ASOTU CON was held in Baltimore this year, and I had the opportunity to attend. It was a great convention that focused on some important takeaways for dealerships looking to grow and strengthen their business.
Asotu Con Tip Number 1: You're Dealership is Only as Strong as Your Team
If you want to provide your dealership the biggest chance for success, you need to invest in your employees. We all know the Automotive Industry has a pretty high turnover when it comes to staff, but there are changes you can make to combat that.
Invest in the education of your employees.
Employees are more likely to stay when they are heard, mentored, and paid well.
It's important to take the time to train your employees, and I don't mean just one seminar and they go to the sales floor.
Take the time to give them the skills to handle almost any situation so they feel empowered to get the job done.
Foster exploration of new opportunities for your employees within the company.
Make sure your team is compensated appropriately. The biggest reason people leave a job a job is due to low pay and insufficient benefits.
Empower your employees to do what it takes to make the customer happy.
While not a dealership, Disney knows how to make customers happy and is successful for this very reason. Their employees are empowered to provide 'magic moments' for consumers delivering a level of customer service they wouldn't find elsewhere.
This brings us to the next big takeaway:
Asotu Con Tip Number 2: Creating a unique and hospitable experience for dealership customers
Sales is not just about selling the customer a car. It's about creating a relationship. When inventory was low and customers were paying above MSRP, dealerships didn't have to care about the relationship, and that part of the business was left aside.
It's time to get back to making the customer feel important.
Here are a few ways to create an experience that will make them think twice about switching to a different dealership:
Get to know your clients beyond what they're looking for in a car. That way you can communicate with them outside of the sales bubble and stay top of mind.
Sending articles that will interest them
Converse about a new movie or streaming release
Go old-school: Send handwritten thank you cards, birthday cards or anniversary cards
The key to this is making sure your communication is about the consumer and not about cars or purchasing more products from you.
Keep your dealership clean, tidy, and hospitable. Believe it or not, this isn't a priority for dealerships, but the impression your dealership creates is just as important as the interactions you have with your customers. If they're not comfortable where they sit, they're not going to be comfortable with you.
Asotu Con Tip Number 3: Use Data to Propel Your Dealership
It can feel like all you hear people talk about these days is: data. And, they'd be right. It's important. With the marketing world changing as quickly as it has, it's important to be as agile as possible. Using your own first party data will help dealerships accomplish this. That's where Customer Data Platforms come in.
Customer Data Platforms
CDPs are a phrase you're going to hear kicked around a lot. Maybe you're already implementing one at your dealership currently. These platforms help organize the data your dealership has inherently and target consumers
Some of the key features of a CDP include:
Customer Profiles
Real Time Data Processing
Segmentation and Personalization
Predictive Analytics
Benefits of a CDP for dealerships include:
Improved customer engagement
Enhanced Marketing Efficiency
Increased Sales
Streamlined Operations
The ability to integrate data from multiple dealership sources like websites, social media, email campaigns, and dealership management systems makes the dealership less dependent on exterior sources and can optimize internally.
Asotu Con Tip Number 4: How Seamless is Your Dealership Experience?
The Pandemic and Chip Shortage forced dealerships to change the way they operated and sold vehicles, but what has your dealership done since then to ensure a smooth experience from online to in person.
Your dealership site, should be an extension of your dealership and exemplify what the customer can experience when they eventually walk through your doors. Some things to consider when it comes to unifying your online presence with your in person presence:
Are your customers starting over when they enter the dealership, or is the process seamless from online to in person?
Is navigation online simple, or are you providing too many options for your customers to comprehend? Is this also how your dealership conducts itself?
How are leads handled? Is follow up prompt, polite, and helpful?
It's easy to figure out if there is a disconnect between your website and your sales process, by going back to the basics. Conduct a secret shop and find the opportunities to change up your process in favor of a more cohesive one.
Want to know more? Lets connect and chat about areas of opportunity for your dealership to grow
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