Does Snapchat Have Any Business Functionality In The Car Sales Industry?

Snapchat for Business
Hold on, just give me a minute, I need to take a selfie… Ok, we’re good. Do you or your business have a Snapchat account? Maybe it’s worth exploring how it could be applied to your business and if getting onboard with the current generation’s favourite app, could add a new window to your business.

You’ve surely heard the phrase “A picture tells a thousand words”, I think the truth is we can analyse a picture quicker than we can read 1,000 words. We’re busy people, do you want to read a 10,000-word report on a car you’re thinking about buying? Or do you want to see a gallery of images and videos you can view in 5-10 minutes? There are options available professionally such as CitNow for sharing videos and photos with prospective customers, but Snapchat might add something… More?

Social media is contagious. Millions of people are online, all at the same time, all on their choice of platform. If you can provide a service on a system they already use and are comfortable with, then you’re going to have better results from a customer satisfaction point of view. If you can build up a Snapchat following using something like a paid Facebook campaign or similar activity, you are able to interact with your customers in a unique and memorable way.

What Can Snapchat do?

You can advertise your latest stock, exclusive Snapchat offers, competitions for the best Snapchat, and utilise photos and videos for a customer enquiring directly about a car they’ve seen whilst you talk them through it. This doesn’t require you interrupting your customers busy day with a video call or conversation over the phone. With Snapchat they can view the content you send whenever they’re ready.

I’m not saying it’s THE best way of reaching new customers, but it could be worth exploring, right? Especially for hitting new drivers looking for their first car. In the UK, 1.6 million drivers take their practical tests every year. That’s a major number of potential new conquest customers. Chances are slim that in the huge number of franchises and independent dealers in your area, a healthy percentage will find your website or pop in for a visit. But what if you found a way to get to them first? If you can create a fun and interactive page and then offer special offers to your followers, via a Snapchat promo code, then when they do pass their test and start thinking about a car, they’ll have a good idea where to start looking.

For some awesome tips on using Snapchat for your business, click here for more information on how you can get the most from Snapchat.

To find out about how Click Dealer can help you increase conversions and get the best from your social media channels, get in touch via [email protected] or 01782 454354. Alternatively, you can send us a message through our contact page.

Workshop cameras to be as important as spanners says report

Mechanic
Video will become increasingly important over the next few years so dealers can plug the communication gap between the workshop and customers and build trust, a report says.

One in five at management level believe that managing a personalised video will be a core skill for technicians and a must-have for any dealership which does service work and that their importance will double over the next few years as customers come to expect it.

The vast majority in the industry believe technicians already have the skills needed to video their work but around a third say customers need to be better informed about what is being done to their vehicle and why. Being transparent will generate more trust and help explain to the customer why the garage is charging for the parts and the work being done.

The research carried out by car industry video pioneer, CitNOW, for the launch of its report `Workshop Professional of the Future’ shows just how important video will be.

Communications gap between workshop and customer

Almost a fifth – 19% – of technicians predict it will be in the top three most important skills for a workshop professional by 2025. Just one person in ten thinks technicians will need much upskilling but many more, nearly one in three, believe there is a clear gap in the ability of the dealership and workshop to communicate clearly with the customer.

Ollie Parsons, Head of Sales and Client Services, CitNOW, said: “With technology taking a greater role in workshops each day, the results provide robust evidence to support the fact personalised video is seen by the sector as a vital service, and that it must be part of technicians’ skills sets.
“Our latest report reveals some intriguing findings. With a large percentage seeing video presentation skills as among the most important in the years to come, the ability to communicate effectively is becoming fundamental.”

For more information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.