updates for cloud-native systems can be installed whenever necessary, and cloud record backups prevent you from losing important information if or when someone hacks your business. If you don’t already have a cloud-based DMS, you should consider getting one. Digital Advertising Websites, including social media websites, are an opportunity to help potential customers find you. You can then let them know about any special offers you might have. That becomes doubly important at a time when many people are still avoiding brick-and-mortar stores. Mobile Services Sometimes people don’t want to bring a vehicle in for service. Some dealerships have met that need by expanding their services; more specifically, they offer mobile services. They can pick up a vehicle from a customer’s home, rotate the tires or change the oil, and then return it. Suppose you are considering offering similar services at your dealership. If so, you will need a DMS that can work off-site without a VPN. Online Shopping Most potential customers now prefer to do some or all of their shopping online instead of at a dealership. Thanks to the internet, they can conduct in-depth research and become well-informed before making their final buying decisions. According to an online article on the Autolist website that appeared in May 2021, people spend more than nine hours researching vehicles. Going to the dealership to buy a vehicle often takes about three hours. That time might be spent looking at vehicles, talking to the sales staff, test driving, negotiating the purchase price and trade-in price, and signing paperwork. The shift to online research and paperwork that has been filled out in advance allows you to improve efficiency. If customers start the buying process from home, that means you can often shorten the time needed to finalize the sale. As people do more paperwork at home, the sales process becomes easier, and customers are happier about their vehicle-buying experience. What is the ideal amount of time? A Car and Driver article by Jack Nerad published Jan. 4, 2018, said customers wanted to spend 45 minutes to an hour finalizing their The shift to online research and paperwork that has been filled out in advance allows you to improve efficiency. If customers start the buying process from home, that means you can often shorten the time needed to finalize the sale. DEALERSHIPS DO BUSINESS — continued on page 20 19 Pub. 9, Issue 4
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