We all attend trade shows, and typically there is an overarching theme — from the introduction of electric vehicles to the unique and lasting value proposition of first party data platforms. These are important topics, and the industry is investing heavily in both, as well as many other technology and product enhancements.
The Impact of Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI)
I mention this because another topic that is often discussed is the unique opportunity to offer marketing attribution as an integral part of your conversational analytics. The now mainstream approach of having phone numbers align with marketing via dynamic number insertion (DNI) is nothing new, and it offers validation of marketing properties that was not available prior.
This is not what I want to highlight however, I would rather discuss:
The Return to Normal
With the automotive market returning to a (somewhat) normal state, customer acquisition is once again a focus, along with the associated costs, but the table stakes have changed.
In a market that is more competitive than ever, buyers are making decisions based upon their experience as much as the offer. It is widely known now that customer experience guides purchases, but for some reason, too many dealerships spend heavily on customer acquisition while ignoring the experience offered when the phone rings. This is counter intuitive. If the dealership wisely invests in marketing and applies the appropriate combination of reach and frequency to make themselves visible to prospects, doesn’t it make sense to understand what happens when the advertising program is successful and the phone rings?
Focus on the Customer Experience
That is why, when the average amount of money it takes to get a prospect to consider you exceeds $600, it is incumbent on each business to make sure that you offer the best possible customer experience to get the return on your marketing investment.
Start simple: do you realize that offering your name when taking an inbound sales call can significantly increase your chances at success? You would think that would happen in every case, but it often does not with the phone answered with an abrupt “sale” and no name offered. It is the equivalent of a server at a restaurant coming to the tableside and yelling “restaurant!”
Listen to the calls and take the time to make sure your dealership gets everything you pay for with your marketing dollars. If you cannot listen to and spot-check sales calls, make sure you have the technology in place to get your dealership the results it deserves for the $600 per customer, and your customers get the experience they expect from you.
If you want to learn more about the technology that helps dealers listen to and spot check their sales calls automatically, do not hesitate. Reach out to an expert today.
