I have really received a lot of insight and enlightenment using this forum and have made an observation as an independent IT consultant for both automotive and motorcycle dealerships:
I am very surprised at the number of customer contact dealership personnel that are super inept in front of a computer when I feel like it should be a priority to them (especially in sales). Probably 65% of my calls are not for people that are actually having computer issues but for people that simply don't know how to do job-related tasks. Business people in other types of offices have adapted to their technology environment while car salespeople almost refuse to conform. Even some GM's that have migrated up through the ranks are generally computer illiterate.
I feel sorry for dealership principals putting so much faith in these people who can't complete simple tasks like creating a .pdf, downloading a spreadsheet, adding an attachment, using an electronic calendar, creating a letter in Microsoft Office, operating Microsoft Outlook or refusing to learn how their CRM operates and even just adding a simple signature. The lifeblood of their pocketbook all depends on their ability to keep up with technology. God help them if they don't have that all important icon on their desktop to run a program they certainly have on their computer. What makes me chuckle inside is that if you visit these same dealerships on weekends or at night, these are the same persons that will be watching a sports game in the customer lounge or on their desktops.
I know this has nothing to do with age because I happen to know a guy in his late 70's that is an internet manager and that guy can run Google Analytics statistics, set-up users and permissions in their CRM program, help end users with minimal issues and set up email addresses for new employees.
I have personally seen a GM ask a service consultant to make sure he is checking his emails, the latest service bulletins and you would think he just asked him to yank out one of his molars! Why those guys wouldn't rely on emails to generate more service visits with personalization added is beyond my scope. I am in the service business myself, and if I didn't reply to my prospective clients' emails they would find another business that will. Surprisingly enough I find that service technicians have been forced to use and will continue to be the technology champions in a car dealership. In my scenario, all of them have email addresses and they all use them regularly to contact their manufacture, download bulletins and generally stay focused on new developments. Back in the parts departments, you shouldn't even waste creating an email for these guys at all. They are the "I refuse to change the way I do things" neanderthals and would be still looking up parts on microfiche if they could (clearly my opinion).
Feel free to add your two cents but that is my personal observation at doing this job now for them for 15 years --
I am very surprised at the number of customer contact dealership personnel that are super inept in front of a computer when I feel like it should be a priority to them (especially in sales). Probably 65% of my calls are not for people that are actually having computer issues but for people that simply don't know how to do job-related tasks. Business people in other types of offices have adapted to their technology environment while car salespeople almost refuse to conform. Even some GM's that have migrated up through the ranks are generally computer illiterate.
I feel sorry for dealership principals putting so much faith in these people who can't complete simple tasks like creating a .pdf, downloading a spreadsheet, adding an attachment, using an electronic calendar, creating a letter in Microsoft Office, operating Microsoft Outlook or refusing to learn how their CRM operates and even just adding a simple signature. The lifeblood of their pocketbook all depends on their ability to keep up with technology. God help them if they don't have that all important icon on their desktop to run a program they certainly have on their computer. What makes me chuckle inside is that if you visit these same dealerships on weekends or at night, these are the same persons that will be watching a sports game in the customer lounge or on their desktops.
I know this has nothing to do with age because I happen to know a guy in his late 70's that is an internet manager and that guy can run Google Analytics statistics, set-up users and permissions in their CRM program, help end users with minimal issues and set up email addresses for new employees.
I have personally seen a GM ask a service consultant to make sure he is checking his emails, the latest service bulletins and you would think he just asked him to yank out one of his molars! Why those guys wouldn't rely on emails to generate more service visits with personalization added is beyond my scope. I am in the service business myself, and if I didn't reply to my prospective clients' emails they would find another business that will. Surprisingly enough I find that service technicians have been forced to use and will continue to be the technology champions in a car dealership. In my scenario, all of them have email addresses and they all use them regularly to contact their manufacture, download bulletins and generally stay focused on new developments. Back in the parts departments, you shouldn't even waste creating an email for these guys at all. They are the "I refuse to change the way I do things" neanderthals and would be still looking up parts on microfiche if they could (clearly my opinion).
Feel free to add your two cents but that is my personal observation at doing this job now for them for 15 years --
