using it for? One of the places that messaging is gaining traction is Google My Business.

LivePerson Automotive analyzed over 25,000 Google My Business messages from 300 different car dealers in North America. The top 25 conversation topics are a healthy mix of discovery questions as well as intent to purchase questions. While some people may look for parts (3.3%) and others just want to know their hours of operations (5.5%) it is clear that the modern car buyer is very much informed when they begin communications with a dealership.

Messaging can create challenges for dealerships.  Who handles the interaction? Does your receptionist have the ability to send over more pictures and look for parts for their vehicle?  Are the chats handled by the BDC? How do you make sure that they are providing the level of experience that you want your customers to receive? There is a ton of insight to be gained from the top 25 conversation topics. The top 5 questions are customers with the intent to purchase. The way your dealership responds and the amount of time it takes to respond can determine if you get the sale or not.

How equipped is your dealership to answer these questions? Train your staff to provide your customers with an amazing experience by keeping them as informed as possible in regards to these common customer inquiries.

Trade-in conversations can be trickier than most due to the many nuances of trading in a car. They made up 11% of all chats. If your customer is upside down, still financing, or looking for a lower monthly payment that can be difficult to determine over the phone or through online messaging. The end goal of online communication is to bring customers into the dealership.

Providing customers with a consistent experience across all communication channels is important for today’s buyer. Using the messaging on Google My Business to respond to customer inquiries is providing significant experience and value to your customers.

Check out this study by LivePerson Automotive to see more insight into Google My Business Messaging.