Digital Dealer - January 2018 - 20

By Jim Boldebook
Founder,
CBC Automotive
Marketing

// Advertising
& Marketing

Advertising Your
Tech-Spertise!
Nothing has changed
as much in our
automotive industry in the
past 20 years as the
technical advances in
vehicles. Millennials love
the tech stuff. Older folks
like a lot of it...especially
the braking and blind spot
warnings. Everyone
needs a little help
understanding everything
packed into the super
computing power of
today's vehicles. That's
where your tech-spertise
comes in. How you handle
the training, demonstration and customer support
for the often-baffling array
of new tech features.
About 20 years ago
Ford and GM pushed
dealers into holding
'technical' seminars for
new vehicle owners to
enhance CSI scores. Feature training held at the
dealership in small classes to acquaint buyers with
information to operate and
maintain their vehicles.
It worked for the older
retired luxury buyers who
had time on their hands,
but the middle-aged and
younger buyers didn't
have the time to devote
to these often 'after-hour'
classes.
Time constraints of
the already lengthy
20

JANUARY 2018

buying process preclude
'demo' time and a lot of
buyers are short on time
resources for delivery
training. In most cases,
the dealership TO's the
actual delivery demo to a
delivery team who might
not have developed the
same rapport and trust
of the salesperson who

or over the internet.
Thomas, a salesperson at
a Northwest GM dealership refers to himself
as a 'master' tech-spert.
Receptionists, service
advisors and even other
salespeople refer incoming questions to Thomas
and two other salespeople who take great pride

EVERYONE NEEDS
A LITTLE HELP
UNDERSTANDING
EVERYTHING PACKED
INTO THE SUPER
COMPUTING POWER OF
TODAY'S VEHICLES."
handled the sale. Often
these 'demos' are cut
short when the customer
calls time before a full explanation of features can
be explained. And often,
the substantial amount of
information that needs to
be conveyed is just not
absorbed due to 'buyer
overload' in the allotted
time.
Enter your 'tech-spertise.' Several dealerships
I spoke with now have
an array of tech-friendly
customer support ready to
handle customer inquiries
in person, on the phone

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

in guiding customers to
quick resolve for operational issues. But Thomas
does something extra
special for the customer.
After he walks a customer
thru the use of a feature,
even as simple as setting
the time on a clock, Thomas does a quick video of
the process on his phone
and emails it to the customer for future reference.
What do you think of a
salesperson who gives
out his cell phone inviting
customer to call him at
any time they need help
with the operation of a

feature on their vehicle?
Customers think quite
highly of the service...
Thomas leads in customer referrals at the dealership. He has now built a
bank of 84 'quick explain'
videos on the operation of
climate control, audio, advanced speed control and
navigation systems that
are ready to be emailed
or texted to customers. All
I can say is... Wow! Now
that is service.
Once a week, the
dealership chain has a
segment in their on-going
sales training process
that focuses on questions
most asked regarding
technical/operational
features.
Research study after
study shows one of the
most powerful influencing
factors in brand differentiation is the human touch.
Namely, the trust built
from a customer-centered
relationship focused on
what the customer really
needs: a dynamic relationship that goes beyond
point of sale. Information,
knowledge, transparency
and support that continuously confirms the
value proposition of doing
business with YOU.
A recent article in Auto
Remarketing highlights
the J.D. Power study
showing dealer interactions with car buyers
drives the highest sales
satisfaction. This includes
the knowledgeability
of the salesperson to
demonstrate apps on
http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - January 2018
