Business Development

[David Cates]

Anyone out there work as a Business Development Manager, or something similar, in a dealership?

Just looking to discuss business development / marketing ideas and initiatives.

[walk123]

Just wanted to do a brief intro. I have worked in Business Development for the last 10 years in the Alberta, CANADA market, and always welcome new contacts and ideas. Looking forward to future discussions...

[David Cates]

My primary interest is using existing database information to initiate ideas that create additional sales and service revenue opportunities for dealers.

There is such a wealth of previous customer and business information that can be accessed, analyzed, and identified as potential repeat customer opportunities (which can also lead to new customer sales), and I still don't see that many dealerships putting time and effort into this, as opposed to spending tremendous advertising money to go after new customers.

I am curious as to what others out there are doing in this area and would like to share ideas, etc.. in this area, as well as in the area of database marketing and information management, which I think all go hand-in-hand to an extent.

My background is 12 yrs with ADP as an AE (install products), COA (Analyst), and sales rep. I have spent the last 5 years as an independent consultant working with dealerships and also developing software solutions in these areas.

[David Cates]

Has anyone used any "outsourced" business development companies, or does anyone know of any?

[tccollins]

I have been involved with Customer retention and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for 15 years now. You are correct, there is so much information and it makes sense to use it to your advantage, the question is why dont they use it already?

I work with a CRM company (not a commercial) that services its accounts monthly. We deliver reports that help the dealer identify potential extended warranty opportunities, high mileage customers (excellent sales opportunities) as well as customers that declining services on their last service department visit. I would guess that 50% of my customers actually use the information I not only deliver but highlight for them.

Again, why dont they use it?

Ideas:
1.Introduce every UP to the service department
2.Log every UP for future service department marketing campaigns
3.Give your customers a reason to be loyal
4.Market to your customers when they need service and tell them what they need
5.Treat your customer the way you expect to be treated as a consumer

Now for the reality: Good ideas are normally welcomed with open arms but make it into the pile of things to be implemented and very rarely see the light of day again. The answer is a dealership BDC that actually works for all departments not just sales.

I believe it is a combination of outsource what you can and have the staff to react to the results.

TC

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tccollins

[Kevin Kavanagh]

I have been posing the question David asked for a number of years. I have also published articles on DealersEdge regarding this topic in the past. There certainly is a wealth of information sitting inside the dealerships today and most of it is in whatever the dealers DMS system is.

I believe there are multiple problems here. Ask any dealer if they want more sales or service business and they will all say YES! One of the problems in the past is that it was often difficult to get the information out in a useful format. And the bigger one is whos job is it to manage these tasks. Give it to a Sales Manager or Service Manager and it becomes number 13 of my Top Ten list of things to get done. Even as Tom says only 50% of the people they do the work for take advantage of it!

I think its time for Dealerships to re-think some of the things they have ignored in the past. After the recent Automotive News World Congress an article was published under the headline 2004 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS WORLD CONGRESS: What's wrong at the dealership? It's pretty basic. One of the comments in the article The panel agreed that getting back to the basics means thinking outside the four walls of the showroom.

Tom is correct, the concept of Business Development needs to be a dealership wide strategy. The problem with strategies and some business development activities are that the results are long term in a business that looks for immediate results. Ive worked with many an organization that has disbanded the Business Development environment because business was off or there wasnt enough results fast enough.

I was recently talking with some folks and they wanted help in every area of CRM and after a while I was able to get them on one area they wanted to focus on. We then discussed in-house or outsource and agreed a blended approach probably had the best chance of success.

So pick an area of the business you need to improve AND can manage. From there you need to pick the best method and tools to completing the job. Finally give the project the time required to gain measurable results. Then pick the next area of the business and use this winning approach again.


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[David Cates]

Does anyone know anything positive or negative about the Cobalt Group's CRM offerings?

I know they purchased the Cowboy Corp last year and this is their current offering, so I guess the better questions is does anyone know anything about this software?

[Results]

Cowboy, Web Control, Lead Navigator are all good products. We work with over 10 different CRM programs. Lead Navigator is the cheapest.
The key is like everyone has said to this point - You need a total store buy in to make them work successfully.
True CRM is a lot of work. It pays off but it is a lot of work.
You and your store will get exactly what you put into it. That is why everyone is saying you need the store buy in. It is hard to have a good CRM program if you are a one man show.


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Results
Mike Stinson
results@rintuit.com www.rintuit.com

[This message has been edited by Results (edited 03-12-2004).]

[gotoguy]

Great information here! I am the new Business Development Manager for a dealership in Southern Illinois. One of the tasks facing me is to get our BDC up and running in the next couple of months. I have talked with BZ RESULTS about their solutions...have you any experience and/or knowledge with them?
Thank you (everyone) for your time and help!

[David Cates]

I am not that familar with BZ, but I do know about most of the BDC / CRM companies out there.

You can email me thru my profile if you want to talk more about it.