5 Ways CRM Enhances Automotive Text Messaging Strategies

Many dealerships use CRM systems to manage leads, track employee performance, and maintain contact with customers post-purchase. But did you know an automotive CRM system can enhance your dealership’s text messaging strategies? Too many potential deals fall through because something gets forgotten in the sales process. An auto dealership CRM can prevent this by tracking and distributing leads based on various stages of the buying journey.

Tracking

Many auto dealerships get leads from a variety of sources. CRMs help them track those leads and see where they came from. This helps them focus on marketing to those groups of people who are most likely to be interested in their products. Next-gen automotive CRM software like VinSolutions analyzes each lead and assigns them a quality score. That way, you can prioritize high-quality leads and engage them more frequently, which increases their chances of converting to sales. Text messaging is an excellent tool for communication with buyers and can save your team valuable time over phone calls.

For example, if a buyer asks for information on a specific model, your salespeople can respond quickly by texting them back. They can also use text messages to send buyers service reminders for their vehicles. Communicating with customers on important dates such as birthdays and car anniversaries can increase customer loyalty. These personalized messages take less of your team’s time than a phone call and can be automated with automotive CRM. Auto dealerships can send these texts through a dedicated business number rather than their cell phones.

Reporting

Automotive businesses have much to track, including customers and service requests. Using business text messaging, you can inform your customers about upcoming promotions and discounts or send a reminder for an appointment or payment. This type of communication is highly effective and takes up less of your team’s time than a phone call would. As a bonus, CRMs make it easy to view reports of all communications with each customer. This can help you identify cross-sell and up-sell opportunities and improve customer experience.

Suppose you receive a text from a potential buyer asking for more information about a specific vehicle model. If you have a mobile-enabled Automotive CRM, you can respond to the request instantly, and the conversation will be recorded in your database. This gives you a complete record of the sales process and will allow you to analyze which areas of your dealership’s marketing and customer service are most successful. You can then use this data to optimize your sales and marketing processes and sell more cars.

Automation

Auto dealerships can use texting to boost the effectiveness of their marketing and customer service efforts. Using CRMs, they can automate messaging for specific groups or individuals within the customer base. In addition, they can use the platform to deliver personalized messages based on their purchase history, vehicle interests, etc. This way, they can inform customers about new vehicle models or promote special offers on existing vehicles. Auto CRMs can also prioritize leads based on quality, which helps sales teams engage with qualified prospects and ensure that every interaction is relevant and timely. In turn, this results in higher conversion rates and improved customer satisfaction.

Another way that automotive CRM can help dealerships is by automating service reminders and allowing customers to schedule appointments in advance. This reduces the chances of missed appointments and allows dealerships to focus on other pressing tasks. Moreover, SMS campaigns can be scheduled in advance to avoid the risk of bombarding customers with too many texts or annoying them by sending notifications at unsuitable times. This way, automotive businesses can ensure that their customers are reminded about upcoming services, which increases appointment scheduling and customer engagement.

Segmentation

With SMS marketing campaigns, automotive businesses can send targeted messages to specific groups of car fanatics. They can differentiate customers based on demographics, interests, and purchasing behavior to send personalized messages that increase the chances of conversion. Salespeople can also use text messaging to notify buyers of upcoming service dates. This saves them time by eliminating the need to call buyers for this information. Additionally, they can text buyers reminders to return vehicles for reconditioning. Finally, salespeople can send SMS messages to lapsed customers and revive them with timely promotions. This creates urgency and improves response rates.

In addition to offering a direct communication channel, SMS messages have high open rates and are read quickly and easily. As a result, they are an effective way to reach automotive customers and generate leads. However, automotive businesses should carefully adhere to data and privacy regulations. They must obtain explicit consent and offer a simple opt-out option. In addition, they must ensure that messages are relevant and respectful to their target audience. This will help them maintain customer loyalty and boost revenue and profitability.

Analytics

The automotive industry generates inquiries from social media, third-party lead providers, websites, ad campaigns, and good old-fashioned walk-ins. A CRM helps you track all these leads and find the most promising ones. Then, you can respond to each inquiry through your preferred communication channel. Using personalized messages and time-sensitive promotions, you can increase engagement and sales. Car buyers always expect a quick response to their inquiries. With SMS, you can send them a reply within minutes. This makes your customers feel special and enables you to build trust with them.

After a sale, you can also use text messaging to remind buyers of their vehicle servicing schedules. This can lead to a significant boost in showroom footfall and conversions. As a result, your business can stay competitive in the automotive market and maximize ROI. To start with auto dealer SMS marketing, create an opt-in database by collecting customer phone numbers during their initial showroom visits or through online forms. You can then use an automotive CRM to connect with them.