Low Cost Live Chat Software

[joe.pistell]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoePistell
Oh!

You're saying is why does the Maybach and Hyundai stores have the same look when the sales floors look so different???

No? Yes?

Yes, Im saying that you should think about your target audience for your web page storefront as much as you do for your brick. If your Kia website and your Maybach website look the same, then well, I just dont know what to say really.

Especially considering the web page doesnt cost you that much more, except maybe in time, effort or bandwidth

Ok John, I am with you now.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The inventory detail pages is where all the love needs to be. Matt Campo and I have attended the same school. I don't know Matt Campo, I havent seen his work, but he totally gets it.

My opinions come from thousands of hours of building or managing auto dealer sites, studying traffic logs and listening to incoming phone calls. I don't build sites to be pretty, I build them to generate leads and sell cars.

Here's a pretty site that I built 5 years ago (archive). A killer layout for a single point store, simple and clean, easy to navigate and all above the fold. It failed to generate more leads and it taught me a lot of lessons about what sells cars.

To add more data points to the discussion, I will tell you with complete confidence that AutoNation's marketing team has run mountains of A/B tests, conducted focus group interviews and refined the results into what you see today. Customers feedback and lead counts have driven the layouts you see.

The home page does have value....
The smaller your ad budget the more important your home page style becomes. That's logical. And, viceversa, If you have mountains of cash spent on Brand recognition, then the home page can be built to reward the search experience to leverage the inventories depth. Also, generally speaking, the more cash a dealer has dumped into branding, the more units they have on the ground. The more units you have, the more important home page search tools can become.

Just my $0.02

 

[JohnScott]

Ok John, I am with you now.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The inventory detail pages is where all the love needs to be. Matt Campo and I have attended the same school. I don't know Matt Campo, I havent seen his work, but he totally gets it.

My opinions come from thousands of hours of building or managing auto dealer sites, studying traffic logs and listening to incoming phone calls. I don't build sites to be pretty, I build them to generate leads and sell cars.

Here's a pretty site that I built 5 years ago (archive). A killer layout for a single point store, simple and clean, easy to navigate and all above the fold. It failed to generate more leads and it taught me a lot of lessons about what sells cars.

To add more data points to the discussion, I will tell you with complete confidence that AutoNation's marketing team has run mountains of A/B tests, conducted focus group interviews and refined the results into what you see today. Customers feedback and lead counts have driven the layouts you see.

The home page does have value....
The smaller your ad budget the more important your home page style becomes. That's logical. And, viceversa, If you have mountains of cash spent on Brand recognition, then the home page can be built to reward the search experience to leverage the inventories depth. Also, generally speaking, the more cash a dealer has dumped into branding, the more units they have on the ground. The more units you have, the more important home page search tools can become.

Just my $0.02

Thanks for the info, a lot of this is new to me. I saw the site you linked to above yesterday, you had a link to it in another thread. I like it.

I think where I was coming from is based on my experience working with, or for clientele in the luxury market. These are the people that will pay $2,000 dollars for a Stearns and Foster at Macy's when the same mattress with a different tick(cover) would cost $500.00 at mattress king. They're willing to pay for the Macy's experience, and having the Macy's truck pull up outside their home when its delivered.

Thats why I was somewhat shocked when I saw Autonations luxury brand home pages were the same as their low end.
Then again, maybe the same people who pay extra for image dont even go to the dealer web pages, it would be interesting to find out. I dont have numbers, just my gut right now, just learning what I can without actually seeing it for myself.

 

[Alex Snyder]

John,

I had a conversation with Jeff Kershner last night about brand awareness and how it relates to online marketing. He made a great point that I think can be echoed here (even though his point was more to social media). If you have a brand, as a dealership like Auto Nation, then you have to build things around the brand. It does not become a matter of what Honda or Porsche is doing - yes you incorporate that - but more about what you're doing. This is why I will continue to brand all the Checkered Flag websites with a Checkered Flag look and feel. I want people to know that even if they're looking at Hyundai and then looking at a BMW, they're in the right place. I don't see Best Buy branding their Sony page any differently than they brand their Samsung page. It is all Best Buy.

At the end of he day I own a Samsung TV, but I researched it, talked about it with, and bought it from Best Buy. Samsung just built the thing.

A different scenario is Apple. This is a manufacturer and a retailer. I shop on Apple.com, research on Apple.com, and buy from an Apple retail outlet.....and if I'm in a hurry, sometimes Best Buy. But in Apple's case, I much prefer to use their services - they're incredible! But if I was an Apple retailer (like Best Buy), I would still brand my retail website in my image and maybe incorporate a few small Apple-image details on the pages related to Apple.

BUT - WE ARE GETTING WAAAAAY OFF TOPIC HERE. THIS THREAD IS ABOUT LIVE CHAT.

 

[joe.pistell]

<---- Evil Thread-Jacker

 

[Matt DoCampo]

<---- Evil Thread-Jacker

We are a premium highline store and I've never had a customer take issue with our homepage look. Especially when they see how much effort we put into every single one of our inventory listings as well as the additional content we have on our site.

Let me bring it back on topic.

Being a highline store I'm not sure how well a chat function will work for us. But I guess there's only one way to find out and that's by trying it out for a bit.

 

[CAORYAN]

We are a premium highline store and I've never had a customer take issue with our homepage look. Especially when they see how much effort we put into every single one of our inventory listings as well as the additional content we have on our site.

Let me bring it back on topic.

Being a highline store I'm not sure how well a chat function will work for us. But I guess there's only one way to find out and that's by trying it out for a bit.

Matt,

FYI Highlline stores do the best. It is all in how you work it. I have a story.....

A guy was on a plane from Miami to Atlanta.....He hoped on the internet (Didn't even know you could do that) and started browsing around. He saw an ad for a BMW dealership and decided he would check it out. He had been thinking about buying a new car and was undecided on what to buy. He was checking out a Mercedes and BMW. I believe I attached the file so read the rest.

These are your clients. The guy with money and no time. This guy loved the experience he and wrote the dealership. I have it in PDF and will send it to you if you would like. I can also offer you the dealership contact info via email so you can call them yourself. Check the fact he said "best purchase experience ever". Not car purchase. Chat allowed that to happen.

I encourage you to research find what product is best for your needs and go with that one. Don't just try it....the dealers that buy in win and do VERY well the dealerships that try it don't.

Check out our tips and techniques blog. It may help.

 

[JohnScott]

This is why I will continue to brand all the Checkered Flag websites with a Checkered Flag look and feel. I want people to know that even if they're looking at Hyundai and then looking at a BMW, they're in the right place. I don't see Best Buy branding their Sony page any differently than they brand their Samsung page. It is all Best Buy.

.

Checkered is a well known and respected brand and I understand why you would want them to know they were at a Checkered site.

I personally believe you can do both, someone in the comments section of the "how I should approach getting a customer in the door" article said,

"what they really want is a fantastic experience….look at MINI and Scion, and soon SMART."

I couldnt agree more, especially where luxury brands are concerned. I guess the question is can both be done without it turning into a nightmare for the person administering the sites?

(Sorry, I know its off topic, but wanted to respond.Maybe move this and make a new topic?)

 

[VJnator]

@Matt DoCampo and @Ryan Lucia...

Matt the story told by Ryan really occurred. My BMW and MINI store are having live chat, and I tell you the response from the customers is fantastic. Without "praising a particular vendor" too much, Contact@Once was able to generate a huge portion of our leads and the closing ration is between 14 -19% at BMW and in the high 20% bracket for my MINI store. Pricing is very reasonable and Chat has been for me so far the "best conversion Call-2-Action" button yet.
Set up is easy and you are ready to go in less than a couple of hours.

 

[Shereef]

We are a premium highline store and I've never had a customer take issue with our homepage look. Especially when they see how much effort we put into every single one of our inventory listings as well as the additional content we have on our site.

Let me bring it back on topic.

Being a highline store I'm not sure how well a chat function will work for us. But I guess there's only one way to find out and that's by trying it out for a bit.

Hi Matt

I have to agree with Ryan. Our Highline stores also do very well with live chat, and often have better closing rates. If you are going to staff the chat yourself, spend some time preparing before you chat. You will need to have an action plan, and some basic scripts set up to gain appointments. There are a lot of experienced guys on this blog that can help you get the ball rolling. feel free to ask some questions, as this thread is all about live chat

Shereef

 

[Jason Walter]

I have to agree that chat has done well for us. I do not believe it is a substitute for a website with good content and/or an accurate inventory that has comments and pics etc...But I am getting 20 chats a day and with a little more training and skills I think it will become an integral part of our lead generation process.

I am using Contact @ Once and must say that they do it month to month so there realy is very little risk. Oh and Alex you are exactly right...I have been saying for along time to my dealer and even BZ that our dealership website and process whether its sales or service, should be a one stop shop for the customers needs and even beyond. The way I see it is that there should b no reason for my customer to have to go to any other 3rd party or manufacturer site to get info.