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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on August 3, 2011 at 12:44pm

The way internet sales has become, this is perhaps not the best route to go.  It can still work but the effectiveness of it will not be the same.  Let's face it, sales people do not like pounding the phones.  An effective BDC rep should be able to make at least 100 calls per day to generate more contacts and set appointments for the dealership.  There is no way that a sales person will be able to make 100 calls per day when they are busy taking ups and doing what sales people like to do.  Also, what happens when 10 leads come in and all of your sales people are busy with customers?  They just sit there and your response time gets bad and your likeliness of getting that customer to respond to you becomes a lot smaller.  If your "internet manager" can respond fast and has skills that allow them to handle 10 leads in 10 minutes, that is great but it still will effect your follow up.  While, it is a cost effective way to go for you and your dealership, it can have a negative effect.  Also, sales people are not prepared to handle internet leads and phone calls.  If you listen to how a sales person handles the phone verses a full trained BDC rep, you will find that a BDC is more effective.  Sales people give away to much and try to sell a car while the BDC is selling an appointment allowing your sales people to hold more gross.  Also, when you have sales people handling it and giving everything away they will complain about internet leads and customers.  I have done it both ways and while handling them start to finish was successful for me, a BDC does a better job.  Don't get me wrong, if I was selling cars again I would want to handle leads start to finish just because I don't want to wait for UPS...but not everyone is me and the work is hard.  Ask yourself, if your sales people are willing to do the hard work.  If you need some help, let's talk.  My background is Honda and internet sales.  I help dealers all over the country.  If you still decide to go this route, I can help you create the most efficient process as well, it would be my pleasure.

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Permalink Reply by Robb McCalmon on August 3, 2011 at 12:52pm

Thanks Stan for the feedback, my used car manager and myself have been thinking an effective BDc is the way we need to go, however getting a little push back from our GSM, he is not sure he wants to rock the boat so much. We both think we should and your feedback will help a bit. I am going on vacation for the next week so when I get back maybe we can talk a little. Thanks Again.

Robb

Stan Sher said:

The way internet sales has become, this is perhaps not the best route to go.  It can still work but the effectiveness of it will not be the same.  Let's face it, sales people do not like pounding the phones.  An effective BDC rep should be able to make at least 100 calls per day to generate more contacts and set appointments for the dealership.  There is no way that a sales person will be able to make 100 calls per day when they are busy taking ups and doing what sales people like to do.  Also, what happens when 10 leads come in and all of your sales people are busy with customers?  They just sit there and your response time gets bad and your likeliness of getting that customer to respond to you becomes a lot smaller.  If your "internet manager" can respond fast and has skills that allow them to handle 10 leads in 10 minutes, that is great but it still will effect your follow up.  While, it is a cost effective way to go for you and your dealership, it can have a negative effect.  Also, sales people are not prepared to handle internet leads and phone calls.  If you listen to how a sales person handles the phone verses a full trained BDC rep, you will find that a BDC is more effective.  Sales people give away to much and try to sell a car while the BDC is selling an appointment allowing your sales people to hold more gross.  Also, when you have sales people handling it and giving everything away they will complain about internet leads and customers.  I have done it both ways and while handling them start to finish was successful for me, a BDC does a better job.  Don't get me wrong, if I was selling cars again I would want to handle leads start to finish just because I don't want to wait for UPS...but not everyone is me and the work is hard.  Ask yourself, if your sales people are willing to do the hard work.  If you need some help, let's talk.  My background is Honda and internet sales.  I help dealers all over the country.  If you still decide to go this route, I can help you create the most efficient process as well, it would be my pleasure.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Warwick on August 5, 2011 at 9:30am

Selling cars and selling appointments have become to entirely different skill sets.  In the good old days when sales people were actually sales professionals, you could count on them to work the phones and work their customer base.  That's no longer the case.  Now combine that fact with the reality that many of your competitors are using BDC's and you put yourself at a huge disadvantage.  A good BDC rep has to have strong phone and writing skills.  They also need to be critical thinkers who can pull a lead apart, figure out the customers motivation and craft a response that will motivate the customer to take action.  These are skills that are developed over time and most salespeople are unable to develop these skills as well as sell cars.  The car business has become highly specialized.  There will always be dealers who want o go back to the old days but the times and technology have changed the car business forever.  Build an effective BDC and you will reap the benefits for years to come.  Just being on DE will give you access to experts that can help to shorten the learning curve and get you on the road to success more quickly.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Stoner on August 6, 2011 at 1:12pm

Robb,

 

I sent you an email regarding this.

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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on August 8, 2011 at 12:06pm

Robb,

 

Great.  Let's connect when you have a moment.  It would be my pleasure to help you out.

 

Stan

 

Robb McCalmon said:

Thanks Stan for the feedback, my used car manager and myself have been thinking an effective BDc is the way we need to go, however getting a little push back from our GSM, he is not sure he wants to rock the boat so much. We both think we should and your feedback will help a bit. I am going on vacation for the next week so when I get back maybe we can talk a little. Thanks Again.

Robb

Stan Sher said:

The way internet sales has become, this is perhaps not the best route to go.  It can still work but the effectiveness of it will not be the same.  Let's face it, sales people do not like pounding the phones.  An effective BDC rep should be able to make at least 100 calls per day to generate more contacts and set appointments for the dealership.  There is no way that a sales person will be able to make 100 calls per day when they are busy taking ups and doing what sales people like to do.  Also, what happens when 10 leads come in and all of your sales people are busy with customers?  They just sit there and your response time gets bad and your likeliness of getting that customer to respond to you becomes a lot smaller.  If your "internet manager" can respond fast and has skills that allow them to handle 10 leads in 10 minutes, that is great but it still will effect your follow up.  While, it is a cost effective way to go for you and your dealership, it can have a negative effect.  Also, sales people are not prepared to handle internet leads and phone calls.  If you listen to how a sales person handles the phone verses a full trained BDC rep, you will find that a BDC is more effective.  Sales people give away to much and try to sell a car while the BDC is selling an appointment allowing your sales people to hold more gross.  Also, when you have sales people handling it and giving everything away they will complain about internet leads and customers.  I have done it both ways and while handling them start to finish was successful for me, a BDC does a better job.  Don't get me wrong, if I was selling cars again I would want to handle leads start to finish just because I don't want to wait for UPS...but not everyone is me and the work is hard.  Ask yourself, if your sales people are willing to do the hard work.  If you need some help, let's talk.  My background is Honda and internet sales.  I help dealers all over the country.  If you still decide to go this route, I can help you create the most efficient process as well, it would be my pleasure.

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