Site Sleuthing

Throw on that totally inconspicuous trench coat and fedora cause it’s time to go mystery shopping! 🕵️

While it’s a tactic most often used to assess a dealership’s in-person sales, it’s also easy to adopt for the online car buying experience. Imagine you’re a potential customer visiting your website for the first time, and consider:

🌟 First Impressions —

When prospective customers visit your dealership’s website, their interaction with your brand starts. It’s no different from when they first step into the showroom. Ensure encounters are positive and engaging.

🔍 Evaluate:

• Your online chats are a big part of setting the tone. At a minimum, your “chat squad” should make customers feel welcome and valued. Even if they communicate by text, there are still opportunities to be friendly and approachable.
• Build on this by ensuring your team knows what your dealership sells, including how to respond to every potential question.

⏲️ Minimize Wait Periods —

People expect instant gratification, especially online. Long waiting times are a turnoff and an invitation to shop elsewhere.

🔍 Evaluate:

• Get a timer out to see how long it takes for you as an online shopper to receive an initial greeting from a live person (chatbots don’t count). See how the response times vary by time of day, day of the week, etc.
• Though your business likely isn’t open 24/7, having coverage during off-hours (especially in the late evenings) can yield big results.

🚀 Streamline Your Scheduling —

All the efforts to be responsive to online inquiries will fall flat if scheduling an appointment isn’t equally as smooth. Shoppers want an easy, low-pressure process for arranging a consultation or test drive.

🔍 Evaluate:

• Identify how many steps are required to set up an appointment and how long it takes. Is the effort straightforward and user-friendly, or are there too many hurdles?
• See what happens when you throw a wrench into the process by requesting a service appointment or a financial consultation.

🌐 Usability Matters —

Your dealership’s online car buying process is only as good as the website. A uniform customer experience builds trust and loyalty, but trends and customer preferences constantly change, so successful retailers must be agile to remain competitive.

🔍 Evaluate:

• Check that each step of the online car buying process is consistent. This includes ensuring the website design and navigation are uniform across pages, movements between functions seamless, and interactions with staff members helpful.
• Take inventory of what your website offers and what it’s lacking. Don’t be afraid to scope out the competition or look to other industries for inspiration.