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Automotive Sales & Service BDC Course​ - B02

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  1. LESSON 1: AUTOMOTIVE SALES & SERVICE BDC - BDM COURSE INTRODUCTION

    Automotive Sales & Service BDC - BDM Course Introduction
  2. LESSON 2: ESSENTIAL BDC AND BDM STEPS TO TAKE PROPER CARE OF AUTOMOTIVE SALES LEADS
    Essential BDC and BDM Steps To Take Proper Care Of Automotive Sales Leads
    7 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  3. LESSON 3 BDC: EVERYTHING A BDC REPRESENTATIVE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE REPAIR ORDERS
    Everything A BDC Representative Needs To Know About Automotive Service Repair Orders
    7 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  4. LESSON 4: FEATURES, BENEFITS, AND SELLING POINTS OF EACH SERVICE MAINTENANCE ITEM FOR BDC REPRESENTATIVES
    Features, Benefits, And Selling Points Of Each Service Maintenance Item For BDC Representatives
    8 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  5. LESSON 5: BREAKING DOWN FACTORY WARRANTY FOR BDC REPRESENTATIVES
    Breaking Down The New Car Factory Warranty For BDC Representatives
    10 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  6. LESSON 6: UNDERSTANDING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CUSTOMER AND PERSONALIZING THE SALES EXPERIENCE BDC REPRESENTATIVES
    Understanding Automotive Service Customer And Personalizing The Sales Experience BDC Representatives
    2 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  7. LESSON 7: GROWING A BDC REPRESENTATIVES SOFT SKILLS AND SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS
    Growing A BDC Representatives Soft Skills And Scheduling Appointments
    7 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  8. LESSON 8: HOW TO TACKLE CHALLENGES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AS AN AUTOMOTIVE BDC OR BDM
    How To Tackle Challenges In The Automotive Industry As An Automotive BDC Or BDM
    4 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  9. LESSON 9: MEASURING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT KPI'S & FORECASTING AS AN AUTOMOTIVE BDM
    Measuring Business Development KPI's & Forecasting Metrics As A Automotive BDM
    2 Topics
  10. LESSON 10: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCRIPTS & TEMPLATES FOR AUTOMOTIVE BDC REPRESENTATIVES
    Business Development Scripts & Templates For Automotive BDC Representatives
    16 Topics
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What Else Should BDC Representatives Know?

Some training is beyond the scope of this course. So, this section is dedicated to what you should ask employers after you have started your new career. Before picking up the phone or responding to an email, the employer needs to review their daily, weekly, and monthly process with you. For example: how and where do they record daily activities? Do they use excel spreadsheets, google sheets, or is it all recorded within the CRM?

Each CRM system is different, so they need to show you how to use their system. Bring a notepad and ask for screenshots as visual aids.

Employers should spend a few days educating you with the various makes and models on their salesfloor. For instance, what makes them a popular choice, what customers love about them, their unique features, and so on.

Here’s a list of items you will want to ask your future employer.

 

Automotive Software Systems

Dealerships can use several types of software systems to record and store their daily activities and data. The two programs used by BDC staff are the Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) and the Document Management System (DMS).

BDC staff’s go-to system is the CRM; it’s a sales and marketing platform rolled into one designed to grow sales and improve customer service. So, the CRM is where BDC staff collect and store information about their leads and customers. Send email and text messages from and document any correspondence.

In addition to recording events with inbound and outbound leads, the BDC’s tasks also include administrative tasks in the CRM. Such as keeping a clean customer database, purifying the customer database of duplicate entries, and making sure information captured is accurate and complete.

The document management system (DMS) is used to schedule service appointments for customers. Service advisors and accounting staff rely on the DMS to record and store sales activity digitally.

Service appointments are scheduled in the DMS. The DMS also contains past customer vehicle service history, future appointments, and shop capacity for the day.

BDC team members employed in the service department spend about 60% of their time using the DMS. The service department uses the CRM system only as a marketing tool to send out email and text notifications; everything else is done within the DMS.

Make sure to ask new employers if they use a CRM and a DMS, and you have a login for both systems. You’ll learn more about the DMS in the next lesson.

 

Third-Party Lead Sources

Third-party lead sources have become common over the years. They include social media marketing and other sources such as AutoTrader, CarGurus, CarMax, Kijiji, etc. These are part of the shop’s business marketing plan and are always pay-per-click with additional monthly fees.

Chances are, if you are employed at a smaller dealership or shop, you may be required to maintain these accounts. Here are a few questions you can ask the employer:

  • The names of all the third-party accounts they advertise with.
  • Who is currently maintaining these third-party accounts?
  • What email address do the inbound leads go to?
  • Are you required to login into these accounts and retrieve them?
  • Will you require a login id to access these third-party accounts?

It’s also a good idea to keep track of the number of spam or bad inbound leads generated by each site. They may what to contact the provider if the amount of spam mail is unreasonably high.

 

Product Knowledge Training

Before turning a new lead into a booked appointment, you need to understand the makes and models sold at the dealership; BDC staff should keep up to date with new product releases.

Product knowledge goes beyond reading the brochure for cars or watching videos. It isn’t easy to believe in a product if you have never experienced it for yourself. BDC staff should insist on receiving the same training as a salesperson on the floor.

Take the time to sit in the car, observe the interior, the console, even sit in the back seat. Ask a senior salesperson to explain the features and benefits. The more you understand the car and become a believer yourself, the better persuasion skills you will develop.

Product knowledge should not stop at the car. For instance, what about a warranty? Do customers have the option to personalize the car with accessories? Will it have a high trade-in value? Knowing these additional bits of information will help BDC staff persuade new leads into booking appointments with a salesperson.

The more you know about the vehicles on the lot, the less dependency you will have for scripts. Lastly, getting to know the cars on the lot helps build your strength and enthusiasm, both great traits that customers can sense while speaking to them.

Selling skills and persuasive communication techniques are substantially more potent than scripts. Sales training is essential to convert leads or a call into an appointment.

 

After-Hours Lead Care

Research shows that most leads come in after business hours. Customers may not expect replies to after-hour leads. However, it’s vital to exceed customers’ expectations, especially if the dealership wants the sale. With the way the market’s projected to turn, it will be more critical than ever to go above and beyond customer expectations and what other dealerships will do to capture a larger market.

One way to determine if an after-hours BDC representative is required is if a store has a high new-lead rate after business hours but an unsuccessful connection rate. The sales department could utilize an “After-Hours BDC Associate” with remote access to the CRM. Even if it’s to answer simple questions quickly and schedule an appointment with a salesperson via text or email, consider providing access to the dealer’s social media channels as well.

Alternatively, dealers may have a voice message for customers calling in after-hours “we are currently closed but feel free to text us at 555-0123, and we will be in touch within 10 minutes.” This is a practical approach because the customers who respond via text are highly engaged and turn into an appointment.

As a BDC team member, the dealer may expect you to work some evenings, weekends, or alternating shifts to uphold exemplary customer service.

Most dealers remain closed after-hours, and, in that case, a simple after-hours email autoresponder can say the following: “Your email inquiry got to us after business hours-one of our Sales Coordinators with reach out to you just as soon as we get back into the office.”

 

Note: Most states and provinces in North America do not allow a business to contact customers before or after a specified time. One example is businesses cannot call customers before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., according to the customer’s time zone.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) stipulates that businesses must receive expressed written consent from individuals before sending them any auto-dialed SMS/text messages. However, emails are still permitted. The TCPA also requires every call center to maintain an internal “do-not-call” list registry. Customers on this list may not be called or solicited.

 

Autoresponders Are Essential

Email and text autoresponders are just as important as a live person, even during business hours. It reassures customers that the dealer received their email, and a live agent will respond shortly.

Create an engaging “thank you” response and let customers know who will contact them and when. Optionally emails can include a link to an appointment calendar, allowing leads to select a date and time to test drive a vehicle or promotional information.

Don’t overlook adding autoresponders to social media accounts, including Facebook Messenger or direct messenger via Instagram and Twitter.

Great autoresponder information needs to include:

  • Thank the person for reaching out
  • Name of who will contact them
  • When to expect contact
  • Link to schedule test drives
  • Information on current rebates
  • Vehicle trade-in teaser
  • Business hours
  • Photo or video of the contact person
  • Bio of the contact person
  • Community contributions made by the dealer
  • Date of next community event

 

Autoresponder during business hours sample:

Email and text autoresponders are just as important as a live person, even during business hours. It reassures customers that the dealer received their email, and a live agent will respond shortly.

Create an engaging “thank you” response and let customers know who will contact them and when. Optionally emails can include a link to an appointment calendar, allowing leads to select a date and time to test drive a vehicle or promotional information.

Don’t overlook including an autoresponder to the dealer’s social media accounts: Facebook Messenger or direct messenger via Instagram and Twitter.

Great autoresponder information needs to include:

  • Thank the person for reaching out
  • Name of who will contact them
  • When to expect contact
  • Link to schedule test drives
  • Information on current rebates
  • Vehicle trade-in teaser
  • Business hours
  • Photo or video of the contact person
  • Bio of the contact person
  • Community contributions made by the dealer
  • Date of next community event

 

Be Unique And Host Video Chats

Ensure the dealer incorporates a webcam with a video chat program to help you connect with customers and succeed.

Build stronger customer service retention, introduce video chatting with BDC and salespeople. Smartphones build relationships with smart shoppers and are more likely to purchase from you.

 

Government Regulations

Individual states or provinces have strict regulations and prohibit staff from speaking to new or used car customers about certain subject matters unless the individual has a sales license. It can restrict employees from discussing vehicle pricing, current new vehicle incentive offers, or even specific details about the make, model, and trim.

New car BDC team members must refrain from discussing or answering specific customer questions. BDC team members’ primary task is to ensure customers are happy with their purchase and pass them over to a salesperson if they have questions.