Wesley Gregg Speaks With DrivingSales

The automotive industry is ever changing, and dealerships are just trying to keep up. For an industry that has leaned on antiquated methods of communication and sales for so long, this has been quite an awakening. But if businesses involved in this industry want to continue to thrive, they’re going to have to get onboard.

Wesley Gregg, co-founder of Quotible and GM of Gaudin Ford, recently spoke with DrivingSales about evolving the consumer experience by using technology and shifting your processes, particularly when it comes to fixed ops.

In his discussion, Gregg shares that only months ago, pickup and delivery were something you did only for your VIP customers. It was more of an afterthought, something dealerships did as more of an “extra.”

These days, that’s no longer the norm — and Gregg says we’re never going to go back to the way that things used to be.

Keeping Up With Digital Trends

Consider companies like Uber, Uber Eats, Postmates, Amazon, and Airbnb. They’re making it easier than ever for consumers to get exactly what they need, often delivered right to their front door.

And with a platform like Airbnb, accomplishing a task — in this case, finding accommodations for a trip — no longer requires even a phone call. You can do all of it directly within the app, without ever having to speak to someone.

This should cause dealerships to reexamine how they look at their brick-and-mortar location, because they’re going to have to adapt. Because we can no longer assume that people are going to go to the dealership, you have to find a new way to communicate with them that doesn’t require in-person conversations.

The Pandemic: A Major Turning Point

We all witnessed that COVID-19 accelerated this trend even more. Customers weren’t walking into dealerships because they literally couldn’t. Businesses around the globe had to find a way to pivot, and many did — by taking things virtual.

And now that customers have seen that so much of what they need can be handled digitally, we’re going to find that even in post-coronavirus days, giving your customers the option to interact with you virtually is going to be vital to your business’s success and growth. Otherwise, you’re going to lose a significant portion of your sales — both from the sales side and the service/fixed ops side.

Make no mistake about it: If dealerships don’t step up to the challenge, there will be a third party who jumps in and seizes that opportunity.

The service-to-sales handoff still exists, but it’s moved a lot more to the internet and online communication platform software.

This is a major gap in the market that Quotible knew it needed to fill. It’s become a vital tool for dealerships to communicate with people who need their vehicle serviced, are interested in trading it in, or are otherwise considering purchasing a new vehicle.

People might not be walking through the front door of your dealership like they used to. But this simply means that you need to make a greater push to still stay in front of them. This might be something that dealerships have a hard time accepting, but this is the changing landscape of the industry, plain and simple.

If you’re interested in experiencing the power of Quotible, request a demo today.