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Mobile DSES Review with AutoMotion

DSES-Review-Image-Final Excitement filled the air as we boarded the plane for another trip to the strip for the Driving Sales Executive Summit.  This event continually amazes us each year with Driving Sales recruiting some of the most progressive speakers in the space coming out to reveal industry innovations and collaborate with a wide variety of outstanding peers on the future of the automotive industry. Primed and ready to learn, collaborate and have some fun we snaked through the immense halls of the Bellagio and DSES once again did not disappoint.

Written by Josh Knutson, AutoMotion

With re-nowned keynotes including Jared Hamilton, Brian Solis, Bryan Eisenberg, Rand Fishkin, Mike Hudson, Jack Simmons, Florian Zettelmeyer, Adam Justis and 30 break out speakers there was no shortage of quality content. The automotive industry is on the verge of some huge changes and DSES revealed some exceptional insights on where, why and how we are getting to the next level.

Mobile Is Taking Over Our Industry

As many of us know mobile is drastically changing our industry and DSES definitely spent a considerable amount of effort placing a strong importance on the topic. https://twitter.com/FisherBre/status/521696350250237952

“Consumers expect to be catered to via mobile, sometimes mobile is the only place they will find you.” With,25% of people using ONLY their Smartphone to conduct research prior to visiting a dealership – Ben Anderson

The relevance of being on the consumer’s preferred device is drastically changing automotive marketing and shopping.Making mobile a priority within all dealership functions pre and post purchase, online and in-store is essential for staying progressive and prominent to our clients.

“More than half of shoppers who used their Smartphone for research on a dealer lot visited additional dealerships as a result of the information found on their device.”

It is not only how they are connecting with us but also how they are disconnecting with us. Making sure you have a strong mobile presence, strategy  and connection method in place to create lasting relationships pre and post sale is essential in your sales, service and marketing strategies.

Mobile Sessions Included:

  • Ben Anderson: The Showrooming Customer: Mobile strategies to combat the effects of showrooming at your dealership
  • Jeff Kershner: Mobile Workflow and the Showroom Process of the Future: Why and How This New Trend of Consumer Shopping is Affecting Your Sales Floor
  • Adam Flegge: Modern Dialogue: An inside look at dealership texting strategies
  • Eric Miltsch: How Wearable Tech Will Change The Way Dealers Market and Connect With Their Customers
“Mobile isn’t a device, it’s a mindset, a behavior.” @emiltsch

And, where are the majority of consumers looking? Mobile Apps

Lets talk about that mobile app. DSES rolled out a fresh mobile app for this year’s conference. We personally thought the app was well done and helped organize everything into a manageable platform to help ease the rapid pace many of us are moving at thorough-out the event.

DSES Conference Mobile App

What did you think of the app? Did you use it at the event and what aspect was most helpful?

Auto-Marketing Is Moving… FAST

Adam Justis from Adobe revealed some awesome insights on just how drastically marketing is changing; especially in our industry. The process and rate at which we now consume content is immense. The automotive shopper has access to huge amounts of product information, reviews and paths to purchase that overshadow many other industries. The rise of technology has created countless digital marketing outlets over the past few years with dealers having to satisfy a massive variety of people, platforms and devices.

Your Staff = Your Success

Employees make your business. Creating a great team with progressive practices creates strong business. Car salespeople have a renowned high turn-over rate, taking the time to create a culture that excites and motivates employees goes a long way to dealership wide retention and success. Customer experience is also more important than ever, with the average millennial now visiting an average 10.1 sites per search. When the consumer finally arrives at your dealership you have 1 shot to make a lasting impression. Giving your staff the tools, training and management needed to succeed directly correlates to your bottom line, if your staff isn’t happy neither are you customers…

Karbaum Is Full Of Good Ideas

Robert Karbaum won his second DSES Best Idea Contest with his YouTube Postal Service Idea. Responding to clients using specific YouTube videos creates a whole new personalized method of communication; and in a world full of never ending emails this is something that will defintiley make you stand out from the competition.

AutoMotion and DealerRefresh Take Over the Vdara Penthouse:

Hosting a happy hour Monday night, a wide variety of industry professionals joined the AutoMotion and DealerRefresh teams at the beautiful Vdara penthouse suite. Overlooking the world renowned Las Vegas strip, the view was nothing short of amazing and is something that will be imprinted in our minds for some time to come.  We always love the ability to connect people from various parts of the industry and cohesively discuss the future of automotive. A great night was had and we would like to extend a huge thank you to all who attended! Happy-Hour-Collage- DSES-Group- Overall this is hands down one of the best events of the year. The insights, connections and setting were all top notch and provided a wide range of inspiring ideas that spread cross industry. Thank you again to Jared Hamilton and the entire Driving Sales team for all their hard work and making the event one we will soon not forget. Can’t wait till next year! Did you attend DSES? How did you feel the conference went overall? What was the best thing you took away?

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Ben Anderson - AKA "hair model Ben" is the President of AutoMotion, a leader in mobile apps for dealers. Ben is a regular speaker on mobile for many i...