I have a dealer that wants to get involved in selling on the Internet with a lot more than lip service...
(like most dealers are currently doing).
He asked me if I would come up to discuss how we might be able to help him move forward.
This dealer is plagued by a sister that is an equal partner who honestly believes that the Internet is a passing fad....
Perhaps she is right??????
(However,I doubt it)
If you will look at this weeks "US News and World Report" you will see an amazing story about how we are conditioning our kids to shop on the World Wide Web with sites like: www.rocketcash.com www.Doughnet.com www.icanbuy.com
In this type of site parents deposit money in a child's cyber-account and it allows the child to shop on linked sites for CD's, Books, Movies even Beanie Babies. My own Seven year old daughter thought it was a great idea.
Now we have done it...Maybe the Internet is a fad but it looks like it's going to be a fad that will last at least one more generation.
When I was a young man one of the Rights of Passage was to be escorted down to the dealership by your Grandfather, Dad, Uncle or an Older Brother to learn how to buy a car.
Today customer no longer slip on their boots to go out and shop. Now they boot up and buy.
I have sold hundreds of cars on the Internet and I can tell you first hand there is a new customer being created.
They are:
Informed, In powered, Intelligent and they are Enlightened, their expectations for service continue to increase. For the most part they are NOT looking for the lowest price on the planet, they only want to be able to spend their money somewhere and with someone who understands them and takes care of them.
The key is no longer just getting on the web.
The dealers that prosper will be the ones who do it well, and immerse themselves in the process. Nothing about selling cars on the Internet is difficult, there are a few things that need to be learned, the most challenging part is the culture shift that has to take place. Fortunately it does not have to happen in the whole dealership at once only in the office of the ISC and their relationship to other departments.
Be sure to tell your readers that there is light at the end of the tunnel it is the warm glow of a monitor.
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Good Luck,
G.Machado
GMACGroup.com
machado@dealertools.com
phone: (888)908-0888
e-fax: (888)421-2892
[This message has been edited by G.Machado (edited 11-15-1999).]