My first day on the sales floor at the age of 22 was probably like most. “Sit in this office, listen to Jackie Cooper tapes and DON’T SPEAK TO ANYONE!” In the days that followed, I was inundated with best practices from the veteran “closers” who were circling like hungry sharks waiting to take half of my first car deal! I received a lot of “advice” in the beginning, but one piece that stuck with me was the old cliché, “The customer is king.” We have all heard this, and many of us have used this in training, but what does this really mean? I think most of us would say it means, “Treat your customers like royalty, roll out the red carpet and make them feel special.” Simple, right?
Chasing Excellence
Although the fundamentals of our business remain the same, consumer expectations have certainly changed. Today, we live in a world of Amazon, DoorDash and Venmo. Consumers want purchases to be fast, right and easy. In short, they seek excellence. Although an automotive transaction is more complex and much more expensive than an Amazon purchase, excellence is now our standard.
For decades, the automotive industry dictated how the consumer was going to purchase a vehicle. We were certainly slower than other industries to streamline our process. This is not easy, considering how complex our transactions are. However, not long ago, we saw the consumers push back on the traditional process and demand something different. We were forced to change, become more transparent, provide more information on our websites, and use electronic menus and digital retail solutions. Companies like Carvana and CarMax were born, touting a more consumer-friendly experience. COVID happened. The pendulum swung heavily back in our favor. Profits were high, the business was easy, and processes got sloppy! Today, inventory is back to full capacity, OEMs are chasing market share, and dealers are forced to hit their volume incentives. The consumer is going to control the process now more than ever before. Are you ready?
Level Up Your Customer Experience
The First Touch Has To Be First Class!
Does your website represent your business well? Does it tell your story? Is it easy to navigate? Are you providing the consumer with the information they want? Who is the first person they speak with or text with at your dealership? How well are they trained? Is your customer having to start over when they get to the dealership? First impressions set the stage for where that consumer will choose to purchase their vehicle. Many will defect from this first touch, and you may never know.
Is Every Transaction a BIG Deal?
Selling new cars every day can desensitize us to how “special” this experience truly is to our consumers. For most of them, this is a once-in-every four- or five-year purchase. For many, the purchase of a new car is the second most expensive purchase they will ever make. We must treat each transaction as such and not allow complacency to kick in.
It’s the Carpenter, Not the Tool!
Desking software, CRMs and E-Menus are great tools, but only in the right hands! Let’s use these tools to become more efficient and deliver a great customer experience, not as a crutch or something we mandate our team use. Let’s take the time to teach our staff why they are using these tools, how they help them and get the buy-in. Making changes isn’t easy, especially when you have been successful in doing it a certain way. However, small changes can lead to big results! Experience has proven that the magic lies in the fundamentals and making sure your team is well-versed in them. It’s not necessarily found in the new tech platform.
LDS Has Solutions!
Although we specialize in F&I training, requests from dealers for sales and sales management training have increased tremendously. In response, we have recently updated our training offerings and content to reflect what your customers demand today. The new training is innovative, flexible and can be deployed to dealership staff according to your preference — whether that’s in our state-of-the-art training facility, by virtual platforms or by LDS coming to you and providing in-store training. Let’s talk soon to see how we can help you make sure your customer is KING!
