Balancing Speed and Quality with your Internet Lead Communications
Saturday nights are game nights for my wife, our three toddler children and myself.
Last week we played a game where we asked our kids some questions and they were to give answers within five seconds. This meant that they had to think and answer fast.
Here’s a glimpse of how the game went (remember they are supposed to answer within five seconds):
Us: “What are three things you can find in our laundry room?
Kids: “Clothes, soap, ELEPHANT!”
Us: “What are three things you can hold in your hand?”
Kids: “Toys, cookie, a TREE!”
Obviously, since we put them under high pressure to give three answers within five seconds, they got the answers wrong. For the record, my kids are intelligent for their age. The six and three-year-old can read books and our two-year-old knows more than 100 words. So, it was not a question of their intelligence for getting the answers to the game wrong, but it was MORE about the pressure we put them under that caused the wrong response.
Likewise, it’s no secret that in the auto-industry, TIME is of the essence. We live and breathe a life under constant pressure. And in a high-pressure environment, we must not get our first shot with our prospects wrong. (Perhaps; “So in most cases, this high-pressure environment allows us only one shot to get things right when dealing with new opportunities. Our revenue, reputation, and respect are on the line.)
When an Internet “lead” arrives in your system, your first reaction may be to get to them as quickly as possible. While speed may be important, there are times these actions can cause a “non-response” reaction because you may not deliver the level of QUALITY that the prospect desires and deserves. In fact, a research of 30,000 mystery shops showed that dealers that responded up to four hours later outperformed dealers who responded within a few minutes!
Why?
The better-performing dealers took a little more time to prepare and understand the prospect’s concerns. Now, PLEASE DO NOT slow down your response times to four hours. That is NOT what I am implying. However, the point being made here is to not sacrifice quality for speed. You need BOTH!
Responding within 30 minutes of an incoming lead AND delivering high-quality engagement is the ideal combination. As you practice, keep increasing the response time while maintaining and/or elevating the quality level. I know dealers that have this down to a science after going through my training to where they are responding within 10 minutes with a very high-level of quality.
Let’s look at an example for how responding too fast could possibly dilute the quality to the prospect’s concerns.
Internet Lead
Name: Tina James
Phone: N/A
Email: infotin@iheartfamily.com
Make: XXX
Model: Minivan
Color: Beige
Interior: Gray
Trim: LE
Options: Dynamic Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detector & Traction Control
Examples of dealers that responded in less than five minutes:
“Hello Tina,
Thank you for your inquiry. We’ll get back to you shortly.”
(Hardly a quality response.)
Hello Tim,
“Thanks for your inquiry on the [MAKE] [MODEL]. We look forward to speaking with you soon.”
(The Make & Model were literally not populated. In the second sentence “Speaking” was used even though the prospect did not want to share their phone number at this time. They even used the wrong name.)
Based on the examples above, let’s dissect this from two perspectives: Yours (being in Internet sales), and the prospect’s (the potential customer).
First, the prospect’s point of view: If you were shopping this dealership,
- Would you categorize the above response as professional?
- Would you be more apt or less apt to reply?
- Does the information given move you emotionally?
- If so, in what direction; move towards this dealership or move away?
- Or is this just what you expected from a car dealership because they are typically not professional?
Be honest with your feedback.
Now let’s look at it from your perspective, the dealership (let’s assume that you wrote the above response to the prospect):
- What were your reasons for replying this way?
- What should this reply accomplish?
- Was this a response from YOU or an auto responder? (Regardless, the prospect thinks it’s from you.)
- On a scale of 1-10, what do you think is the likelihood of a volley? Hint: If it’s less than “8”, then WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS?
I don’t want to seem insensitive here because I do understand that Internet consultants and salespeople, in general, get pressure from all sides. I do, however, would like to point out that if your reply is not YOUR BEST EFFORT, then why reply at all? As it goes in football, you’re gonna get hit whether you catch the ball or not. Might as well catch it and do your best to score with it.
Before we suggest of a quicker and better response, consider the tools you currently have at your disposal.
When the leads come in:
- Is your system integrated within your CRM tool, some other system or not at all?
- Do you handle ALL e-leads from cradle to grave or they are handed off?
- Do you currently use templates? If so, can they be modified? If not, why not?
- Is your pricing strategy e-priced?
- Are you currently paying for leads, per lead or bulk, or some other arrangements?
Why these questions? Because depending on how your department or organization is set up has EVERYTHING to do with how efficient and flexible you can be with your prospects. MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOUR PROSPECTS CAN TELL. Every time you communicate with a prospect, you are setting an expectation, whether actively or passively. The above example says to the prospect; “ You’re one of many, I will get to you when I can!” In turn, the prospect says by not responding; “You’re one of many I may get to you if I don’t find better!”
If you email your prospects, “I will contact you in the next ___ minutes”, you better have the right resources, and infrastructure, systems and people set in place to do so. You need to know the exact time the prospect entered the lead and the time stamp of when it arrived in your system. Be certain to know the answers to the following questions:
- How much time (in minutes and seconds) does it take for the lead to arrive in my system? ___:___
- Through the dealership site? ___:___
- Through 3rd party sites
- AutoTrader.com: ___:___
- Cars.com: ___:___
- Truecar.com: ___:___
- Edmunds.com: ___:___
- KBB.com: ___:___
- ____.com: ___:___
- ____.com: ___:___
- How much time does it take to read and understand a typical lead thoroughly? ___:___
- If I have customizable templates, are they readily accessible? Are they integrated with my communications systems? Y/N, Y/N
- How much time does it take to craft a professional response (written, proofread and checked for errors with software)? ___:___
- Do I have the necessary staff and resources available at all times to confidently state the time of response in my email? Y/N
This is not hard to address.
TEST YOUR SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES REGULARLY.
Below is a preferred response all done within 15 minutes of receiving the lead:
“Hello Tina, (that’s my niece’s name)
Thanks for contacting us.
It looks like you inquired on our XXX Minivan LE with Metallic Beige exterior and gunmetal Gray interior from (lead source). Is this correct? Other features include Dynamic Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detector & Traction Control. That’s a classy combination! This vehicle is available and ready for immediate delivery. See our current pricing below:
MSRP: $37,635. E-price: $35,150. (Offer is valid for 48 hours)
I can also provide you with payments, rates, incentives, and trade info if needed. I took the liberty to include some extra info, just in case: [Third Party Link]
I can be reached by my info below for any concerns you may have, or if you prefer, I can contact you. What’s the best way to reach you?
Best Regards,
Mathew Thomas | Internet Sales Manager | ABC Auto Mall | Main: 555-555-5555 | Mobile: 888-888-8888 | www.abcautomall.com | Social Media: FB Twitter Google + YouTube LinkedIn”
Back to our previous perspective. Given that you deciphered the person behind the lead (as I discussed in my previous blog article), would you reply back to this email? (Notice the personal touches I included in the example.)
This is one of many simple yet very effective ways to reply with key principles in mind. It can be incorporated easily without taking much time from your day. The key is that the prospect feels they are dealing with a real person that wants to help. ProStar conducts a thorough analysis of all systems at each dealership before we determine the best type of response to a prospect.
All of this has to be done meeting time requirements by the OEM, the dealer, and the customer. An efficient way is to have templates made that are customizable for every prospect concern. The next time you get an Internet lead, keep the following in mind to be efficient with speed and quality:
- Decipher the individual behind the lead
- Determine the expectation that can be met/exceeded based upon your current situation
- Utilize prepared customizable templates for multiple volleys
We at ProStar Automotive Solutions can assist in all three objectives listed above that would result in increased appointments, shows and deliveries. www.prostarautosolutions.com
I will publish much more on the many different facets of understanding the prospect and responding with effective communication to maximize your performance in Internet sales. You obviously cannot close a prospect with just the one example above. With the proper resources, infrastructure and systems in place, it’s going to take a few more volleys to get the prospect on the phone and/or set the appointment. There are many hours of extensive, in-depth training available at ProStar Automotive Solutions (www.prostarautosolutions.com) as well if you want to learn more about how to communicate in a personalized and efficient manner to maximize appointments set. Please comment below with your honest thoughts. Thank you and best of success!
