BDC / Call Center Question

[Chris Cachor]

I'm working on a website project for fun and I'm hoping some of you can help. Most families no longer have landlines and rely on cell phones, which then have spam filtering or unrecognized contacts direct calls to voicemail. My question is, do call centers and BDC's mainly communicate via text/chat these days? Are there certain metrics internally on response time, etc? I'm experimenting with a messaging feature that is part AI / part "Business Chat". Rather than those "Request more information" lead forms, basically the functionality is to go direct with the AI assisting with some of the mundane parts and being intelligent about engagement. But also delivering a real-time engagement feel, so it seems like the store is "online". Any help or feedback greatly appreciated!

 

[Alex Snyder]

I'm not sure how to help here, but I can tell you how I would set my lead response up if I were still a dealer.

Front line = AI texting and emailing, backed up by an outside call center doing outbound calling. Depending on the volume of inbound sales calls and engaged customer generation from the AI and call center, I would staff a BDC that could take the customer the rest of the way.

I had a nine-person BDC at Checkered Flag. It costed, on average, $5,000 per month per person (15 years ago). Keeping a consistent outbound-call-per-hour rate was difficult to maintain as they were taking inbound calls and also responding to 1,400+ internet leads. If I could have knocked that down to 3-4 people, I think the customer experience would be better. That also would have given me $20,000/mo. to play with on the AI/call center fronts to save the group money, too.

Getting the lead forms as close to a quick text response as possible is a valiant goal. Customers are definitely desiring texting over any other form of communication. An AI reach-out would speed this up significantly and provide you consistency.

AI has passed the Turning test and is a fully valid mechanism for lead response now. I'm watching it all the time within our own app. This just happened for example:

 

[Jon Singo]

I'm working on a website project for fun and I'm hoping some of you can help. Most families no longer have landlines and rely on cell phones, which then have spam filtering or unrecognized contacts direct calls to voicemail. My question is, do call centers and BDC's mainly communicate via text/chat these days? Are there certain metrics internally on response time, etc? I'm experimenting with a messaging feature that is part AI / part "Business Chat". Rather than those "Request more information" lead forms, basically the functionality is to go direct with the AI assisting with some of the mundane parts and being intelligent about engagement. But also delivering a real-time engagement feel, so it seems like the store is "online". Any help or feedback greatly appreciated!

What you're asking for is a tool I've been rolling around in my head for a while now. You're absolutely on to something getting rid of tired CTA lead gens and replacing them with an interactive chat/AI tool. Fluid engagement is key and if you can offer an engaging experience without the customer mechanically submitting information, I think you'll have a winner.

In my head, a perfect tool would not only handle the more mundane aspects but also specific inventory questions, options, trade figures, and ultimately payment information (real payments, not basic finance calculator). With the technology available today I'm 80% sure you could have a tool do all of this, resulting in customers showing up ready to buy a deal they worked out through text with Bob the AI.

 

[Chris Cachor]

What you're asking for is a tool I've been rolling around in my head for a while now. You're absolutely on to something getting rid of tired CTA lead gens and replacing them with an interactive chat/AI tool. Fluid engagement is key and if you can offer an engaging experience without the customer mechanically submitting information, I think you'll have a winner.

In my head, a perfect tool would not only handle the more mundane aspects but also specific inventory questions, options, trade figures, and ultimately payment information (real payments, not basic finance calculator). With the technology available today I'm 80% sure you could have a tool do all of this, resulting in customers showing up ready to buy a deal they worked out through text with Bob the AI.

Yea the idea being different widget/tools being offered depending on the context. Trade appraisals would walk you through the trade process, Payment or lease quotes would be their own widget, etc. But it's all an effort to marry the online shopping offline sales process. But other useful tools too, like email or text me images of this vehicle, email/text me a quote, etc. would all be apart of the tool. Sort of an automated concierge mixed in with "Business Chat" via someone near the sales floor at the store.

 

[BillKVMotorCo]

I'm working on a website project for fun and I'm hoping some of you can help. Most families no longer have landlines and rely on cell phones, which then have spam filtering or unrecognized contacts direct calls to voicemail. My question is, do call centers and BDC's mainly communicate via text/chat these days? Are there certain metrics internally on response time, etc? I'm experimenting with a messaging feature that is part AI / part "Business Chat". Rather than those "Request more information" lead forms, basically the functionality is to go direct with the AI assisting with some of the mundane parts and being intelligent about engagement. But also delivering a real-time engagement feel, so it seems like the store is "online". Any help or feedback greatly appreciated!

We always text first which has about a 95% response rate compared to the abysmal response rates I hear about from stores that call first. And that conversion is even with just an initial opt-in message. They usually opt in within minutes if not seconds.

We then have an 85-90% response rate to our first actual point of contact. We have a hard fast rule to respond to leads within 15 minutes, but we respond to about 80% of leads within minutes. All of our managers get a notification any time a new lead comes in, including myself and we will respond if the salesperson that receives the lead is with another guest. I believe these three things go together to keep the conversion rates high.

After we get the opt-in, if the guest doesn't reply to our first point of contact within 15 minutes, we text them again. If they still don't respond within 30 minutes, then we call. We make sure to tell them in our voicemail (when they invariably don't answer) that if they prefer text to respond to our opt-in or we will call again in a few hours. Often the people who don't opt-in within the first 30 minutes will immediately opt-in after the VM.

We respond to internet leads with a text message until 9 p.m. seven days a week. We do not have any response after 9 p.m., but respond within 15 minutes of opening on the next business day. Most of our sales staff gets here about 30 minutes before we open, but I think 8 a.m. is just a bit early in the morning to message people, so I have them wait until after 8:30.

 

[Jon Singo]

Yea the idea being different widget/tools being offered depending on the context. Trade appraisals would walk you through the trade process, Payment or lease quotes would be their own widget, etc. But it's all an effort to marry the online shopping offline sales process. But other useful tools too, like email or text me images of this vehicle, email/text me a quote, etc. would all be apart of the tool. Sort of an automated concierge mixed in with "Business Chat" via someone near the sales floor at the store.

Personally I feel like it could work as one tool. This is assuming you can get enough APIs into the tool to handle all of the tasks needed. One tool, one point of contact, very streamlined experience. This could allow the customer to work a deal through Bob, or schedule an appointment to come into the store, meeting the goal of engaging each customer in a way they want to be engaged.

 

[Chris Cachor]

Personally I feel like it could work as one tool. This is assuming you can get enough APIs into the tool to handle all of the tasks needed. One tool, one point of contact, very streamlined experience. This could allow the customer to work a deal through Bob, or schedule an appointment to come into the store, meeting the goal of engaging each customer in a way they want to be engaged.

Yes, it'd be one tool. The chat would reply with text along with embedded widgets given the context.

 

[Jon Singo]

Yes, it'd be one tool. The chat would reply with text along with embedded widgets given the context.

Sounds like we're on the same page. You're not the first person to ask for a tool with these capabilities. IMO what you're asking for is what I feel like is the future of retailing in general, not just automotive. Smart, efficient, and informative shopping 'assistants' capable of directing a consumer precisely where they need to be based on their placement in the funnel. Promoting engagement and interaction gives a personalized experience while also gathering invaluable data and insights into consumer behavior based on interaction with the tool.

I don't currently have any recommendations but I've got some ideas. Maybe one day soon I'll start putting pen to paper.

 

[Baron Ringler]

I'm working on a website project for fun and I'm hoping some of you can help. Most families no longer have landlines and rely on cell phones, which then have spam filtering or unrecognized contacts direct calls to voicemail. My question is, do call centers and BDC's mainly communicate via text/chat these days? Are there certain metrics internally on response time, etc? I'm experimenting with a messaging feature that is part AI / part "Business Chat". Rather than those "Request more information" lead forms, basically the functionality is to go direct with the AI assisting with some of the mundane parts and being intelligent about engagement. But also delivering a real-time engagement feel, so it seems like the store is "online". Any help or feedback greatly appreciated!

First, when you have something together, I'd love to check it out. Great concept, although you should hurry. There are companies already starting to roll out similar.

What I find is that most people submit their vehicle leads through the desktop, old-fashioned e-lead. Follow-up and questions are then usually done through e-mails on the cell phones, so the important thing to do is get the traffic generated, then have your e-mail responses formatted in a way that is quick to the call to action for cell phone usage. Don't ask for complicated steps because you will never get them.

I was just asked by someone why my "'Click' to Call" button on my responses is so big. Why? Because when viewed on the cell phone it's an in-your-face call-to-action. There is messaging, easy to read and understand with lots of white space, but the call-to-action trumps everything.