Go Mobile and Keep Control

Mobile technology has revolutionized car shopping. It gives you the unparalleled flexibility to walk customers through a deal whether they’re at home or in your showroom. So, why aren't more dealers going mobile?

The main reason is because dealers fear losing control. But as it turns out, this fear is unwarranted. Mobile technology actually gives dealers control in ways you might not have considered.

Spend more time with customers

For most customers, the least satisfactory part of buying a car is during negotiations, when they have to sit alone and wait as the salesperson and the manager work out details on their own. This can leave the customer feeling abandoned, and the value of their time disrespected.

But with a mobile CRM app, the dealer has control over this part of the customer experience. Instead of leaving the customer, the salesperson can present them with an initial pencil — and work alongside them to change the price of the vehicle, amount of trade, and size of down payment or monthly payments. Once the customer chooses a payment scenario they like, the salesperson can then send the revised pencil to the manager for approval. At no time is the customer abandoned, so satisfaction improves.

A mobile CRM also helps you take care of customers at trade-in, by letting salespeople scan the VIN and take photos of their trade-in vehicle to send to the used car manager. It eases the mind of prospects on the lot who may be unsure whether they can afford a vehicle, by enabling the salesperson to start a credit application on the spot. It even lets the salesperson scan the customer's driver's license for a test drive without leaving their side — smoothing out the customer experience and closing gaps in your service.

Better lead management

In today’s world, there’s nothing you can do on a computer that can’t be done on a phone — including lead follow-up. So although many dealers equate mobile with tablets, consider arming your salespeople with business-only smartphones running mobile CRM apps.

When a salesperson gets a new lead alert, they're able to instantly call, email or text the lead. Salespeople can also answer inbound sales calls, complete tasks and appointments. Everything is automatically recorded in the CRM, so the dealership has control over every piece of communication.

Save thousands on printed forms

Using a mobile CRM app can also give you control over your budget by eliminating the need for printed forms. You can complete credit applications and other paperwork virtually — and potentially save thousands of dollars every month. In fact, one dealership I know switched to a 100% paperless process and has saved over $100,000 annually on forms!

Getting your younger employees started with mobile is easy: they're already using their smartphones more than their computers, and will welcome the opportunity to multitask from anywhere. Any pushback is more likely to come from Senior Sales Managers and General Managers, so take the time to explain the benefits and bring them onboard.

Mobile technology can bring new levels of control to many areas of your dealership. But its success depends on the commitment and accountability of all your employees to make full use of your mobile CRM.