DealerRefresh

Obstacles, Observations and Opinions of an Automotive Internet Sales & Marketing Manager

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I’m Tired of Hearing That Car Dealers are ‘So Behind the Rest of the World!’

I’m Tired of Hearing That Car Dealers are ‘So Behind the Rest of the World!’

It seems everywhere you turn in automotive you hear how behind dealers are compared to every other industry when it comes to technology, marketing and the customer experience. Frankly, I’m growing tired of this constant drumbeat; and not just because it’s been going on for well over a decade.

Go to an automotive industry conference and you’ll hear how dealers are still in the ‘stone age’ when it comes to adapting new technology. Peruse an industry forum and you’ll be told that dealers are foolish to rely on silly old sales leads. Read one of my blogs and you’ll (incorrectly) walk away with the impression that traditional dealers just don’t understand the customer experience.

Interestingly, the bulk of this negative chatter is coming from those inside automotive; those with almost zero knowledge of other industries; though, with just enough knowledge of Google, Facebook and Amazon to be dangerous. Moreover, the dealership naysayers seem to have little understanding about the real threats facing automotive retail.

But, Dealers are Way Behind with Technology, Right?

[Read more…]

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Corruptive Technology

Corrupted TechChances are if you were finishing your business education in the late nineties, The Innovators Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen, was mandatory reading. To this day it’s still considered one of the best business books in modern times. It was in this book that Christensen coins the term disruptive technology (later changed to disruptive innovation), to describe a process by which a product or service gains a foothold in simple applications at the low end of a market, then pushes up market, eventually knocking off the established competitors. Simply put, great companies can, have, and will fail despite ostensibly doing everything right. Think Kodak and Xerox.

As I’ve worked in the automotive space for basically my entire adult life, I’ve got to see the forefront of several technologies and services that were self-declared disruptive. Hell, I thought the lead scoring I helped develop would be considered disruptive, but with the absence of third-party leads, it now looks rather ho-hum. Sure the basic logic has led to martech and fintech applications (and recent sales of a company with a lottery valuation), but It didn’t have that Netflix vs. Blockbuster impact. Time will tell that tale. [Read more…]

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Three Unlikely Places to Add Chat for Service

A few weeks ago, I discussed The Enormous Untapped Potential of Live Chat for Service (here’s Part 2) and how it benefits both your dealership’s processes and your service customers. The summarized version is that 30-40% of chats are related to fixed operations, and you should be chatting for the service department.

Now, as promised, I want to dive into the strategy behind live chat for service.

Your Website: Prime Real Estate for Service Chats

The short answer to “where do I put a chat button for service on my website?” is everywhere. Why? Because chat buttons and annoying pop-ups are no longer interchangeable. Find a chat provider that follows a brand standard and offers unobtrusive, mobile friendly buttons that enhance the customer experience.

If you’re using a traditional chat invitation that deploys only on your service pages, make sure you’re strategic on where you place the button. Generally, the best place to deploy chat is on the service specials page and the appointment setting page. Customers on your service specials page are just waiting for a nudge to do business with you and chat can get them there. And your service appointment setting page is a no-brainer; the easiest way for a customer to set an appointment is to have someone else do it. Offering chat as a means to set a service appointment will significantly reduce drop-off and, if used correctly, will increase appointment show rate and RO dollars.

If you’re experimenting with the deployment of chat invitations with custom messages, here are three rules of thumb to follow: [Read more…]

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Introducing the Refresh Fridays “Live” Weekly Series on DealerRefresh

Earlier this year we began experimenting with a new broadcast concept. The idea was to conduct a periodic live broadcast that was casual and fun yet productive for us and for the audience. After a few tests, Refresh Fridays was born.

“Refresh Fridays” is a recurring webinar series broadcast live on DealerRefresh (most Fridays), hosted by Ryan Gerardi, Jeff Kershner, and Tom LaPointe where we catch up on that week’s (and upcoming) events and activities, hot topics and discussions on the Blog and in the Forums, and where we explore other topics and subjects related to Auto Retail, often times with a guest (or two).

Special Guests every week

In addition to the hosts, we often invite one or more Guest Panelists to appear on the live broadcast or dial in. Ideally, everyone joins through video conference. When that is not possible then you can dial in via phone.

The Refresh Fridays concept

The live broadcast is capped at 30-minutes because we want people feeling the need to tune in each week and come back for more, knowing it won’t interfere with their day.

The idea behind Refresh Fridays is to be MEMBER-FOCUSED. DealerRefresh has more than 8,500 registered members and reaches more than 30,000 people each month through the blog, forum, email, and social media. By focusing on our members’ needs and interests, we are able to bring the content and conversations to life that are occurring digitally and socially.

Recording and Distribution

Each Refresh Friday is recorded and edited. In some instances, we produce and release it as a standalone video and podcast. In other instances, we only extract bits and excerpts to include in other DealerRefresh media productions. The original Facebook Live recording is also always available on Facebook.

Sponsorship

DealerRefresh has strong media partnerships with many of the conferences, events, and expos in Auto Retail. We also have a growing alliance of strategic partnerships, alas “Sponsors” that support what we do and make it possible. Refresh Friday is not meant to be a platform for anyone to push an agenda or a branded message. We do of course use Refresh Fridays to bring awareness of and spark interest in the activities of DealerRefresh and our members.

How to Join the Refresh Fridays Live Streaming 

Facebook

Anyone can view Refresh Friday broadcasts live on the DealerRefresh Facebook page. People can also view unedited recordings of these broadcast in the Videos section of the page.

Zoom Webinar

Viewers may also register with Refresh Friday where they can reserve a seat on the live webinar broadcast. Registration is required only once and by doing so, registrants will receive an email reminder one day and one hour prior to each scheduled event. Registrants are not required to attend and they do receive exclusive access to some of the related content.

SMS Opt-in

You may also opt-in to receive text alerts by texting DFRESHLIVE to 555888. Please note that depending on your carrier and plan, Standard Message & Data Rates May Apply.

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VIDEO: Scaling personalization to all customers throughout the buying journey

Artificial Intelligence used to be something you’d only see in science-fiction novels, comics or movies. But these days AI isn’t just for Terminators and space ships with an axe to grind. Car dealers are now able to use AI to improve personalization on their website and engage customers more fully – engagement that can be turned into conversions if you know how to use the tools properly.

In this live web chat from August 2017 with AutoLeadStar Co-Founder and CEO Aharon Horwitz we explored the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools revolutionizing automotive digital marketing. We learned how to get started with AI today, and we even got a sneak peek at AutoLeadStar’s brand-new just-released machine learning tool coming in the Fall 2017, designed to solve some of today’s biggest online marketing challenges, including intrusive, mismatched popups and lack of personalization.

Learn how AI can customize every stage of the online shopping process by:

  • Tracking user behavior in real time to offer relevant content
  • Eliminating the busywork of campaign segmentation
  • Scaling personalization to all customers throughout the buying journey

Join the conversation in the Dealer Forums

View the full ‘edited’ version of the webinar (29mins)

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The Best Internet Sales Process Ever!

SponsoredLet’s be clear about the best “anything” when it comes to helping dealers sell cars: This new, best “thing” is only as good as the execution by your team.

The best CRM for you and your team, for example, is the one that they’ll use. Period.

It’s one that is intuitive and simple; and one that will help them communicate with your customers and prospects. The bells and whistles are what sells a CRM, but it’s your team’s execution that determines whether your CRM provider is a vendor selling you a product or a partner helping you sell cars.

Bad CRMs

While no CRM will sell you a car by itself, bad CRMs – those your team cannot or will not fully utilize – can cost you sales.

Lately, many of the CRMs often thought of as among the best customer relationship management tools in automotive have been falling flat for dealers. From reports that seem to come from a “random number generator” (providing often vastly different results depending on the day you run the report or where you grab the data) to impossible to implement work flows (preventing your team from easily customizing processes to fit specific customer profiles); these once highly-recommended products are being cursed in sales rooms across America.

But It’s the Process That Matters, Right?

[Read more…]

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VIDEO: ‘Intelligently’ Engage Auto Shoppers with Live Video Streaming

How many applications (or vendor solutions) do you need to effectively communicate with YOUR CUSTOMERS intelligently, dynamically, and personally?

This question (and others) is/are what we discussed in this exclusive DealerRefresh Web Chat with Dropin Auto Brand Ambassador Larry West [LinkedIn]. With more than 30 years of Automotive experience including Dealer and General Manager roles of high volume franchises, Larry is uniquely qualified to advise dealers on best practices for sales and service processes and lead acquisition, and he has an important message to share:

  • Three new consumer behaviors playing out in Google Search Data
  • Customer Expectation: Speed, Ease, and Transparency
  • Return of Face-to-Face Communications

PS – Dropin Auto is offering DealerRefresh Members a Special Introductory Offer. Learn more in the Deals4Dealers section of the Forums.

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Vast Launches CarStory Insights to Transform the Future of Auto Sales

Dealers Can Now Tap Predictive Analytics to Maximize Turn & Profits

AUSTIN, Texas—September 19, 2017— CarStory , the automotive AI platform from Vast , today unveiled CarStory Insights , the first product to predict when cars will sell and for how much. CarStory Insights builds on 12 years of data and analytics expertise. Combining this with AI and machine learning, CarStory Insights alerts dealers to issues on their lot before they cost them profits. For the first time, dealers can use the power of AI to sell cars at the right time, for the right price, maximizing inventory turn and profit.

CarStroy insightsC

 

“With CarStory Insights , dealers can stop guessing and start knowing,” said John Price, CEO of Vast. “It not only predicts which vehicles will cut into your profits, but also gives recommendations on what steps to take next. There is nothing else like it on the market today.”

An expansion of CarStory’s proven analytics and AI platform, Insights constantly analyzes a dealer’s lot to provide timely alerts, accurate sales predictions and smart pricing recommendations. Instead of scanning historical automotive data to make inferences on sales, Insights uses predictive analytics to see the trends that are coming. As a result, dealers are empowered to make more intelligent sales decisions, increasing their efficiency by eliminating the need to constantly monitor the market.

Dealers can pinpoint slow or fast turning vehicles in their inventory in seconds—allowing more time to take the steps that mitigate a loss. Features of CarStory Insights include:

Turn Drivers
Highlights the vehicle features that help cars sell in a local market and compares those to every vehicle on a dealer’s lot.

Smart Pricing
Provides pricing recommendations based on how each price will change the days to sell.

carstory insightsA

Market Rank
Provides a detailed comparison how each vehicle stacks up against the local competition.

Sales Alerts
Get notified via phone or email whenever Insights detects an issue in the market or on your lot.

Instant Share
Notifications can be easily shared with members of a dealer team.

CarStory Insights is available to select dealers today. If you would like to get on the waitlist, please visit carstory.ai .

About CarStory
Powered by the industry’s largest database of inventory and shopper insights, CarStory uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help both consumers and dealers make confident decisions. With a network of over 7,000 dealers nationwide, and touching over 15 million consumers a month, CarStory is the leading automotive analytics platform in the industry. To learn more or sign up, visit: carstory.ai.

About Vast
 Vast is the leader in Automotive Vertical AI for automotive industry, applying domain knowledge, expertise and content to service customer-acquisition, vehicle sales and data analysis. Vast’s auto platform, CarStory, supports a number of products including CarStory Market Reports and CarStory.com. Founded in 2005, Vast is the premier provider of automotive big data solutions for the largest brands in automotive. Learn more at vast.com.

Media Contact
Treble
Ethan Parker
512-960-8222
[email protected]

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Cars.com Enhances Car Shopping Experience With Latest Feature, Salesperson Connect

CHICAGO, September 12th, 2017 – Cars.com is announcing its latest car shopping feature, Salesperson Connect, which helps connect dealership salespeople directly to in-market shoppers before visiting the dealer lot, creating a more personalized car shopping experience for consumers.

DealerRater, a Cars.com company, launched DealerRater Connections earlier this year to help connect consumers directly with dealer salespeople through dealer reviews. This latest feature upgrade integrates DealerRater data with the Cars.com Vehicle Details Page (VDP), providing shoppers with access to information critical to making a buying decision on what Cars.com refers to as the 4P’s: Product, Price, Place and Person. Salesperson Connect is available for dealers nationwide who are currently DealerRater Connections customers.

[Read more…]

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The Autonomy Quatrains ….a Reality Check.

Nostradamus would be having a field day.

When pondering the impact of Autonomous Driving Vehicles, the predictions about the future of automotive (and the resulting impact to society) are, if anything, vast. In a world that requires constant content, everyone has an opinion and the ability to publish their opinions. So they do.

The Unbridled Technophiles:

  • Less than 4 million autonomous cars will replace 50% of all commuter traffic in the U.S.1 With roughly 250 million people in the U.S. living in urban communities, 3.75 million autonomous vehicles will handle 50% of peak commuter traffic in the country.
  • Overcrowding will officially come to an end.1 One thing that symbolizes overcrowding more than anything else is traffic. Once traffic flows smoothly, people will begin to regain control of their lives and our sense of feeling overcrowded will begin to disappear.
  • Driverless technologies will cause 1 in 4 jobs to disappear.1 Over the next 2-3 decades, driverless technologies will be either directly or indirectly responsible for the loss of 25% of all of today’s jobs.
  • We won’t need to teach our children how to drive. Today’s infants will wonder how or why we let people drive cars.

The Unbridled Technophobes: [Read more…]