drJohn Blog Posts

Automotive dealers, like other business people, must look closely at their expertise in communications. And while specific sales techniques may work for some, it is certainly not going to remedy all that ails a struggling business enterprise. One can no longer assume that because they are competent and fill a consumer need that they will survive, much less prosper, in the car business. The highly competitive business of car sales is currently faced with unparalleled challenges.

With today’s focus on technology, we have overlooked one of the most valuable tools available in every company across the globe – the telephone! Over 85% of all automobile sales are initiated with a phone call. Further, 80% of callers purchase a vehicle within 3 to 5 days of calling, while 90% buy within 10 days. This means today’s caller is four times more qualified a buyer than the standard showroom-up. Therefore, focusing on overcoming customer objections on the telephone and setting appointments is absolutely fundamental to thriving in today’s dealership environment.

The future belongs to those dealerships that know & understand that in order to retain their customers, they must learn how to retain their employees. Although one of the most expensive, your employees can become one of your most valuable assets. By building your organization around your employees you will have a greater chance of building your customer base and resulting profit stream.

“This Call May Be Recorded For Quality Purposes.” We’ve all heard this disclaimer from time to time, but what does it really mean? Everything? Or nothing? Many companies use call tracking and recording services to measure advertising response, capture caller information and monitor sales performance. While tracking technology provides useful business intelligence, in most enterprises call tracking data is rarely analyzed and severely underutilized. Are you really using those recordings and accompanying meta-data for quality purposes?

It’s no secret. The automotive industry has been struggling when it comes to handling internet leads and phone-ups. As the hypothetical “UPs bus” continues to run out of gas, our need to develop alternative methods of securing appointments and sales has become paramount.

Have you ever wondered why, after utilizing innovative sales techniques and investing a large amount of money on various promotional schemes, your business volume has maintained status quo, or even declined? More than likely there is one key element missing.