Creating a BDC- Looking for Suggestions, Tips and Best Practices

[Michael Blake Powell]

I have been the Internet Sales Manager for my store for close to five years now and after swearing up and down that I would never use a bdc format for setting appointments, I have now changed my mind. I feel a lot like Delmar O'Donnell in O Brother Where Art Thou? "Well that's it boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward!"

Our current format allows Internet Salespeople to catch leads as well as answering internet leads. I always thought a good salesperson would be the best at answering leads, but the chaos of the sales floor simply is not conducive to properly answer the inquirer's questions whether it be from web or phone.

So anyways I'm looking for any advice especially in regards to different pay plans on an appointment basis and any other best practices you might suggest. So plug away you mighty refreshers!

Sincerely,

Blake Powell
Chevyland

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

Don't take this the wrong way Blake, but if we know a large percentage of our business comes from the Internet why wouldn't you hire salespeople that are capable of handling the different types of shoppers that visit your store. Imagine a baseball team that only drafted good hitters, but they sucked at all other aspects of the game. Our business is no different. You problem is one or more of these issues.

1. You've hired the wrong people! Read this: How To Hire Great Car Dealer Salespeople »
2. Your salespeople were not provided with proper training.
3. Your dealership has not setup a proper structure/procedure for handling leads.
4. Your staff is not being held accountable.

These are all things that can be fixed. Building a BDC is basically a crutch for a dealership that can't get their sales staff to do the job they should be doing in the first place. And that last statement is generally due to weak leadership. Irks the hell out of me when I hear a manager say, "I can't get my salespeople to do that." #notaleader Building a BDC is no guarantee that you're going to fix the issue.

Good luck!

 

[Michael Blake Powell]

I agree with you completely Jerry and thank you for responding. My leadership has been weak. As many of my credit challenged customers say, "Let me explain my situation." I am also the inventory control manager and a regular sales manager as well. I had to find a way to streamline my responsibilities and get out of the sales tower. A bdc allows me to do that. Maybe a bdc is not the best answer, but it is going to be the answer for now.

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

How about a BDC managed by your salespeople. Start a rotation system. If you are not 1st or 2nd in the rotation, you are in the BDC making a appointments.

 

[ddavis]

And that last statement is generally due to weak leadership. Irks the hell out of me when I hear a manager say, "I can't get my salespeople to do that." #notaleader Building a BDC is no guarantee that you're going to fix the issue.

Good luck!

Amen

 

[Michael Blake Powell]

That's not a bad idea. Of course the question is selling it to the gm and dealer who are pretty heavy on the side of a traditional bdc if there is such a thing.

 

[john.quinn]

At the end of the day, you try a bunch of different ideas, some work, some don't. A relatively stable "given" in our industry is that paying for specific behaviors generally produces the desired results. That's why we call them "pay plans" in our business -- not "salaries."

One of the most common dilemmas over the last 15 years is the dichotomy between being a hell of a good lead responder and a hell of a good floor/delivery person. The reality is that for most stores, these positions conflict: Sales people are paid to sell & deliver. This Sales model often directly negates said salesperson's ability to nurture internet leads according to the best practices we've established.

So we turn to the BDC concept as a means to pay for the exact behaviors we desire: we need people to concentrate on lead nurturing and appointment setting beyond the practical abilities of the people we pay to convert floor traffic and deliver metal.

As long as the pay plan is predominately a commission/unit based reward, a natural solution to the lead nurturing conundrum will be a BDC.

Want to break the model? Forget about commissions for each sale/delivery -- pay a commission on every appointment salespeople get through the door. That's the ultimate goal today, right? Convert forms to faces? One way or another, you are going to pay for behaviors you want to see in your store.

Good luck!!

 

[Kelly Wilson]

Management, Management, Management!
In an ideal world, sales people that can do internet leads cradle to cradle to....would be standard. The CRM work plans would be finished every day. Every lead would get a personalized video greeting email in under 5 min and a video walk around with a quote-buy and lease in under 30 min. Every sales person would ask for reviews, keep up their work facebook page and help create interesting blog materiel for the dealer too. In addition to internet leads, each sales person would understand how important real prospecting-digital and IRL-is to their business. They would work the CRM, manifest lists and internet leads to their fullest potential.
Sadly, the world I see every day is much more chaotic. Managers having the authority and wherewithal to manage the floor and hire qualified personnel would be a big step. Right now I'm seeing the world moving in much the opposite direction; BDC, product specialist and closers (training for a specific job over hiring skills to master all).

Blake, what format are you looking at you BDC taking: up to apt then to floor or lead through sale & beyond?