Auto dealers often tell us the customer relationship management (CRM) systems they have relied upon for years are becoming less and less useful all the time. That’s because these packages – which have usually been supplied by auto manufacturers – lack the features they need to form stronger and tighter relationships with auto buyers.

At the same time, Salesforce is becoming a more and more valuable tool for improving revenue in the auto dealership industry. That isn’t because of its sales-boosting features, like instant activity scheduling and record sharing across different departments. It’s also because the way people shop for cars and trucks is evolving at the same time.

Let’s take a quick look at this trend and why it calls for a different CRM solution.

 

New Auto Buying Patterns Are Emerging

 

It used to be that someone who was considering an auto purchase would visit a dealer, or a few, and schedule a test drive. Although it still happens, of course, but a majority of buyers are going online to research different models and options now. Many show up at a dealership knowing exactly what they want, complete with invoice lists and pre-approved financing.

Auto dealers who ignore this trend are using outdated tools and tactics to sell cars and trucks. They may waste customers’ time asking unnecessary questions or showing them the wrong models or features. It doesn’t make it impossible to close the sale, but it isn’t helpful, either.

 

More Online Leads Means More Data Management

 

A smarter way to operate in today’s digital-first landscape is to track customer interactions from an initial website visit or online inquiry all the way through the first test drive. Doing so doesn’t make it easier to finish the sale – it also increases the odds that you can manage the relationship yourself, arrange financing through your own department, and even earn repeat sales or referrals in the future.

Many dealerships will be attempting to do this already, of course, but not with tools as powerful as Salesforce. When you can track interactions whether they happened online, over the phone, or face-to-face, you can combine knowledge from different departments, like marketing, sales, and service. And, you can schedule follow-up activities instantaneously. You could even use artificial intelligence to score leads and determine the probability they’ll close at any given time.

Of course, we are only beginning to touch on the benefits available through Salesforce. The best way to see the software in action is to schedule a demo with a team like ours that focuses on implementation for auto dealerships.

 

Is Your Auto Dealership Adapting to a New Competitive Landscape?

 

We’ve seen it time and time again the most successful auto dealerships are the ones that grow and evolve with the industry. They are taking advantage of advanced CRMs and analytics at a time when so many of their competitors are relying on outdated technologies and approaches.

As more and more dealers realize they need better tools going forward, are you going to be ahead of the curve or behind it? Contact EMZ Cloud Solutions to schedule a free consultation and let our team show you what we’ve been able to do – complete with real-life case studies – for other auto dealers just like you.

It could be the one step that changes everything for your business, so get in touch today!

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