Score One for the Team

Is 100% of your energy focused on scoring a touchdown? Or, when it comes to utilizing resources effectively, would you sometimes be satisfied to score a field goal?

The majority of dealerships working in the digital space only care about scoring fast. This means that they sometimes pass up the chance to be on the scoreboard at all.

The problem with this philosophy is that they never realize an acceptable closing rate and the cost-per-sale sky rockets because they have to bring in more and more leads to meet their objective.

Many digital advisors train and coach their clients' sales staff to use the customer-relationship management system to track and manage sales prospects.

Step by step, they make contact with a prospective lead, learn the proper word tracks to control the customer and eventually, with a lot of luck, make an appointment.

The national average for first time appointments varies and is under 50% of total leads received. The average for prospects that show up for an appointment also is under 50%.

So what happened to the majority of the leads that your trained staff worked so hard on? Are they just gone? Sometimes.

But sometimes you can do something different to score at least a field goal? The method and process is simple and overwhelmingly accepted by dealership staff because of the results-driven concept. Let me illustrate this process in three steps:

Step 1

The fixed ops department staff (usually the service receptionist or a couple of service advisors) should be provided the same level of internet training and coaching that variable-operations people receive.

This training must provide a working knowledge of the dealership's CRM tools as well as coaching on delivering a value proposition.

Step 2

Additional training and scripting is given to the variable-ops staff to hand off prospect leads to fixed operations. The handoff occurs when it is determined the prospect is hesitating to make an appointment and sufficient information is obtained regarding the prospect's current vehicles.

Step 3

The old internet lead flow process is altered by strategically directing contact by fixed ops (the newly trained staff) in order to present an additional value to the prospect.

The value proposition may change but usually contains an offer for a free vehicle inspection, car wash and analysis on what repairs or adjustments may be done to obtain the maximum amount for their trade.

Your objective is clear: Maximize the prospect sales lead into a potential service customer by providing a value-oriented opportunity with real benefits to the prospect.

In addition, if the prospect has more than one vehicle in his family or has friends thinking about a future purchase, offer the same service free of charge.

This just might score you a field goal, or better yet, a game winning touchdown.

Raynard M. Fenster is president of RayFenster.com LLC. He has spent 12 years working in automotive retail with expertise in ecommerce for both variable and fixed operations. He was one of the first internet professionals that moved eCommerce into fixed operations and social media. Contact him at 301 805-4829 or [email protected]

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