CRM

4 Key Mistakes Dealers Make with their CRM

By Stuart Lewis

In

Digital Advertising Data
Tracking the customer journey is maybe the most critical part of running a successful dealership. There's plenty of CRM systems out there for dealers to help with this, some with more features than others, but all have the same pitfalls when a dealer doesn't optimize the software and data to perform its best. Here's four common issues dealers run into and what you can do to make sure your dealership is being as efficient as possible in the CRM space:


1. Neglecting Data Quality:


  • Dealerships often struggle with inaccurate, outdated, or duplicate customer data in their CRM. 'Junk in the trunk', if you will. A CRM is like a high-end sports car that requires consistent tuning and maintenance to run its best. Regular checks and cleaning out of old data can make sure your messages are landing in front of the right audience, your goals are aimed in the right direction, and your sales team is wasting as little time as possible on leads that might not even exist.


2. Unused CRM Features/Lack of Training:


  • An efficient CRM requires uniformity in use and a full-scope understanding of its tools and features. Many dealerships use a CRM simply as a data entry point and possibly a call log, when it can track several more items including maintenance scheduling, vehicle info including mileage, payment, condition and more, along with further sales tools. Education and usage of all these tools is critical to efficiency, as a single salesperson or employee putting in incomplete data or not tracking the sales process could cause missed sales and more. Invest time in your staff's understanding of the CRM, buy in and see the results improve.


3. "Setting It and Forgetting It"


  • Once your team is educated and ready to take full advantage of the features your CRM offers, it's important to preach consistency and regular usage to track your customer base. Clear, enforced processes are needed to make sure different salespeople don't use different methods, as it can lead to an inconsistent experience for other users and possibly lost leads. It also allows the dealer to see where improvements can be made in the sales team and where opportunities are waiting. Accountability and consistency will yield more sales over the long term, so make sure your team commits to it!


4. Not Focusing on Post-Sale Engagement


  • Service doesn't stop at the sale, so why would the customer journey stop in the CRM once a sale is made? Loyalty customers are the backbone of many dealerships. Repeat buyers that represent a big revenue stake over what could a multiple-decade span. Service, repeat business, parts are all more revenue streams that can be taken advantage of, but only if the customer is tracked properly in a post-sale relationship. Satisfied customers are also the prime source of referrals for a dealership, so being able to approach them is critical to keep that lead avenue open.



The best dealerships all avoid these four critical mistakes, so make sure your CRM is tuned up to do its best work! And when it comes to advertising, ask the experts at SilverBack how your CRM can be leveraged to find new opportunities and leads!!