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Automotive Sales & Service BDC Course​ - B05

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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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Outbound Sales Lead BDC Workflow

Outbound leads refer to customers who have already contacted a salesperson at the dealership. It’s the BDC team member’s job to follow up with the lead (customer).

Sources of outbound customers consist of:

  • Showroom Unsold & Prospecting
  • Existing Sold Customers
  • Lease Renewal Customers
  • Trade-in Only Customers
  • Service & Parts Customers

Guidelines can vary from one dealership to another on how to contact outbound leads, so ensure to follow the manufacturer’s or the state’s recommendations.

 

Unsold & Prospecting

A BDC team member follows up with showroom customers 24 hours after meeting or speaking with a salesperson. If the salesperson was unsuccessful, the BDC might contact the customer to discover why they did not purchase a car. The key is to try and keep the customer’s contact active until an alternate solution is found.

BDC will also document the appointment’s outcome and update the progress status in the CRM.

Unsold and prospective customers are contacted for seven days, with an average of six to seven calls, three emails, and a text opt-in before a manager takes over the lead. Contact should stop immediately if the customer asks you to stop.

Unresponsive leads follow the same contact duration apart from including special promotions to entice the customer to reach out and start replying.

 

Sold & Lease

The purpose of following up with sold and lease customers is mainly for customer retention and to ensure customer satisfaction remains high.

There are several reasons for contacting customers during their vehicle ownership. Some of the calls remind customers to complete their CSI surveys, ask for Google reviews, tell them about current promotions or ask customers for a referral.

Often, calls are made to check in with customers to see if they are happy with their purchase. Dealerships will typically contact customers every three months.

Dealerships will start contacting lease customers six months before the end of their lease term and may even “pull them ahead” into another new vehicle.

 

Outbound Customer Contact Frequency

BDC staff will contact lease and finance customers at least once a year to keep customer retention healthy.

Two or more contacts are made to book service maintenance appointments. BDC staff will also contact customers if their service advisor recommends safety-related repairs. However, the customer declined to proceed at the time of the appointment. BDC staff will follow up with declined repairs three days after the appointment and again in forty-five days.

BDC activity increase towards the last six months of their lease or finance contract. Contacting customers six months before their contract ends is intended to prevent customers from shopping at other brands or dealers.

Dealers will run an “Early Trade-In” campaign, often called “Early Pull Ahead,” to persuade customers to purchase another car before their vehicle contract comes due.

Outbound customer contact at dealers includes marketing special events and seasonal promotions for the sales and service department. The service department relies heavily on BDC to contact customers late fall and late winter to swap their seasonal tires. BDC staff will contact dealership customers during their lease term at least three times a year.

For the service department:

  • 2 for the service maintenance appointments
  • 2 for tire swaps
  • Customer declined service repairs

For the sales department:

  • 2 for customer retention follow-up
  • 4 or more times towards the end of a customer’s lease

 

Lease Customer Workflow

Print the upcoming lease report for customers whose lease will be expiring within the next 150 to 180 days.

Review each customer on the list to ensure their original salesperson is still employed at the dealership. Provide management with a list of orphaned customers so they can assign new sales staff to them. Consider including a bio of their new salesperson when sending the lease renewal reminders.

Beginning the lease renewal process overview:

  • 150 Day email reminder notice
  • 120 Day phone call/email notice
  • 90 Day email notice – Early trade-in/Pull-ahead
  • 75 Day email notice – early Trade-in/Pull-ahead
  • 60 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
  • 45 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson

The rate of contact for lease customers could look similar to this:

 

24 Month Lease Customer Contact Timetable

Sold Follow Up Timetable
When What Description
On Delivery Thank You or Congratulations Card Signed by the salesperson and BDC staff left inside the vehicle
48 hours Phone Call Contact customer to check the customer’s satisfaction, answer questions, ask for Google review
21 Days Phone Call CSI survey reminder, confirm intro to service and schedule or remind of 1st maintenance appointment
30 Days Phone Call or Email Invitation to car care clinic
3 Month Phone Call BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
6 Month Phone Call or Email 1st oil change reminder email
9 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
12 Month Phone Call or Email 1st anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
15 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
18 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the dealership and ask for a referral
24 Month Lease Renewal Process:
19 Month Lease Renewal Process 150 Day email notice
20 Month Lease Renewal Process 120 Day phone call/email reminder notice
21 Month Lease Renewal Process 90 Day email notice – Early trade-in/Pull-ahead
22 Month Lease Renewal Process 75 Day email notice – early Trade-in/Pull-ahead
23 Month Lease Renewal Process 60 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
24 Month Lease Renewal Process 45 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
21 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
24 Month Phone Call or Email 2nd anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
27 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
30 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon

 

36 Month Lease Customer Contact Timetable

Sold Follow Up Timetable
When What Description
On Delivery Thank You or Congratulations Card Signed by the salesperson and BDC staff left inside the vehicle
48 hours Phone Call Contact customer to check the customer’s satisfaction, answer questions, ask for Google review
21 Days Phone Call CSI survey reminder, confirm intro to service and schedule or remind of 1st maintenance appointment
30 Days Phone Call or Email Invitation to car care clinic
3 Month Phone Call BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
6 Month Phone Call or Email 1st oil change reminder email
9 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
12 Month Phone Call or Email 1st anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
15 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
18 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the dealership and ask for a referral
21 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
24 Month Phone Call or Email 2nd anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
27 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
30 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
36 Month Lease Renewal Process:
31 Month Lease Renewal Process 150 Day email notice
32 Month Lease Renewal Process 120 Day phone call/email notice
33 Month Lease Renewal Process 90 Day email notice – Early trade-in/Pull-ahead
34 Month Lease Renewal Process 75 Day email notice – early Trade-in/Pull-ahead
35 Month Lease Renewal Process 60 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
36 Month Lease Renewal Process 45 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
33 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
36 Month Phone Call or Email 3rd anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
42 Month Phone Call or Email From BDC; customer satisfaction script

 

48 Month Lease Customer Contact Timetable

Sold Follow Up Timetable
When What Description
On Delivery Thank You or Congratulations Card Signed by the salesperson and BDC staff left inside the vehicle
48 hours Phone Call Contact customer to check the customer’s satisfaction, answer questions, ask for Google review
21 Days Phone Call CSI survey reminder, confirm intro to service and schedule or remind of 1st maintenance appointment
30 Days Phone Call or Email Invitation to car care clinic
3 Month Phone Call BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
6 Month Phone Call or Email 1st oil change reminder email
9 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
12 Month Phone Call or Email 1st anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
15 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
18 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the dealership and ask for a referral
21 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
24 Month Phone Call or Email 2nd anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
27 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
30 Month Phone Call or Email Seasonal service marketing promotion or $5.00 to $25.00 service coupon
33 Month Phone Call or Email BDC calls to ensure the customer is satisfied with the purchase and answer questions
36 Month Phone Call or Email 3rd anniversary of vehicle – get a free car wash
42 Month Phone Call or Email From BDC; customer satisfaction script
48 Month Lease Renewal Process:
43 Month Lease Renewal Process 150 Day email notice
44 Month Lease Renewal Process 120 Day phone call/email notice
45 Month Lease Renewal Process 90 Day email notice – Early trade-in/Pull-ahead
46 Month Lease Renewal Process 75 Day email notice – early Trade-in/Pull-ahead
47 Month Lease Renewal Process 60 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson
48 Month Lease Renewal Process 45 Day call, discuss new vehicle needs, schedule appointment with a salesperson

 

 

Additional Notes: This guide is not a complete BDC workflow. There’s no one-size-fits-all workflow for BDM’s because each manufacturer, dealer, or independent store may have additional steps or perform these steps in a different order. This lesson is to get you started in the right direction, use the guide in the beginning, then build on it by creating your own workflow.

 

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