Making service recommendations is one way to drive profits, but without effective closing processes that opportunity may be lost. Join Performance Manager Tiffani Stefanescu as she discusses industry insights and Xtime Spectrum Best Practices to improve your service recommendations closing rates.
It’s easy to assume technology is everything. It’s critically important. And in the last year and a half, dealers like you leveraged technology, processes, and data to accomplish the impossible. In fact, even during the pandemic, buyer satisfaction rates improved.
But, you know (and your people do too) that technology without a human touch leaves your buyers wanting. On top of that, standing up a new system on your own makes everybody’s life miserable. Your team suffers. Your productivity dwindles. Yet, such is the cost of forward progress, right?
Or is it?
New technology is enticing. And there’s a reason for that. Your buyers’ habits are constantly changing. And you want to be ready to meet their needs. According to a report, 84% of franchise dealers expect to increase sales in 2021. So there’s a better than average chance you’re already scoping out your next tool or system. Yet, often, dealers face a new technology upgrade with little to no support from their vendors. Tracy Fred, Vice President of Dealer Sales and Service Solutions for Cox Automotive said in this recent interview, “With the convergence of technology, processes, and data, dealers are left to figure it out on their own in most cases. It’s difficult to do that in a silo.” That’s unfortunate. A DMS transition impacts everyone at your dealership. When it comes to people, process, and data, “You need people who can help you connect those three things. That’s why Dealertrack has a team of Performance Managers.”
Gaining consensus for a new DMS can be a battle on its own. So, dealers are ready to move on and get back to business once they’ve made the decision to transition. But, without a true partner in your corner, you may be walking into a new set of issues such as training, adapting to new workflows, and overcoming objections. And often, it’s the little things you weren’t prepared for that can derail a new tech transition. According to seasoned Performance Manager, Mike Panozzo, “Yes, you’re changing technologies, but it’s about more than that.” Outlined in his Four Steps for a DMS Transition, Panozzo explains that a new DMS is really a new mindset shift that, many times, dealer partners are unprepared for. That’s why having a Performance Manager, who can take on change management challenges like turning dissenters into advocates, can make a huge difference. Training new management as you hire and turn over team members over time is also a key benefit to having an ongoing partnership.
The long journey to success is filled with twists and turns. It’s also filled with new partnerships, integrations, and adaptations. As your business grows, you’re going to find ‘flexibility’ is your greatest strength. With an average of 10+ years in dealership management under their belt, each Performance Manager at Cox Automotive has been in your shoes. They know where you’re coming from. And their sole job is to learn where you’re headed—and to help you get there. With over 160 approved Opentrack vendors who work with Dealertrack DMS, unlocking the data within your dealership and integrating new technology helps you remain flexible and adaptable. With deep knowledge of how the DMS operates and functions, your Performance Manager helps you manage each integration.
As you adapt to new digital trends, your DMS helps analyze data and aligns business goals with changing customer wants and needs. And although modern DMS technology is much easier to use and much more intuitive than it used to be, it helps to have someone in your corner. Someone to deliver training, offer feedback on areas of opportunity and share tips and tricks that go well beyond traditional tech support. Your Performance Manager is that trusted partner. They’ve been there. Managing metrics, aligning key business objectives, and crafting that superior, personalized experience for your customers is in their very nature.
Your Performance Manager is invested in your success. As your dealership looks to the future—no matter what challenges are in store—they’re prepared to meet them. And they have unique insights that can help you leverage the DMS to achieve higher sales. Discover the 6 ways your DMS is a true profit driver in The Dealer’s Guide to Maximizing Profit with the Right DMS Partner.
How to train your dealership on digital processes.
The road to the sale is changing. Consumers are demanding a more modern way to buy cars, and dealerships are adapting to offer a more flexible, hybrid online and in-store sales experience. But as with any new process, you have to bring your entire team up to speed.
In our new eBook, you’ll find resources and strategies to train your staff on your new digital sales processes and equip them with the tools they need to succeed in the new sales environment. You’ll discover how to train them in key areas, including:
Get your free eBook and start training your team to succeed with digital sales processes.
Your customers expect more — more digital, more convenient. They want their interaction with your service department to happen in the palm of their hand. Listen in on how to create an end-to-end digital experience for your customers so that you can elevate your bottom line.
See how to enhance your customer’s digital service experience with a deep dive into all the capabilities Xtime provides your dealership.
Quickly and easily capture video and images with Enhanced Multi-Media, an add-on feature available with Xtime Inspect. Show your customer what the technician sees by attaching media to an ASR before you text or email it, or advisors and technicians can text media directly to the customer.
This provides an opportunity for your customer to interact with your service department from anywhere and easily understand the need for the recommended repairs while viewing pictures and video on their phone or device. You are increasing trust through transparency so that you can boost dollars per repair order and support the kind of digital experience your customer expects.
And you are making it easier and faster for the customer to say yes, with 49 percent of ASRs that include photos and videos approved in the first 15 to 30 minutes of receipt versus 31 percent with no photo or video.
Ready for faster approvals and more dollars per RO in your service department? Demo Enhanced Multi-Media.
In today’s market, you need to be able to sell everywhere your customers want to shop. It may come as no surprise; studies show your customers are spending more time online. Consider that Akamai, the world’s largest content distribution network, is running 67% more web traffic than normal, and average daily mobile traffic has jumped from 2.5 hours per day to 4 hours.
With more eyeballs going to the digital environment, consumption of video content is also increasing. Each day, consumers view 4 billion videos on Facebook and 5 billion on YouTube. Importantly for digital advertising, video-hosting platforms and media providers engage in-market shoppers. Nearly 4 million automotive videos are viewed on YouTube every day.
Video is a brand awareness channel that influences the viewer’s digital behavior. In simple terms, when in-market shoppers are frequently exposed to video assets of a specific vehicle model, they are more likely to search for it. This powerful tool has the reach, targeting capability, and content richness to drive more traffic to your Digital Storefront or automotive service marketing, and ultimately help you sell more of the advertised model or service.
All things considered; it is essential for the modern dealer to cultivate a robust video advertising strategy. Here are some branding and multi-channel strategies to employ today to leverage the increase in video consumption and the automotive vertical.
Capture the viewers’ attention immediately with a strong opening. Different channels will have different criteria for video ads, such as time limits of 15 seconds, and some may allow the viewer to skip after 5 seconds. The start of your video should be engaging and recognizable, whether it’s your logo, your Why Buy, or a key message.
While developing your content, keep in mind that over 50% of traffic is from a mobile device. Think like a smartphone user, considering all the distractions they may be encountering, and select your ad formatting to length to overcome these obstacles.
Harness your first party data and evolve your audience segments. Whether this first party data is from the media provider, or it’s data from within your dealership website, both are gold mines of opportunity. Your most qualified audience is made of consumers who have already been to your website, so start with a retargeting effort to maximize that targeting capability. Follow along with other audiences depending on their segments and goal-based priorities after that.
Develop a consistent message that is coherent with copy in your website landing page and brand marketing. Be sure this message should be clear and concise. You will build perception of brand value by repeating it in the ad copy of the video and across other channels, including email, banners, and more.
Avoid the silo mentality, and work to ensure your channel campaigns are integrated together. For instance, a well-planned Search Engine Optimization (SEO) program can be leveraged to drive more traffic from a video advertising campaign as well as other active channels, such as paid search. As you launch brand awareness opportunities, like video advertising, you will get more traffic and increased exposure on the other channels that are running.
It’s important to talk about budget when addressing advertising strategy. To know if you’re getting your money’s worth, develop a hierarchy of needs based on your goals. For instance, if your goal is a cost per action KPI, then you need to prioritize your channels that have the best return, such as retargeting. Historically, we’ve seen retargeting efforts have the best cost per action, depending on your cookie pool.
Branding channels are imperative in a diversified media plan. Branding from video advertising supports additional website engagement from multiple digital channels. And don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. If you’re currently running a traditional cable TV budget, then test it on Connected TV and gauge the performance.
One of the opportunities that Connected TV offers is more reporting capabilities. Digital marketing supports a wide range of KPIs and deep, granular reports to identify success. This level of information allows you to improve what’s working, expand on what’s working, and pull down what isn’t. Over time, you will see more cost efficiencies on overall media spend.
Dealer.com acts as your dealership’s very own automotive advertising agency, powering consumer experiences from anywhere. Deliver the right message from your Digital Storefront to every customer, wherever they are, with video advertising from the industry’s only complete digital marketing solution.
*Source: Think With Google
Experts in automotive advertising and digital marketing, we deliver retailing solutions that are easy to incorporate so dealers are set for success from day one. Learn how a guided retail experience simplifies the sales process and drives more qualified, higher converting sales leads and more profit potential.
As traditional transportation evolved, so did your customers’ expectations of convenience in your service department. Is your shuttle or loaner program delivering the best experience for your customers and creating efficiencies for you? Watch this webinar to learn about the power of leveraging Rideshare powered by Lyft, an Xtime and Lyft integration, in your dealership. Together we’ll explore:
Bryan Smith General Manager at Toronto Honda and Toronto Kia shares the impact Xtime products have made at his dealerships. In a time where many are looking to do more with less, he found a way. Watch this video to see what Xtime Schedule, Inspect, and Invite, alongside Texting and Payment, have done for Bryan and his dealerships. As Bryan says, “Now all I have to do is focus on figuring out how to fine tune my message so I can get maximum return on investment.”
Ready to demo these products for your dealership? Click here to schedule.
