follow up system

[mjacobs]

ACT I am very familiar with. And, it seems abit cumbersome handling the volume of e-mail I receive. What is Webgrabber? I have never heard of it. Where can I find info on it?

[JohnPatfriendly]

When I first started in Internet Sales, I used MS Outlook. Then the Autobytel DRT system. Both of them were slow and hard to keep up with. Now, I run a dept that receives up to 1000 leads a month. I signed up with STM-NetAlert and it is great. The leads come in seamlessly and automatically go to the Internet Sales people so I can concentrate on other things! The address is www.stmnetalert.com ,it costs about $250/mo and integrates with your ADP & R&R data.

[Joe Pearson]

The address for WebGrabber is www.egrabber.com.

[kconsidine]

Cars.com has a web-based lead management tool called SalesCenter, that will integrate leads from most services and is very easy to use. About 300 dealers around the country are using it today. For more information go too http://dealers.cars.com

In the interest of disclosure, I do work for cars.com

- Kevin

[Andy P]

Interesting point....I use a program called WebControl and I am pretty well satisfied with it. It seems to do everything I need it to do all though at times it is slow. It does give you reports and they are continually adding to them. Overall it is pretty good. As I am always looking for something new and better I tried STM Net Alert from above and to my amazement came up with the exact same program with a different name!! My password even worked!! Not necessarily a bad thing...just kind of surprising. Net alert must be done by a different company(?) but it works exactly the same. Anybody using Cobalt's Lead Manager? We just signed them up to do our website and that is part of the package. Is it good? Let me know please.

[ecfrew]

In my opinion, there are basically two major problems with the current lead tracking software. The first being that it's web based. What is actually happening to these leads and who has ultimate control? If the software company were to close, and this does happen, where do the leads end up?
Second problem, having to type leads back into another database or keep a paper file. The trick here is to have a front end software program running so as these leads come in they are automatically entered into a custom database. Then, the dealer has control and can manage them anyway he wants. This also helps in verifying invoices and Internet production.
I happen to be working in a dealership Internet department and am also a software developer. I quickly saw the need for this kind of software and that this software needs to be at the dealer level. I have been developing and working with a custom system here and it has been an incredable help in streamlining the process.
I would love to read others thoughts and ideas on this software.




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Clair Frew
info@mikeshawauto.com

[BBingham]

There are several good reasons for dealerships to use web based CRM tools. Security is one of them.

As long as your contract with your vendor states that this intellectual property belongs to you, you're covered. If a client were to fire me today, I would place ALL of his web site material, reports, and any CRM database info on a CD-ROM and Fed Ex it to him.

If you are using a manufacturer aligned company or a company that cannot put that in writing, don't use them.

A good reason to have it hosted off premises is so that the eventual disgruntled employee does not gut you. I will spend three days in Houston sorting out that type of mess for a new client. Their internet director (three points of sale) completely gutted them. They have no records.

I have seen dealers who try to manage this on a paper based system or with proprietary self hosted software, it's laughable. Dealerships will never manage such a paper monster properly. There is already so much redundant data entry that dealerships need to plant trees to replace the paper.

As for DMS systems helping out, forget it. Unless you are willing to spend BIG $$$.

Any technology partner that you select for your web activities should be able to offer you real dealership personnel to assist you with training your personnel. They should also offer great creativity in design of your web site, hosting on their servers (not reselling someone elses), manage your email, and provide an advanced lead management system. This partner and you should create a long-term plan for integration of all of your profit centers.

In my opinion, if you do not have these things, you do not have the right partner or lead management system.

Bruce Bingham
bbingham@thirdcoastmedia.com

[This message has been edited by BBingham (edited 08-12-2000).]

[ecfrew]

Interesting post Bruce and you bring up several valid points. However, I have a few additional comments and a question or two. The following was in the news a few weeks ago, did you read it?

The Federal Trade Commission issued a report in May concluding legislation was needed to bolster privacy protections although Congress and the White House at the time said they preferred to give voluntary industry efforts more time. But the lack of an enforceable industry standard,highlighted by the recent attempt of bankrupt retailer Toysmart.com Inc. to sell a consumer database, has renewed interest in federal oversight.

From the MSNBC web site.

When you send the CDR containing the CRM database to your client is it also deleted from your server and all backup materials?
I agree that a system developed In House using off the shelf software or a simple paper system can be laughable, after all, arent these computer systems on our desks supposed to help eliminate the paper monster? I Also agree that computer security and disgruntled employees are a problem, but its a problem for anyone who controls sensitive data. I am sure you are aware of the best ways to control this problem and so should the dealer.
The function of lead tracking software is to make certain that a dealer gets every cent he can out of the cost of the leads. A lead lost in the paper shuffle is not only a waste of money, it can contribute negatively to a dealers image. The software I have custom developed for this dealership does not require the lead to be re-entered. As the e-mail comes in it is automatically added to the lead database. It also lists the new leads on screen, in house and in real time. In my opinion, a software system that is tailored to a dealers needs is far better than a dealer adjusting to the requirements of the software. This has been related to me time and time again with F&I systems, car rental software and various marketing systems that I have developed and supported.



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Clair Frew
info@mikeshawauto.com

[franksmith]

Andy, the product you use is the best on the market offering everything that the others do but much more. Reporting is strong, broadcast emails, html messages for design, spell check, mail merge codes for auto-responders and many other benefits.

If anyone wants to take a look at the product and share you thoughts please do. It is a demo site so play around you can't hurt the data. Best of all you do not have to change your email to some extensive thing that needs to given to everyone to change. It uses your current email address(es).
http://autosuperstore.avv.com

login: fsmith
password: fsmith

[This message has been edited by franksmith (edited 08-17-2000).]

[BBingham]

Reply to ecfrew,

We have not had a client leave our services yet (knock on wood). However, should someone decide to stop using our services, we will remove their information from our server, once we have confirmed their receipt of the data and the former client is confident that the data has been converted/imported properly.

There are key features that should be present in a lead management tool. One of the most important is that your CRM not build a prospect database for the manufacturer or any other entity attacking a dealership's profit centers. If you are using a CRM from a manufacturer or a lead vendor, you are exposing yourself unnecessarily to highly predatory competition.

A good CRM will also have basic necessities like spell check, rich text, the ability to pass along attachments and graphics. Anyone can send plain text only. Send something that gets noticed (keeping in mind which ISP's allow what type of email to pass). Reports should not be completely standardized. They should be customizable along with prospect lists that are filtered to any specific prospecting needs with the capability of broadcast emails from that list (without manually merging them).

These are basic things found in many box products, which for some reason are not widely available on web-based versions. Having been involved in the development of such a product, I still wonder why these features are left out of so many products.

Still, the most detrimental practice in most dealerships is related more to their lead distribution methods. Regardless of the quality of the tools available, most dealerships will not succeed at levels they should because of their slow and poor response methods. Many times, it is a direct result of a management structure that does not 100% support the internet department.

The upside to all of this is that the market place in an evolutionary beast. Those who become very good at providing e-commerce consumers the buying experience they want will flourish. The more successful dealers will eventually absorb the dealerships that do not. Because of this, the automotive market, once again, will become a major force in developing several types of applications to benefit consumers.

The next five years are going to be very interesting.





------------------
Bruce Bingham
bbingham@thirdcoastmedia.com
www.thirdcoastmedia.com