Are You Using Your Accelerator Pack’s Performance Dashboard?

Do you know how your dealership is performing? It can be a crucial insight to help increase efficiency and boost your profits. Click Dealer provides the perfect tool as part of our Accelerator Pack.

The Performance Dashboard allows you to review your performance and individual members of your sales team.

  • You can use filters to view specific sales types or locations to narrow down on areas you can improve.
  • See an overview of daily tasks with overdue and due soon highlighted to make sure everything is done on time. Clicking on overdue actions will take you straight to the action to complete in a diary
  • Reports will be available to you and displayed in pie charts. Giving you a visual indication of the: Top 10 Enquiry Sources, Total Sales Share/Salesperson, Enquiry to Sales Performance/Salesperson, Enquiry Source by Sales/Order.

Are you still using excel or maybe even a whiteboard to set targets and keep everything updated? The Performance Dashboard allows you to set up monthly targets for enquiries, sales count, test drives, warranties, finance deals and much more.

Set Targets For Staff

  • You’ll be able to see an individual’s overall performance for each target you set up and their overall performance for all of their targets.
  • Add priority targets which will ensure this is placed at the top of your report.
  • If you have a salesperson who consistently performs well, you can set them as a benchmark for the rest of your salesforce to aim for.
Using Data

Performance reports show actual data (opposed to actual data vs target data) and they will be adjustable using filters such as sales-type, location, and salesperson. This can help your dealership understand where your Dealership is finding a lot of success and where there is an area to target. You can also get a clear picture of your sales staffs performance. If you assign enquiries equally and fairly, then sales numbers should be quite similar across the board, but if someone is struggling, this could be a cause to review their sales techniques and maybe submit them to additional training courses.

Performance Dashboard

You’ll also be able to use this data to set up PPC and Social Media adverts that target areas where you have found a lot of success. This could be due to the demographic of people who live there, the distance to your dealership, a lack of competitors nearby or if you have done marketing in the area previously.

It’s also worth looking at postcode areas that you suffer in. Analyse the type of car people in that area might want. If you’re a dealer in Stoke-on-Trent who is looking to break into the Leek market, you could use adverts that include offers on SUVs or 4x4s to target the more rural area more specifically.

“I’ve Got a Text!”

These days having notifications sent to your mobile phone is perhaps key to make sure you can respond as quickly as possible. You can set up multiple notifications to come through via email or SMS (Note SMS are chargeable 5p per text). Some of the Notifications you receive can include, the deposit paid, a new enquiry, a vehicle price change, when a vehicle has sold, if you have any aged stock and more!

This can help your team stay on the ball with enquiries and send a response immediately, and complete the necessary paperwork to move a sale forward after a deposit has been paid. Overall, this type of notification system can increase efficiency within the team, and therefore, customer satisfaction.

When setting up your notifications, you’ll be able to adjust our templates and edit these to your liking. A Notification log is also available to view a history of every notification sent – so you will never miss a thing!

For more information on Click Dealer’s Accelerator Pack or specifically the Performance Dashboard feature, contact The Clickers on 01782 478220, via [email protected] or through our contact page.

Dealers Have A Role To Play Educating Buyers On EV Benefits

EV
Dealers need to play their part in educating the growing number of buyers who might be tempted by an EV if growth in the sector is to continue by telling them about the wide range of fuel types now available.

At a meeting, last month members of the Vehicle Remarketing Association heard from both Professor David Bailey, of Birmingham University Business School, and Rupert Pontin, well known in the trade and now insight director at Cazana.

David said:

“The success or failure of the electric vehicle market in all of its many forms depends on consumers being comfortable with the technology. We are moving from a phase where the market is dominated by early adopters who are happy to do lots of research about the choices facing them to one where EVs will become part of the mass market. For that to happen, we need to provide information.

“Even people who work in the sector sometimes have trouble distinguishing between PHEVs, BEVs, petrol MHEVs, diesel MHEVs and more. How do we expect customers to be able to make the right choice for their needs?

“The fact is that we need to do more to help them, especially as more and more of these vehicles start to filter through into the used market. The fact is that any vehicle that consumers do not understand is likely to be worth less money. The advantages of each type need to be made clear using terminology that the car buyer appreciates and understands.”

His view is backed by others in the used sector…

The Tipping Point of Acceptance

Shoreham Vehicle Auctions recently said the market has reached the `tipping point of acceptance’ for EVs. Dealers are becoming more confident in stocking them and buyers – or at least those for whom an EV can fit into their lives – more confident in buying them.

Alex Wright, SVA’s Managing Director, said:

“EVs need a used market that is alive and prospering. That’s why we have seen greater acceptance during 2018 and into 2019 that has boosted residuals. Leasing companies and finance companies can now underwrite EVs confident of a vehicle’s value in three-to-four years’ time which makes monthly rentals more competitive for companies and drivers alike.”

Pointing out that the used market for EVs quadrupled in just two years between 2016 and last year, albeit at a very low base from 6,000 to 25,000, Alex added:

“It’s exciting to be in the used market at this time and we look forward to continuing to support dealers in keeping pace with understanding new technologies and how to sell used EVs.”

Sam Watkins, chair at the VRA, said that used EV values and demand continue to rise but also underlined the need for dealers to educate and guide customers in the right direction.

“In a very short time, car buyers are going to be walking into showrooms faced with multiple power options for what is ostensibly the same vehicle. All of these choices will be the right one for some customers, but the industry needs to start delivering useful guidance on the differences and advantages.”

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.

Social Media Profile Critical To Success In Digital Age

Social Media
Dealers need to put as much effort into making sure their social media profile is the best possible, as they do in advertising cars at the right price if they want to succeed in the digital age.

Backing up an earlier report by AA Cars which highlighted the importance increasing numbers of younger buyers put on social media comments – good or bad – fast-growing used car sales platform CarGurus has issued its own study saying that a dealer’s web profile is critical to engaging a potential buyer and generating the trust for them to even continue past the reviews as they search for a vehicle or service.

Many say it is the single most important factor in selecting a dealer to buy from and this is especially true with younger customers.

Amy Mueller, VP of Communications at CarGurus, said:

“The growth of the internet and social media has made it easy for people to share their buying experiences – good and bad – with fellow consumers. As a result, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to your online reputation.”

Dealers should have a four-point plan to follow – encouragement, monitoring, responding and using reviews.

Encouragement is asking a customer to write a review and while dealers may fear what they may contain, the vast majority are positive. Monitoring is keeping a watch on what appears about the business online, either by googling the company to see what has been written or detailing a member of staff to do it as part of their job.

Once something has been put online, a dealer should take the time to respond, which shows that it takes comments seriously and cares enough about customers’ experiences to reply to the writer.

The fourth step is about using those reviews to build trust. People believe real-life stories more than claims made in the company’s advertising or home page so using positive comments with the name of the customer will have a strong effect on the image of the dealership.

Amy added:

“Customer reviews set the tone for how your dealership is perceived by future customers. They’re crucial drivers of new sales, and your dealership can’t overlook their importance. Every review is an opportunity to engage with your customers and build your reputation, so make sure you’re taking advantage.”

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.

The Key To Understanding Data And The Best Advertising Channels To Maximise Your Marketing Part Two

Marketing
We’re doing our part as the industry’s leading dealership performance partner by offering some simple and easily implemented marketing tips, to save you time and maximise your profits and efficiency.

This is part two of our tips list, filled with some helpful advice so that you can navigate the relentlessly changing marketing side of the automotive industry. If you haven’t read part one yet then you can catch up by clicking here.

1.) Tailor Your Marketing to Every Device

mobile marketing

Who doesn’t have a mobile phone these days? The reality is, your marketing is more likely to be seen on a mobile device such as a phone or tablet than it is on a computer. When you’re sending out emails, try testing it first to see how it display on mobile devices as well as on a desktop. If the formatting is all over the pace and it’s unreadable on a smaller screen, you could lose a huge number of potential customers.

When it comes to going after leads, using tools such as social media can really help hit your audience while they’re on a break at work or at home. Does anyone really go home from work and sit at a computer much anymore? A survey in 2018 found that users of smartphones use them approximately two hours and forty-seven minutes every day. Large chunks of that time will be flicking between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Make sure you’re promoting your business on as many social platforms as possible for this reason. It increases your chances of being seen.

A final note on this topic would be to make sure your website is compatible with all devices. If a customer can’t browse it correctly on mobile then don’t expect them to try again later on a computer, they will leave and find a website they can access from their pocket, not their desk. If you’re worried about the functionality of your website on mobile or tablet devices, Click can help! Find out more about our Responsive Websites by clicking here! 

2.) It’s Not All About Clicks

If your sole purpose on social media is focusing on ‘how many clicks can we get?’ Then you might be disappointed by the results. If you focus your campaigns too vigorously on getting clicks, you’ll find that your post engagement levels will suffer. This is due to Facebook’s algorithm for identifying how to run adverts. The more engagements you have on a post, the cheaper your impressions will be. Lead generation forms are great for capturing customer data, but they’re not always hot leads and conversion rates are rather low.

Remember that social media is now the first point of call for most customers. You can use it to help them by addressing concerns, offering advice, communicating and even taking bookings and appointments. There is an ever-growing list of people who hate talking on the phone, be that because of anxiety, a lack of trust in an unseen person on the other side, or as simple as not wanting to sit in a queue and bounce from department to department. This has brought about a rise in social media-based and web-based enquiries. It’s good practice to respond to a customer in the way they have chosen to initiate contact with you whenever possible. Don’t ask a customer to give you a call to discuss a car in more detail if they’ve just sent you an email, build up the trust first.

3.) Analyse Your Ads and Learn From Failure

Marketing adverts

Whichever platform you prefer to advertise on, be it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your own website, there will be a facility to review your ads and display the analytics. Use this on a daily basis when running adverts. The beauty of these ads is you only spend money when they’re getting a lot of impressions, but you need to make sure they’re the right impressions. If you are getting zero leads after you’ve spent £50, check the analytics, maybe you can change the targeting in some way. You can make sure you only spend money when it’s wise to spend money, run ads at times of the day your page has the most traffic and turn ads off when engagement is usually low. This will keep your spend down and hopefully your engagement levels high.

Don’t worry if an advert fails. It’s all about experimenting. Try different targeting methods, make sure there is not a lot of text in the imagery as this can handicap ads on Facebook especially, keep your text brief and to the point. Test different budgets, times of the day and advert types. Use analytics to see if it works, and if not, move on quickly before you spend any more money.

Click has a great deal of expertise in running PPC ads and Social Media adverts. If this is something that is an alien concept to you, we’d be happy to offer some advice or talk you through our PPC and Social Media Management packages. You can find out more by clicking the links below.

I’m interested in finding out more about PPC ads

I’m interested in finding out more about Social Media ads

To find out more about how Click can help you with your marketing, get in touch by calling 01782 478220, emailing [email protected] or by requesting a call back below.

The Key To Understanding Data And The Best Advertising Channels To Maximise Your Marketing

Marketing
Running a successful automotive business is hard work. There is very little time to learn about how you can maximise your profits through understanding the hoards of data and where to best focus your marketing budget.

We’ve compiled a list of some helpful tips so that you can navigate the relentlessly changing marketing side of the automotive industry. We’ve split these tips up into two blogs so make sure you stay tuned for part two!

1.) Change Your Sales Focused Mindset

Your social media marketing doesn’t always have to focus on your latest offers and be solely focused on selling a car. Mix in different messages to break up the heavy sales posts. This will help you build a relationship with customers, and interact with them. You can post about local events, automotive news, customer stories, get your staff involved, and maybe even create quizzes or games for your followers to play.

When sending out emails to your customers, don’t just send to all of them at once. If you’re sending servicing offers out to someone who just had a service, they’re likely to be annoyed about missing out on the discounted rate. Similarly, if you send out an email about the new £30,000 Range Rover you just brought into stock to a customer you know is driving a Toyota AYGO, this will make them more likely to flag your emails as spam or unsubscribe. Segment your data and send messages to each pot with information relevant to them at a time that is relevant to them.

2.) You’ve Done The Hard Part

Your marketing work has paid off. You’ve just had an enquiry come through at 6pm, the Dealership has just closed up and nobody is going to see the enquiry until 8am the next day. By that time the customer has made 10 more enquiries and been tempted by a better deal, they’ve seen elsewhere. It’s a fact that consumers do most of their car shopping when your dealership is closed. It’s a good idea to set-up an automatic response to this send an email out to the enquirer and the more engaging you can make the automatic email, the more chance they’ll reply again, and feel a sense of attachment and commitment to your dealership.

Stats show that email leads convert to a sale within 4.5 days following a personalised email response and strong call to action. This is versus 11.5 days, (if at all) if the enquiry is left unanswered for 40 minutes or more.

ClickEngage capitalise

Utilising a service such as the award-winning ClickEngage has helped many dealers capture enquires out of hours, with notifications of any leads, from any platform, being sent straight to one easy to manage system. The 24/7 service even allows customers to reserve a vehicle and leave a deposit. So rather than coming into a dead lead the next day, you could find yourself coming into a vehicle reservation. You can find out more about ClickEngage here.

3.) Team Talk

Working in marketing can sometimes leave you detached from the customers you’re actually trying to communicate with. Maybe someone likes a Facebook post or leaves a good review on Google but as a marketer, we have no idea who they really are. The fantastic news is your colleagues have all the answers you need. They can add context to data. Sales staff, service advisors, telesales, hosts, etc. They all speak to customers every single day. Find out what customers are interested in, what they’re not happy about, what would make things easier for them…

You might also find out from your sales team that one particular customer has been buying cars from your dealership for over 12 years. They’ve just bought their fourth car – that is the perfect example of a customer story that you can use on social media to break up those sales messages. The benefit is you’re still promoting your business. If a customer keeps coming back for 12 years and buys four cars, they’re clearly happy with the level of service and act as a glowing review of positivity to any potential customers seeing the post online.

We hope you found those tips helpful – join us for three more next week!

To find out more about how Click can help you with your marketing, get in touch by calling 01782 478220, emailing [email protected] or by requesting a call back below.

Former Employer Fined For Staff Data Protection Breach

ICO Data Breach
Car dealers are being urged to make sure their data protection systems are robust and working after an employee of one motor firm was sentenced to prison for accessing personal information without permission – and his former employer faced huge costs as a result.

In the first case of its kind, brought up earlier this month by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and following a hearing at Wood Green Crown Court, London, the judge determined Mustafa Kasim of Palmer’s Green benefited from thousands of pounds as a result of the offences.

Kasim had previously worked for accident repair firm Nationwide Accident Repair Services (NARS) and accessed thousands of customer records containing personal data, without permission. He used his colleagues’ log-in details to access a software system that estimates the cost of vehicle repairs, known as Audatex. He continued to do this after he started a new job at a different car repair organisation which used the same software system.  The records contained customers’ names, phone numbers, vehicle and accident information.

Former Employer Faced Huge Remedial Costs

This led to an investigation by the ICO and in November 2018, he became the first person to be imprisoned following an ICO prosecution under the Computer Misuse Act.

Mike Shaw, Group Manager Enforcement at the ICO said:

“Our investigations found that Mr Kasim had benefitted financially from his illegal activity. As a result of his activities, people whose data had been stolen received cold calls and his former employer faced huge remedial costs.

“Personal data obtained in this way can be a valuable commodity and selling it may seem like an easy way to make money but the penalties can be severe. The outcome of this case should serve as a deterrent to others.”

Kasim has been ordered to pay a £25,500 confiscation order. He has three months to pay it under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 or could face a 12-month prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs.

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.

Cost Benefits Drive Used Diesel Sales – For Now

diesels
Used car buyers are still opting for the better fuel economy delivered by a modern diesel than a petrol model and the oil-burners are moving faster off dealers’ forecourts – but hybrids are catching up.

New data from cap hpi adds to the mountain of evidence pointing towards diesel still being the fuel of choice for customers in the second-hand market. Drivers not bothered about company car tax favour the lower running costs and this is especially true of the heavier cars such as SUVs or MPVs which work well with a good diesel and the torque it generates.

Cap hpi’s figures gathered from dealers show that on average, a diesel model will sell within 45 days where an equivalent petrol car sticks for nearly 10% longer, at 49 days.

Derren Martin, head of UK valuations at cap hpi said:

“Despite on-going negative coverage of diesel engines and a marked decline in new sales, the used buyer still has an appetite for diesel cars, which offer low cost of ownership and a driving dynamic that appeals to many.”

A New Appetite For Hybrid Powertrains

However, there is also increasing evidence that a new trend is developing. While diesel vehicles remain in plentiful supply and sell the most volume thanks to the glut of them sold on the new market over the past several years, their values dropped more relative to petrol in June and while the fall itself was not big, it has happened every month so far this year.

In contrast, second-hand petrol hybrid cars dropped by less than the average across the whole used car sector and buyer demand for them is growing, indicating a new appetite for the semi-electric powertrains.

However, as diesel supply begins to dry up following the shift away in new cars there will always be a healthy demand and this will keep values high.

Derren added:

“Despite high used volumes, and contrary to what is happening in the new car market, there has been plenty of demand for used diesel vehicles and used values have held up relatively well over the last couple of years. Used supply will fall off significantly over the next few years, and this will help to support used values over a period when demand is likely to fall too.”

The company warns that if and when more cities implement charging or exclusion zones for older diesel cars then it could create local pockets where older diesel cars could struggle to sell, but they will still have a market, at a good price, in rural areas away from these cities.

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.

Used Car Dealers Carry More Stock And Sell It Faster

Stock June Market View
Independent used car dealers carried more stock last month and sold cars faster than a year ago, according to the latest market analysis.

Stock levels rose by 7% from 43 to 46 units but dealers enjoyed both year-on-year and month-on-month improvements. Vehicles averaged 36 days in stock in the month of June 2019, compared with 40 days last year and 41 days in May 2019.

The data in the latest ‘Market View’ from Motors.co.uk, was bought by eBay in February. It showed that franchised retailers stocks went up fractionally (2%) to 61 units and supermarkets by 7% from 655 to 703. The fastest-selling cars in June were sold by supermarkets averaging 24 days, compared with 27 days in June 2018 and 27 days in May 2019.

Dealers taking advantage of better stock availability

Dermot Kelleher is the head of marketing and business intelligence at Motors.co.uk. They analyse the consumer response to more than 700,000 used vehicles on its website and its network of partner websites. Allowing them to identify key trends in the vehicle segment, fuel type and dealership categories.

He said:

“Our Market View shows dealers across the board taking advantage of better stock availability in the wholesale market and, despite reports of a softening of the retail market, selling cars faster year-on-year.

“These improvements are encouraging in what remains a challenging used car market with ongoing political uncertainties continuing to dent consumer confidence. Dealers are clearly working hard to attract and win customers by using their digital marketing channels to price to market.”

Electric cars were the fastest sellers averaging 36 days but accounted for just 0.3% of dealer stock. Petrol cars averaged 37 days, hybrids 38 days and diesel 39 days.

The fastest-selling used car in June was the Mercedes-Benz GLA, taking just 26 days to sell. Followed by the Peugeot 207 (27 days), Citroen C4 Picasso (28 days) and Vauxhall Zafira (28 days).

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.

Van Dealer’s Should Take Advantage Of Click Dealer’s Range of Services | Episode Three

Being the industry’s leading performance partner for dealerships, Click Dealer is primed to assist independent van dealer’s in increasing their profitability in a very competitive market.

With much smaller marketing budgets to compete against franchises running national campaigns, it’s essential that independents take advantage of what Click Dealer can offer.

This is the third edition of a four-part blog saga. Each version will focus on how a different Click service can help your van dealership improve efficiency and profitability. If you haven’t read part one yet you can catch-up by clicking here or if you haven’t read episode two, you can click here.

Episode Three: Van Dealer Websites and SEO

Van Dealer Website

To view the above website please click here! You can test how one of our responsive van dealer websites works on all kinds of devices, give it a go!

Click Dealer provides award-winning independent van dealer websites for businesses throughout the UK. Our in-house website specialists are experts in both web design and creating an intuitive interface that will enhance the customer journey through your website. Just some of the other benefits are listed below.

  • Increased  brand awareness 
  • Improved website traffic
  • Enhanced lead generation
  • Generation of more sales
  • Rank higher in Google
  • Monthly reports on your website performance
  • Quick fixes and updates
  • Premium styling and web design
  • Tailored to your business needs
  • Stunning compatibility on mobile devices
  • Special offer currently available – Contact us now
Becoming An SEO Pro

An increasing percentage of the van-purchase process is now occurring on the internet, with consumers narrowing down the makes, models and dealerships that they are interested in, using search engines and online reviews. According to research conducted by Google, search interest for local van dealerships has risen significantly in recent years.

With the digitisation of the van-buying journey, you may be left wondering why your dealership is not gaining many leads from your website. The answer to this may be that your site is not optimised for search engines. Luckily for you, Click are experts!

If you are too busy to commit the time that ongoing search engine optimisation requires, our team of SEM experts can help. Not only does our team have a wealth of experience, but unlike other search engine marketing companies, they specialise in automotive SEO, which gives them an exceptional understanding of the field.

Click Dealer can provide you with an extensive and thorough SEO checklist, showing you exactly where your website excels and where improvements could be made. We will then develop your site’s platform, URL structure, metadata, backlinks, and on-site content, as well as conducting all of your keyword, user and competitor analysis.

Our tailored landing pages and content can help you target certain keywords and extend your reach to consumers searching for vehicles and automotive services in areas surrounding your primary location.

If you’re ready to gain an advantage over your competitors and increase web traffic, leads and brand awareness for your dealership, get in touch with Click Dealer today for a no-obligation website consultation by clicking here.

Dealers Warned Over Possible Trading Standards Recall Crackdown

Safety Recall
Dealers are being warned that Trading Standards could be focusing on businesses which don’t tell buyers that a car they are interested in still has an outstanding manufacturer recall which has not been dealt with.

The Vehicle Remarketing Association says it has begun hearing from more members that officials from the watchdog have asked them about the issue, suggesting that it could be the subject of a crackdown.

VRA board member Jonathan Butler, of specialist automotive solicitors, Geldards, said:

“Trading Standards appear to be looking quite closely at used car sales where retailers have not notified customers that vehicles are the subject of outstanding manufacturer recalls.”

Dealers Could Find Themselves Encountering Difficulties

“This might be seen as a product safety issue under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 other than in certain exceptions. However, it is not a clear area and one where some dealers could, unless they are very careful, potentially find themselves encountering difficulties.”

Jonathan added that retailers should always include the outstanding recall option when doing vehicle history checks.

“Bearing in mind the small additional cost involved, we would very much recommend this as an action by all used-car dealers. In our opinion, it should form part of best practice procedures that are undertaken before vehicles are advertised for sale.”

For more information about what Click Dealer can do for your company, contact us on 01782 478220 or via [email protected]. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our contact page.