Digital Dealer - January 2018 - 19

While we'd all love for
our salespeople to be
instant experts on every
vehicle. It's simply not
possible. Especially considering the turnover rate
for sales consultants is at
an all-time high at 67%*.
Dealerships are
watching their trained
and experienced staff
literally walk out the door.
However, with the right
tools, you can arm your
salespeople with the

HOW TO GET
EXPERTISE,
JUST IN TIME?

Where does all this
knowledge come from?
Same as consumers:
technology. Dealers must
make the move and adopt
information technology
to empower their salespeople. The problem is,
many dealerships aren't
convinced that technology
is not only necessary, but
a very worthy investment.

third-party reviews. Note:
This is where the JustIn-Time Experts really
shine. A sales consultant
equipped with knowledge
can share compelling,
evidence-based proof
points that make the car
the star. And by doing so,
they're justifying the price
at the same time. So,
without even engaging
in a conversation about
money, your consultants
are helping customers

THE JOURNEY
AHEAD FOR DEALERS:
THREE TAKEAWAYS

When something's
not working, it's time to
change course. Here
are three practical action
steps you can take.
1.) Inspire your team to
see the car buying process from your customer's point of view. How
can they make their "Path
to the Purchase" easier,
and even enjoyable?

IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT THE DEALERSHIP'S
'ROAD TO THE SALE.' IT'S ABOUT THE
CUSTOMER'S 'PATH TO THE PURCHASE.'"
information they need,
when they need it. No
more guesswork or trying
to keep track of every vehicle on the lot. Instead,
up-to-the-minute information that customers want
to know.
Just imagine the
difference a team of
Just-In-Time Experts can
make. Your salespeople
will be more informed
about the vehicles they're
selling. And in turn, they'll
be more confident with
customers and better able
to answer their questions
effectively. That confidence builds confidence.
Your customers will feel
like they're talking with
people who are knowledgeable - and who
they can trust. You've just
killed two birds with one
stone and advanced your
customer on their journey
to purchase.

Here are more reasons
why.
MAKE THE CAR
THE STAR

The car industry has
historically relied on a
price-driven strategy. This
is no longer effective for
two reasons. Reason
one: Dealers are pricing
vehicles at market value.
Profit margins are already
too skinny, so there's
no room for discounting
or negotiating on price.
Reason two: Today's customers aren't interested
in the lowest price. Their
"Path to the Purchase"
is about finding quality at
a fair price. Remember,
they've done their homework and know what your
sticker says. They're
at your dealership to
hear about the vehicle's
features and benefits -
the technology package,
the safety features, and

feel good about the value.
When customers feel
good about the value,
they're well on their way
to the type of purchase
they want to experience.
SAY GOODBYE TO
PRICE DROPS

When you make the
car the star, you'll be able
to keep price drops to a
minimum. Why? Because
you've taken steps to
infuse confidence and
trust in customers. You've
given them information
they want to know. And
you've proven that the
vehicle is a smart buy.
Dealers who lead with
quality and value find that
the drop between asking
price and selling price is
much smaller. For some,
it's as low as two hundred
dollars. This is well below
the industry average price
drop, which is between
$500 and $1,000.

2.) Build confidence with
customers by turning your
sales consultants into
Just-In-Time experts who
have the answers consumers are looking for.
3.) Give customers the
peace of mind and proof
they're making a wise
investment by making the
car the star.
PATRICK MCMULLEN is
Senior Vice President of
Strategy and Innovation at
MAXDigital, which provides
end-to-end technology
solutions that enable
dealerships to acquire,
price, merchandise, and
sell inventory with greater
efficiency and profitability.
EMAIL: pmcmullen@
maxdigital.com.
*In January 2017, MaxDigital in
conjunction with Erickson Research,
surveyed automotive dealers across
the U.S. leading up to and during the
2017 National Automobile Dealers
Association (NADA) Convention. See
the full report: http://bit.ly/2AwqTT8

D I G I TA L D E A L E R . C O M

JANUARY 2018

19
http://www.bit.ly/2AwqTT8 http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - January 2018
