Prioritize Customer Experience

Customer experience is a key element to the success of any business. Any dealer knows that to be true, and it’s likely that your dealership already prioritizes the customer experience in terms of customer service. Most of our dealers say this is their top focus. However, the customer experience is different – it includes every aspect of your business that a customer is exposed to from introduction of your dealership all the way to post-sale, and it includes both in-person and online interactions.

These days, it’s highly likely that the first interaction a customer will have with your dealership is via your online presence. Now that the Internet is so easily accessible through mobile devices, people can visit your online showroom nearly anywhere and anytime. In the likely event that a potential customer is introduced to your dealership through your website, marketing emails, or social media accounts, these platforms need to be prioritized.

The first and most important step is making sure your dealership website is user-friendly and appealing to visitors. A responsive website that operates just as well on mobile devices as it does on a desktop computer is key. In the event that your dealership doesn’t have a responsive site (or you are not yet a Dealer Spike customer), this should be your #1 priority. As we discussed earlier, people can use smartphones and tablets to visit your website at any time, making a responsive website crucial. On top of that, it is also best practice to implement minimal design that puts the focus on your units and doesn’t overwhelm your website visitors with content. Large navigation buttons make it easy for visitors to move around your site and find what they are looking for.

Email marketing is another aspect of the customer journey to consider. It is recommended to reach out to customers via email marketing once per week at most for smaller businesses like dealerships. Ensuring that emails are personalized and relevant to each recipient can be done through Marketing Automation strategy. This makes a great impression and helps encourage interested prospects become customers. It’s important that your emails are responsive too – mobile opens accounted for 46% of all email opens in 2018¹.

Another online platform that contributes to the customer journey and overall experience is social media. We live in a world where consumers expect businesses to both maintain profiles on social media channels and regularly interact with followers on those channels. Post often (no more than once per day, no less than twice per week is a best practice to follow) and respond promptly to comments and messages. Those who have chosen to follow you want to engage and doing so is in your best interest for an increased chance of conversions. It’s also a good idea to vary the nature of your social media posts – they shouldn’t always be sales-related. Try to include some fun, customer-focused content as well.

For most of the dealership industries we serve, units sold are not necessary purchases. Things like motorcycles, boats, and RVs are luxury items used for recreational purposes. People don’t need to purchase these items, and they certainly don’t need to purchase them from your dealership. Providing an exceptional customer experience, both in-person and online, is key.

¹Litmus