We cannot overemphasize the importance of some decisions in life, such as purchasing a car. For people to decide which vehicle to drive around in and rely on potentially for the next 3-4 years can be a mammoth, more so because of the money involved! So obviously, customers indulge in thorough research and ensure they have a satisfactory answer to all their queries before they narrow down on their choice.

With the ever-expanding range of options available, auto dealerships have no choice but to update their approach to attract new customers and stay at par with competition. Similar to other business trends, a website that provides online customer support in the form of live chat can prove to be an effective solution to increase the conversion ratio and boost sales. Going by statistics, it can help boost the conversion rate from your website by a whopping 50%, that too at a relatively low cost!

Here are some ways in which live chat can prove be to an advantage for auto dealerships:

• Prompt query resolution

Customers are likely to have endless questions in mind when making a big decision like purchasing a car. This is because vehicles are generally the most expensive item that one can buy after real estate. One might have queries and concerns about the features, variance in the different models etc. So how well their queries are answered by sales representatives can often make or break the deal.

An employee who communicates via chat with the customer leads to the creation of a point of contact before an on-ground visit as well. This makes way for an intensive conversation where the client does not have to worry about waiting endlessly over a call to have his/her queries answered and can get an instant response. Moreover, live chat prevents any unnecessary trips to the dealership by allowing customers to get all information about the car from the comfort of their home.

• Booking appointments

One thing that most customers absolutely loathe is long waiting hours. A basic expectation that all clients have is for the sales representatives to be quick in answering their queries and clearing any doubts they may have regarding the features of the car, leasing etc. So,  irrespective of their purpose of visiting the dealership, an appointment online can help cut down waiting time.

A live chat allows one to book an appointment for a car service or a test drive in a simplified and organised manner. The auto dealership representatives can then pass on the information to the relevant department who can then do a good job at providing a seamless customer experience and win them over!

• 24/7 support in multiple languages

‘Customer is king’ is amongst the foremost principles for succeeding in a business. In keeping with this principle, even if customers expect round-the-clock customer service, live chats are a great way of granting this wish since representatives can be entrusted with the task in different shifts.

For most companies, this support is provided in multiple languages to increase the user-friendly element of the feature and provides the business an edge over its rivals. In fact, live chat can change the face of business by making it seem more approachable and accessible to clients. A seamless conversation that is helpful for the customers helps in adding a personal touch and can go a long way in generating a feeling of mutual trust with the customer, which is often key to a making a deal materialize.

• Increases lead opportunities

For most marketers working in dealerships, getting traffic on the website is not an issue. In fact, the main problem is making sure these leads qualify and purchase cars from the dealership. Surprisingly, most of the car dealerships are considered fortunate if they can even convert even 2% of their website visitors into quality leads!

Moreover, according to Misty Barker, Business Development Consultant at Lee Ford Lincoln, live chat is a great way to convert potential clients into transacting customers and she used live chat in an engaging manner to get the clients excited about visiting their dealership.

Interactive experiences such as live chat help increase engagement by offering timely and relevant information to prospective customers. Lack of such a tool will break the two-way communication and compel them to move away from you and look for other alternatives. So it will be an opportunity lost!

Conclusion

The advantages of using live chat for auto dealerships are many, provided the people behind-the-scenes are well equipped to handle the queries and deliver a seamless customer experience. CommVersion is one such live chat service provider that offers 24*7 live chat support for businesses at a reasonable budget and can help you leverage the full potential of this feature. By integrating this simple tool with your dealership’s website you are sure to witness your sales soaring.