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AUTOMATIC SUCCESS13 Workflows You’re Not Automating but Should

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AUTOMATIC SUCCESS: 13 WORKFLOWS YOU’RE NOT

AUTOMATING BUT SHOULD

With as much technology as most of us rely on to run our dealerships, it’s hard to believe there’s something we could be missing. Perhaps we’re stuck in tunnel vision, content with manual processes we know like the back of our hand. Or perhaps our software is in need of a long-overdue upgrade. Whatever the case, I’ve seen countless independent dealerships overlook 13 key workflows that should absolutely be automated.

WHY AUTOMATION?

First, we must answer the common objection: Why automate when your current process works just fine? I’ve found that the biggest hurdle to strategically utilizing automation in your business is your own mindset. Sometimes automation solves issues that have been plaguing you for years, but other times, it simply multiplies your success. If you’re doing great now, imagine how much better you would be doing by improving efficiencies exponentially.

Please take a moment to consciously clear your mind of any preconceived notions. Once you automate one or two (or all) of the workflows below, your profit numbers will speak for themselves.

WORKFLOW #1: MARKET TO SOLD CUSTOMERS

WORKFLOW #2: DISTRIBUTE LEADS TO THE RIGHT SALESPERSONIf you’re like most independent

dealers I know, you already have a solid base of repeat customers. Think of how many more sales you could earn by proactively marketing to previous buyers using pure statistical analysis to pinpoint the customers most likely to be in the market for another vehicle. Equity-mining software can track the initial deal terms, interest rate, purchase date, and more. Combine that with the opportunities available today for a lower interest rate and/or lower payment, and you’ll uncover ideal customers to upsell.

After identifying this list of prospects, some software can even be set to immediately reach out to each person via a series of tailored marketing emails. This approach can capture customers who would be willing to purchase from you again but haven’t actively begun the search for a new vehicle. Ultimately, it’s a matter of which dealership reaches the right buyer at the right time, and who gets to that prospect before they start shopping the competition.

If you aren’t already automating this process, you likely send all web leads to one person who manually assigns them out. Compare that to a CRM that automatically distributes leads round-robin style based on:

• Vehicle — Do some sales staff specialize in a certain segment, like trucks or higher-end cars?

• Schedules — Which team members are in the office vs. on vacation?

• History with the customer — Is this a repeat buyer who should be sent back to their original salesperson?

Automating lead routing does not mean you have to give up visibility to this part of your business. You can still view leads as they come in while they get delivered to the right person faster.




WORKFLOW #3: REGULARLY FOLLOW UP WITH ACTIVE LEADS

Did you know 80 percent of sales are closed between the fifth and 12th contacts? (That is, actually making contact with the customer, not calling and getting voicemail.) It is even more concerning that only 10 percent of salespeople ever move past the third contact. An automated follow-up work plan can help.

Most independent CRMs focus only on initial follow-up. The salesperson must then manually schedule any subsequent activities. Some technology, however, can intelligently create a work plan that automatically schedules lead follow-up, reminds the salesperson to do so, or some combination of the two. Sophisticated software allows complete customization of your plan, so you can set the frequency of contact to any interval you’re comfortable with.

WORKFLOW #4: REACH OUT TO WEB VISITORS

Notice we refer to them as “web visitors” not “web leads.” You should already have a way for interested customers to submit a lead via your website. But what about visitors who came into your store, didn’t buy, and then hopped on your website several days later? What about someone who already submitted a web lead but visits your website again and spends a significant amount of time on certain car pages? Most dealers want to know this information but don’t know how to get it.

Today’s technology can capture the IP address of any lead and then track where he or she goes on your website and how long he or she stays. This kind of invaluable information can be leveraged by your salespeople during follow-ups. Say a customer comes into your store shopping for a four-door sedan. However, later website visits showed him or her looking at several different trucks. Your salesperson could follow up proactively with more information on the trucks in your inventory.

Remember, you can only act on the information you know, and customers rarely share everything. Technology can paint a more complete picture of what your prospects want so that you can provide it.

Did you know 80 percent of sales are closed between the fifth and 12th contacts?




WORKFLOW #5: ADD NEW INVENTORY

WORKFLOW #6: VIEW SERVICE REPAIR ORDERS FOR EACH VEHICLE IN YOUR DMS

WORKFLOW #7: REEVALUATE YOUR INVENTORY EACH MONTH

Think of all the steps you take to prepare a vehicle for sale: inspection, interior and exterior detail, repairs, and so on. Through your DMS, you should be able to flag new inventory for certain tasks and then include flagged vehicles on corresponding reports. Can you automatically compile a list of all cars waiting to be detailed with your current setup?

Once the task in question has been completed, the flag should be removed automatically. It’s the simplest way to keep your inventory organized and help each department stay on track with vehicle processes.

What if every time a car from your inventory went into your shop for repair, your salespeople could automatically see repair status and cost? They would know when a car is not yet ready for sale and the increase of investment, which is key to preserving your profits during negotiation. Short of manual order entry or extremely tight communication between departments, most dealerships do not have this level of visibility into vehicle status.

It’s a sad fact in the car business: every day a vehicle sits on the lot, it depreciates. If it sits too long, you may need to adjust its price. This process doesn’t need to be a hassle. Instead of manually pulling book values, simply set your DMS to automatically reassess your inventory every month. It can reference the latest book values without you having to lift a finger.

Through your

DMS, you

should be

able to flag

new inventory

for certain

tasks and

then include

flagged

vehicles on

corresponding

reports.







In this day and age, no dealer should have to input a customer’s information multiple times into multiple systems as they progress through the sales process.

WORKFLOW #8: REPRICE YOUR VEHICLES

Think about how many different partners you use to advertise your cars. If you don’t automate repricing, you probably log in, navigate to the section where you can adjust pricing, and then manually set the new price — for each platform. Think of all the time you would save if when you adjusted the price in your DMS, it would be automatically syndicated to all of your online platforms and third-party partners. This same technology can also keep inventory on your website up to date, so that whenever a vehicle is sold, it is automatically removed from your site.

WORKFLOW #9: REACH OUT TO KEY PROSPECTS AFTER PRICE CHANGES

WORKFLOW #10: MOVE A CUSTOMER FROM WEBSITE TO CRM TO DMS

Whenever a vehicle price is lowered, one of the first tasks on a salesperson’s list should be to contact all prospects who were recently interested in that particular car. This group represents low-hanging fruit, and the reduced price may entice them into a purchase. This can be time-consuming without proper technology backing it up. Rather than asking your sales staff to dig through months of notes, your CRM should automatically populate a list of every customer interested in a particular vehicle as soon as the price is lowered.

In this day and age, no dealer should have to enter a customer’s information multiple times into multiple systems as they progress through the sales process. A well-integrated platform pushes a customer’s data to all systems, so when a web lead turns into an in-person visit, there is no extra work. And when the customer is finally ready to buy, all of his or her information can be pushed to your DMS.


WORKFLOW #11: SUBMIT DEALS TO LENDERS

WORKFLOW #12: CUSTOMIZE YOUR COLLECTIONS QUEUES

WORKFLOW #13: RESOLVE COMPLAINTS

Gone are the days of manually compiling a deal package, faxing it to a lender, and waiting an eternity for a response. With DMS lender portal platforms, you can seamlessly submit deals, as well as receive decisions in real time, without ever leaving the system. You should be able to view deal status in your DMS, freeing you up to move on to other activities rather than constantly following up with the bank.

If you’re a buy-here-pay-here dealer, you already know that excellent collections is key to keeping your business in the black. Despite the importance of this department, it is not the best use of your time to manually determine each collector’s calls and call order. A DMS can automate customer payment reminders and queue up the best customer calls for your collectors. If you want a specific collector talking to your late-delinquency customers and another to your early-delinquency customers, DMS automation can handle it.

Recent technology can help you intercept complaints before they make it to social media, review sites, the CFPB, or the local attorney’s office. Just by automating follow-up surveys to buyers — then using that information to create QA events — you make customers feel heard, respected, and far less likely to escalate their complaints.

A solid complaint-resolution process can actually turn potentially negative reviews into positive ones simply by managing them appropriately.

Gone are

the days of

manually

compiling

a deal

package,

faxing it to a

lender, and

waiting an

eternity for

a response.




Finally, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: cost. In my experience, most dealerships vastly underestimate how much the right technology can increase their profits. They resist adding any expense to the budget, especially if sales are down. Don’t buy just any software based on a bunch of bells and whistles. It has to make sense for your dealership. Assess your options with an open mind, and don’t step over dollars to pick up pennies.

When you partner with the right provider and commit to the right software, there shouldn’t be any downside to automation — only greater efficiency, increased revenue, and new levels of success. In my

experience,

most

dealerships

vastly

underestimate

how much

the right

technology

can increase

their profits.




Rob Wilson is the Business Development Manager, Independent, at DealerSocket. He works closely with third-party vendors to identify the best integration solutions

and partners for DealerSocket’s independent technology platform. He also collaborates regularly with industry influencers, including national and state associations, to support and promote the success of independent dealers.

For more information, visit dealersocket.com/idms.

http://dealersocket.com/idms

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