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| January 2012 | VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1
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| Get the number of customers who requested information on vehicles in your market.
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Chuck Barker answers this month's question for AutoUSA readers.
The economy appears to be improving. What should we be doing to accommodate this potential increase in our business?
The New Year is here and along with it is a brand spanking new opportunity to make this year the best ever. Or, of course just settle for what ever comes your way. I am always amazed by the stores that are motivated to implement new concept ideas and take their stores to new and expanded spaces of achievement.
I also enjoy seeing stores that are scared to death of change embrace some new processes to improve their performance too. You know the stores I am referring to; yes the ones with inconsistent management and sales staff attrition hovering around 70%.
Here are a few of the critical elements to launch a new successful flight path for you and your dealership. We first need to recognize that there are good stores and there are great stores. The great stores are willing and able to do something extra all the time to encourage and create a better all round environment for their people, and subsequently for their customers.
Want to make a difference? Then it will involve an investment in training, time, and stretching your world as you know it. The good news is it can be done and it is not going to cause you to lose arms or legs in the process. If you can't implement all of these, focus on the ones where you can make a commitment to stay on track and see the effort all the way through. Here are some of the critical elements which must be present in your business growth plan foundation to ensure a practical and sound approach to a successful implementation.
They are;
A True "Customer Focused" Approach:
Everything you and your team touches needs to be accomplished with the customer in mind. If you believe Customer Relationship Management is just about the customer you are mistaken. CRM is a full all out effort to employ relationship strategies in every corner of the store. When this happens, the customer knows it and is the major benefactor of your efforts. One of the byproducts of this effort will be that the entire dealership is enhanced and everyone working there is better from the experience.
My top ten solid essential areas (in no particular order) for the New Year that everyone needs to adopt an understanding of, be trained in, have proper dialog for and most important, possess, enact or figure out the processes like a road map for success are:
( Read More )
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AutoUSA Featured Interview
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Richard Stein
Internet Sales Manager
Yonkers Honda
Yonkers, NY
AutoUSA: Can you tell me a little bit about your dealership and your background in the industry?
Richard: I started in auto retailing back in 1976 and joined Yonkers Honda in 1978, and have been with them ever since. Over the years I have built a loyal clientele and and needless to say have strong repeat business from these customers and their friends. When I started selling cars my mentor gave me some great advice. He said, "You only need to know two things to be successful in this business. First treat every customer the way you would want to be treated and second, listen." That was great advice and has served me well.
AutoUSA: What is the size and structure of your Internet Department?
Richard: We are a two person department and we work all the internet leads from start to finish. We do not use auto-responders, and we really have to hustle. Our department sells about 40 to 70 cars per month based on time of the year, sales and other factors. In most months this is about one third of the total dealership sales.
AutoUSA: What do you do that is different from your competition?
Richard: We are just five miles from the Bronx and have about six Honda dealers in the area. Response time and thorough follow up are critical for us. We use a CRM system to manage all our prospects and customers to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. We work the phones and email for follow up and offer whatever assistance the prospect needs to make them feel comfortable with our dealership and process. And while we have a CRM system that doesn't mean impersonal replies and notifications. We personalize our communications and find ways to really provide that extra value they are looking for in the transaction. Some of our competitors funnel their leads to salesmen in the showroom who aren't always equipped to handle Internet savvy customers. With our specialized handing and focus we often shine next to those dealers.
AutoUSA: Do you use independent lead providers?
Richard: Like most dealers we get our best leads from our own site and then the OEM site, but we also use AutoUSA to fill in the gaps and make sure we spread a wide net for Honda prospects in our market. We close about 12% of our independent leads and leads from Honda and our own website can close as high as 24%. We feel it is important to diversify lead sources to keep our pipeline full.
AutoUSA: What forms of advertising do you utilize?
Richard: We advertise on T.V. regularly, do periodic print campaigns and also heavily work search engine optimization. We are also part of the local AAA and Costco buying programs and that brings us additional customers too. At this time we are not very active on social media channels but might consider trying it later in the year.
Website: http://www.yonkershonda.com
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AutoUSA shares why 2012 could be a good year for auto dealers. Watch this video from Phil Dupree, President of AutoUSA
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Web Selling, Marketing & Technology
Internet News Developments of Significance to Dealer Management
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Customer Retention & Loyalty
Less than 15 years ago, not a single dealership had a personal computer, digital camera, website or email address, let alone a person who knew how to operate any of them. Today, most successful dealerships have an entire department dedicated to internet marketing. (Read More)
Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization Tips
Not every business needs to hire a professional SEO firm to provide basic search engine optimization services. In fact, most businesses who operate a website can complete the majority of the necessary search services themselves. We call it DIYSEO (do-it-yourself-search-engine-optimization). (Read More)
AutoUSA Tech Tip
Hackers are everywhere so websites need to be proactive in looking for malware or other viruses on their websites that can cause issues. There are solutions to protect your website. (Read More)
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This newsletter is published as a combined news, editorial, and market research enewsletter by Automotive Information Network, Inc. and AutoUSA. The content is intended to be for informational, educational, and promotional purposes only.
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Automotive Information Network, Inc
425 32nd St, Manhattan Beach CA 90266
310 265-2225; Webitor@automotivedigest.com
Web Editor: Mark Dubis
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AutoUSA
200 SW 1 Avenue, Ste. 1500, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
Contact: Vincent Hoag at 800-243-9935
or via email at support@autousa.com
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