The process of finding a vehicle has evolved over the years but one part that hasn’t changed is how a potential buyer meets their salesperson. For 2 out of 3 car buyers, they meet the person who sells them their car by chance – whichever salesperson speaks to the customer first is now their rep. Turns out, people are tired of playing this salesperson roulette; 74% of used car buyers would like to choose their sales rep next time they buy a vehicle.
Allowing a potential customer the opportunity to pick their own salesperson is going to get them into the dealership faster and it will make them more likely to listen to that rep. Of those who are interested in picking their sales partner beforehand, 72% would feel more comfortable visiting the dealership, 76% would be more open to listening to the salesperson’s recommendations and 49% would spend less time researching other vehicles online.
The option for your customer to choose who they will deal with needs to happen online. Once the customer chooses a sales rep you should have them book an appointment, creating a new source of leads for your dealership. The preferred methods are: interactive tools that ask potential customers a few questions about their needs, then provide one or several recommended sales people, or if that isn’t possible, allowing customers to choose based on biographies of your salespeople is still a viable option.
When it comes to what information would matter to potential customers, those who would like to choose their salesperson were universally interested in their rep being knowledgeable about the vehicle they’re interested in. After that, their needs do vary. If you’re investing in giving your customers the choice, it would be important to ask your customers what matters to them. One customer may want someone who speaks their native language, another may want someone with a lot of experience and a third wants someone that knows what it’s like to have a big family.
Ensure potential customers know you have salespeople who are very knowledgeable about the vehicle they want, then allow them to pick a salesperson and make an appointment.
Ensure potential customers know you have salespeople who are very knowledgeable about the vehicle they want, then allow them to pick a salesperson and make an appointment. Doing this will land you leads and make customers feel comfortable when visiting your dealership – factors that should sell more cars and create more satisfied customers.