CDP - Customer Data Platforms?

[joe.pistell]

DealerRefresh membership is priceless.
ChatGPT's CDP info was useless, written by p*nis puffers

 

[Dan Sayer]

It seems like everyone in automotive is talking about CDPs (customer data platforms), the latest buzzword in the industry. But with so many vendors claiming to have one, how do you know which CDP can truly deliver on its promises and help you power better customer experiences?

The truth is, very few CDPs on the market today are actually able to provide the level of customer insights and personalization that dealers need to thrive. Instead, many of these so-called CDPs seem to be primarily designed to supplement advertising agency revenue (possibly to replace the loss of Google Partner $?) by charging a flat monthly fee for a platform that powers advertising campaigns that dealers were already running. So the obvious question is: is the improvement in ad performance worth the added cost?

For dealers with larger advertising budgets, the answer may be yes. But for those with smaller budgets, it's important to carefully consider the cost-benefit analysis before committing to a CDP that may not deliver the ROI you're hoping for.

If you're considering a CDP for your dealership, make sure to do your research and choose a vendor that has a proven track record of delivering real value to its customers. Don't get caught up in the hype of the latest buzzword – focus on finding a solution that can truly help you improve your customer experiences and grow your business. For some dealers, it might be better to consider pushing that money to the bottom line of your financial statement while you wait for your perfect CDP partner to emerge from the current CDP frenzy.

So, what are your thoughts on CDPs and their role in automotive marketing? Have you had success with a particular vendor, or are you still weighing your options?

I knew there had to be a post from you on this @Ryan Everson! This is what I was texting you about yesterday. Shift Digital and Mazda are claiming to be the first OEM with a full strategy and certified provider list ready to launch. Here at our group, Mazda was running the slide deck but Shift was clearly driving the CDP strategy along with a reporting dashboard that all vendor partners report through. No more array of vendor dashboards, but a Shift controlled data center. I thought Shift did a great job on this one and the partnerships and data sharing needed to bring the program together seemed well thought out with years of planning. Biggest eyebrow raiser was the claim of identifying 40% of your web visitors without Mazda or Shift buying lists. That identifying capability was going to come from the CDP strategy itself. Good to also see OTT as part of a strategy to help identify those same visits to sites and assist the overall CDP.

The only item that was disappointing was to see Shift, without asking, offer up their recommended vendor partners from their own list. Stop playing favorites Shift, especially if you vetted all your certified vendors equally. Here was the program page given to dealers from Mazda and Shift. Mazda Enrollment

 

[Max_Fullpath]

Has anyone used AutoLeadStar (now Fullpath)? Ease of use? Effectiveness? Cost?

Hi Bruce, I'm the Regional Sales Manager for Fullpath in your area. I can certainly provide you with several referrals if you feel that would help. Also if you haven't had a chance to see the full capabilities of our CDP recently, let me know and we can always set up a time to connect. Whether you go with Fullpath or not, I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

[TScheer]

It seems like everyone in automotive is talking about CDPs (customer data platforms), the latest buzzword in the industry. But with so many vendors claiming to have one, how do you know which CDP can truly deliver on its promises and help you power better customer experiences?

The truth is, very few CDPs on the market today are actually able to provide the level of customer insights and personalization that dealers need to thrive. Instead, many of these so-called CDPs seem to be primarily designed to supplement advertising agency revenue (possibly to replace the loss of Google Partner $?) by charging a flat monthly fee for a platform that powers advertising campaigns that dealers were already running. So the obvious question is: is the improvement in ad performance worth the added cost?

For dealers with larger advertising budgets, the answer may be yes. But for those with smaller budgets, it's important to carefully consider the cost-benefit analysis before committing to a CDP that may not deliver the ROI you're hoping for.

If you're considering a CDP for your dealership, make sure to do your research and choose a vendor that has a proven track record of delivering real value to its customers. Don't get caught up in the hype of the latest buzzword – focus on finding a solution that can truly help you improve your customer experiences and grow your business. For some dealers, it might be better to consider pushing that money to the bottom line of your financial statement while you wait for your perfect CDP partner to emerge from the current CDP frenzy.

So, what are your thoughts on CDPs and their role in automotive marketing? Have you had success with a particular vendor, or are you still weighing your options?

Ryan,

Just looking through the forums and came across your post. Thought I'd share some insights regarding CDPs, and data governance in general, to help answer some of your questions.

In 2024, Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) have become increasingly crucial for automotive dealerships aiming to optimize their operations and enhance customer experiences. While it's true that the term has gained buzzword status, the value of a well-implemented CDP cannot be overstated. Let's examine the data-driven benefits and considerations:



1. Market Growth and Adoption:

According to recent industry reports, the global CDP market is expected to reach $15.3 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 34.6% from 2021 to 2026. The automotive sector is a significant contributor to this growth, with dealerships recognizing the need for unified customer data to drive personalized experiences.



2. Top Automotive CDP Providers:

Some of the leading CDP providers in the automotive industry include:

- Treasure Data

- Amperity

- Merkle

- Acxiom Automotive

- ActionIQ



3. Driving Customer Lifetime Value (CLV):

A properly implemented CDP can significantly increase CLV:

- Personalized communication: CDPs enable tailored messaging based on customer preferences, increasing engagement by up to 20%.

- Predictive maintenance alerts: Using IoT data, CDPs can prompt timely service reminders, potentially increasing service revenue by 15-25%.

- Cross-selling and upselling: By analyzing purchase history and behavior, CDPs can suggest relevant add-ons or upgrades, potentially boosting sales by 10-15%.



4. Cutting Marketing Costs:

CDPs can help reduce marketing spend while improving effectiveness:

- Improved targeting: By leveraging unified customer data, dealerships can reduce ad waste by up to 30%.

- Channel optimization: CDPs help identify the most effective marketing channels, potentially reducing overall marketing spend by 20-25%.

- Customer retention: By focusing on retention strategies, CDPs can help reduce customer acquisition costs by up to 50%.



5. Increasing Dealership Efficiencies:

Operational improvements driven by CDPs include:

- Inventory management: Predictive analytics can optimize stock levels, potentially reducing carrying costs by 10-15%.

- Staff productivity: By providing a 360-degree customer view, CDPs can increase sales team efficiency by up to 20%.

- Customer service: Unified data allows for faster issue resolution, potentially reducing support costs by 15-20%.



6. ROI Considerations:

While the potential benefits are significant, dealerships must carefully consider their specific needs and budget:

- Implementation costs: Initial setup and integration can range from $50,000 to $500,000+, depending on the complexity and scale.

- Ongoing fees: Monthly or annual fees can vary widely, from $2,000 to $20,000+ per month.

- Time to value: Expect a 3-6 month period before seeing significant ROI.



7. Key Factors for Success:

To maximize CDP value, dealerships should:

- Ensure data quality and integration across all touchpoints

- Invest in staff training to leverage CDP capabilities fully

- Regularly review and optimize CDP strategies based on performance metrics



While it's crucial to approach CDP adoption with a critical eye, the data shows that a well-chosen and properly implemented CDP can deliver substantial value to automotive dealerships. The key is to select a vendor with a proven track record in the automotive industry, clearly define your objectives, and carefully measure ROI.

Let's take a look at this in even greater detail:


CDP Implementation for Automotive Dealerships:



1. Data Integration:

- Identify all data sources: DMS, CRM, website analytics, social media, service records, and third-party data providers.

- Implement data connectors or APIs to ensure real-time data flow.

- Establish a unified customer ID to link data across touchpoints.



2. Data Cleansing and Standardization:

- Deduplicate customer records to create a single customer view.

- Standardize data formats (e.g., phone numbers, addresses) across systems.

- Implement data quality checks and ongoing maintenance processes.



3. Segmentation and Personalization:

- Define customer segments based on behavior, preferences, and value.

- Create personalized marketing campaigns for each segment.

- Implement dynamic content on websites and in email communications.



4. Predictive Analytics:

- Develop models to predict customer lifetime value, churn risk, and next best action.

- Implement lead scoring to prioritize sales efforts.

- Use predictive maintenance models to proactively engage service customers.



5. Omnichannel Activation:

- Integrate CDP with marketing automation platforms, ad networks, and social media tools.

- Implement cross-channel campaign orchestration.

- Ensure consistent messaging and offers across all customer touchpoints.



6. Privacy and Compliance:

- Implement robust data governance policies.

- Ensure compliance with regulations like CCPA and GDPR.

- Provide customers with transparency and control over their data.



7. Training and Adoption:

- Conduct comprehensive training for sales, service, and marketing teams.

- Develop standard operating procedures for CDP usage.

- Appoint CDP champions within each department to drive adoption.



8. Continuous Optimization:

- Regularly review CDP performance metrics.

- A/B test personalization strategies and campaign tactics.

- Stay updated on new CDP features and industry best practices.



ROI Calculation for Automotive CDPs:



1. Define KPIs:

- Sales metrics: New vehicle sales, used vehicle sales, F&I product sales

- Service metrics: Service appointments, customer pay RO revenue, customer retention

- Marketing metrics: Lead generation, conversion rates, cost per acquisition

- Customer metrics: Customer lifetime value, Net Promoter Score, customer satisfaction



2. Establish Baseline:

- Gather historical data for all KPIs (typically 12-24 months pre-CDP implementation).

- Calculate average performance and identify seasonal trends.



3. Track Post-Implementation Performance:

- Monitor KPIs on a monthly basis post-CDP implementation.

- Compare against baseline and industry benchmarks.



4. Calculate Direct Revenue Impact:

- Incremental sales: (New sales - Baseline sales) x Average profit per sale

- Service revenue increase: (New service revenue - Baseline service revenue)

- Marketing efficiency: (Baseline marketing spend - New marketing spend) + (New revenue generated from improved targeting)



5. Estimate Indirect Benefits:

- Time savings: (Hours saved per employee x Average hourly rate) x Number of employees

- Improved customer retention: (Retention rate increase x Average customer lifetime value)

- Enhanced customer experience: (NPS improvement x Estimated revenue impact per point)



6. Account for Costs:

- Initial implementation costs (software, integration, training)

- Ongoing subscription fees

- Additional staff or resources required for CDP management



7. Calculate ROI:

ROI = (Total Benefits - Total Costs) / Total Costs x 100



8. Consider Time to Value:

- Plot ROI over time, typically 6, 12, and 24 months post-implementation.

- Identify break-even point and long-term ROI projections.



9. Segment Analysis:

- Calculate ROI for different customer segments or business units.

- Identify areas with highest impact for future optimization.



10. Comparative Analysis:

- Benchmark ROI against industry averages and competitor performance (if available).

- Adjust for dealership size and market conditions.



Example Calculation:

Assume a mid-sized dealership implements a CDP with the following results after 12 months:



- Implementation cost: $100,000

- Annual subscription: $50,000

- Incremental new car sales: $500,000 (profit)

- Service revenue increase: $200,000

- Marketing spend reduction: $100,000

- Time savings: $50,000



Total Benefits: $850,000

Total Costs: $150,000



ROI = ($850,000 - $150,000) / $150,000 x 100 = 466%



This example demonstrates a strong positive ROI, but it's crucial to conduct this analysis based on your dealership's specific data and circumstances. Additionally, consider qualitative benefits such as improved customer satisfaction and employee efficiency, which may not have an immediate financial impact but contribute to long-term success.



By thoroughly implementing a CDP and carefully calculating its ROI, dealerships can make informed decisions about their technology investments and continuously optimize their customer experience strategies.

 

[LocalWerks]

It seems like everyone in automotive is talking about CDPs (customer data platforms), the latest buzzword in the industry. But with so many vendors claiming to have one, how do you know which CDP can truly deliver on its promises and help you power better customer experiences?

The truth is, very few CDPs on the market today are actually able to provide the level of customer insights and personalization that dealers need to thrive. Instead, many of these so-called CDPs seem to be primarily designed to supplement advertising agency revenue (possibly to replace the loss of Google Partner $?) by charging a flat monthly fee for a platform that powers advertising campaigns that dealers were already running. So the obvious question is: is the improvement in ad performance worth the added cost?

For dealers with larger advertising budgets, the answer may be yes. But for those with smaller budgets, it's important to carefully consider the cost-benefit analysis before committing to a CDP that may not deliver the ROI you're hoping for.

If you're considering a CDP for your dealership, make sure to do your research and choose a vendor that has a proven track record of delivering real value to its customers. Don't get caught up in the hype of the latest buzzword – focus on finding a solution that can truly help you improve your customer experiences and grow your business. For some dealers, it might be better to consider pushing that money to the bottom line of your financial statement while you wait for your perfect CDP partner to emerge from the current CDP frenzy.

So, what are your thoughts on CDPs and their role in automotive marketing? Have you had success with a particular vendor, or are you still weighing your options?

FullPath is BY FAR the best on the market and when combined with their suite of engagement and activation tools, no one can beat them

 

[Alex Snyder]

FullPath is BY FAR the best on the market and when combined with their suite of engagement and activation tools, no one can beat them

These kind of claims seem very fishy.