This discussion was originally posted as a blog well needless to say I wanted it as a discussion..(I am new here). It has been re-edited due to the overwhelming response I have received on other sites...

I am a litte miffed. Why would a dealer not want 100% engagement of their web site visitors in real time? It's like having a salesperson on your lot 24 hrs a day seven days a week "upping" every customer and getting vital sales info from them. Are dealers afraid of the cost? Do they think it works? had a bad experience? I don't know. And that is the reason for this discussion. I really would like everyones opinions and thoughts (even if not the most glowing recommendations or comments) Don't get me wrong online chat providers are doing very well with all the new advancements in technology. But still there is only about a 28% penetration so that leaves about 27 thousand dealerships in the U.S. and Canada without it...Why?  A lot of folks are saying that there are FAR TOO MANY third party vendors selling third party leads well I agree!  That's what makes online chat so appealing, they ARE NOT third party leads they are leads from visitors to your dealerships website not someone 250 miles out of your demographic who clicked some link to get a $10 coupon for the Olive Garden.  Chat leads are from people who are (98.5% of the time) in your area they also are a lot further ahead in the buying process then someone who was on the factory homepage for the first time.  More often than not a chat lead (visitor) has done the research on the factory site and are now narrowing it down to who will give them the best deal, they are past the form phase but not quite ready to call. Once engaged, it's pretty easy to get a phone number or other contact info and convert those chats to appointments.

You know, 45 years ago dealers were afraid of TV oh how times have changed...We all know that the internet is no longer the "wave" of the future it is the Tsunami of the present and without it, dealers may as well lock the doors and turn off the lights. That being said it's not whether or not you have or use the internet it's what you do with the internet that counts. Dealers spend thousands of dollars to drive visitors to their website(s) what they do with them when they get there2hat's the million dollar question, the truth is even with a great solution in place only dealers still only capture 2-3% of their visitors information. WHAT! Yes it's true if a dealer has 5000 unique visitors per month only 60 to 150 visitors actually leave enough information for their sales staff to use to try and sell them a car. How can they [dealers] get more information from them you ask? Well the answer is proactivley "ask for it" their are a number of solutions available that will do just that one that is near and dear to my heart which is live chat.  Check your website analytics to see what kind of traffic you are getting during business hours, when people are discreetly shopping/browsing your inventory while at work. They can’t or won't call you, or take a call from you, so chat is the best and only way they have to easily connect with you at the moment their interest in your vehicle is highest.  What about after your closed?  What about all those oppurtunities?  Well 24/7/365 supported chat gets those too.  For  those who are still reluctant to add chat, these may be the most compelling reasons to do so.

  But isin't it obtrusive and annoying? Well no...The visitor is making a choice to engage they are not being forced to.  Is the Internet a safe haven or green zone for people to shop without a sales pitch or attempt to get that visitor to buy or use your goods and services? If the answer is yes then why would a dealer spend 5-15k per month to get visitors to their website?  Is it to let them know that they sell "Fords" or to get them to buy that Ford (and service it) from them? Well we know the answer to those questions.  The truth is If the chat company is doing what they are supposed to do they will attempt to actively engage the visitor once or twice and if the customer does not want to then they don't. Secondly they [chat company] should have an invitation on every page to, once again their choice.  Finally visitors should assisted or "pushed" through the website so they have a better experience there thus your visitors overall website satisfaction rises.

 Imagine this... your visitor is on your website "kicking tires" and he/she is upped while live on your site well that's what happens!! And 50-60% of the time that upped visitor leaves his/her contact information along with other pertinant information so one of dealers salespeople can get to work setting an appointment and sell them a car. Sounds easy right? Well the model is easy but implimenting the process, utilizing state of the art software along with coordinating live (flesh and blood) operators can be a logistical nightmare best left for a quality solution provider. So when choosing a provider make sure that you choose one that demonstrates a proficiency in all aspects of online chat.   So long and short is the chat company  motivated to engage the visitor or do they charge a fee to sit somewhere and cross their fingers that no one chats because they are not motivated to do so, it's like paying a salesman a salary to sell a car for a fixed pre-negotiated price we all know how that model worked out...

Rick Wuest

Regional Account Manager

ChatLead.com, Inc

rick@carchat24.com

Mobile: 727-710-2667

Fax: 800-430-1535