Leaving Money on the Table
Every dealership is different. The processes vary from group to group, region to region, etc. However, there is one very important process that often gets overlooked. When it comes to handling the BDC appointments, most dealerships drop the ball… hard.
I’ve worked in dealerships in several states, and I’ve seen first hand just how many of them don’t place enough value on having an internet lead process.
If you’re not following a process with your BDC appointments, you’re leaving money on the table… a lot of money.
What IS the Right Process?
I’ll walk you through the proper BDC scenario. This is the process that every dealership should be using when it comes to sales people upping BDC appointments. As a matter of fact, BDC customers should never be upped at the door.
It’s not just to maximize revenue, your team’s potential and the customer experience. It also secures your BDC’s commission.
When a BDC agent hands over a lead that they’ve been diligently working, the deal is out of their hands, for the most part. So, when there is a process in place, it’s more likely that the customer buys.
Credit Where it’s Due
I am not taking credit for this process. I’m sure most dealership managers are at least somewhat familiar with this, they just don’t always enforce it.
I learned all of this from the central BDC Manager / Trainer at one of the groups I worked for in Massachusetts. he’s an incredible BDC sorcerer, ninja… take your pick.
This is how it’s done
You’re a BDC agent and you’ve just set an appointment. We are starting here, assuming you’ve already set the expectation with the customer. BDC has this down pat. It usually gets lost on the sales floor.
When you book an appointment, you create a folder for the desk (assuming the appointment is for that day). In this folder, you want to include any important notes, the vehicle of interest, and pricing that’s been given to the customer.
You should also include a tag or sign that says “Reserved for Xcustomer”. And make sure you write the customer name, your name and the time of the appointment on the outside of the folder. So it’s can be skimmed easily.
Going to the Desk
Now that you have your trusty folder, you are going to bring it up to the desk and get someone’s attention. I’ve found that standing there staring expectantly at management always does the trick.
When you hand over the folder, you give the manager a one or two sentence run down on the customer, the time they’ll be there, and if the car is available.
Ok that’s it for BDC
Now, the BDC agent has set up a sales person with a great appointment. Next, management should decide which sales person to give the lead to and make sure they’re available at the right time.
The sales person takes the folder and familiarizes themselves with the customer’s information. If the car is available, they pull it up to the front door with the reserved tag in the window.
Why all the Fuss?
Your BDC agent set an expectation that people would know that this customer was coming. They’re expecting to be greeted by someone that knows why they are there. More than just “they’re buying a car”.
Imagine this, you’re a customer going to a dealership to look at a preowned Rav 4. You’ve been talking to Jeff in the BDC. He knows what you’re looking for, and you have an appointment with him.
When you arrive at the dealership, the Rav 4 is waiting for you at the front door. There’s even a nice reserved tag with your name on it in the window. How’s this make you feel? You feel appreciated, expected and heard. You take the car for a test drive and you love it! You follow the sales person back to their desk, eager to discuss the deal.
That is the beginning of a great customer experience. One that gets customers to tell people about and recommend your dealership.
Now Let’s Look at this Scenario
You are super excited that the Rav 4 you’ve been looking at is still available. You respond to Jeff’s email and make an appointment to go to the dealership later today. You’ve been going back and forth through email with Jeff for a couple of days. He has all your info and he’s expecting you.
You walk up to the dealership and someone approaches you, asking how they can help you. You tell them that you have an appointment with Jeff. They tell you that Jeff works in the “BDC”, and ask you to follow them. Once you’re seated at their desk, they suddenly excuse themselves. You’re left sitting at the desk, playing with your phone, or staring off into space. Basically, you’re a little lost.
Then, they come back and sit at their computer, proceeding to ask you all the same questions that Jeff asked you. They don’t seem to know much about you at all. You are starting to think about how disorganized this seems to be.
When you’re Done Repeating Yourself
You’ve finally made it to the part where the sales person knows what car you’re interested in taking for a test drive. They excuse themselves again, and this time they’re gone for a while. It’s long enough for you to start contemplating looking for the Rav 4 somewhere else. That’s when they return and tell you that the car isn’t available. It was sold this morning.
At this point, you got in your car and drove to the dealership. You have dedicated hours of your Saturday to this situation that’s ultimately been a big let down. How does that make you feel? You feel disappointed, unappreciated and like you can’t wait to leave. But now the sales person is trying to talk to you about a “similar vehicle”.
Planning Your Exit
You smile politely at the sales person, racking your brain for an appropriate excuse to leave the dealership. You finally rattle off something about leaving your coffee maker on, and you leave. Now what? Do you take to social media and praise this dealership for giving you an amazing experience? No! You’re going to social media alright, but you’re going to vent about the experience. Letting anyone that sees your post know that the dealership dropped the ball.
This Could Have Been Avoided
Jeff attempts to follow up with the customer and find out how he can earn their business. He never gets in touch with them. Poor Jeff is left with a dead lead and a lot of questions.
This scenario happens repeatedly, sometimes several times a day. BDC appointments should never be upped. These customers need to be handled a little differently than someone that’s just walking in to the dealership. Now you know what’s happening to these leads and exactly where your dealership is hemorrhaging money. Take the extra time, and the extra steps. It’s worth it in the end.
A Simple Solution to a Complex Issue
I hope that this article helps you get your BDC process in place. Honestly, there is more that can be done to ensure a smoother experience for the customer (stay tuned), and a better chance of making the sale. However, if you just implement this simple process, you’re ahead of most of your colleagues.
If your team feels overwhelmed, disconnected, burned out, or constantly reactive, there’s usually friction somewhere in the process.
The problem is most dealerships don’t notice it until performance starts slipping.
That’s why I created the Dealership Friction Diagnostic:
A free consultation designed to uncover operational pressure points and recommend quick, realistic fixes.
Let’s identify what’s slowing your dealership down before it becomes a bigger problem.
Schedule your free diagnostic call HERE
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