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Chat benefit during unexpected closure

Sep 19, 2012
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Prior to this week, the disaster preparation aspect of website chat weren't readily apparent. However, the catastrophic impact of Superstorm Sandy on the eastern seaboard points out a benefit of Managed / Hosted Chat that extends beyond just being available after hours. As the affected dealers struggle to get their doors reopened and / or get staff back on the job, a managed chat is still available to guests on the store's website - who may be LOOKING TO REPLACE a car actually damaged in the storm.

The chat operators should be well-scripted, though, even if it's just to act as an answering service - but at least some is at the other end of the keyboard, when the phones and Chat requests can't be answered by dealer staff.
 

✨ AI Highlights

A dealer highlights an unexpected benefit of managed/hosted chat services: maintaining customer contact during physical business closures caused by disasters like Superstorm Sandy. The post argues that even when dealership staff are unavailable and phones are down, a managed chat service with well-trained operators can still engage potential customers—particularly those seeking to replace storm-damaged vehicles—keeping the business accessible during crisis situations.

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