Quick Guide #01 Automotive Manufacturers Quick Guide Help your Dealers convert your leads
Introduction AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER MANAGEMENT SPECIFICS As an automotive manufacturer, you invest heavily in generating leads. As such, you know how important it is to deal with those leads, especially in light of the economic volatility we face today. Your investment efforts can only be seen through if your leads are handled efficiently by your dealers. With this in mind, our Quick Guide presents: Lead management specifications for automotive manufacturers Leads processing and the New Customer Journey Lead Management Basics Example: DataCar CRM reminder: lead prospect The term lead refers to a business contact who has shown interest in our product and about whom we have some basic personal information. A lead is a contact identified for a potential transaction. We can consider a lead to be a prospect when he/she has been contacted by a sales rep and the sales rep has either sealed a meeting or decided there is a likelihood a purchase will be made. 1 2 Passionate consumers There is no doubt that cars occupy a special place in consumers hearts. They are everyday products which need to be functional as well as comfortable, but people are also passionate about cars; they have an effect on the owner s personal image... A car is also a product which has a great impact on the household budget and so customers spend time fully exploring the different models manufacturers have on offer, before making a decision. These are the reasons why manufacturers tend to develop their brand policies with a related image, specificities which make them stand out and stick in the customer s mind. The customer s path crosses the dealership Each action within the manufacturer s promotional activity is a reflection of the brand s image, regardless of the advertising media used: billboard, TV, Internet, social media, print... Naturally, each manufacturer s central marketing department has a clear idea of how customers should be treated: Welcomed with a smile, Answered quickly, How the vehicle should be presented Right through to signing the order. 2 quick guide Help your Dealers convert your leads www.datafirst.fr
One of the unique characteristics of the automotive distribution sector is that the journey to this somewhat special product often starts with perfectly controlled communication by the manufacturer who detects the lead, but which ends up elsewhere: at the dealership the lead is sent to. But the dealership staff do not necessarily have the same priorities as the manufacturer itself and therefore they aren t always vigilant enough as far as handling leads is concerned. So, it is likely that despite the development of the Internet and the important role it plays in the sales cycle, customers will be in contact with the dealership. It is therefore essential that manufacturers help dealers to manage their leads. Customer experience journey USAGE Maintenance Warranty period NEED GENERATION Searches internet DELIVERY / INSTALLATION Delivery Invoice Getting familiar USAGE NEED GENERATION DELIVERY / INSTALLATION BEFORE AFTER B R A N D MOMENT INITIAL CONSIDERATION DURING OF PURCHASE D E A L E R INITIAL CONSIDERATION Calls contact center Request info online ENGAGEMENT EVALUATION MOMENT OF PURCHASE Signs contract Final Presentation Additional services (Finance, Insurance...) ENGAGEMENT First Interaction Subsequent Interactions Car Presentation Offer Search for best price EVALUATION Studies Offer Calls in case of a query Search for best price Leads processing and the new customer journey Responsiveness is a critical factor. Customer requests must be handled immediately. Over the past months, we have seen the following changes take place: Websites, Social networks, Forums, Comparators, Showroom visits The number of contact opportunities ( touch points ) with the customer is growing exponentially and generating an ever-increasing number of leads with varying levels of lead qualification and maturity. key figures 1h x7 A lead which is handled in less than an hour is 7 times more likely to be converted into a sale. (source : largus.fr) Dealers are aware of these issues; however they are lacking tools and need to adapt their sales organisation. 4 quick guide Help your Dealers convert your leads www.datafirst.fr
lead management basics 4 Careful monitoring means no leads are lost Leads monitoring is important to be sure that: 1 Real-time transmission In this context, it is no longer possible to lose time sending the lead from the call center to the dealer. Real-time communication is needed to send the leads to the dealer s IT system electronically. 5 All leads are assigned, All calls are made within the deadlines, The outcome of the call is captured and the next steps are defined and scheduled. Sales force coaching 2 All relevant information should be made available to the sales rep Daily and monthly sales reports are sent to the manufacturer in order to: Detect any drifts, Compare sales rep results, A customer has shown an interest and said what he is looking for. You have some of his personal details, requirements etc and these details are very important for the sales rep but even more so for the customer who needs to feel he has been listened to and that the conversion which is already underway is continuing, without any interruption. Identify good practices. In other words, providing the means to coach sales reps in order to help them improve their results and get better conversion rates. 3 The sales rep should also be able to look for information he has about the customer: Current vehicle, Previous showroom visits. This information gives the customer a good impression. He feels as though he is known to the sales rep, and this can make all the difference. Quick sales rep assigment for immediate call-back Now that the lead has been sent to the dealer s CRM, it needs to be instantly assigned to a sales rep so that he/she can make the call in a matter of minutes. 6 Database enhancement and collaborative work Data collected during telephone or face-to-face conversations enhance the customer database and if the work is done correctly, the customer will contact you again. Furthermore, this information is essential for different dealership staff members to work together: Phone advisors, New Car sales reps, Used Car sales reps, Secretaries, Sales managers... 6 quick guide Help your Dealers convert your leads www.datafirst.fr
TIP Store the customer s mybrand.com ID in the Dealer CRM so as to be able to reconstruct the full customer journey. 3 Sales rep diary The sales rep s actions are automatically displayed in his diary. example: datacar crm 1 Electonic lead transmission A web service between the manufacturer system and DataCar CRM means leads are instantly and automatically integrated in the dealer s DataCar CRM. 2 Comprehensive details at the sales rep s fingertips A comprehensive view of customer details including vehicle history, new car requirements etc. 8 quick guide Help your Dealers convert your leads www.datafirst.fr
4 Regular reporting 6 DataCar CRM is a range of products including: Overview of dealership activity by site or group and varying time scales. Deal Stacker to issue the New or Used Car offer (stock or catalogue/to order), Digital Marketing for customer acquisition or retention. Increase customer loyalty SFA Pro Expert Manage your sale force team Choose a complete tool dedicated to the sale Set up your digital marketing Functional enrichment 5 Good quality database DataCar CRM provides an overview of the quality of the customer database. THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND YOUR SALES PRODUCTIVITY 10 quick guide Help your Dealers convert your leads www.datafirst.fr
Want to find out more? The DATAFIRST team is waiting to hear from you. DATAFIRST S.A.S 117 rue Bataille 69372 LYON cedex 08 DATAFIRST at your disposal + 33 (0)4 78 78 11 00 contact@datafirst.fr www.datafirst.fr