We recently had a request from a freelance writer who was putting an article together for an auto industry publication. The writer sent a list of 13 questions, one of which had us chuckling around the water cooler. It was a simple question with not so simple an answer:
“With all the online research a potential customer can now do on their own now, how do you see this changing the way dealerships sell cars to customers?”
The smart-alec response is: Well, it takes two days of seminar content to cover that question—kind of challenging to answer in a couple of compact paragraphs! Or is it? The question begs for one of those dangerous generalizations that says all customers are now like this or all customers want that. But we’re not falling into that trap.
It is true that customers now have more information and robust shopping tools that allow them to “self-serve” themselves further into the decision process. They are more likely now to contact us first when they have already narrowed their selection to just a few possibilities—yours might even be the only vehicle being considered!
So, how does this change how we sell? Now more than ever before, our professional service must be:
- Consultative
- Adaptable
- Individual
Consultative – We need to find out where they are in their research and shopping process. How far along are they? What information do they need next? If they have narrowed it down to just a few possibilities, we need to consult them to validate their selection. If we can confirm for them that the vehicle they want is the best match to their needs or changing circumstances, then they can have enough confidence to make a decision.
Adaptable – The days of an inflexible “road to the sale” applied to everyone are long gone. That old thinking assumed the customer didn’t know the vehicles and couldn’t decide which ones matched their needs and budget. Now, we must adapt to the customer’s completed research. Starting back at the beginning and assuming they know nothing is only good for your competitor, your customer won’t put up with it.
Individual – Was everyone the same back when vehicle information wasn’t so ubiquitous? No. Are they all the same and ultra-informed now? No. Our approach needs to be responsive to the individual customer. Don’t assume. Find out. We need to “meet them where they are” in their decision process and help them to the next logical step to getting what they want – your vehicle!
So, our selling philosophy is simple. As always, the difficulty comes in the execution, but it always starts with earning our customers’ trust and confidence.
