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Welcome to Today’s WebinarWe will begin promptly at noon ET

Win the Sale With Online Chat

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Welcome

• Have a question? Need our attention?• Enter your question or comment by clicking on

the question mark in the lower right corner of the WebEx browser

• Tweeting today’s call? Use #dalive.• Want a recording of today’s presentation?• Visit http://dealers.cars.com/live on Monday

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Webinar Audio

• To hear the audio portion for today’s webinar:

• Turn up your computer speakers

• Use a pair of headphones• Having audio problems?• Request a toll-free dial-in

number for the WebEx teleconference

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Today’s Moderator

Kathy Kimmel Director of training, Cars.com 15+ years experience in

automotive retail Featured speaker at industry

conferences Connect with Kathy:

http://dealers.cars.com/facebook

http://dealers.cars.com/twitter

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Today’s Panelist

Jim Flint Corporate director of internet

sales and marketing John Eagle Family of Dealerships Houston, Texas 12 years automotive retail

industry experience Connect with Jim:

http://www.twitter.com/jimflint12

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Today’s Panelist

Ed Parkinson Vice president ContactAtOnce! Helps dealers implement online

chat with their websites and integrate it with their internet sales processes 24 years in the automotive

industry

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Today’s Objectives

In today’s call, we’ll discuss how to: Incorporate chat into your internet sales process. Obtain the prospect’s name, phone number or email

address. Leverage chat alongside the phone to open your

inventory and make the sale. Integrate chat sessions with your CRM tool for lead

management and follow-up.

Look Who’s Chatting

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Connect With Online Buyers

Chat creates a fifthcontact channel with your third-party listings

• Clicks to your website• Email• Telephone• Walk-in visits• Chat

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Reach New Buyers With Chat

Some shoppers prefer chat• Provides quick access to the

information they want (e.g., availability, condition, price)

• Protects their anonymity• One in four adults sends

more instant messages than email1

• 90 percent of people use IM at home; 20 percent from work2

1 AP/AOL Instant Messaging Survey, 20072 AOL/Opinion Research, 2007

Build, Follow a Sales Process

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Prepare for Chat Success

• Create steps to a sale similar to your email, phone and in-store processes

• Identify key points to address in every conversation• Minimize use of cut-and-paste sentences

• Buyers want to know they’re chatting with a person• Shoppers will contact you about:

• Specific listings• Service, parts and accessories• Finance

• Assign, train salespeople to manage chat requests

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Staff for Chat Success

Have enough people available so you can quickly respond

• Acknowledge shoppers within 15 seconds

• Would you:• Ignore a ringing

phone?• Let shoppers roam

your store without a greeting?

Source: ContactAtOnce! LLC, February 2007

Car buyer chat requests are most common between noon and 4 p.m. during the week, when shoppers are at work and can’t use the phone or company email system.

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Define the Steps to a Sale

• Greet the customer• Conduct a needs analysis• Open your inventory• Demonstrate the vehicle• Build dealership value• Sell the appointment

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Greet the Customer

• Begin with an introduction• “Hello, my name is (First) (Last). May I ask yours?”

• This approach helps you to:• Obtain the shopper’s name;

• Offer your first and last name to encourage the shopper to respond in kind

• Build rapport and create dialogue• Personalize your “voice” for the shopper

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Conduct a Needs Analysis

• Earn shoppers’ trust by offering to answer their questions about the vehicle

• Expand the conversation by asking about the shoppers’ needs

• “To ensure I’m providing you with the information you need, can you tell me how you’ll use the vehicle?”

• “Will you be the primary driver?”• “Do you have a vehicle to trade?”• “When do you plan to make a purchase?”• “What do you like about your current vehicle? What

features are most important with the new one?”

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Open Your Inventory

• Present cars from your inventory that may better meet the shopper’s needs (e.g., new, used, CPO)

• Ask: “Are you considering other makes/models?”• Use this conversation as an opportunity to ask for

the shopper’s phone number• Add value

• “Would it be easier for you if I called you?”• Avoid old-school rush to get the shopper’s number• Keep the chat window open to send links to your listings

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Demonstrate the Vehicle

• Create excitement about the vehicle by:• Calling out features that meet the shopper’s needs• Validating its condition

• One-owner• Nonsmoker• Vehicle history report

• Focus on the car and the dialogue, not a sales pitch

• Create a reason for the shopper to take action• Time-sensitive specials or finance and lease options

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Build Dealership Value

• Offer reasons for the shopper to buy from you

• Provide links to testimonials from satisfied customers or dealer rating sites

• Emphasize your strengths:• Large selection• Convenient location• Service after the sale• Industry awards• Community reputation

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Sell the Appointment

• Encourage the shopper to visit the store• “When can we schedule a test drive for you?”• “Have you had an opportunity to drive the vehicle in

your preferred color and with the features you want?”

• Schedule and confirm the appointment• Use the appointment as an opportunity to obtain

the shopper’s phone number• “My phone number is _____. If you’re running late or

need to reschedule, please call. If you give me your number and anything comes up on my end, I’ll do the same. Fair enough?”

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Leverage Chat Opportunities

• Share the chat transcript with the shopper• Provides the buyer with your name, contact information• Creates a record of the cars you discussed

• Enter customer, session information into your CRM system for follow-up

• Review chat logs to identify:• Sales opportunities• Areas for improvement

• Were requests left unanswered?• Was the sales process followed?

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Review

• Chat creates a new contact channel to engage in-market buyers

• Develop a sales process for chat to ensure consistent use

• Be prepared to respond quickly with the properly trained staff

• Engage the shopper: Get information by giving it

• Monitor program results to improve performance

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Resources for Online Success

• Cars.com gives you the tools and resources to drive online success and fully merchandise your inventory: (http://dealers.cars.com/resources).

• Your local sales representative – Our knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you as well as answer any questions you might have

• Local training – Attend one of Cars.com’s local training workshops for a hands-on educational experience

• DealerADvantage blog– Get tips and techniques to maximize your online investment (http://dealeradvantage.cars.com)

• DealerADvantage LIVE – Tune in to our free monthly webinars, packed with advice from expert trainers and the best dealers in the industry (http://dealers.cars.com/live)

Questions & Answers

Thank You & Good Luck