Need feedback on Make My Deal

[ed.brooks]

We're having a bit of an internal debate here on where or not to sign up with MakeMyDeal. One party wants it while I want nothing to do with it (sorry Will). It reminds me a lot of GM's Shop-Click-Drive which I used for about 3 years at a previous group with poor results. Most people that used it still wanted to negotiate details when they came to the dealership or wouldn't complete the entire process.

I think that all of these systems are in the "early days". One goal that I would have for anything like this, is that consumers wouldn't have to complete the entire process, but they could do what they wanted from home, get the answers that they wanted, and pick it back up seamlessly at the the dealership -- I know, it's a lot to wish for.

All very good information, thank you everyone. I would still like to hear from anyone actually using the product and how many leads & sales they received directly from using this product.

@mattingly77 , I think you may benefit from looking at this differently; 'Leads' are all about harvesting consumer information while MakeMyDeal is about helping move the consumer closer to buying - clearing obstacles from their path if you will.

 

[DanielRobison]

Sorry to interrupt, but I followed that link... Wow!! Where's the car?
View attachment 2603
Columbiana's passion to sell is all I see.

Maybe should be another thread Joe but, what suggestions would you make? I don't mind criticism as long as there are suggestions to go along with it. BTW, after the pop ups (which is what you took the screenshot of) isn't that a car in the middle of the page?

 

[DanielRobison]

We're having a bit of an internal debate here on where or not to sign up with MakeMyDeal. One party wants it while I want nothing to do with it (sorry Will). It reminds me a lot of GM's Shop-Click-Drive which I used for about 3 years at a previous group with poor results. Most people that used it still wanted to negotiate details when they came to the dealership or wouldn't complete the entire process.

Daniel, you mentioned that many times your customers use MMD as another method of contact. Looking at one of your VDPs, I can't help but wonder if that's because the MMD is so prominent that they miss the "Request Information" form below the fold.

I have a lot of concerns with MMD. For example, on Daniel's website I can only see 3.74% if I want 72 months. If I have good credit I might bounce right there knowing I can get a rate in the 2's. Conversely if the prospect has bad credit, and this happens all the time with SCD, they'll know they have credit issues but blow up because they didn't get 3.74% or a low payment. I see that the prospect has the option to change the credit score, but like the slider with SCD I'd be willing to wager that most people don't touch that drop down.

Also, I absolutely detest having to create accounts to access things online. It annoys me to no end. I would be concerned that some people would abandon the form getting to the create an account screen.

I have other concerns too, like why I have to pay for a "beta" product, but I don't want to keep going on and on or be too negative here.

I'd love to hear from some more people that have used it.

There is a place for the customer to put in their credit score so that no one with bad credit actually following the process would think that they are getting 3.74%. It's been my experience that people are pretty honest with their credit score when filling out the MMD app. So in my experience anyway, they do select the right credit score and it is not ignored. This is just a tool just like many other things out there but it will be the future and the early adopters are going to benefit from this. Transparency is key to internet buyers and that's just what MMD brings to the table. The key thing is the cost, you're not investing $3000 (at least right now) for this product.

 

[DanielRobison]

Here's how I look at our world in 2015.

A dealer's site has 2 tasks.

1. Help shoppers land on a car.
2. Help motivate shoppers to come to the store.

99.9% of car shoppers have a zillion questions that are too hard to figure out on the internet. THEY WANT TO COME INTO YOUR STORE to 'close the information gaps'. Any tool that helps a shopper stay on your site longer AND helps the shopper visualise a productive visit at your store is a great goal.

IMO, I'd want to know: "for those shoppers that came into my store that were using MMD, was MMD a tool that helped them to come to your store? Would they have come to your store anyways?

If MMD passes this test, what are the top 3 MMD shopper problems? Can you work with your sales team to help them to be better prepared? Can MMD supply you with word tracks?

HTH
Joe

Joe,
I like the suggestion of word tracks! Very good suggestion. Also sales team training is something that they give you when you sign up for MMD. Good suggestions!

 

[BHavican]

There is a place for the customer to put in their credit score so that no one with bad credit actually following the process would think that they are getting 3.74%. It's been my experience that people are pretty honest with their credit score when filling out the MMD app. So in my experience anyway, they do select the right credit score and it is not ignored. This is just a tool just like many other things out there but it will be the future and the early adopters are going to benefit from this. Transparency is key to internet buyers and that's just what MMD brings to the table. The key thing is the cost, you're not investing $3000 (at least right now) for this product.

I hear you Daniel, and I'm glad you have a tool that works well for you. I took a screenshot from a dealership on SCD for you to see. It's pretty similar to MMD and our results from SCD were awful. As for prospects admittance of credit, I'm not going to say if it's an honesty thing or if it's not realizing they can changed the option; but we have had customers coming in with poor credit upset that they didn't qualify for the financing that "the website said."



Maybe the difference between our results is a market issue or is the service itself. Just thought I'd relay my concerns and experiences with a similar product.

Happy selling!

 

[BHavican]

I promise, I'm going to stop after this. Just came across an ad for MMD in AT's back end tool. Interesting marketing strategy.

 

[JuliePetree]

Ok I would like to address this. We are a dealer who uses MMD. I am the one who came back from DD in Tampa and talked the GM into giving it a shot. Not only do I still stand behind my decision but now the whole store is behind it. I am proud to say that we have our highest closing percentage of any group of leads from MMD. In four and a half months we have gotten 99 "leads" and had 24 sell. We have had multiple others come in from set appointments but not purchase due to credit or trade evaluation. I think I look at it differently. It may be played off as a tool for transparency or what have you but I see it as a way to get website shoppers that were not converting to a lead before to feel "safe" enough in the comfort of their own homes to submit a lead on their own terms anonymously. As a dealer it isn't as anonymous as they might first think. Most of the time people use their first name and last initial as the user name. I then look in our CRM at leads on that vehicle and match it back to a customer. What I have witnessed is about half are new leads while the other half from MMD's "leads" are leads that have been in our CRM but that our sales staff have not been able to connect with via phone, text or email. Also I love that I have a shop by payment feature on our website to give the customers more options to search for vehicles. I even go as far as emailing all unsold showroom follow up a quick email that links to MMD on our website and allows them to go back and structure their own deal if they choose. Before you even ask... Believe it or not most people are more willing in the comfort of their home to come back and give us a fair price that they are willing to pay... Not some blown up crazy discount. Lastly I think that our success has been about how we implement it. We only have myself and the General Sales Manager who desk the deals. We are the only ones that the customer responds to before they come in. This has been the best process for us. If you would like more information on it please feel free to ask.