How Dealerships Can Prepare for a Successful 2022

If 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it's that nothing is set in stone. 

From the onset of the pandemic with its accompanying protocols until now, many industries have had their processes and perspectives turned on their head. And possibly even more important: consumer expectations have changed. Likely for good!

This includes the automotive industry and the way car buying is done. While the online, Amazon-esque era of car buying started years ago with companies like Carvana and Vroom, it has arguably never been so fast-tracked as it has been in the past two years. 

Make 2022 A Fresh Start for Automotive Sales

While car dealers (and all of us, really) couldn't necessarily prepare for a pandemic, or an industry-shaking chip and inventory shortage, the power of experience and adaptation cannot be denied. 

When it comes to car dealerships, there is a certain flexibility that needs to be built-in. They're not only places to purchase a vehicle; they are an oasis of service and repairs, parts, and often give back to their communities in meaningful ways. 

Crafting a welcoming, community-resource perception is key when it comes to your outward (and inward!) visibility and consumer outlook. With customer expectation changes expedited by the pandemic, plus constantly evolving communication technologies, car dealers who stay in step with these shifts will see a very successful 2022 and beyond. 

3 Ways Your Dealership Can Win in 2022

Recently, Ted Rubin (President & founder of ActivEngage) and Carol Marshall (COO of ActivEngage) were featured on DealerRefresh's live stream program, Refresh Friday.

The topic of discussion? Who car dealers want to be in 2022 and how they can get there. 

Given everything that has happened in the past two years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting automotive industry shifts, a fork in the path has appeared as to how car dealers engage and retain their potential customers. Ted and Carol had some insights as to how dealers can pivot to meet these challenges, and how ActivEngage can help them accomplish greatness. 

1. Engage with Empathy. 

While customers may seem like an introverted bunch with their attitude towards phone calls, the reality is that they appreciate engaging in customer service. Customers love advocacy when it comes to car sales; they want to feel like they aren't alone.

Having a friendly human engaging them on a dealership website brings comfort and reassurance. Conversely, filling out a form and playing the waiting game for follow-up can bring anxiety into a process that is, unfortunately, widely viewed as stressful.

This kind of connection and relatability helps make car sales. To paraphrase Ted: bits of information on the “why” of their vehicle search help car dealers relate to their customers, tying it more closely to them. You’re “creating a friend.” 

2. Defy Customer Expectations.

In an era of A.I. and bots being employed to capture digital consumers, customers have come to expect rigid live chat interactions. You can surprise customers with these preconceived notions with real humans encouraged to bring their personalities into every conversation (like our Customer Engagement Experts using our fully managed messaging services). 

With vehicles selling at a premium right now due to the inventory shortage, having a premium customer experience is key to capturing and retaining car shoppers and service customers for now and in the future. Customers love being pleasantly surprised! 

Watch the video below to see how Carol expands on this philosophy: