Keys to Generating More Leads in 2022
By Ben Leighton
With the uncertainty of the pandemic, along with supply and staffing issues over the past year, it’s more important than ever for dealers to make sure they are capturing every lead that comes in.
Getting and maintaining leads is always critical for dealerships during the slower months. Now, new data shows dealerships could be doing better when it comes to capturing new leads.
The Problem With Leads.
In the past year, customer thinking has changed. They are no longer coming into showrooms, but rather transitioning to online shopping.
Phone calls used to be a good way to kick-start sales and service, but that mentality has changed.
Customers want a fast and convenient way to get their questions answered, and they would rather communicate through text.
Staffing has also become an issue. The US has seen a big spike in resignations over the past year, with a record 4.5 million people quitting their jobs in November of 2021. According to the US Department of Labor and Statistics, that is the highest monthly rate they have recorded.
With less staff, dealerships are also having to find new ways to make sure leads are captured and responded to in a reasonable amount of time.
Lead Response Times.
During the pandemic, dealerships saw a huge spike in text-in leads.
Recent data shows dealers are getting an average of 55 monthly leads from texts since March of 2020. The lead numbers change with the season, and that’s where response times become critical.
On Average, 73% of dealer leads got some sort of response. That is a good number, but it could be a lot better. This means that nearly a quarter of all leads are not getting any sort of response.
Right now, RV dealer response rates are slightly above the average at 77%.
However, the biggest problem continues to be after-hours leads.
When a lead comes in during business hours, dealers take an average of half an hour to respond. When a lead comes in after-hours, that time jumps to three and a half hours.
How to keep leads.
Dealerships need to offer a texting to customers. Five years ago, this may have seemed like a foreign concept to many people, but during the pandemic customers have turned to texting and they are now used to it.
Allowing people to text you through your existing business line will open up another lane for new leads to come in.
Also, create an easy system for potential customers to ask questions about a certain product. At Kenect, we offer to add a button to dealership websites. Customers can click it, and the request will go straight to the dealership for a response.
Since the pandemic started, we have seen a 260% increase in inbound texting leads when a button is added to a dealership’s website.
One of the best ways to keep leads is to make sure they always get a response.
This may sound like a daunting task, especially after-hours, but with the right tools in place you can ensure that every lead gets a response.
Right now, around 43% of all texting leads come in after-hours. That is a large number of people who do not get a response right away.
With a texting platform in place, you can cut that number down to zero. Set up an automated response for any after-hours lead that comes in. This will show the potential customer that you are monitoring all texts, and will get back to them when you can. Then, make sure you have an employee respond during business hours.
This will also help with any staffing issues since employees will spend less time on the phone, and not have to put in long hours to make sure they get every lead right when it comes in.
This is all about meeting customers where they want to be. The data shows that your customers want to text you, so let them. Make sure you have a system in place to capture and maintain all leads that come in, without adding more staff, or breaking the bank.
About the Author:
Ben Leighton is a Content Marketing Specialist with Kenect. He previously worked in the journalism industry for over a decade, creating multimedia content on various platforms. You can find Ben on Linkedin and Twitter.
About Kenect:
Kenect helps businesses connect with their customers. They build simple texting tools that are elegant and easy-to-use. Thousands of companies across North America use their platform to text their customers, generate online reviews, gather leads from their websites, video chat, and collect payments.
Based in the Silicon Slopes of Utah, the Kenect team is committed to helping businesses improve their customer experience and customer communication.
To learn more about Kenect, visit kenect.com or text Ben Leighton’s team at (888) 972-7422.
