F&I and Showroom, September 2015

Letters 4 F I and Showroom September 2015 Vice President Group Publisher AutoGroup Sherb Brown 310 533 2451 sherb brown@ bobit com Publisher Dealer Group National Sales Manager David Gesualdo 727 947 4027 david gesualdo@ bobit com Editorial Director Gregory Arroyo 310 533 2592 gregory arroyo@ bobit com Senior Editor Brittany Marie Swanson 310 533 2588 brittany swanson@ bobit com Art Director Vince Taroc Graphic Artist Jeff Polman Great Lakes Sales Manager Robert Brown Jr 248 601 2005 robert brown@ bobit com Sales Marketing Coordinator Tracey Tremblay 310 533 2518 tracey tremblay@ bobit com E Media and Print Production Manager Brian Peach 310 533 2548 brian peach@ bobit com Audience Marketing Manager Tony Napoleone Chairman 1961 2014 Edward J Bobit President CEO Ty F Bobit Chief Operating Officer Cyndy Drummey Chief Financial Officer Armand Del Duca Business and Editorial Office Bobit Business Media 3520 Challenger St Torrance CA 90503 Fax 310 533 2503 Change Service Requested Return Address Bobit Business Media PO Box 2703 Torrance CA 90509 Subscription Inquiries 888 239 2455 BobitPubs@ Halldata com Printed in U S A Badly Handled TO CHRIS MEACHAM I just finished your July article F Is Shifting Paradigm Page 24 and I really liked it I also try in my role to help nudge along the paradigm shift I would like to see in the automotive retail industry For example it drives me crazy that the average store converts phone callers to salesroom appointments only 7 of the time How can dealers afford to do business like that Many of our products also address the principles you wrote about For example our DealSaver product alerts managers when an inbound service or sales prospect call was mishandled meaning an opportunity was squandered I feel like the industry could do so much better but it seems bad phone skills and bad customer experiences are things theyre willing to live with Carey Fried Director of Marketing and Training CallSource Westlake Village Calif Seven percent appointment conversion That my friend is not a phone skill issue its a message issue For years we were taught to sell the appointment not the car This probably worked well before the Internet but now most calls are in reference to a specific vehicle So how do we handle this call Hopefully good phone skills still rein including a professional greeting polite tone and open ended questions If the message is ambiguous or lacks specific information then the customer will feel distrustful Sometimes the vehicle the customer is inquiring about isnt whats needed which makes having a firm grasp of your inventory critical First impressions will also go a long way in getting the customer to open up because most customers feel uneasy and hesitant when their calls are taken The problem is they simply dont trust the dealership experience So are those feelings being confirmed or are the efforts of BDC or Internet department staffers compelling them to pay the dealership a visit If 93 arent compelled the problem is the message Bottom line transparency compels people to make decisions Give them what they want with confidence and conviction If they were looking for the cheapest deal the call likely would never have been made They are looking for more Is a paradigm shift too much to ask CHRIS MEACHAM Light Bulb Close TO RON REAHARD I absolutely love the light bulb close from your July column Page 32 It is so simple to use and so nonconfrontational Today is my day off But I am looking forward to going into work tomorrow and adding this to my bag of closes Thank you for giving us more tools to do our job with Fred Gitter Business Manager Lia Honda Albany N Y Thanks for your comments Glad to hear you found the light bulb close helpful Its a fun easy close that helps make your point RON REAHARD A Walk in My Shoes TO MARV ELEAZER I totally agree with your July column Were not Apple Stores Page 44 Salespeople sales managers general managers and the like dont have a clue as to what goes on in the F I office We close sales sell products that cant be test driven finalize all paperwork and ensure the dealership is compliant with local state and federal laws and regulations as well as manufacturer requirements Then we get this Why is it taking so long to complete the sale If only theyd step into my shoes and walk in them for a day Of course none of them could or would Thank you for pointing out all of the hoops we F I managers must jump through And just so you know I look forward to your column every month Keep up the good work Terry M Ammel Finance Manager Poage Chevrolet Wentzville Mo