Meet Rick: Your AI Sales Assistant That Works 24/7

AutoRaptor’s AI Sales Assistant, Rick, is your on-site BDC available 24/7 to:

• Answer vehicle questions
• Schedule test drives
• Capture lead info automatically
• Hand off to your team when needed

Rick turns casual browsers into ready-to-buy leads, even when your sales floor is empty. Every chat is logged directly into AutoRaptor’s CRM, complete with full lead context so your team can follow up fast and close with confidence.

Stop Guessing and Start Coaching with Real Call Data

Most sales managers only review 5% of their team’s calls. Why? It takes too much time to find the right ones.

With AutoRaptor’s AI-powered call transcription and sentiment analysis, every inbound and outbound sales call is:

• Automatically recorded and transcribed
• Analyzed for tone and buying signals
• Searchable by rep, keyword, or emotion
• Flagged for follow-up or coaching

You’ll know when a rep fumbled a price objection or when a customer was ready to say yes. It’s sales coaching with data, not guesswork.

More Leads, Better Conversations, Zero Lead Loss

When you combine AI chat, CRM integration, and call intelligence, the result is a smarter sales operation that:

• Captures more leads (even after hours)
• Re engages with old leads based on when they want to buy
• Qualifies them automatically
• Gives reps full visibility before the first call
• Surfaces coaching moments for long-term growth

No more digging through forms. No more wondering what happened on that call. Just clean, clear data that drives action.

Want to See It in Action?

Let us show you how Rick and AutoRaptor’s AI tools can transform your dealership’s lead pipeline.

Schedule a demo today.

The post How is AI Changing Independent Dealership Sales? appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

That’s why we’re excited to share that AutoRaptor now natively supports lead integrations from your most important social platforms:

• Facebook Lead Ads
• Instagram Lead Ads
• TikTok Lead Ads

No more workarounds. No more per-lead fees. No more juggling disconnected tools.

Your inbound leads from Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok will flow directly into your AutoRaptor CRM in real time, giving your sales team the speed and visibility they need to follow up instantly and close more deals.

Built-In Simplicity Means More Time for Selling

Let’s be honest: third-party tools often create more complexity than they solve. With native lead routing, you’ll cut down on manual data entry, reduce lag time, and eliminate points of failure.

Plus, since it’s built by AutoRaptor, you’ll have one support team to call if you ever need help.

Have a Unique Lead Source? Let’s Build It.

While our current native integrations cover the most popular platforms, we know every dealership has its own stack of tools. That’s why AutoRaptor now offers custom lead integrations as well. Whether it’s a niche lead provider or a one-off form system you’ve built, we’re happy to explore connecting it directly to your CRM.

Because that’s what a great CRM partner does: build around your business, not the other way around.

Why Dealers Are Making the Switch

With third-party platforms like LeadsBridge raising prices, dealers are looking for more efficient alternatives. Here’s what you get when you make the switch to AutoRaptor’s native integrations:

• Lower cost — Save hundreds per month in platform fees
• Faster lead delivery — Respond while interest is high
• Greater security — One platform, fewer access points
• Better support — One team, one login, one solution

Ready to See It in Action?

Whether you’re already running campaigns on Facebook or you’re just getting started with TikTok, AutoRaptor’s native integrations make lead management simpler, faster, and far more affordable.

Let’s get you set up

Contact our team for a quick walkthrough or to request a custom integration.

The post Skip the Middleman: AutoRaptor Now Supports Native Lead Integrations appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

The good news? You don’t need a complete overhaul to be summer-ready. By making a few strategic changes, especially with the help of your automotive CRM software, you can streamline your sales workflow, boost team productivity, and close more deals with less stress.

Here are five proven ways leading dealerships are simplifying their sales process before the summer rush hits.

#1: Centralize Lead Management with a CRM

One of the fastest ways to simplify your sales process is by ensuring that every lead is captured, categorized, and followed up with from a single platform. A dealership CRM like AutoRaptor ensures your team doesn’t miss opportunities by:

• Automatically importing leads from your website, third-party platforms, and walk-ins
• Organizing leads by status, source, and priority
• Assigning follow-up tasks to the right team members

#2: Automate Follow-Ups and Reminders

The summer rush can overwhelm even the best sales teams. That’s why automation is a must. With a smart CRM, you can set up:

• Auto-responders for web inquiries
• Text and email workflows based on lead behavior
• Follow-up reminders for sales reps

These tools allow your team to stay connected to leads without having to manually manage each touchpoint. Not only does this improve the customer experience, but it also boosts close rates, especially when buyers are comparing multiple dealerships.

Pro Tip: Use automation templates that include personal details (like the customer’s name or vehicle of interest) to keep messages feeling authentic.

#3: Make It Easy to Work from Anywhere

Summer doesn’t slow down and neither do your sales reps. Leading dealerships empower their teams with mobile-friendly CRM tools so they can:

• Update lead statuses from the lot
• Schedule appointments on the go
• Instantly respond to texts or emails
• Scan driver’s licenses or upload documents directly into the CRM

When your CRM goes where your team goes, your sales process becomes more flexible, responsive, and efficient. With AutoRaptor’s mobile CRM, your team can stay organized even during peak hours.

#4: Clean Up and Prioritize Your Pipeline

Before the rush begins, it’s smart to do a little spring cleaning. A cluttered sales pipeline slows down your team and makes it harder to focus on high-value prospects.

Here’s how top dealerships use their CRM to clean up their pipeline:

• Archive cold or inactive leads
• Re-engage lukewarm prospects with targeted offers
• Identify leads that are ready to convert with activity tracking

Your CRM should give you quick visibility into lead statuses, helping your team focus their energy on deals that are most likely to close.
Bonus Tip: Set up saved filters or dashboards for “hot leads,” “needs follow-up,” or “pending test drives” so sales reps always know where to focus.

#5: Standardize Your Sales Workflow

When the showroom fills up, inconsistency in your sales process becomes a bottleneck. Standardizing your workflow ensures every customer gets a great experience and every rep follows best practices.

Using a CRM, you can:

• Create predefined sales stages (e.g., New Lead → Appointment Set → Test Drive → Deal Pending)
• Build checklists or tasks for each stage
• Monitor sales activity and deal progress in real time

This kind of repeatable process helps reduce errors, improve team performance, and create a smoother path to closing, even when traffic spikes.

Preparation = Profit

The summer sales season brings opportunity but only if your dealership is ready. By simplifying your sales process with the help of modern CRM tools, you can increase efficiency, reduce stress, and help your team focus on what matters most: building relationships and closing deals.

AutoRaptor makes it easy for dealerships of any size to prepare for the rush. With intuitive tools for lead management, mobile access, automation, and reporting, it’s the CRM that keeps your team moving, no matter how busy it gets.

The post 5 Ways to Simplify Your Sales Process Before the Summer Rush appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

The post How Leading Dealerships Use CRM Tech to Build Relationships That Drive Repeat Business appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

Many big companies like Google and Microsoft are already using AI to help improve their services. Its transformative impact extends to industries far and wide, including the automotive sector.

This article provides a glimpse into the transformative role of AI in automotive marketing, exploring its applications and the tools that marketers can explore to put it to use.

Personalized Customer Engagement

First on this list is chatbots. These intelligent assistants provide instant responses, streamline inquiries, and offer personalized assistance, enhancing the overall customer experience. They can handle regular questions, provide product information, set up service appointments, and even assist in car troubleshooting, all in real-time. This level of engagement ensures prompt and relevant interactions, making customers happy.

AI-Powered Chatbot Builders

TARS: TARS is a cutting-edge platform that offers a versatile chatbot solution with significant potential for automotive marketing. With TARS, businesses can easily make chatbots powered by AI without knowing much about coding. Its easy-to-use interface lets you create conversational flows, so you can have personalized conversations based on the current company data you have.

Chatfuel: This platform provides pre-built blocks that can be customized to create conversational paths, making the development process efficient. Chatfuel allows seamless integration with popular messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger and Telegram.

Predictive Analytics

AI’s role in predictive analytics is not just about understanding the past; it’s about foreseeing the future. This technology processes historical data, identifies patterns, and uses these patterns to make accurate predictions. This translates to understanding which vehicle models are likely to gain traction, what features consumers value the most, and even predicting when maintenance might be needed.

AI-Powered Tools for Predictive Analytics

DataRobot: DataRobot’s automated feature discovery generates diverse and relevant features for improved predictions, leveraging complex relationships within the data. Its AI-powered predictions provide insights into buyer preferences and help optimize marketing efforts, ensuring relevant and effective promotions are delivered to potential customers.

Alteryx: Alteryx offers a comprehensive suite of predictive analytics tools, making it a powerful asset for automotive marketing. These tools include advanced spatial, predictive, time series, and optimization analysis capabilities.

Automated Marketing Campaigns

Marketing automation tools allow automotive companies to schedule and execute repetitive tasks automatically, freeing up marketing teams so they can focus on strategic planning and creative aspects of campaigns. Automated marketing campaigns can include email and social media in addition to traditional print. For example, an automated tool can schedule posts showcasing new features or special offers for upcoming car models.

AI-Powered Tools for Automated Marketing Campaigns

AutoRaptor: AutoRaptor is a premiere CRM for automotive dealerships and comes with a marketing automation platform that enables dealerships to manage marketing campaigns efficiently. AutoRaptor’s automation features include personalized email marketing, text (SMS) marketing, and versatile action plans.

Zapier: Through Zapier, automotive marketing can be optimized by connecting marketing automation tools to various other tools the team uses. This integration ensures smoother workflows, scalability, and enhanced communication across systems. For instance, automotive companies can automate lead generation by connecting their website forms to CRM systems, triggering personalized follow-up emails, and scheduling test drive appointments.

Optimized Content Creation

Leveraging AI to create content such as blogs and videos for automotive marketing offers a range of compelling advantages. Firstly, AI-driven content creation accelerates the process of producing high-quality content at a faster pace than manual methods. Automotive marketers can use it to create a steady stream of content that addresses the growing demand for relevant, up-to-date information.

AI-Powered Tools to Create Content

VEED: Automotive marketers can utilize VEED to create dynamic promotional videos showcasing vehicle features, benefits, and visual aesthetics. VEED offers tools like video translator, video converter, Instagram Reels downloader, and avatar generator.

Bard: Bard is an AI chatbot developed by Google, renowned for its unique features that facilitate content creation and engagement. It can answer questions, provide information, generate text, and seamlessly integrate with various Google apps and services.

Enhanced Customer Insights

With artificial intelligence, companies can delve into customer sentiments and perceptions at a level of granularity that traditional methods might overlook. This allows marketers to comprehend customer touchpoints, leading to a more precise understanding of customer preferences. For example, Tesla uses artificial intelligence to learn about its customers and determine which touchpoints influence purchasing decisions. They then use this insight to inform how they prioritize content creation, distribution channels, and budget allocation.

AI-Powered Tools to Gather Insights and Feedback

Chattermill: Chattermill is a customer feedback analytics platform that helps companies gather insights from customer feedback through AI-backed sentiment tracking and text analytics software. It focuses on providing actionable intelligence to deliver retention-driving customer experiences.

MonkeyLearn: MonkeyLearn, on the other hand, is a text analysis platform with unique tools for collecting and analyzing customer comments, which can help automotive marketers learn valuable insights. Their advanced natural language processing (NLP) lets companies get useful information from unstructured text data like customer reviews and comments on social media.

Take Aways

AI is a powerful tool, and if used correctly, there’s no question that it can help automotive brands reach new levels of success. It can help you create engaging content, optimize your campaign strategy, and boost ROI. But it’s also important to note that AI isn’t a magic wand. You must understand how to use it properly to get the most out of it.

In this post, we’ve covered some AI marketing tools. This list is by no means exhaustive; there are plenty more tools out there that can be used for growth. Some are free, and others are paid. The best advice is to know what you need, how much money you’re willing to spend, and what your goal is. Once you’ve figured that out, it’s time to get started!

The post AI-Powered Tools You Can Use To Boost Your Automotive Marketing appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

It wasn’t that long ago that the idea of a digital dealership was laughable. Who would want to buy a car without a test drive or seeing it in person? But technology has dramatically changed the auto dealership industry.

3D imaging lets car shoppers view a vehicle from every angle. Review sites describe how a vehicle feels and performs. Software lets us conduct business transactions without ever meeting in person. AI and marketing automation can also make parts of the process hassle-free for dealers and customers alike. There are online dealerships, and some automakers are moving toward a direct-to-consumer business.

But you can’t be part of that movement without the right tools.

The digital dealership tools you need to roll into the future

1. An automotive CRM.

Yes, we are biased about the right CRM, but as you implement digital dealership practices into your routine, you need a central hub to help you stay organized. An automotive CRM can do everything from tracking inventory to automating texts and emails, scanning VINs, and managing the entire sales process.

2. A state-of-the-art website.

If your website looks like it’s from 2010, you aren’t going to have much luck going digital. In part, that’s an aesthetic issue. Your buyers expect a modern, eye-catching website. More importantly, though, it’s a functional issue. Your website needs to load quickly, be mobile-friendly, and be easy to use. In addition, every vehicle on your website should include plenty of interior and exterior photos, a 360-degree video, a complete list of features and specifications, and historical information. You may even consider adding a CARFAX link to each vehicle.

3. Transparent pricing.

Controversial? Perhaps. It certainly goes against the traditional dealership strategy of haggling. This also might not be the right move for every dealership. But when a certain very large and well-known digital dealership offers upfront pricing, it might be worth considering. Besides, a no-haggling approach might be a good marketing strategy. It would certainly set your dealership apart from almost any other dealership around.

4. Online financing options.

To succeed as a digital dealership, you need to give customers the ability to complete the entire car-buying process online. That includes financing. Whether you opt to finance in-house or use a third-party vendor is your choice. But you will need to make sure the tools are there for customers to enter their information and get a financing offer, preferably within just a few minutes. Be aware, however, that you’ll need to be upfront here, too, about credit checks and what impact that could have on your customers’ credit ratings.

5. Live chat.

Live chat is common, but much of it is based on chatbots. If you want to stand out, offer live chat on your website and have your dealership team respond to questions. Whether you run an in-person or digital dealership, customer service is still one of your most robust sales tools. And though a bot can do a lot, it can’t offer the same level of service and knowledge that your team can.

Ultimately, the secret to a successful digital dealership is to make the process as easy as possible for customers. The tools you use can help you achieve that goal. Add in some excellent customer service, fairly-priced vehicles, and modern technology, and you’ll be selling vehicles online in no time.

The post 5 Tools Every Successful Digital Dealership Needs appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

Today’s car dealers know that digital communications, like emails or texts, are some of the best ways to sell cars, and yet a lot of them neglect to take full advantage of the car dealership BDC email templates and automated texting processes that make their CRM such a valuable tool. It can be tough to try new strategies when you’re busy, but the data doesn’t lie. If you fail to appeal to the modern car buyer, you stand to lose a lot of business. Digital communication is the key to selling more vehicles, and that’s not about to change any time soon.

Need more proof? Here are some highlights from a recent infographic about dealer communications:

• Over 90% of shoppers prefer to interact with a business through text.
• More than 77% of car buyers use a mobile device to shop for a vehicle.
• Email marketing continues to generate the most leads for auto dealers, at 39%, which is 27% more than direct mailers.

6 Ways to keep your customer communications running on all cylinders

Today’s car buyers are well-researched and quick to move on if you aren’t ready to help them. Want to make contact with a lead? If you respond to them within five minutes, you have a one hundred times greater chance of making contact than if you wait thirty minutes. If you plan to stay ahead of the competition, you can’t just schedule daily email and text blasts; you have to implement processes that maintain their success.

1. Oversee daily communication logs to see how many emails and texts are getting sent. Set goals to double that number by the end of the month. Next month, strive to double that number.
2. Stop wasting time sending messages that get overlooked; create content that car buyers will appreciate by customizing templates aimed towards distinct demographics.
3. Use CRM reporting to track which messages are getting the best responses, so you know if your approach is working, and which you can eliminate entirely.
4. Remember to delete the templates that have failed so they don’t accidentally get used again.
5. Don’t be afraid to customize unique templates, because customers prefer personalized messages over generic ones.
6. Schedule automated texts and/or emails for each of the following circumstances, but also come up with original content that may appeal to your particular customer base:
   • Welcome a customer and say thanks for stopping by.
   • Schedule a test drive with new or existing clients.
   • Send messages of customer appreciation.
   • Wish them well on their birthday or wedding anniversary.
   • Congratulate them on their vehicle purchase anniversary.
   • Remind them when their registration, license, or inspection is going to expire.
   • Send inventory snapshots to shoppers.
   • Share how-to videos and seasonal maintenance tips.
   • Schedules service appointment reminders.
   • Inform customers about fun dealership or community events.

15 Car Dealership BDC Email Templates for You to Snag!

1. New Car Model Announcement

Subject: Introducing [Car Model] at [Dealership]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We are excited to announce the arrival of the new [Car Model] at our dealership. This innovative model offers [briefly describe features].

We would love to invite you to come in for a test drive. Please let us know when you are available.

Best,
[Your Name]

2. Service Reminder

Subject: Your Car Service Reminder

Dear [Customer’s Name],

This is a friendly reminder that your vehicle is due for service. Regular service is essential to keep your car running smoothly.

Book an appointment at your earliest convenience to ensure your vehicle stays in top shape.

Best,
[Your Name]

3. Follow-Up After a Visit

Subject: Thank You for Visiting [Dealership]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

It was a pleasure meeting you during your visit to our dealership. We hope you found the information helpful in your car buying journey.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a test drive, feel free to reach out to us.

Best,
[Your Name]

4. Invitation to Sales Event

Subject: Exclusive Sales Event at [Dealership]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming sales event on [Date]. We will have exclusive deals on some of our top models.

Mark your calendar and we hope to see you there!

Best,
[Your Name]

5. Follow-Up After a Purchase

Subject: Congratulations on Your New Car!

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We want to congratulate you on the purchase of your new car. It was a pleasure helping you find the perfect vehicle.

Remember, we’re always here for any questions or service needs you may have.

Safe driving,
[Your Name]

6. Scheduled Maintenance Reminder

Subject: Scheduled Maintenance for Your [Car Model]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

Your [Car Model] is due for its scheduled maintenance. To ensure the longevity and safety of your vehicle, we recommend booking an appointment with us as soon as possible.

Please reach out to schedule your service.

Best,
[Your Name]

7. Post-Service Follow-Up

Subject: How Was Your Recent Service Experience?

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We hope you were satisfied with the recent service performed on your vehicle. Your feedback is important to us and helps us improve our service.

Please let us know about your experience.

Best,
[Your Name]

8. Trade-In Offer

Subject: Exclusive Trade-In Offer for Your [Car Model]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We are currently offering exclusive trade-in values for your [Car Model]. Upgrade to a new model and enjoy the latest features and technologies.

Contact us to learn more about this offer.

Best,
[Your Name]

9. Seasonal Offers

Subject: Seasonal Offers at [Dealership]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

As the [season] approaches, we are excited to offer special discounts on select car models and services.

Please visit our dealership to explore these offers.

Best,
[Your Name]

10. Car Accessories Promotion

Subject: Enhance Your Driving Experience with Our Accessories

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We have a wide range of accessories designed to enhance your driving experience. From all-weather floor mats to advanced navigation systems, find the perfect addition to your vehicle.

Drop by our dealership or contact us for more information.

Best,
[Your Name]

11. Extended Warranty Offer

Subject: Protect Your Car with Our Extended Warranty

Dear [Customer’s Name],

Ensure peace of mind with our extended warranty. It covers a wide range of repairs and services, keeping your vehicle running smoothly for years to come.

Contact us to learn more about our extended warranty offer.

Best,
[Your Name]

12. Lease Expiry Reminder

Subject: Your Lease is Nearing Its End

Dear [Customer’s Name],

Your lease agreement on your [Car Model] is nearing its end. We would be delighted to assist you in exploring your end-of-lease options.

Contact us to discuss the next steps.

Best,
[Your Name]

13. Check-In After Test Drive

Subject: Checking in After Your Test Drive

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We hope you enjoyed test driving the [Car Model]. We’re here to answer any questions you may have or provide additional information.

We’re looking forward to helping you find your perfect vehicle.

Best,
[Your Name]

14. Invitation for a Test Drive

Subject: Test Drive Invitation for the New [Car Model]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

The new [Car Model] has arrived at our dealership. We would love to invite you for a test drive.

Please let us know when you are available.

Best,
[Your Name]

15. Birthday Greetings

Subject: Happy Birthday from [Dealership]

Dear [Customer’s Name],

We want to wish you a happy birthday! As a valued customer, we have a special gift waiting for you at our dealership.

Please stop by at your convenience to pick it up.

Best,
[Your Name]

These templates can help enhance your dealership’s customer service and engagement. Remember, personalization is key, and always try to customize the emails based on the customer’s specific needs and history with your dealership.

Everyone is responsible for dealership compliance.

Not only is it essential to use a CRM tool that takes auto dealer compliance seriously, but it’s also crucial that any team member who sends digital communications to clients fully understands TCPA Compliance regulations. Sending a message of the wrong type, at the wrong time, can lead to expensive fines and possible lawsuits. Any recipient has the right to Opt-Out or decline messages at any time, so be sure to have procedures in place that prevent them from getting contacted again.

It’s far too costly to ignore digital dealer tools that will increase efficiency.

Think about the days when there are so many deliveries that there’s hardly time to keep up with current prospects. The pressure is on to maintain existing customer satisfaction while simultaneously trying to attract fresh leads. On days like this, a digital assistant can be extremely beneficial. Besides organizing client and inventory information, a CRM tool can help maintain a consistent lead pipeline by assisting you with scheduling thoughtful text and email blasts in just a fraction of the time. Spend less time doing tedious clerical work and leave extra time to nurture client relationships as well as your career in car sales.

The post 15 Car Dealership BDC Email Templates appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

Managing an auto dealership sales team can be quite complicated, and it takes a driven, organized person to keep things running smoothly (while also moving inventory). Luckily, advancements in technology are resulting in new tools, apps, and website plugins to make the job of a dealer car manager much easier.

Technology will make various parts of the job easier, but getting to that point can be challenging. There are almost too many options out there for a dealership manager to choose from and making the “right” choices can often seem like an overwhelming task.

If you are looking for new ways to improve how your sales team does business and how you manage your team, take a minute to consider some of these dealer car manager tools that have proven track records of success.

For the best auto dealer: car manager website plugins, apps, and tools

ADP

Bottom line: your employees won’t work for free, but do you have the resources to hire an entire HR and payroll staff? ADP can help you manage all of your dealership payroll, taxes, human resources, and benefits needs. Best yet, it integrates directly with your AutoRaptor system.

Hootsuite

It’s a given that your dealership should have a presence on all of the social media websites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Managing all of those pages, however, can get exhausting. Hootsuite allows you to manage your social media all in one place — that includes scheduling posts, engaging with followers, “listening” to what people are saying about your dealership and even in-depth analytics that show you how well your social media efforts are being received.

WP Email Capture

Capturing customer e-mails is essential and WP Email Capture provides a double opt-in that allows you to create a robust list for your e-mail marketing. The premium version lets you track site visitors, send an auto-responder e-mail after sign-up, create multiple lists, and add custom fields.

Slack

This messaging app is the ultimate in team communication. You can organize team conversations in open channels and private channels and reach out to colleagues directly via direct messages. It’s also easy to drag, drop, and share all types of files with anyone you want. Every conversation is also automatically indexed, so you can search the archive if you ever need to go back for information or a file.

QuikCoupon

QuikCoupon allows you to quickly and easily create custom coupons for your dealership that can be e-mailed out to customers, posted on your website, or shared on social media. Of course, you can also print the coupons and hand them out in the dealership as well. QuickCoupon also includes a QR Code Generator.

WP Fast Cache

40% of people abandon a website that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Auto dealership websites are notoriously slow due to the number of photos and graphics featured on the sites.

WP Fast Cache is a plugin that will boost your website loading speed, creating a more enjoyable experience for potential customers (and hopefully, more money in your pocket).

Wix

If you want to try your hand at putting together your own dealership website, consider trying Wix, which has a pre-made template for dealers. It’s free to get started, but premium plans are available if you’re looking for more support, storage, bandwidth, and analytics.

AutoStar Solutions

Are you looking for dealership management software that also includes loan servicing software? AutoStar Solutions is the perfect tool for you. From boarding loans, to accounting, collections, and even inventory management, AutoStar will meet your needs. Here’s some great news: your AutoStar system will integrate with AutoRaptor.

AutoRaptor

When you’re an auto dealer, car manager tools can help you run a better business. AutoRaptor is the perfect CRM system for dealerships. We provide an application for managing your sales team and potential customers. Let us help you automate your processes.

Just remember, you aren’t always going to be at your desk when you need AutoRaptor — so don’t forget to download the mobile app.

A little research is worth your time

Technology is always evolving, and as a dealer car manager, it’s your job to stay on top of it. Yes, it can be overwhelming — but with a little bit of regular research every week (or even month), you can stay on top of the trends and ensure your team is set up for success.

The post 9 Great Dealer Car Manager Tools, Website Plugins, and Apps appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

Selling cars can be tricky, and the competition can be brutal. No matter how good you are at your job, it seems there’s always someone a step ahead, but that doesn’t need to be the case. By utilizing specific car dealer tools, you can take much of the stress out of car sales, allowing you to focus more on your customers and less on your bottom line.

Of course, the bottom line is important, too. That’s precisely why we’re recommending these car dealer tools; so that your sales won’t suffer, and neither will you.

If this post-pandemic world has you scratching your head about increasing your car sales, then these tools are definitely for you. Check out our list and put some of them into practice. We’re sure you’ll see the results that you’re looking for.

Car Dealer Tools You Can Start Using Today

Used Car Dealership Automotive CRM

Used car dealership and automotive CRMs like AutoRaptor takes a lot of work out of the car-selling process. A CRM will help you keep track of your customers and maintain profiles for each one, making sales a lot easier. You can automate tasks like email follow-up and appointment reminders and manage inventory, among so many other things. If you’re not using an automotive CRM, you’re missing out on one of the most helpful car dealer tools.

Vehicle Pricing Tool

Take the guesswork out of pricing your vehicles by getting a tool that will do it for you. Estimating vehicle prices is a pretty extreme gamble as you could either short yourself or on the flip side, you might fall behind the competition. Vehicle pricing tools use actual sales and marketing data to give you an accurate price model for just about any vehicle. It may be the second most important of car dealer tools available today.

Text Communications

People love text messaging. They love it so much that it’s becoming a preferred method of communication—even for car sales. If you don’t have texting capabilities, you may be missing out on leads or even existing clients that could convert to additional sales, especially if you’re only using traditional forms of outreach. Technology has taken over communication. Embrace it and use it to your advantage.

Updated Your Dealership Website

Like text messages, websites are essential car dealer tools that may be your first point of contact with a customer. For that reason, your website should be sleek and easy to navigate, with updated inventories and professional pictures of the vehicles you have for sale. If you use a blog, make sure it’s search engine optimized so that more traffic will come through your site, hopefully resulting in more sales. Another tip is to ensure that your website is optimized for mobile viewing since many people rely solely on their phones for website access.

Virtual Showrooms

In addition to an updated, professional website, car dealer tools allow you to create fully functioning virtual showrooms where people can view many vehicle details before they ever step foot on your lot. This is important, especially in the post-pandemic world where so much shopping behavior has gone online. People have not only adapted to the virtual world, but some of them prefer it, giving them the time and space to shop at their own pace without worrying about a salesperson asking lots of questions. Showcase your inventory this way, and you’ll find many customers coming in to make a purchase rather than just shopping around.

Online Chat

With so many people shopping online now, it’s a good idea to have a way to engage with them and answer their questions even if they haven’t come into the shop. A standard method is a virtual chat—a little dialogue box in the corner of the screen where customers can instant message sales reps in real time. But, again, many people have come to prefer the lower-stress setting of buying online, so it would behoove you to pivot if you haven’t already and use tools that can do exactly what you’ve been doing for years, only in a different way.

Social Media

Websites aren’t the only way to sell cars online. Social media platforms can be powerful car dealer tools that may open doors to more sales than you’d have otherwise. Use social media to engage with customers, advertise your business, and demonstrate what makes you the best. Facebook is probably the most commonly used, but Instagram is also great for car dealerships because you can showcase your inventory with pictures.

Car Dealer Tools Are Here To Help

Car dealer tools can help used car dealerships streamline their operations and improve their bottom line – sales. As discussed, these tools can range from automotive CRM software to inventory management systems to marketing automation platforms. These tools allow dealerships to manage customer relationships, track sales processes, monitor inventory, and automate marketing activities.

A good car dealer tool should be user-friendly, flexible, and customizable to meet the unique needs of each dealership. Choosing the right software and receiving adequate support and training is essential to get the most out of these tools. Appropriately used, car dealer tools can help dealerships achieve their goals, provide better customer service, and increase sales.

The post 7 Car Dealer Tools to Increase Sales appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.

Fortunately, there has been no shortage on the innovation side to help car dealers adapt to the changing times. Sales teams and car dealership owners and managers must stay vigilant to the changes that digitization and the global pandemic continue to bring on them. One of the solutions that you should start looking into if you’re in the car dealership business is automotive CRM software providers.

The CRM Software Movement

So what is CRM software? A CRM or Customer Relationship Management system is a tool that helps a company or individual prospect, qualify leads, and then move them through a funnel that will turn them into customers. It’s also a great resource for customer service and after-sales. Some of the capabilities that CRM tools bring include:

• Sales and customer support automations
• Prospect mining
• Customer management
• Lead generation
• Text message marketing
• Sales analysis and reporting
• Email blasting
• Customization
• And so much more

The CRM software market is set to have a value of $128.97 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 12.1%. Accordingly, it makes sense to start looking into CRM for car dealers in order to experience these features and the benefits they bring. With a CRM solution, car dealers can generate more prospects, move them more efficiently through a pipeline, and process transactions better to ensure customer satisfaction. 

Challenges CRM Software Can Help Car Dealerships With

You have to admit that these have not been the easiest of times to be a car dealer. Global car sales dropped from 74.9 million units to 63.8 million from 2019 to 2020. What are the challenges that car dealers now face and how can using CRM software solve that issue? Let’s look at some of the most common issues.

1. The new car supply bottlenecks

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a major slow-down on new car order shipments. Certain travel restrictions and lowered workforces in factories due to health protocols are some of the root problems that have affected this bottleneck. Accordingly, the whole supply chain has been affected by it and dealers are not exempt. There’s been a major change in car buying experiences since COVID. Because clients have to wait longer on their orders, sales have slowed down. Moreover, customers aren’t as happy now as they once were.

While the whole market for new cars is beyond our control, there are ways we can respond well. Using CRM tools to manage customer expectations and give them timely reports can be a big leap forward. Car dealer personnel can use a CRM’s contact management tool to send their waitlists timely feedback that will provide more peace of mind and confidence that the deal will push through. It certainly beats manual systems, where some clients fall through the cracks several times a year.

2. An increased demand for used cars

More car buyers are resorting to used cars nowadays because of two main reasons, either because of a restricted budget or the lack of new car inventory due to chip shortages. A lot of it depends on your customer base, your location, and what kind of vehicles the dealership normally sells.

Auto dealer CRM software can increase used car sales for your dealership even when your inventory is limited. Use the CRM software to review your customers’ wishlist vehicles, contact them via text or email if you have something close or better yet target those vehicles when you visit the auction. Using the CRM to follow up with customers on their request shows you care about their needs and can go a long way in creating the best impression.

3. Aftersales remains critical

Because people are traveling less in the hybrid work environment that many professionals have now adopted, servicing cars is not much of a priority. But there are other ways that car dealers can add value to existing customers. For one, sanitation and deep cleaning on vehicles seem to be at an added premium with the pandemic. Moreover, people are looking for ways to put preventive maintenance on issues caused by lower usage, such as moisture buildup, faded paint, gas tank breakdown and so on.

Car dealers can use CRM systems to track their customer’s history and provide more insight into when you should approach them for a tune-up and what kinds of issues their cars might face today. On top of using CRM tools, you can deploy ERP software solutions to make internal changes to service priorities should also help a company get on the right track in terms of aftersales.

4. Annoying prospects with irrelevant messages

Customers are getting smarter when it comes to the text messages and emails they receive from companies. Car sales in the digital age are nothing like it once was. More people know about promotional emails and spam messages than they did back in the early 2000s. So now, what car dealers need to do is personalize messages. The more relevant an upsell, the more likely prospects will turn into hot leads. 

Using some of the best CRM for auto dealerships to avoid the lazy text blasts should be one of a car sales team’s priorities in 2022 and beyond. Create niches and personas that your car dealership can service best. Then customize your message to respond to their pain points. If you’re targeting new families, what are the issues they face with a new car? What are their top priorities— safety, style, or fuel-efficiency? What’s their budget like? Using a CRM tool to personalize these campaigns will help increase your conversion rates. 

5. Changing customer behavior

When the markets change, it’s generally because people’s consumer behaviors change. That’s nothing new under the sun. People change all the time. As businesses, we need to be able to spot those changes and adjust accordingly. Here are just some of the many noticeable changes that your car dealership should know about. 

• Customers are making quicker decisions. That’s because speed is of the essence and people want things faster now. 

• Customers look for online channels. 7 out of 10 buyers are more likely to buy from a dealership if they’re able to start the process online. So the question now is whether your dealership has that capacity? At the bare minimum, a dealership should have social media channels— Facebook at the very least (and probably an Instagram account)— and an official website. There are some great car listing sites that you should be on too.
• Customers are becoming more mobile. 63% of consumers now use their mobile phones to compare car prices online.

Having an auto dealership CRM software integrates all the channels and platforms that your dealership has into one stream so that your sales and admin team can be ready to adjust to the fast-paced digital activities of your potential clients.

8. Fear is still a factor

Of course, there are still some people who are afraid of contact because of the COVID-19 situation. And because sales representatives should do their best to never leave anyone out, we need to have contactless sales tools for people who want to transact with lesser face-to-face interaction. A CRM tool can help make that happen by giving customers who want more health safety a channel to reach out to anytime from the comfort of their own homes. 

Selecting the Best CRM Software for the Job

So how do you select the best CRM for their car dealership? The best thing to do is determine what your needs are first and which of the pain points mentioned above you need to deal with. Check out various automotive CRM reviews and see what existing clients of CRM providers have to say about their experience with the tool. When you pick the right tool for the right job, you’ll be in a better position to grow in the coming years despite all the challenges and changes.

The post 9 Challenges Affecting Car Dealerships And How Implementing CRM Software Can Help You In Overcoming Them appeared first on AutoRaptor CRM.