What 2010 Taught Us About Dealer Chat Software

2010 attracted a record number of online shoppers and purchases. As each year of the new millennium progresses, more and more people learn the wonder and convenience that is the internet. What does this mean for Dealer Chat Software and more importantly your dealerships auto sales leads?

Online shopping and internet usage has grown and is increasing every month. People are spending more time online shopping and researching for major purchases. Buying a car is a major purchase that people often take to the net to research. The target market – people who drive and need a car are spending time online. So if this is the case, why are you not using Dealer Chat Software to engage these potential customers as soon as they point and click on your site?

If people are spending more time online doing their research, then you need to interact with these people as they’re doing their research. You cannot simply let them form their own opinions of you, your dealership, or your vehicles. These people, who you inevitably want to become an auto sales lead and a long time referral source, wouldn’t be on your website if they didn’t have a few questions.

“Wouldn’t they just call my dealership if they had a question?”

Not necessarily. Potential visitors are spending more of their time online. It is easier to go to the dealer website and try to find the information there instead of calling and being transferred around. Sure, you want to answer their questions, but you have to meet them halfway; you need to have dealer chat software to open up that communication line. Letting that customer know that you’re there, ready to answer questions and direct them in the right direction is essential to build the customer relationship.

You cannot earn quality business by making people feel like they’re simply one of many auto sales leads; they need to feel like people. Discussing their car preference, their buying schedule, their lease or buy options, these are the things that you could be missing out on if you have a website without dealer chat software. Dealer chat software helps to cultivate the relationship between dealer and customer; it helps personalize the process.

Throughout 2009 and 2010, I heard dealers express their dislike of the quality of their auto sales leads. They consistently argued that their providers weren’t going to the right places to get their leads. I have to give a little chuckle each time I heard the expression “It’s my lead source provider, they’re horrible”. To that, I’d instantly agree and tell the dealer that they could do better on their own. They’d happily agree, and I’d introduce the obvious choice: generate your own auto sales leads by getting dealer chat software.

Auto sales leads from people who want to buy a car, are in the market for a car, and are interested in your product or else they wouldn’t be on your dealer website in the first place. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?

Even still, there are some dealers who just don’t want to make the jump into signing up for a live chat service. They say that they get plenty of phone calls throughout the day and they’re getting a fine amount of auto sales leads.

“Oh, so you’re a 24 hour dealership?” I often ask.

“No” is always the response.”

“Oh, so who’s answering your customer’s questions when you’re not there? Overnight, and weekends, etc.?”. I usually get silence, or an answer like ‘the voicemail’. Voicemail is not a live person. Voicemail doesn’t answer questions and generate auto sales leads that will sell cars. A website without the option to ask a question or engage a visitor does not generate leads either.

The only way to generate high quality auto sales leads is to have dealer chat software on your dealer website. There is no other way to capture those leads and convert them into sales. Dealer chat software is necessary for the dealer who wants viable auto sales leads that turn into paying customers.