Tight inventory nationwide has thrown a monkey wrench into traditional dealership operations choking sales funnels across North America. Now is the time for strategic lead management to maximize opportunities for your dealership and maintain a healthy pipeline of customers.
Lead management doesn’t have to be a chore. Optimizing your dealership’s sales tools means:
- Enhancing the customer experience so customers choose YOU
- Expanding conversations with existing clientele
- Re-igniting interest in dormant deals
Enhance the customer experience
Recent consumer research about automotive purchasing during the pandemic showed that shoppers were actually happier with their experience during the COVID-19 lockdown than they had been in any year before it — and that 86 percent of customers shopped online to save time. Another study noted 9 out of 10 consumers “want to know their specific and personalized price or payment” before they ever physically visit a dealership.
Speeding the purchase journey digitally is the easiest and most-effective way to delight your customers, enhance their experiences, and ensure their satisfaction with your dealership. For example, a potential addition to your sales approach could include sending automated remote deals after hours. This capability quickly supplies customers with the information they want whenever they want it — 24/7. AutoFi data shows that follow-ups get an amazing 70% open rate — 6x the industry average.
Another way to move customers down the funnel is Quick Quote — our new automated remote deal feature — which can automatically provide your first response to all leads from all sources. Quick Quote lets you send a first pencil automatically through your CRM. This responsive tool works around the clock to prioritize and issue personalized deals automated as first pencils anywhere, including to third-party lead providers.
Expand the conversation
Vehicle not in stock? Don’t let your lead wander away without presenting options. Customers may not be aware of a range of details that could impact their purchase decisions. Educate them about custom orders, manufacturer incentives, and CPO
.
Reignite Interest
Your lead management strategy should leave no stone unturned. Make it a practice to review trades entered in your database up to six months back. Review unsold deals that had a trade estimate and send a follow-up with an updated value in an email or text reminder to reignite the purchase process.
AutoFi has developed a handy Incomplete Trade-in template you can use to automate outreach with potential customers and update them on what your dealership has to offer. Ready to get started? Book a meeting today.