Automotive News Canada - September 2021 - 5

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known that Product Experience (PX)
can't be divorced from Customer Experience
(CX), but today-as OEMs
bet the future of their company on the
next generation of EV products-the
stakes are higher.
OEMs have pledged tens of billions
of dollars towards developing EVs.
Companies have merged to combine
their strengths, and they've negotiated
with governments about which
factories to convert from producing
internal combustion engines (ICE) to
EV and battery production. Global
OEMs are even joining companies
like Amazon by investing in upstart
competitive EV companies, like
Rivian.
Yes, dealers will always need to
hit sales targets to keep the OEM
happy, but it's likely that in the years
to come, dealers who can demonstrate
Customer Experience excellence
will become indispensable
to their OEM partners. Dealer CX
must meet or elevate PX-or the
dealer will ultimately be a liability to
OEM and its product promise.
What actions can a dealer take today
to focus their Sales Team on radically
improving Customer Experience and
to put in place the building blocks
of customer-centric process that will
help them thrive in the coming decade
of disruption?
Here are five Customer Experience
focus points to share with your Sales
Team, along with some practical recommendations:
1.
DON'T CONFUSE CUSTOMER
SERVICE WITH CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE.
Customer Service is defined as how
you respond to a customer when
they reach out to you with a request.
Typically it's a reactive engagement.
It's a linear progression of a single or
a short series of interactions that lead
up to single transaction. Customer
Experience is more holistic, comprehensive,
and proactive, beginning
before the customer even reaches out,
and it reaches out beyond the transaction
to include the customer's ownership
cycle in its entirety.
A simple way for dealers to begin
adopting a Customer Experience
approach is to reach out to customers
before they expect them to be ready
to renew their purchase. Sales Teams
should be trained to make 15 goodwill
calls a day
to customers in
the middle of
their ownership
cycle to
ask how they're
enjoying their
vehicle and to
inquire about
how their driving
needs have
changed since their purchase. This
conversation should focus on determining
whether their current vehicle
is still best for them. Often your customers
will be grateful you've reached
out, and you may find that their needs
have changed, which opens a new
opportunity to renew their purchase.
2. EMPOWER YOUR TEAM TO
GO " TO YOUR CUSTOMER. "
An appointment can no longer be
solely defined as a planned customer
visit to a showroom. Now, any opportunity
to connect with your customer
and have a quality conversation that
leads towards selecting and ultimately
purchasing a new vehicle should be
considered an appointment. Certainly,
this can best be accomplished in your
showroom, but an effective appointment
can also be virtual, or in your
customer's office or home. So, when
your customer tells your Sales Team
that they aren't ready to make a showroom
appointment, train them to say,
" That's not a problem. May I bring the
vehicle to you? " If your customer isn't
ready for that step, offer them a virtual
appointment where they can browse
inventory with the sales professional,
they can exchange photos of the
selected vehicles and their trade in,
and they can establish the framework
of a deal.
3. CHANGE YOUR LANGUAGE.
Ten years ago, Absolute Results
invented the " no-obligation options
review appointment. " At the time, the
approach was revolutionary. It helped
customers feel at ease, and during our
Appointment-Driven Events, we saw
WHEN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
PRODUCT EXPERIENCEELEVATES
SALES GROW
TODAY & TOMORROW
firsthand that
this technique
substantially
grew the
appointment
and conversion
rates.
Continue
to use this
strategy,
but follow
through on its promise by adopting a
consultative approach to your showroom
experience. Instead of telling
your customer that you will " give
them numbers, " tell them that you will
provide a " best case scenario, " so they
can better make their decision. When
you present customer with payment
options, don't ask " Which one fits
your budget? " Instead, ask, " Which
payment is more ideal? " Replace the
question, " Would you like to buy the
vehicle, " with, " how can I help you to
own this new vehicle? "
Analyzing your internal language is
just as important as how you talk to
your customers. Instead of talking
about what can be done to a customer,
talk about what can be done for a customer.
Have a zero-tolerance policy
for predatory language or practices
such as " stealing their trade. "
4. GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS
OPTIONS THEY DIDN'T KNOW
THEY HAD.
When customers shopping online ask
about a vehicle's price or financing,
provide them with that information,
and also help frame their decision
by offering them prices and options
ABSOLUTE DRIVE™
Engage EVERY Service
Customer in a conversation
AUTOMATICALLY create a trade-up
offer for service customers who
match your parameters
SECURE a trade-in
65% of the time
THERE'S A LIVE AUCTION EVERY DAY IN YOUR
SERVICE DRIVE...AND YOU ARE THE ONLY BIDDER!
on a couple of other vehicles. This
is a technique long mastered by top
realtors, who show their client three
homes: one that's precisely at their
budget, one that's less expensive,
and one that's more expensive. This
technique also helps the customer to
" shop within your brand. " Send your
customer links to your dealership's
online services, such as credit preapproval
and trade-valuation tools, and
offer them a test drive, of course.
5. PREPARE RIDICULOUSLY
FOR EACH CUSTOMER APPOINTMENT
When
your Sales Team has the opportunity
to engage with a customer for
an appointment, whether it's online or
in person, help them to ridiculously
prepare so they can ensure the product
experience is truly memorable.
Transform the classic Sales Manager's
appointment confirmation call into
a preparation call, where you let the
customer know that you are personally
working with the Sales Team to
prepare for their visit. Ask about details
like their colour preference or the
intended vehicle use, so you can make
some recommendations. Affirm that
the current market conditions make
this a great time for your customer to
make an appointment. Instruct your
Sales Team to send photos or a video
of the vehicle the customer is considering.
Practising
these five Customer-Experience
focus points will not only enhance
the Customer Experience your
dealership provides, but it will also
inspire your team to think about other
ways they can elevate how they serve
your customers.
Customer Experience should be a
topic of conversation at each sales
meeting. Your Sales Team should be
encouraged to share stories of great
Customer Experiences they've received
from retailers in other industries.
Make
it your goal that the Customer
Experience that your Sales Team
provides truly elevates the Product
Experience your OEM partners have
invested billions of dollars creating.
When this happens you are truly
preparing your Sales Team to thrive
in this decade of disruption, and
you will sell more cars today and
tomorrow.
To learn more about Sales
Leadership
Training
Strategies,
scan this
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Automotive News Canada - September 2021

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