The automobile industry is evolving with technology. With such a competitive environment, auto dealers have to work harder than ever to raise the bar and come out above the rest.
Here are 15 steps you can take to step up your dealership’s game:
- Update your website – regularly. This should go without saying.
- Make sure your website it optimized for mobile viewing. Shoppers are looking online more than ever. Remove “call for details/pricing” on your site and put your actual sticker price. Don’t send them to a competitor by withholding information.
- Be text-message friendly. Shoppers love when you make things easy and text messaging has been widely adopted and is not just for millenials anymore.
- Bring out the iPads! The days of hiding your tech has ended. Show off how tech savvy and efficiently your dealership runs and the customer will feel more confident in choosing you.
- Share the WiFi. Customers want to be comfortable and feel they are surrounded by the latest and greatest. Turn off the WiFi passwords for customers and keep your internal devices on secured connections.
- Personalize the experience with information relevant to your customers. Instead of random notifications for service, customize based on their actual mileage.
- Give your customers connected car technology. OEM technology sometimes falls short, but providing innovative solutions regardless will definitely set you apart.
- Digitize your inventory. Don’t just keep a list on your computer – dealers that use GPS to manage their lots can find vehicles in seconds.
- Give your customers peace of mind. A vehicle is stolen every 45 seconds, but a recovery system with a recovery-guarantee warranty gives true protection.
- Save your customers some money. While recovery options are a great value add-on in themselves, many customers save on insurance when security options are already installed.
- Let your cars talk to you. Don’t wait to start a car to find a dead battery – let the cars do the work and set up low-battery notifications.
- Let your cars ask for help. When a vehicle is stolen, finding out the next morning hinders your ability to recover it. If your recovery system notifies you when something suspicious is happening, you can begin the recovery process immediately.
- Know your customer. To make them feel truly welcome, know when they’re arriving at your dealership with their name and vehicle information at the ready.
- Remember, technology is a tool. If your tools aren’t helping you work faster, you’re using the wrong ones.
- Stop reading this list and get moving! In this fast-paced industry, you have no time to lose… now that you’ve read it, start checking off the items on your to-do list!