Automotive sector: 3 signs that dealerships need to qualify their CRM data
In the automotive industry, salespeople need to master their CRM data in an automotive distribution environment that has multiple touchpoints. This is a real challenge without data quality! Here are examples of 3 issues that reveal a lack of data quality.
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For the automotive industry and its distribution networks, customer and prospect data are omnipresent in sales, service quality, communication… When this CRM data is erroneous or duplicated in the databases of multiple systems, it is difficult to exploit it in a fast, efficient and relevant way. In the following situations, in particular, it is urgent to deploy Data Quality:
On the web, too many requests are not translating into leads in the dealership
Whether it is for requesting a quote, a test drive or a brochure on the web, digital contact between your distribution network and your customers and prospects is now a major part of your business. Moreover, this contact is often at the beginning of the customer relationship, and is strategic in terms of engagement. If you see a lot of abandonment in these various web requests, the contact form that the user has to fill out may be to blame.
Beware of poorly designed forms that are tedious, that take too long to fill out, and that require a user to go over them several times for validation. When filling out a form is an ordeal, the effort the customer has to make is too great, and abandonment remains likely.
Data quality offers several solutions to make your forms – and therefore your databases – more reliable. Input help performs a real-time check of the validity of the data, and indicates erroneous data, with suggestions for corrections. The user can immediately rectify errors, which then avoids the validation being blocked. Another solution for forms is autocompletion, which speeds up form-filling, and standardizes mailing addresses instantly.
For your online customers and prospects, data quality makes the form step more fluid and reliable. The digital experience is much more enjoyable and most importantly, data is successfully collected. The conversion rate benefits from this and can rise again. Finally, assisted data entry ensures reliable and controlled data collection that brings consistency between the online request experience and the in-person experience, especially in the case of vehicle test drives.
Your dealers are wasting too much time managing customer data
Lack of data qualification can affect the performance of your dealership representatives on several fronts. As soon as they begin entering the customer and prospect data into the CRM forms, the usual irritants appear (long, tedious data entry, reluctance of a customer to give too much information, etc.). They interfere with the exchange with the customer and discourage your salespeople from getting forms completed.
Incomplete or incorrect collection of customer data on CRM forms then has an impact on the customer relationship. Indeed, despite the goodwill of your sales representatives, they cannot identify if a phone number is inactive, if an email is no longer valid, or if the contact has moved. Therefore, reaching customers as part of their follow-up becomes critical, and impacts the quality of the service provided. The same is true for prospects: without qualified data, it is difficult to carry out effective follow-up in order to fuel the purchasing decision.
Data quality reinforces the performance of the representatives in your automotive distribution network, whether it is in-person or online. Assisted data entry at form level, rounded out by curative treatment of databases and their deduplication, makes it possible to remove the obstacles to the relevant collection and use of customer and prospect data. Supported by data quality solutions, your salespeople can focus on what matters most: the customers. No need to struggle with data entry, duplicate customer records, or undelivered communications: data quality takes care of everything. It ensures the verification of the contactability of customers before each emailing, text message or mailing campaign, including identifying people who have moved. In addition, the merging of different data from the same customer allows for more complete profiles, for example with the confirmation of a first name, a key element for personalizing communications.
Another advantage for your teams is the enrichment of their customer data culture, which becomes an asset over which you have control and that you can fully use. Having qualified and reliable data available gives you the tools to rapidly provide customers with the exact information they need. It makes your representatives feel good about their job, helps them take more initiative to serve customers, and makes their work more rewarding. These results provide motivation for joining the data quality movement!
It is difficult for your salespeople to identify customers and prospects in the CRM tool
In the automotive ecosystem, customers interact with proprietary and partner distribution networks, as well as a multitude of data acquisition and collection channels. Some customers may reconnect with their dealership several years after the purchase of a previous vehicle. As for prospects, they often visit several dealerships and pure player sites to make their buying decision. Is it hard to follow them? For example, what happens when a historical customer is mistaken for a newcomer in your distribution network? Data quality also provides solutions in this case.
Deduplication of the databases and unification of the customer files allows you to benefit from a unified view. This is a major advantage, given the diversity of data sources and the pooling of customer data within the automotive distribution network. In addition, advanced data quality solutions allow you to verify the presence of a customer in the CRM tool, in order to avoid creating a customer record unnecessarily if one already exists.
For your sales representatives, this unified view of customers and prospects promotes a personalized approach from the CRM database. They can instantly find the customer’s file, even if the last contact was several years ago, and respond to incoming requests without delay. Above all, data quality contributes to a better knowledge of the customer, because your employees – both in sales and in customer services – have reliable historical data on previous purchases, vehicle preferences, and preferred payment methods. This information is essential for directing and adapting marketing communications and campaigns, providing personalized marketing offers, and promoting sales.
About DQE
Because data quality is essential to customer knowledge and the construction of a lasting relationship, since 2008, DQE has provided its clients with innovative and comprehensive solutions that facilitate the collection of reliable data.
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