Chat for Car Dealers Should be On 24/7

This isn’t a new topic of discussion by any means but it’s a question that keeps popping up, so we’ll answer it a little differently this time. Chat should be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Period.

Many dealerships have been convinced that “serious” car buyers only operate during or around business hours. This couldn’t be further from the truth and we have the data to back it up. Some of the most successful and capable car buyers in your local market don’t perform their research about purchases until late at night. Other wake up early to do their research before their standard day begins. This is very clear based upon the number of interactions we’re receiving late at night or early in the morning.

An argument can be made that contact forms are the answer. They’re always available even when the phones are not an option. The problem is that contact forms do not yield instant answers. If someone wants to know about the performance specifications on a vehicle before making a long distance drive in the morning to the dealership, having someone manning the chat interface makes it easy for your potential customer to receive information from Edmonds or CarFax about their vehicle of interest.

It comes down to availability. Just because you can’t keep the store open day and night doesn’t mean that people aren’t wanting information. They want it quickly, easily, and immediately. This is where chat has its greatest strength.

Once dealers understand the importance of chat availability, they might wonder why other chat providers do not operate at all hours. The answer is simple, albeit unfortunate. It’s costly. Operating chat 24/7 cuts into their bottom line. At CarChat24, we do not see cost cutting as a valid reason to not give our clients the best possible solution. If your customers are on at all hours of the night, someone should be available to answer their questions in real time.

One doesn’t need the data to believe this. Have you ever shopped online late at night or early in the morning? Common sense dictates that available around the clock gives your website visitors the opportunity to reach out to you at any moment. Who wants to miss an opportunity?