| This is part one of a two part series conducted about | | | | and this is why. |
| the internet customer and how they are changing the | | | | Because the assumption is made that the internet |
| selling landscape for automotive salespeople. | | | | customer is all knowing, the dealership generally quotes |
| When you take anyone out of their natural element, | | | | drop dead pricing to the internet customer with their |
| the adjustment is always difficult and sometimes | | | | initial response back to the internet lead. This is a knee |
| impossible to overcome. This theory holds true in the | | | | jerk reaction that is very costly to the dealership. Even |
| automotive industry. Internet customers are a | | | | if the customer asks specific questions in there email |
| misunderstood species to the car salesperson and its | | | | that have nothing to do with price, the greatest |
| dealership. | | | | majority of time the salesperson still quotes a drop |
| There are typically two types of customers who shop | | | | dead price. Capitalism never had it so bad. |
| for automobiles on the internet. You have the | | | | The second type of customer, the scared customer |
| customer that wishes to make the most informed | | | | hiding behind their computer screen, presents the other |
| decision possible. They want to see every statistic, | | | | daunting challenge for the salesperson and his |
| every opinion, and any other piece of data they can | | | | dealership. They are typically so timid that they either |
| get their hands on before they begin to approach a | | | | provide incorrect contact information or simply do not |
| dealership. Then, once they gather all the information, | | | | respond to emails or phone calls. It makes the deal |
| they then begin the process of emailing dealerships to | | | | wonder why they initiated an internet lead in the first |
| obtain availability, options, and price. | | | | place. |
| The second type of internet customer is one that truly | | | | Car salespeople function best with a home field |
| has a fear. They are very uncomfortable with the | | | | advantage, having the customer in the showroom. If |
| entire shopping and buying process and simply want to | | | | they can't get the customer in the showroom, the next |
| get in over with. The biggest problem that dealer have | | | | best thing is to be able to communicate over the |
| with this customer is that they really don't want to | | | | phone. When this doesn't occur, for most salespeople, |
| communicate with the dealership about a car. | | | | it's all over. If the customer does not respond to the |
| There are two major roadblocks the dealerships have | | | | initial response email from the salesperson, most will |
| with each type of customer. They don't know which is | | | | give up and a wasted opportunity reveals itself. |
| which and so they assume that the customer is the | | | | Salespeople are conditioned to call a customer |
| very informed of the two. That is good from a | | | | numbers of times before they give up, but sending |
| customer satisfaction perspective. You never want to | | | | more than one or sometimes two emails without a |
| assume the customer does not know what they are | | | | response is a rare occurrence. |
| buying. It is also bad from the dealership perspective | | | | |