With these 5 tips, digitalization in the car dealership will succeed
Digitalization continues to be one of the defining topics in stationary retail. It is therefore important to understand how digitalization can succeed in the dealership. This article therefore offers you five specific recommendations for action to help your dealership master digitalization.
Better use must be made of fewer customer visits
Many studies show that the number of visits a customer makes to a dealership is decreasing. Whether the much-cited 1.4 times per customer still applies depends above all on the customer group and the product range of a dealership. However, the general trend towards gathering information online before visiting a dealership is likely to apply to all car dealerships. But how should car dealerships react to this trend?
Car dealerships have to deal with the lower number of potential customers more consistently. In plain language, this means quality instead of quantity. A potential new customer, i.e. a lead, is rarer and must therefore not be lost under any circumstances. The importance lies in the consistent processing, tracking and documentation of leads that have been generated. Modern lead management systems (CRM), which not only store contact data but also organize the ideal customer care, help with this. From the assignment of contact persons and representatives to fully automated mailings that remind customers of upcoming inspections. It can also be used to measure the success of your marketing measures in the long term. By using lead management systems, you can offer customers the best possible experience in contact with your dealership and convince them that you are their mobility partner.
However, this follow-up is only possible if the lead is noted at all. Accessibility plays a central role here. Nowadays, customers are used to a high level of availability, or at least the possibility of being able to leave their request immediately. Digital telephone service providers make it possible to divert calls according to your own wishes and store different call routes. This means you won't lose any customers and if you are not available, you should offer a contact option such as a contact form or a chat function on the website.
The right Internet presence ensures a large number of potential customers
Digitalization in a car dealership without a website is unthinkable. In addition to online business cards such as Yelp or Google MyBusiness, two types of internet presence must be separated: Your own website and the dealership entry on sales platforms.
In addition to important information such as current opening hours and contact details, your website should also give customers an impression of your dealership. From the question of which brands you carry to the services that make you unique for the customer.
Also make sure that your website can be found by potential new customers. To do this, it is important that your company is visible on popular search engines such as Google, Bing, etc. You can achieve this by using the right terms on your website, especially in the address, the URL. For example, if your car dealership is located in Musterstadt and has an associated workshop, these terms should appear on the website and in the URL.
Your appearance on sales platforms is also of crucial importance. Here you should bear in mind that the customer is only one click away from the next offer and you should therefore do everything you can to prevent the customer from clicking any further. You can achieve this through clarity and high-quality information, such as lots of good images that give the customer a good first impression.
Focus on your core business
The shift of business to the Internet in particular has made it important to offer customers specialized services. The increased supply creates market conditions that do not pursue a generalist approach. If the customer is interested in other areas of business, they are more likely to switch to a specialist in that area than to expect a dealership that combines all offerings. So if you find yourself taking makes or models on deposit that don't fit into your product range, use remarketing platforms to resell these cars profitably. Focus on your core business!
Social media - also an important channel for car dealers
Social media has long been neglected by car dealerships as a sales channel. However, this can prove to be a fatal mistake. For many buyers today, the process of buying a car begins long before they find out about specific brands and models on platforms. Social media therefore offers car dealerships the opportunity to establish themselves as a partner early on in the buying process.
The choice of social media platform is also crucial. While Facebook tends to be used by an older target group these days, younger users can be reached via Instagram and YouTube channels in particular. So which platform you should use depends very much on your target group.
The content that you distribute via social media channels can be more personal than other forms of advertising. Users are used to getting a glimpse behind the scenes or seeing fun content. Shared posts from manufacturers are not very meaningful. Just let your creativity run free, because in the end you will reach more users with unusual content than with monotonous commercials.
Make targeted use of data
Data has become a major topic in recent years and has become a core product for many companies. And car dealerships should also be aware of the relevance of data.
On the one hand, data can help you to offer customers a customized shopping experience. This starts with information on how the customer likes to drink their coffee and extends to the roof box fitted to the demonstration car, because you know that the customer likes to go on skiing vacations.
However, data also plays a major role in the planning of the dealership. For example, you should store and evaluate all information about delivered cars. This allows you to identify which cars are not doing so well or which used cars have proven to be "grandfather clocks".
