Recently an Auto Retailing on the Web subscriber called and asked for sources for e-mail auto responders - scripts that will automatically acknowledge the originator of an e-mail message.
All dealers should have such a procedure in their e-mail to insure that Internet car shoppers know that you have received their message and approximately when you will get back to them directly.
Our understanding is that most e-mail services can supply auto responders. However if that is not the case you can check out www.cgi-resources.com and put "auto responders" in their site search function. These scripts may take some techical know-how to install.
If any participants in this forum are familiar with other ways to supply this function to their e-mail - please post a response. Thanks!
Auto-Responders
18 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
Auto-Responders
by Steve Bissen » Thu Jul 01, 1999 12:51 pm
I found an auto-responder at download.com. I have not started using it yet, but I am very anxious to get it up and running. Although I check e-mail at numerous times throughtout the day and evening, I want to respond to that person who sends at e-mail at 1:00 AM.
At the same time I will be installing ICQ. I have never used it before but am planning a crash course. This we allow me to have real time discussions with prospects and customers. I see that as a predecessor to the live chats I hope to have within a year.
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At the same time I will be installing ICQ. I have never used it before but am planning a crash course. This we allow me to have real time discussions with prospects and customers. I see that as a predecessor to the live chats I hope to have within a year.
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- Steve Bissen
Auto-Responders
by Greg Mushro » Thu Jul 08, 1999 11:13 am
This is a hot topic for dealers today.
Auto responders are used regularly today. The previous school of thought has been that this is the best way to get back to the customer immediately and show how quick & on the ball we are at our dealership. Many dealers totally rely on this for their email responce to the customer. Most dealers never get an email responce either.
The New School of thought however is that this kind of email is not taken very seriously anymore. Internet email users are becomeing a picky bunch. Think how "you" respond to email that looks like a templeted email message....people will sometimes skip or delete without ever reading it. It is not taken as seriously as a semi-custom email message. Look at your own email reading habits, do you take these auto emails seriously? If the answer is no, then chances are your customers don't either.
We are finding a very high responce rate to custom then semi-custom written email messages with a question directed to the request, this usually starts the relationship (a phone call must immediately accompany any inquiry). We are advising our dealers to use the above tactic and then use auto responders when you are out of the office or after hours only. Results have been supprisingly good!
By the way, Outlook Express has a pretty easy to use auto responder setup, under tools & message rules. Check it out.
Any questions? Feel free to contact me.
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TheNetLab.com
Automotive Internet Solutions
Auto responders are used regularly today. The previous school of thought has been that this is the best way to get back to the customer immediately and show how quick & on the ball we are at our dealership. Many dealers totally rely on this for their email responce to the customer. Most dealers never get an email responce either.
The New School of thought however is that this kind of email is not taken very seriously anymore. Internet email users are becomeing a picky bunch. Think how "you" respond to email that looks like a templeted email message....people will sometimes skip or delete without ever reading it. It is not taken as seriously as a semi-custom email message. Look at your own email reading habits, do you take these auto emails seriously? If the answer is no, then chances are your customers don't either.
We are finding a very high responce rate to custom then semi-custom written email messages with a question directed to the request, this usually starts the relationship (a phone call must immediately accompany any inquiry). We are advising our dealers to use the above tactic and then use auto responders when you are out of the office or after hours only. Results have been supprisingly good!
By the way, Outlook Express has a pretty easy to use auto responder setup, under tools & message rules. Check it out.
Any questions? Feel free to contact me.
------------------
TheNetLab.com
Automotive Internet Solutions
- Greg Mushro
Auto-Responders
by SDAWSON » Thu Jul 29, 1999 10:15 am
Greg, The auto responder in outlook express works great if you are getting your email directly from a customer but if they are coming from a service such as carpoint autovantage it will respond to the buying service not your customer. I have been trying to find a system to auto respond to buying service customer if anyone knows how to do this please email me at sdawson@ptd.net
- SDAWSON
Auto-Responders
by jimmuntz » Sat Aug 28, 1999 7:56 am
An Auto Retailing on the Web reader recently e-mailed the same question. Does anyone have an auto-responder system that will allow you to by-pass the referral service and respond directly to the prospect? Have any of the referral services addressed this problem?
By the way, I agree with most of what Greg said about over-use of the auto-responder. However, afterhours it can help start the process and avoid losing the prospect to someone else who does use an autoresponder.
Greg- Could you amplify on your suggestion of how to frame an autoresponder reply with a question?
------------------
Jim Muntz
Publisher WD&S Publishing
jimmuntz@dealersedge.com
Phone 800-321-5312
FAX 800-314-4770
By the way, I agree with most of what Greg said about over-use of the auto-responder. However, afterhours it can help start the process and avoid losing the prospect to someone else who does use an autoresponder.
Greg- Could you amplify on your suggestion of how to frame an autoresponder reply with a question?
------------------
Jim Muntz
Publisher WD&S Publishing
jimmuntz@dealersedge.com
Phone 800-321-5312
FAX 800-314-4770
- jimmuntz
Auto-Responders
by R. Insell » Mon Aug 30, 1999 2:48 pm
I have been using Eudora Pro for all my automatic response needs. So far it has been working out really well. I was reading everyones responses and I thought I would post this, it could be of help to you or someone you know.
- R. Insell
Auto-Responders
by Patti Schnecke » Tue Aug 31, 1999 2:05 am
Every dealer involve in Automotive Internet Sales should use Auto-responders. One of keys to success in Internet Sales is to respond to the purchase request A.S.A.P.
For many month while selling vehicle via the Internet, I was too slow in responding to the purchase requests sent our dealership. By the time I emailed them or called them, they were already purchasing a vehicle with the dealer down the road.
Why, because they got to them quicker! 70% or more of the people who submit a purchase request via the Internet purchase a vehicle within 3 business days. The faster you respond, the better you chance of selling a vehicle.
The cost of auto-responders are very low. Eudora Pro is one, the cost is around $39-$40. It can be purchased at your local computer store. If you can not find it, you can down-load it or purchase it from the Internet.
For many month while selling vehicle via the Internet, I was too slow in responding to the purchase requests sent our dealership. By the time I emailed them or called them, they were already purchasing a vehicle with the dealer down the road.
Why, because they got to them quicker! 70% or more of the people who submit a purchase request via the Internet purchase a vehicle within 3 business days. The faster you respond, the better you chance of selling a vehicle.
The cost of auto-responders are very low. Eudora Pro is one, the cost is around $39-$40. It can be purchased at your local computer store. If you can not find it, you can down-load it or purchase it from the Internet.
- Patti Schnecke
Auto-Responders
by Patti Schnecke » Tue Aug 31, 1999 9:25 am
A few people have asked me how the auto-responders work.
Since most purchase requests come from an on-line buying service, you do not "respond to sender". That will give Autoweb.com, Autobytel, or Carpoint alot of unwanted mail.
You need to program your auto-responder send to a third party, or to forward response to the customers. This can be done very quickly even if you are not a computer "Guru". Just pull the customers email address from the purchase request and a response will be sent. The email address should always be in the same location for any online service, lets say it is on line 10 or in the same field. Just program to pull from that location everytime. Different on-line buying services may have the email address in a different location. Autoweb.com may be line 12, a request comes in from them, pull line 12. If Carpoint has it on line 8, pull from line 8.
When the program is set up, it will know which service is sending the request by its email address. It may sound involved, but once you have done it once, then it is easy.
I hope this has helped some of you. Most of the software programs come with a step by step book and an 800 # for technical support.
Since most purchase requests come from an on-line buying service, you do not "respond to sender". That will give Autoweb.com, Autobytel, or Carpoint alot of unwanted mail.
You need to program your auto-responder send to a third party, or to forward response to the customers. This can be done very quickly even if you are not a computer "Guru". Just pull the customers email address from the purchase request and a response will be sent. The email address should always be in the same location for any online service, lets say it is on line 10 or in the same field. Just program to pull from that location everytime. Different on-line buying services may have the email address in a different location. Autoweb.com may be line 12, a request comes in from them, pull line 12. If Carpoint has it on line 8, pull from line 8.
When the program is set up, it will know which service is sending the request by its email address. It may sound involved, but once you have done it once, then it is easy.
I hope this has helped some of you. Most of the software programs come with a step by step book and an 800 # for technical support.
- Patti Schnecke
Auto-Responders
by R. Insell » Tue Aug 31, 1999 1:13 pm
Jim,
Eudora Pro will answer all email that you direct it to. I use both Stoneage and Autoweb as lead providers. So what I did was find the 2 most common words in both subjects and then I set the Eudora up to look for these two words (purchase request). It has been working great so far. This response goes directly back to the customer and not back to the referring company. It's a great auto responder because you can also write what they call a stationary. Basically what this is, is you can customize how you want the auto response to go out to the customers so they don't feel like they are forgotten. I have arranged mine where it gives my name, lets them know I have received their email and I will get back to them with a quote within the next 12-24 hours. The customers are happy and most of all the Internet person is happy knowing that the customer has been taken care of and knows you will get to them as quickly as possible.
Eudora Pro will answer all email that you direct it to. I use both Stoneage and Autoweb as lead providers. So what I did was find the 2 most common words in both subjects and then I set the Eudora up to look for these two words (purchase request). It has been working great so far. This response goes directly back to the customer and not back to the referring company. It's a great auto responder because you can also write what they call a stationary. Basically what this is, is you can customize how you want the auto response to go out to the customers so they don't feel like they are forgotten. I have arranged mine where it gives my name, lets them know I have received their email and I will get back to them with a quote within the next 12-24 hours. The customers are happy and most of all the Internet person is happy knowing that the customer has been taken care of and knows you will get to them as quickly as possible.
- R. Insell
Auto-Responders
by R. Insell » Wed Sep 01, 1999 10:21 am
I'm not sure where exactly to post this but I was roaming around in the forum when an idea struck me and I'm sure alot of you already are doing this but there may be some now or in the future who might not know of this. Since everyone is discussing Autoresponders and how best to use them, I started putting my website in each of my "stationary's" (responses that go out automatically or manually). I am hoping that it will take some of the "mechanical" off the auto-responses and it also gives the website exposure as well.
[This message has been edited by R. Insell (edited 09-01-99).]
- R. Insell
18 posts
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