Car dealerships are famous (or infamous) for using some of the most outrageous advertising in the world to get people’s attention. Searchlights, flags, huge inflatable figures, monkeys in the trunk, throwing concrete blocks through windshields — you name it, some dealership has done it. That gets people’s attention and brings them onto the lot. Then what?
The most creative advertising in the world is useless until and unless it results in sales. The question dealerships need to be asking is what things actually make people buy, then come back to buy a second and third time?
A survey of nearly 200 car buyers gives some valuable insights into the most frustrating “pain points” of the average car-buyers experience:
- For 56%, it was “finding the right vehicle”
- 31% said it was “haggling over the price”
- 13% said it was “being moved around to different salespeople”
Another survey by eBay highlights the shift towards using the internet extensively before stepping onto the car lot to buy. Of the nearly 2,000 people surveyed:
- 63% said they were either “likely” or “extremely likely” to buy a vehicle online
- A massive 87% reported that they used the internet for ratings, reviews, and pricing
- 49% begin the buying process with doing their online research (compared to only 10% who walked into the dealership)
It’s easy to see how important an awareness of modern technology is to starting and closing that sale.
So how does a good Client Relationship Manager (CRM) like CarDog help you reach these people and close that sale?
In the eBay survey, most people began looking for a car online weeks to months in advance. They will walk on to the lot (or initiate contact via email) with a good idea already in mind about available vehicles and prices. Having your inventory readily available, as CarDog does, lets each salesman share that same information with the customer in person.
A significant advantage of CarDog over other automotive CRMs is CarDog’s mobile-centric design. The information is there on your smartphone, on the lot, in the waiting room, or wherever the salesman and customer happen to be.
If a customer wants to see what other vehicles are available, your complete inventory is right there, in a searchable format. You and the customer can compare vehicles, choose one or more for a test drive, and then begin the paperwork for the sale from within the CarDog app — literally, before the test drive is over.
CarDog streamlines and speeds up the car buying process, which is the main frustration to buyers. By putting all of your dealership’s tools in the palm of the salesman’s hand, you’ll be able to lower that frustration and create a much better experience for your customers. That will increase your first-time sales, and give customers a reason to come back again, and again, and again.
To learn more about how CarDog can boost your auto dealership, contact us today!
