Your Customers Crave Connection but Your Staff Forgot How

It’s a warm Saturday morning. You’re nervous but also excited with anticipation — it's new car day. You have done your research; you have your selections narrowed down and a list of questions to ask when you arrive at the dealership. Preliminary financing is arranged, you know you’re paying a fair price and receiving every discount you qualify for. You imagine the eager sales consultant who has been so great at communication and finding exactly what you’re looking for, just waiting to meet you by prepping the selections you emailed over your interest on, as well as a few you didn’t even think to consider. You envision arriving at a beautiful facility to see each vehicle lined up ready to drive, gleaming in the sunshine. You’ve worked hard for the ability to purchase brand new; you feel like you’re “someone.” You’re prepared to be wowed by the whole experience and can’t wait to begin your day, knowing it will end with a brand-new car in your driveway.  

Then the alarm buzzes, and you wake up from your dream. Today you’ll continue your search for a new vehicle, the same trek you embarked on months ago to no avail. You check your email inbox only to find several automated communications from dealers letting you know that the inventory you inquired on is sold or not currently available. Those are just the stores that emailed back — several have left your lead unattended to once they realized you were after a hard-to-get vehicle that they haven’t seen in months. No alternatives, no communication about what could be offered in the meantime, no special consideration.  

Suddenly, a new email notification pops up. INVENTORY AVAILABLE! You drop everything to open the message, heart pounding hoping it’s just what you’re looking for. The message contains information on a vehicle that is the make and model you’re interested in, but it’s the wrong color and without the options you find important. Reading further down, you realize the dealer has priced this vehicle to “market conditions,” and despite waiting several months patiently for its arrival, you’ll be paying a surcharge over and above MSRSP. You slam your laptop shut with disappointment and anger, reminded of why you hate the car buying experience now more than ever.  

While this exact portrayal may be fictional, scenes just like this are a daily occurrence in the automotive industry. Dealers have faced exponential challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has taken a toll on the way we all do business.  

The first dealer pivot took place in the thick of the pandemic, when all interactions were forced to occur online. Dealers had to adapt, and they had to do it quickly. Overnight the traditional “walk around” began occurring via FaceTime and Zoom, and without face-to-face communication available, sales consultants had to work even harder to develop connections and rapport through a screen.  

This challenge paled in comparison to what was to come, though. The nationwide chip shortage stripped dealers of stock inventory and made it nearly impossible to provide a clear ETA on the arrival of ordered units. Consultants that were accustomed to selling what was available today had to pivot their business to what was available to order. They caught on to something, though. They realized customers were willing to pay essentially whatever was asked, since the supply was in such shortage. They also were willing to compromise on their list of “must haves,” just happy to have a vehicle they could take delivery of. Grosses went through the rough, floor plan cost decreased, and sales consultants, managers and dealers alike were making more money than they ever had.  

This continues in some markets, but in others, the tide is shifting. Increasing interest rates, inflation, as well as overall consumer exhaustion are factors leading to challenges in the automotive marketplace. Customers are tired of being ignored, intentionally or unintentionally, and want to feel like “someone” again. They crave an interaction that leaves them feeling good about their purchase decision, not leaving shoved into whatever was available. Money spent now is coming with greater scrutiny than in the past few years; there’s no talk of stimulus help or funds available to stabilize the economy.  

Now, more than ever, consumers crave connection. While we are so lucky to be able to offer this connection face-to-face now, that does not work for all consumers. Some consumers want to connect via text, email and maybe an occasional phone call. They do their own research and need an advocate — someone to educate them on the things they may have missed, or to spot a deal on their behalf. Others want to meet their consultants in person, spending hours poring over information and making the best decision after they feel comfortable. New vehicles are expensive, and most people are accustomed to that fact. When spending hard earned money, though, customers want to do so with someone they like and trust, and someone who engages with them in a way that they want to be engaged.  

Herein lies the post pandemic problem. We as an industry have forgotten how to speak to people in a way that cultivates trust and loyalty. We have ignored our need to genuinely connect to help and solve a problem, not just complete a transaction. Our world has been so chaotic, we haven’t had the luxury of developing true relationships with our clients. And we’ve forgotten how. Does your customer base feel that they have an advocate working for them? Someone who took the time to get to know them, their wants and needs in a vehicle? I know that many don’t. Connection breeds loyalty, loyalty breeds return profit, not just profit from a single interaction. Isn’t that what we’re all after? Repeat loyalty is the mystery factor that dramatically impacts the bottom line, but we normally don’t notice until it’s gone. An excellent customer interaction doesn’t have to be a dream, it should be a reality.  

It is far easier to maintain loyalty than to convince someone new to do business. But we need to do both, and we need to do so with urgency. Quantum⁵ specializes in multi-channel communication skills that enable your sales, service and BDC to develop connections that last, not ones that diminish at the start of a generic email. We empower your management team to rise to the challenge of true leadership daily, both leading by example and expectation. We take the stress off your already stressed staff, and enable them to do what they do best, sell. And the Quantum⁵ promise? They’ll sell more, your staff will feel better about doing so, and your clients will rave about their experience. Let’s talk about how we can make this a reality for you.