What is CRM?

Answer: What is CRM? Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a way to identify, acquire, and retain customers, a great asset for a business. Research has shown that companies that create satisfied, loyal customers, have more repeat business, lower customer-acquisition costs, and stronger brand value—all of which translates into better financial performance.

Why is CRM Important?

Answer: The benefits of CRM are clear: by streamlining processes and providing sales, marketing and after sales personnel with better, more complete customer information, CRM allows organizations to build more profitable customer relationships and decrease operating costs. Dealerships can shorten the sales cycle and increase key sales performance targets such as revenue per salesman, average order size and revenue per customer.

Why do I need this particular CRM application?

Answer: It’s easy to say simply that it’s a method to increase vehicle sales. It’s much more than that, but ultimately, that’s the payback.

From the receptionist taking the initial enquiry, to the salesman, to the mechanic in after-sales, every member of the dealership wants to deal with happy and satisfied prospects and customers because it makes their job feel so much easier.

By involving all personnel in CRM, from the top down, the results will be happy customers, satisfied employees and increased ROI.

Does CRM pay for itself?

Answer: You bet! According to a recently completed study from research firm IDC, successful implementation of CRM applications have yielded ROI ranging from 16% to more than 1,000%. Obviously, in the motor industry, profit margins on new vehicles are paper-thin with manufactures trying to capture market share and also increased dealer competition. A CRM product such as Dealer Interactive helps reduce the level of competition and repeat business is not just about price anymore.

How do I know that this CRM application is right for my dealership?

Answer: Every business needs sales, therefore every business needs a winning, easy to use, efficient marketing and sales strategy tool. Dealer Interactive provides a very easy to use environment where your dealership can create an effective marketing tool that targets exactly who you want to communicate with, about what, in what format and when. Customers will become impressed with timely and professional responses.

What does my dealership need to start using Dealer Interactive?

Answer: Dealer Interactive is totally web-based. The only thing needed to start using Dealer Interactive is a simple connection to the internet. There is no need to purchase or maintain expensive hardware equipment. The applications are easy to use and the Dealer Interactive development team will guide you through the process until it becomes second nature.

If it is web-ased, how does Dealer Interactive protect my data?

Answer: All your valuable information is protected on the Dealer Interactive web server and is only accessible through password protected logon. In order to provide you with additional peace of mind, this fully protected data can be provided to you monthly, so you are fully backed up.

If every authorized user at my dealership can logon and amend or even delete data, are we exposed?

Answer: No, because you will control the access levels. In other words, the Dealer Principal and the Sales Manager will have complete entry to all levels, but sales might be one level down and after sales support, one level below them. This CRM application is totally flexible and every dealer will have their own individual requirements. One fundamental is that if a salesman who looks after one particular prospect/ customer is away, whoever has dialogue also has the ability to update the enquiry, proposed actions and so on. Dealer Interactive is also IP Protected/Restricted from use outside your jurisdiction.

Can I be away from the dealership, not monitoring the system at all times and still have it notify me?

Answer: Yes, you can retrieve information wherever you happen to be, through the web or wireless PDA. As a result, you always have access to up to date information.

Can I customize letters and reports?

Answer: Yes, Dealer Interactive enables you to add new types of letters to your system, together with the ability to modify their styles at a later stage. This is also true for customizing reports, with no restrictions on quantity.

Can I pull data or run statistical reports across multiple dealerships?

Answer: Yes, this is a critical feature in benefiting from Dealer Interactive with you have more than one dealership site. Whilst relationships can be established in one location, what about the customer who decides to book his next service within the same group but at another location due to convenience at that time. Will the other dealer realize that he’s a special customer at the other location? With Dealer Interactive, nobody is left in the dark and again, the customer experiences a real sense of belonging.

Is there anything more that Dealer Interactive can do for my dealership?

Answer: One of the most important rules in business is keeping in close contact with prospects and then customers and making sure that they’re satisfied. The best way of doing just that is to be certain they are heard and that you react to their comments. By sending your customer a periodical “survey”, they can answer simple yes/no questions and give valuable input, whether that be in the sales area or after sales. Dealer Interactive helps you to do this based on stored data information specific to your dealership and over time, you are delivering the best service to meet and exceed their expectations.