We live in an age of increasingly demanding service requirements, and they aren’t about to get more lenient anytime soon! Thanks to the Internet and digital media, more and more people expect 24/7 service from just about every business they are willing to give their money to.
Less than two decades ago, this type of round-the-clock service would not have been expected of a car dealership; today, as they are in so many industries, those expectations are changing.
So, how prepared is your dealership to deliver service at all hours of the day? Unless you have infinitely deep pockets and extensive staff, probably not very. (And nope, the answering machine isn’t going to cut it anymore!) More and more dealerships are turning to live online chat software to provide round-the-clock customer service.
Live chat offers people the opportunity to speak with live, third-party operators trained to the highest standards to deliver the best possible customer service experience.
Live chat operators will have access to:
- Your dealership’s inventory
- Your special offers and upcoming events
- A wide variety of product recommendations
- Each individual customer’s browsing history
- The unique buying and browsing habits of customers in your area
- Real-time analytics that helps them promote sales and create sales leads
Live chat operators have an extensive amount of knowledge of consumer habits and concerns. They make it easier for customers to interact with your dealership by simplifying and streamlining the process. But they do not cut you out of the process.
Some types of new dealer chat software will allow you to watch conversations between customers and live chat operators as they take place, then jump in to elucidate certain points or to form personal connections with the customers. They utilize Facebook Messenger, Facebook ads, and other types of online ads, enabling customers to reach a live chat operator at any time of the day.
However, it should be mentioned that live chat operators are not a replacement for customer service representatives. They are an informational and sales promotion resource. They will set up appointments with your dealership and collect customer contact information. They do not make sales.
They are trained to create ‘leads’, customers who have been pitched to or introduced to products, who have not yet made a purchase, that will later become sales. It is up to the dealership proper to close the deal. Live chat is just one step in the process, albeit an effective and lucrative one.
All data collected by live chat operators are then shared with you. You will have access to real-time analytics, such as common purchasing habits of consumers in your area and your website visitors’ unique browsing behaviors, that operators use to promote sales. Once a sale is clinched, you can see the process broken down from beginning to end: Browsing Habits 🡢 Sales Lead 🡢 Final Sale.
There is perhaps nothing more important for any dealership, any business, really, these days than to offer effective 24/7 customer service. Live online chat provides just that. Customers need to be able to get information on your products whenever they want. So, don’t be left in the dust. Look into live chat software today.
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