A recent AM Online article painted a bleak picture of dealership sales processes. A survey by automotive training and software company BTC described how car dealers’ sales processes are letting a frightening number of leads slip through their fingers. Their research shows that 35% of customers flagged as lost sales are in fact still searching for a new car.
Guy Allman, chief executive of BTC, said: “From start to finish there are gaps in the sales process and then, to make matters worse, there is no follow-up call.”
Just because customers do research online and visit a limited number of Dealers, does not mean that dealer staff are just order takers. There is still a need to apply traditional sales techniques in converting interest into orders.
Little things like creating a rapport with customers to discuss their needs and offering test drives for example.
Help is at hand from TrackBack, as several brands such as Vauxhall, Mercedes-Benz and Fiat have found. TrackBack plays a crucial role in ensuring rapid lead follow-up, helping dealers engage potential customers quickly and increasing the chances of converting interest into sales.
The worldwide system integrates with a vehicle manufacturer’s existing Lead Management System and reports if and when CRM leads sent from vehicle manufacturers are contacted by dealers. It does this by objectively tracking both telephone calls and emails without relying on confirmation by the
The reporting also shows the full contact history, so it is possible to check if and when calls are made. Their content can even be reviewed for training purposes if they are recorded. Sales people tend perform better if they know their calls might be reviewed.
The manager responsible for introducing TrackBack to Vauxhall explained: “TrackBack enables an extraordinary insight into retailer speed and quality of lead follow-up.
Within days of using this product, we were able to review and collaboratively improve retailer lead management. It is now a key tool for measuring, managing and coaching to ensure retailers maximise all of the opportunities provided.”
After implementing TrackBack, vehicle manufacturers see a significant increase in both the volume and speed of sales lead follow-up.
They can typically expect 90-100% follow-up rates, and within hours rather than days, especially if tied into a dealer incentive programme, for which TrackBack provides clear and objective performance evidence.
For more information on TrackBack, please email enquiries@trackback.net.