Digital Dealer - June 2018 - 45

product in order to do so,
can help you understand
if the company is truly
invested in your success,
or simply looking to close
more sales.
2: WHAT DO YOU
DO WHEN SOMETHING
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
WORKING?

No one likes to think
about it, but it is possible
that your dealership will
adopt a new strategy or
tool and things just don't
work. You're not getting
more leads. Your new
phone follow-up strategy isn't working. You're
not finding the product
easy to use, and your
staff complains that it is
not helping them. The
problems could go on and
on. It is important to ask a
vendor what type of process they have in place
for this type of situation.
How long do they try
something before deciding to change tactics? Do
they have a backup plan?
How flexible are they?
This question relates to
the standard "How easy
is it for me to back out,"
but demands the vendor
actually give information
about how they run their
business, and not just an
escape plan.
3: WHAT IS YOUR
PRODUCT ROADMAP?
HOW WILL I BE
INVOLVED IN THAT
PROCESS?

You don't want to work
with a static company. After all, new technology is
being rolled out in every
sector all the time, and
you want to know that
your tools and partners

are as well. In order to
feel like you are getting
the most out of a vendor,
and will continue to do
so, you need to know that
they are interested and
invested in releasing new
features and updates, to
stay not only up-to-date
but ahead of the curve.
Ask them what you can
expect to see down the
line, and what they are
working on right now.

you are not interested?
How do they plan to
process feedback about
the change? It might feel
like you are "jumping the
gun" by asking these
questions before signing
with a vendor, but it's just
this type of question that
will give you a real sense
of the company and what
you can expect down the
line.

4: WHAT CAN I DO TO

YOU SHOULD DEMAND THE SAME
TYPE OF FOCUS AND DRIVE TO
IMPROVE FROM YOUR VENDORS THAT
YOU DO FROM YOUR STAFF.
They might not give you
all of the details about
their upcoming releases,
but you can get a good
sense of whether or not
the company is growing
and progressing.
You might also want
to ask the vendor how
they involve their current
clients in the design and
release of new features.
Some companies reach
out to their partners to
beta test a new feature,
and provide feedback, to
ensure that the people
who will actually use it
also think it is a new and
useful idea. Becoming a
"beta partner" is an excellent way to stay up-todate on the latest technology and play a real role in
the development of auto
tech. You can also ask
how the company deals
with major updates- do
they automatically apply
to all clients? What if

GET EVEN MORE FROM
YOUR PRODUCT?

This one can really
help you determine how
the vendor approaches their clients. Every
company you work with
should serve as a partner.
You are both invested in
your success and should
be looking for every
opportunity to improve.
By asking what types of
actions you can take in
order to get the most of
their product, you can see
a few things. First, you
can make sure that the
account manager actually
understands your dealership and is not simply repeating a standard pitch.
Further, this question
can help you determine
the degree to which the
vendor views you as a
partner, or simply a client.
If they respond with "Oh
nothing, we'll take it
from here," you should

follow-up to ensure that
they will continue to work
with you even after you
sign up.
For some, entering
into a relationship with a
vendor feels like an even
bigger commitment than
moving forward with a
love interest. There is
money on the line, GMs
and owners are impatient, and you are going
to invest time and energy
into making this work.
You know your dealership
better than anyone, and
only you know what you'd
really like to see from a
vendor. So, think of questions you can ask to get a
feel for the company, their
product, and how they
approach their clients. Sit
down with your team to
find out what they'd be interested in knowing from
a potential vendor so
that nothing falls through
the cracks. This way,
you can feel that they've
answered even your
toughest questions, and
you can enter into this
relationship as confidently
as possible.
CHAYA DAVID,
AutoLeadStar Customer
Engagement Manager
As Customer Engagement
Manager at AutoLeadStar,
Chaya works to increase
client satisfaction, loyalty,
and advocacy. With many
years of experience in
communications, education,
and client services, she
understands user needs and
constantly works to translate
that into the best possible
digital experience. EMAIL:
chaya@autoleadstar.com

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

JUNE 2018

http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - June 2018