Have you ever called a business’s phone number, only to be answered by some form of AI (artificial intelligence)? And then you had to wait for 20 minutes until you could talk to a real human being, only to have to re-explain your issue yet again? Maybe you tried to email or live chat with a business, only to get automated responses. You are not alone. One of the most consistent complaints from customers of all kinds is that calling businesses is like talking to a robot. The automation of the customer service industry dehumanizes the experience and has become a major problem in the recent years.
The digital customer experience has a lot of pros, like providing a faster quoted time for support and allowing customers to communicate without having to meet face-to-face. However, it also comes with a lot of cons. Digital and automated customer service eliminates the authenticity of your business and removes the human aspect of your dealership. Customer relationships play a crucial role in car marketing because of how selective people are with such an expensive purchase.
With the rise of CRM software as a central part of a dealership’s customer service as well as automotive marketing, it is crucial to humanize the entire process. While CRM is meant to help personalize each interaction you have with your customers and strengthen your relationships, some people fall into the trap of automating the CRM process. These people will use the same exact script over and over until they have it memorized and don’t put any personality into their phone calls or customer interactions. The goal of CRM is to create better relationships, not to automate them.
The key to customer service success is the element of real human interaction. How can you use CRM to humanize your customers’ experiences? Here are a few tips:
1. Log details, even the little ones, into your CRM.
Take notes while you’re on the phone or pick out key details while talking to a customer, and then log them as soon as you can before you forget. When customers don’t have to re-explain themselves thoroughly or see that you remember who they are, it feels more special and makes a big difference.
2. Add a personal touch to each email you send or each phone call you have.
Even an extra sentence or personal reference is enough to make your customers feel like they are important. All it takes is a quick search in your CRM customer notes to find something to add to your message. Whether you are sending a confirmation email for a test drive or calling to let your customers know their car parts have arrived, a little personal touch can go a long way.
3. Adapt experiences based on individual customer’s journeys.
This is a lot easier said than done, but this is the strategy that will really make you stand out above your competitors. The digital transformation of customer experience makes it even harder to feel connected to your customers, but there are a few easy tools to consider implementing as a start:
- “Recently Viewed Vehicles” section on your website
- Use your customers’ name in your email subject lines
- Use dynamic inventory ads and dynamic remarketing ads
4. Focus on creating connections.
What makes a dealer CRM unique is how it makes it easier to build relationships with your customers. Good customer service might get you a sale, but a real connection or friendship will get you a returning customer.
To get started with CRM, try out ours for free! AutoJini’s dealer CRM was created with automotive dealerships in mind, with our key features hand-picked to serve dealers: leads, credit application, inventory, deals, and more.