Digital Mileage

 

by The Cobalt Group on May 19, 2011

60 Ways to Upgrade Your Dealership’s Customer Experience

Be honest: how many errands have you bailed on because you were cold, hot, hungry, bored, or in need of a restroom? Now turn the tables: how many “little things” in your dealership have caused you to lose a customer? Whether the person left because there was no toilet paper in the bathroom and they were too embarrassed to ask for more, or because they couldn’t get cell reception and wanted to take an important call, it only takes a little discomfort to send a potential customer out the door.

So here’s the challenge: we dare you to incorporate all 60 of these dealership improvement efforts into your store in the next month. Post in the comments and let us know which ones you’ve incorporated, and also chime in with your own ideas for improvement.

1.     Make name tags mandatory for every employee (real names or fun nicknames)

2.     SNUGGIES. Keep branded snuggies on-site for customers to wear while winter car shopping

3.     Add a blackboard to the lobby-scribble a welcome message, an inspirational quote, or a fun piece of car trivia

4.     CLEAN, CLEAN,CLEAN-it doesn’t cost any money to keep things tidy, and a sparkling dealership helps sell cars!

 

5.     Raffles. Skip the boring local lunch coupon and get creative: think trapeze classes, free car washes for life, or dates with your single daughter (we kid, we kid)

6.     Subscribe to the latest magazines-people hate buying magazines and love reading them, so why not have the most current selection attractively arrayed on your dealership coffee table? No one will mind the wait when they’re getting caught up on their reading!

7. Have branded umbrellas available for rainy-weather shoppers.

8. Invest in time-passers like Xbox Kinect, Wii and HD TV in your dealership lobby. It may seem indulgent, but when you consider that customers will be willing to wait literally hours for you to meet with them, it’s totally worth it.

9. Practice a thirty-second greet. Popular in the restaurant industry, this practice should also be applied to car dealerships. Make sure a receptionist or staff member says a quick hello, offers a beverage or reading material, and says “Our service rep Dan will be right with you” within thirty seconds of a customer arriving.

 

10. Wi-Fi. Do we really have to say it at this point?

11. Board games. Don’t have the budget for high-tech electronics? Go old-school with affordable games all ages can enjoy, like checkers, chess, and Connect Four.

12. Go green. Plants are another affordable way to spruce up your dealership and create a relaxing atmosphere. Get adventurous with colorful blooms or play it safe with hearty succulents. Either way, a little green adds instant calm to your dealership.

13. Go to the bathroom – no, really! Dealership restrooms are sometimes the most-used and most-neglected places in the building, particularly if employees and customers alike share them. Make sure they are cleaned several times during the day, and stock them with extra tissue (both kinds!), towels, sprays and soap. If you really want to impress customers, add mouthwash, toothpicks and hairspray!

14. Toys. Keep the little ones occupied with stuffed animals, coloring books, and of course, remote control cars.

15. PLEASE GIVE. Incorporate charity opportunities into your dealership, like a food drive, clothing drive, or giving tree.

16.   Add an aquarium.
 

17. Cultural flair. Show your regional pride by tastefully incorporating the best of your area. If you’re from Vermont, have mini bottles of maple syrup to take home. If you’re in Seattle, serve Starbucks, and if you’re in Florida, a bowl of oranges makes a great coffee table centerpiece.

18. Wall of fame. Take all the local clippings, magazine press, and awards you’ve gotten over the years, and create a wall of pride in your dealership. A tasteful gallery of accolades will ensure customers that they are in the right hands.

19. Humor! Post a “No Sharks Allowed” Sign or a sign in your dealership window that says “Welcome to an intimidation-free zone.”

20. Have a “Cosmic Dealership night” where car buyers can shop until midnight, accompanied by flashing strobe lights, disco music and fun giveaways.

21. Find out what hours your competitors open, and open an hour earlier and stay open an hour later.

22. SMILE

 

23. Have music playing, preferable an XM or Sirius channel that is middle of the road

24. Stick out your hand and thank the prospect for coming in.

25. Introduce your manager in the beginning of the sales appointment, not the end.

26. DOGS! Be pet friendly; dogs are fun!

27.  No smoking in the front or side of the building!

28. Hire an appropriate  greeter.

29. Upgrade your artwork.

30. If you are selling high line vehicles, wear high-end clothes

31. Turn your cell phone to vibrate

32. Consider an appointment board

33. Have good hygiene (deodorant, brush teeth)

34. FRESHLY-BAKED COOKIES!

 

35.  Take pictures of happy customers picking up their new vehicles and tag them on Facebook.

36. Place crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and word games on your coffee table

37. Have the customer lounge on the showroom floor.  It should be very comfortable and not look like an afterthought.

38. Make certain that customer parking is as plentiful as possible and very clearly marked.

39. Have prices clearly marked on all vehicles – new and used.  (No more “see sales person for details” on the used car price sticker.)

40. Have Saturday full-service hours for at least part of the day.

41. Hire non-traditional people for sales consultants.  Today’s consumers do not respond as well to “old-school” sales tactics.

42. Invite the customer to go with the manager when performing a used vehicle evaluation.  Most will decline, but this can go a long way to creating trust and confidence instead of arguments and confusion.

43. Consider a pay plan not based on gross profit.  Pay on performance, CSI, volume, etc.

44.  Upgrade Your beverages. (You do have beverages, don’t you?) If you have coffee, add syrups. If you have water, add sliced lemons. Make sure to have decaf and caffeinated options.  It’s the little things that count!

 

45. Don’t use hokey old types of promotion, such as the gorilla on the roof, red sirens, etc.

46. Have multiple trash cans-guests hate not having a convenient place to throw things away.

47. Have a coat rack-encourage guests to take off their coat and stay awhile!

48.  If your dealership is in a cold climate, invest in a fireplace.

49. If your dealership is in a warm climate, invest in a nice air conditioner.

50. Slow your roll! Speak slowly, walk slowly, and make the customer feel like they are a treasured guest rather than a sales victim.

51. Do not display your sales staff sales total on a public bulletin board-customers don’t like to feel like they a bulls-eye on their back.

52. Know what specials your dealer website is promoting and be able to speak to them.

53. Complete quick trade-in evaluations.

54. Invite customers to leave dealership reviews with an on-site Ipad or laptop.

55. Honor expired service offers.

56. Provide free service calendars with written-in service appointments

57. Offer loaner cars that are an upgrade on the customer’s current vehicle.

58. Price match any written offer.

59.Offer pick-up and delivery for vehicle service.

60.__________________________ You tell us! Sound off with your best customer experience idea in the comments below!

 

 

by The Cobalt Group:Max Steckler & Matt Muilenburg  on Jan 31, 2011

 

 

When it comes to Super Bowl advertising, auto marketing expert Max Steckler has one piece of advice for auto dealers: don’t forget about breakfast.

What does he mean? “The Super Bowl is the dance,” Steckler, Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing, explains. “That’s where the courtship between advertisers and consumers begin.  It’s a whirlwind, and it’s incredibly exciting. But what about after the excitement of the event fades? The one who’s actually going to win that customer relationship is the dealer who thinks about breakfast the morning after.”

Breakfast, in this case, is the retargeting campaign that displays your ads across consumers’ favorite websites long after the dust from The Big Game has settled. “The day after is just as important as the day itself,” Steckler says. “You want to be continuing to reinforce the national ad message so you can draw consumers to your store. If you can get that click, you can continue to fold your brand into that initial, electric Super Bowl experience.”

That’s just one tip the ADP Digital Marketing team offers on how dealers can make their Super Bowl advertising soar, so read on for the rest.

Tips for an Automotive Digital Marketing Upset

1. Make Your Campaigns More “Likeable.” Gen Y are not only sports-lovers (or at least beer-lovers), they also represent 40% of new car buyers for 2012.  Since we know they’ll be documenting their Super Bowl experience through status updates, why not turns sports fans into your fans? Offer a discount for new “likes” on Facebook, or have people tag their team spirit pictures and award a free oil change for the best decorated car or clever bumper sticker.
2. Score Big with Search. Search, you say? What does that have to do with a TV ad? Everything, according to ADP’s Chuck Tilton. “For today’s consumer, the viewing experience and the online experience are intrinsically linked,” Tilton says. “Today’s consumer is watching the game on their couch with their laptops on their lap. We know this because when the commercials air, we can literally watch the web traffic jump minute-over-minute. Search is the bridge between those two worlds, so make sure you are showing up for your key phrases,” he said.
3. Rock your Online Reviews. Who’s rooting for you? When consumers search your name on commercials, are they going to find roaring fans or booing bad sports? “Reviews are now a form of advertising in their own right, and a powerful one at that,” says ADP’s Matt Muilenburg. Therefore, it’s worth your time to pay extra attention to your reputation monitoring tools in the days leading up to the game. It might even be worth doing a “review drive” to pump things up.
4. Compete and Conquer. That said, if you don’t have an OEM advertising in the game, don’t despair. If you’ve got a great alternative offering, don’t be afraid to launch a “competitive conquesting” PPC campaign pitting your inventory against the advertised model. The Super Bowl’s all about the spirit of competition, right?
5. Watch your Language. Yes, you read that right. While colorful phrases may be a quintessential part of the viewing experience, it pays to pick your words carefully when it comes to your Super Bowl ad campaign. Avoid a hefty fine by steering clear of phrases like “Super Bowl” or even “Super Sunday” in your advertising. Try “The Big Game” or perhaps something more creative like “The Dallas Duel to the Death.” True fans will get your drift.
6. No Parked Pages Please. “This is a huge one I see all the time,” ADP’s James Fabin said, “Nothing kills a sports buzz like a ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Expired’ page, so update all your pages before the Big Day to capitalize on all those crazed fans.”
7. Mobile-ize Your Fans. As we’ve already noted, Gen-Y is a huge car-buying market, so that’s one good reason to add mobile to your site for this text-happy crowd. Want an even better one? Cobalt’s research shows mobile users are the most serious about actually making a purchase. “Laptops are for research,” Steckler says, “mobile is for finding a car, finding a price, and finding a dealer near you while the consumer is on the go shopping for their vehicle.” In order to convert those Super Bowl leads to the point-of-sale, mobile is a must.
8. Give your Campaign more Yardage. We’ve talked about the day of, and the day after, but don’t forget about the day before. According to a recent article, Super Bowl advertisers are beginning their campaigns earlier than ever this year, so get in the game and start early to be competitive.

Everyone Loves an Automotive Marketing Underdog

In conclusion, with at least eight auto-makers and car companies airing ads this year (double the usual number) this could very well be one of the most exciting events for automotive advertising in history. Much like the event itself, with the level playing field created by automotive digital advertising and social media, this year truly is anyone’s game, so don’t be afraid to grab your piece of the action.  Go (whatever team you want to win)!

Contributing Writers

Max Steckler is the Vice President of Advertising Products for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions.  An automotive buff in both his professional and personal life, Max spends his spare time restoring vintage Japanese motorcycles, and is preparing for an off-road motorcycle trip to Alaska.

 

 

 

Matt Muilenburg is Vice President of Social Media  for ADP Digital Marketing Solutions, where  he has been working closely with dealers and OEMs to identify new ways to improve automotive retailing and marketing effectiveness.  When not sitting in front of a gadget, you’ll find Matt volunteering at the YMCA, attending his kids academic, musical and athletic events, or releasing stress by working in his yard and garden.

 

by The Cobalt Group on Feb 1, 2012

The Cobalt Group

www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/auto_marketeer
www.facebook.com/CobaltTalent

by The Cobalt Group on Apr 7, 2011

 

Get an “Integration Revelation” For Effortless Revenue

Like bowling lanes and Bengal tigers, no two dealerships are alike. What they all have in common is that-if they’re doing it right-they’re busy as hell. That’s why an integrated digital marketing solution is a must for every one of today’s dealerships, bar none.

Integrated solutions-package deals of digital marketing services-are the wave of the future in automotive marketing, yet some dealers remain unconvinced. Here are three reasons why integrated solutions are a must for on-the-go dealers.

Three Reasons to Integrate A.S.A.P

1) The nature of digital advertising is increasingly “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Actions launched in unison will naturally weave together. An integrated solution provides a comprehensive strategy that will ultimately pack much more punch than investing in single, one-off efforts like just investing in SEO, or just investing in SEM. Investing in one digital marketing service is kind of like buying one piece of the puzzle. It’s a start, but it’s not really going to get you anywhere interesting on its own. An integrated solution puts all the pieces together, creating a powerful, integrated  online  presence for your dealership.

 

2) Integrated does not mean “one-size-fits-all.” Some dealers worry that an “off-the-shelf” solution cannot possibly meet their dealership’s unique needs. “My problems are different than other dealers,” they say. “I can’t possibly benefit from an integrated solution that works for everyone else.” That’s probably true, but the important thing to distinguish here is that integrated does not mean one-size-fits-all. The best integrated solutions are wholly customizable to any range of situations; integration just means every service is handled under one roof. With fewer throats to choke, dealers with integrated solutions can enjoy a single point of contact for all their marketing needs.

 

3) Mitigating media overwhelm. Because dealerships are invariably busy, it can be a nuisance to keep up with the cornucopia of digital services popping up everywhere you turn: SEO, SEM, PPC, Zzzz. It’s enough to make a busy dealer fall asleep! An integrated solution relieves dealers of the burden of keeping up on every “next big thing” that crops up in digital marketing. Instead, they can rest easy knowing they are getting the latest and greatest marketing services, so they can focus on their real job: selling cars.

In the long run, many time-starved automotive professionals find it infinitely more satisfying to stop juggling digital marketing efforts with their day job, and simply tell their digital marketing partner, “This is what I want. Make it happen.” Dealer direction plus agency execution creates an ideal partnership for inevitable success.