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Current CRMs are missing an important piece of our business

I also use VinSolutions (not particularly a fan), but I can't really see how/why you couldn't use custom status/processes to achieve what you're looking for? We use them to segment a ton of different 'types' of contacts in VinSolutions. I'm sure I'm missing something, but I would gladly open a feature request if this is not currently doable.
A Custom process could work, however,everyone would have to know that "Sales lead marked bad > Underage prospect" is the tag to use for street bought vehicles.

By not being able to dealer customize the hard coded Status terms, it is a hack, more than a solution.

Please add to the demand by putting in a feature request, from what my rep has said, there have been enough requests so far to generate discussion about how/when to implement. If we can keep the requests coming in, it has a better chance of happening before the next decade.
 
A Custom process could work, however,everyone would have to know that "Sales lead marked bad > Underage prospect" is the tag to use for street bought vehicles.

By not being able to dealer customize the hard coded Status terms, it is a hack, more than a solution.

Please add to the demand by putting in a feature request, from what my rep has said, there have been enough requests so far to generate discussion about how/when to implement. If we can keep the requests coming in, it has a better chance of happening before the next decade.
Hmmm, maybe I'm not quite getting my point across. Just to make sure, I just set it up in Vinsolutions to verify.

Step 1: Create a custom lead SOURCE called 'Buy Customer Vehicle' (or whatever).

Step 2: Create a custom lead STATUS called 'Buy Customer Vehicle'

Step 3: Create a custom process under 'Phone Lead Follow-up'(this is where I put it in my example anyway, as these leads are usually initiated via phone call), that runs when a customer is added with the 'Buy Customer Vehicle' lead source. I've named my process 'Buying Customer Vehicle'.

Step 4: Inside this process I created a single rule. Event type set to 'Change Status to Custom'. Custom Status set to 'Buy Customer Vehicle', and have it run immediately.

So, with the above done, all a salesperson has to do is add a customer with a lead type as 'Phone' and lead source as 'Buying Customer Vehicle'.

This achieves a way to group/analyze these customers, as well as tailor their follow-up.
 
Hmmm, maybe I'm not quite getting my point across. Just to make sure, I just set it up in Vinsolutions to verify.

Step 1: Create a custom lead SOURCE called 'Buy Customer Vehicle' (or whatever).

Step 2: Create a custom lead STATUS called 'Buy Customer Vehicle'

Step 3: Create a custom process under 'Phone Lead Follow-up'(this is where I put it in my example anyway, as these leads are usually initiated via phone call), that runs when a customer is added with the 'Buy Customer Vehicle' lead source. I've named my process 'Buying Customer Vehicle'.

Step 4: Inside this process I created a single rule. Event type set to 'Change Status to Custom'. Custom Status set to 'Buy Customer Vehicle', and have it run immediately.

So, with the above done, all a salesperson has to do is add a customer with a lead type as 'Phone' and lead source as 'Buying Customer Vehicle'.

This achieves a way to group/analyze these customers, as well as tailor their follow-up.
I get that, however, then you have a permanently open opportunity.

Most of us, I am assuming, would like to have bought/sold opportunities closed, and have the processes work off that status, rather than have to implement a workaround/hack to get it to work the way we want.
 
I get that, however, then you have a permanently open opportunity.

Most of us, I am assuming, would like to have bought/sold opportunities closed, and have the processes work off that status, rather than have to implement a workaround/hack to get it to work the way we want.
Well, you could still easily create a separate status for 'In process of selling us their car' and 'Sold us their car', which would allow you to change the status to to match the current state of the customer. As far as 'hacks' in the automotive industry goes, this seems super minor and takes maybe 10 minutes to setup and implement, while also seemingly solving the problem.

I just can't really imagine them implementing a change that would perform better than that without some SERIOUS changes to their architecture. Maybe I'm having a hard time imagining exactly what the 'ideal' implementation would be.

When you add a customer to VIN, your available options are choosing the lead source and the lead type (walk-in, phone, internet, service). That's about all that's available. How would you like this feature implemented? Would you like an entire lead type created? That doesn't really seem appropriate given the current selection options. If you added it to that drop-down you would then be unable to segment those leads between phone/internet/walk-in if you were wanting to track their origin.

Our store does about 250 units/month, so not an absolute ton, and we maybe buy 2 a month from customers, if that. And that's with a $200 spiff per car bought for the salespeople.

So for us, that's an incredibly small portion of our transactions. I understand not everyone is in the same situation, but if you're buying 20-30 cars from people a month outright, then maybe you would be better off with a different system, as that's not the primary function of the 'Sales Department' at most dealerships.

With how crappy and poorly designed the rest of VIN is, I just can't imagine them putting in the required amount of resources to create this feature when it affects such a small portion of their customer base.

Oh well, I won't argue it further, just trying to put solutions out there that are likely to help you out while you wait for the feature request to be picked up. I guess if anyone wants help implementing the status/source/process changes I talked about, I'd be more than happy to help!
 
Well, you could still easily create a separate status for 'In process of selling us their car' and 'Sold us their car', which would allow you to change the status to to match the current state of the customer. As far as 'hacks' in the automotive industry goes, this seems super minor and takes maybe 10 minutes to setup and implement, while also seemingly solving the problem.

I just can't really imagine them implementing a change that would perform better than that without some SERIOUS changes to their architecture. Maybe I'm having a hard time imagining exactly what the 'ideal' implementation would be.

When you add a customer to VIN, your available options are choosing the lead source and the lead type (walk-in, phone, internet, service). That's about all that's available. How would you like this feature implemented? Would you like an entire lead type created? That doesn't really seem appropriate given the current selection options. If you added it to that drop-down you would then be unable to segment those leads between phone/internet/walk-in if you were wanting to track their origin.

Our store does about 250 units/month, so not an absolute ton, and we maybe buy 2 a month from customers, if that. And that's with a $200 spiff per car bought for the salespeople.

So for us, that's an incredibly small portion of our transactions. I understand not everyone is in the same situation, but if you're buying 20-30 cars from people a month outright, then maybe you would be better off with a different system, as that's not the primary function of the 'Sales Department' at most dealerships.

With how crappy and poorly designed the rest of VIN is, I just can't imagine them putting in the required amount of resources to create this feature when it affects such a small portion of their customer base.

Oh well, I won't argue it further, just trying to put solutions out there that are likely to help you out while you wait for the feature request to be picked up. I guess if anyone wants help implementing the status/source/process changes I talked about, I'd be more than happy to help!
Didn't realize we were arguing, seemed like a discussion to me.

It simply appears we have different views on how to utilize the system. Some would prefer to have opportunities closed via a sold/lost/bad/bought their car type status, others are ok to leave something as an open opportunity with custom processes.

If they build in a new opportunity closing option, your process will still work, simply giving the rest of us another option.
 
Didn't realize we were arguing, seemed like a discussion to me.
The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Sorry if my verbiage seemed overly antagonistic. We were having a discussion, but we were on opposing sides of the discussion, hence my usage of the word 'argue'.
verb
1. give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view.
"“It stands to reason,” she argued"

Just trying to help others out with solutions that can be used today (as this issue seems to be related to the current climate, not the typical climate). Your faith in VinSolutions' ability to implement feature requests like this clearly exceeds my own.
 
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I have one called Acquisition, there is a small issue with a custom sales status.

The CRM counts these as a sales opportunity so if you measure lead close rates and appointment show/close rates the numbers can skew a little.

I have a request to break the up type "acquisition" out and segment the customers from pure sales opportunities. I think as we as dealers get better at buying off the street the trend will continue. Might as well build out a little infrastructure for the future.
 
Hmm, Emily, you have a great point here, and now I'm wondering why I missed this post or why I didn't think about it before. Moreover, after reading your post, I understand that we are not the only ones who deal with these issues. Current CRMs for many other domains have similar strategies, and that's why they are not that efficient. From my point of view, the managers and the directors are the ones who have to deal with these issues. And if they mention it and don't do anything about it, it might lead to bankruptcy, in the worst scenario. And I don't think they want to call the guys from ndandp.co.uk or any other insolvency litigation specialists.
I hope you understand what I mean.