Are you ignoring leads that you pay for?
After-hours leads matter. Customers are submitting leads, chatting, or texting when it is most convenient for them, and you are paying the same amount of money to attract and retain these customers, regardless if they submitted a lead at 12 pm or 12 am. Having an after-hours plan in place is not only important but necessary.
Respond Quickly
A automotive recent study proved that the most successful dealerships respond in just over 1 minute. 10% of conversations led to test drives, and 84% of those resulted in sales. It did not matter WHEN the engagement started. It mattered how quickly and well it was responded to.
How To Do It
- Have an after-hours team ready to respond to each customer engagement that occurs. Stating that you are closed and will get back to them tomorrow just opens the door for another dealership to respond.
- If you are using AI to assist with responses, ensure there is someone available to answer questions, provide information, or assist the customer when AI does not have the answers
- The 10-minute clock is still important. We know that everything after 10 minutes drops the ability to convert dramatically.
It may seem impossible and expensive to staff a BDC 24/7, which is why Better Car People can help fill those engagement gaps 24/7 or when you need us (after-hours)
Lead Specific Responses Customized By Lead Type
When after-hours leads come in, they may be coming from different sources other than your website. (3rd Party Endemics like Cars.com, TrueCar, or your Digital Retailing Tool) It is important to respond to each of those leads with a customized, personalized response based on the lead source.
How To Do It
- Have templates created for each lead source that addresses the specific nature of the lead.
- Make sure your BDC is reviewing the lead, answering questions, and bringing value to the response. This should not just be an auto-response.
- Staff appropriately so that each lead can be responded to as soon as it comes in with an agent adding the personal touch.
If you are currently short-staffed or do not want to hire additional employees, Overnight BDC can help.
Take Customer Preference Into Account
Customers are used to instant contact. Emails, text messages, chat–if they reach out when they are available, they are anticipating a live response. How are you ensuring you are responding quickly in the manner they choose?
How To Do It
- When evaluating the lead, respond in the manner the customer reached out. If they emailed, respond in an email before you pick up the phone.
- Calls are critical, but can be off-putting to a customer if they wanted to be engaged in a different manner first. Give information and create a relationship prior to moving from the initial form of contact.
- Make sure that your staff is trained on the correct responses to emails, texts, and chats. That includes knowing the language to use, basic elements of grammar and tone, and asking the right questions to create a conversation.
If you are looking for a solution to help you either staff or replace a BDC at a fraction of the employee cost, Better Car People can help! We are staffed 24/7 and our Collaborative Intelligence blends the best of AI with automotive-specific U.S.-based agents. We don’t take a break, don’t need vacations, and are an extension of your dealership!
Visit BCP’s Industry Updates for a more in-depth look at this topic, as well as other leading industry news and insights.
