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How Enhancing Your Online Car Buying Process Increases Your Auto Dealership Sales

auto dealership sales

Whether you believe it or not, your band’s success relies on you having a great online car-buying process. Without it, your auto dealership sales will decrease significantly, primarily because car buyers don’t just shop in person. They shop online as well. 

According to a recent report by Capital One, 82% of consumers prefer a hybrid car buying experience that mixes online and in-person elements. For example, before heading to a dealership, car buyers prefer to take multiple steps online—44% want to research vehicle information, 41% want to ensure a price is fair, and 40% want to choose their preferred make and model. Only after taking those steps do 47% of car buyers want to come in person to see and test drive a vehicle.

So, while you shouldn’t close your brick-and-mortar operations any time soon since they’ll still receive foot traffic, you should make sure your online car-buying process is up to par, especially since consumers want to use it, and it could impact your auto dealership sales. 

The Benefits of Enhancing Your Online Sales Process 

Enhancing your dealership’s online car buying process provides multiple ways to increase your sales and long-term success. For example, if you give consumers the online sales process they want, you’ll experience five specific advantages that all lead to more customers. 

1. More customer data 

When you provide car buyers with a way to shop digitally, you can easily track their behavior and online journey to gather more customer data. With additional insights about your target audience, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the vehicles your target audience likes and the paths that led them to your website. Knowing those two things will allow you to refine your inventory and marketing tactics to generate more sales. 

2. An improved reputation 

One of the best things about having a great online car buying process is that it typically includes a way for people to leave reviews. Car buyers want to read others’ feedback when they’re researching dealerships, and when they have an opportunity to do so, it informs which dealership they’ll visit. If yours has positive reviews, you’ll have no problem attracting more customers. 

3. A wider pool of potential customers

Over five billion people are on the internet, which means you don’t have to rely on car buyers within a five-mile radius to generate sales. You can access a wide pool of potential customers if you’re open to enhancing your online sales process. Of course, that doesn’t mean every internet user looking for a car will be in your target audience. 

Your dealership will still appeal to people who live in the same state your business is in. But instead of relying on those in your business’s community to generate sales, you can reach car buyers in neighboring counties and cities if you have an online sales process that attracts and builds relationships with them. 

4. Increased credibility 

Since car buyers like to research online before visiting a dealership, you need to have content on your website that answers questions and provides education. With helpful website content, you’ll not only offer the insights consumers are looking for but also enhance your credibility in the process. 

One of the top three reasons for producing content is to establish credibility. People have a hard time trusting businesses—misinformation, scams, and greed have left consumers unsure of which companies deserve their hard-earned money. People only want to buy from brands they trust, and the high-quality content in your online sales process will pave the way to establishing that trust so that car buyers think you’re credible enough to purchase from. 

5. An efficient sales process 

Developing the online side of your sales machine will make the car buying process for consumers significantly more seamless. Instead of having to call your dealership or visit in person for every inquiry, potential customers can get some of the information they need online—and they will appreciate that convenience. Additionally, if you have digital tools to streamline transactions, car buyers will be even happier. By making the final steps of their journey easy and simple, consumers will drive off the lot content and willing to recommend your business. 

how to increase your auto dealership sales

The Road Boosting Auto Dealership Sales

If you want to experience the benefits of a great online car-buying process, you need to incorporate the right tools and strategies. Specifically, you must have three components to create a process that increases your auto dealership sales.

1. Content Marketing Strategy

This piece is critical. With almost half of car buyers researching vehicles online, you can’t afford to have a website or social media account void of content. You need blogs, buying guides, FAQs, images, and vehicle information on your site and social media platforms. That way, car buyers have the foundational insights they need and want to take the next step of visiting your dealership. 

2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System

You want to capture as many online leads as possible and know where they stand in your car-buying process—and a CRM will help you do both. By having a vault of leads, you’ll have more opportunities to follow up with potential customers and nurture relationships to the finish line. By knowing the stage potential car buyers are in, you’ll know how to nurture those relationships and which information to provide to help potential customers take the next step. 

3. An online DMV platform

After a transaction, you must ensure your customers get their titles, tags, and vehicle registration. This step usually takes a while because you have to work with the DMV. However, you can cut down the time by using an online DMV platform, which companies like ours offer. 

At Barry Risk Management, you don’t have to interact with a slow-paced DMV to get what your customers need. Instead, you can rely on our representatives to use a propriety online DMV platform to quickly and efficiently get the documents your car buyers require. We work with dealerships in every state and know the DMV rules across the U.S. We have the experience needed to get car buyers’ legal forms in no time. And when your customers get their titles, tags, and vehicle registration in a timely manner, you can guarantee they’ll end their buying process just as happy as they started it, leading to rave reviews about your dealership that attract more customers. 

Want to use an online DMV platform to enhance your online car buying process? Contact our team at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247)! 

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How to Attract First-Time Car Buyers In the Age Of Amazonification

first-time car buyers

Attracting first-time car buyers requires many of the steps you’d take to capture other types of customers. One of those steps is knowing what first-time car buyers want. Usually, this strategy relates to understanding customers’ vehicle preferences, finances, and life events to determine what type of car will make the most sense. However, knowing what first-time car buyers want also comes down to understanding their shopping preferences. 

People buying their first vehicle may have different shopping behavior from your previous customers, and that’s not because your dealership has done something right or wrong. It’s simply because we’re living in the age of Amazonification. 

What is Amazonification?

Amazonification is a car-buying process that lets consumers shop for and purchase vehicles online as easily as purchasing a product on Amazon. Tesla is primarily responsible for creating this process, as the company was the first to move car buying away from auto dealerships and online. 

While the electric car manufacturer made purchasing a vehicle simpler, many automakers resisted Amazonification, believing car buyers wouldn’t feel comfortable making such an expensive purchase online. They were proven wrong when e-commerce sales in the U.S. jumped by 25% in 2021, the biggest increase in the last ten years. Recent research from Cox Automotive also suggests that car buyers who completed half of their shopping process online were happier, and most will interact with at least one digital tool when shopping for a car. 

Given consumers’ move to online car shopping and the new belief that this behavior will remain, many automakers are trying to sell directly to potential customers. General Motors announced plans to allow consumers to shop for, buy, and finance their vehicles entirely online—but transactions will still include a dealer.

Decision makers at Honda also recently said they’d sell their entire electric Acura line online for U.S. car buyers. Additionally, Ford is adopting a more streamlined online buying experience. The company’s CEO has even expressed interest in a future where automakers avoid sending their vehicles to sit on car lots and instead ship them straight to customers. Ford is already pushing this vision forward by implementing a program that requires dealers interested in electric vehicles to agree to spend $500,000 to $1.2 million on installing and operating fast chargers and site upgrades, relegating dealerships to service centers. 

How Amazonification Impacts Auto Dealerships

With automakers taking steps to sell directly to consumers, dealerships have reasons to worry. Many are struggling to accept Amazonification, as they cling to old business models where car buyers come in, shop, and make a purchase. Car dealers also know that direct sales mean a decrease in profits. Instead of visiting a car lot, buyers will go on an auto manufacturer’s website to purchase a vehicle—and that is particularly true for first-time car buyers. 

People buying cars for the first time know they don’t have to go in person anymore to research for or purchase a vehicle. Around 76% of U.S. consumers shop online, and more than half of consumers prefer it that way. If you run a dealership, you can bet many consumers will have the same habits and preferences when buying a car as they do when purchasing other types of products. They will shop for vehicles online now that it’s an option, which means your dealership must make some changes.

Three Ways to Capture First-Time Car Buyers

If you don’t want to lose first-time buyers to automakers, your dealership needs to do one major thing: offer an online shopping experience. Doing so will allow you to stay competitive as Amazonification continues. However, offering a good online shopping experience isn’t easy. To do it well, you need to start by implementing three specific steps. 

1. Develop marketing content and online ads 

If you want to attract first-time car buyers, you need to speak to them. The best way to do that online is to create marketing material and online ads that resonate with your audience. On the marketing side, you’ll need to develop engaging website copy, blogs, online resources, email marketing campaigns, and social media posts. When it comes to online ads, take time to figure out your audience’s favorite social media platforms. Then, create ads with personalized copy and eye-catching designs that align with your audience’s interests, needs, and dreams. 

2. Simplify the online research and buying process

Once you get a first-time buyer’s attention with your marketing material and online ads, they’re going to visit your website. Your job is to make sure your site allows them to seamlessly shop for, customize, and purchase cars. To make this easier, you may need to hire a web developer who can ensure the e-commerce side of your dealership is easy to navigate, understandable, well-designed, and equipped with everything potential customers need. 

Also, consider implementing a live chat option for first-time car buyers to use when they have questions. By providing this option, you’ll give shoppers greater convenience and customer satisfaction. In fact, a recent report from Zendesk suggests that customer satisfaction ratings outperform email support, help center articles, and Twitter and Facebook support. 

3. Complete DMV steps online

Going to the DMV is always a hassle. If you want to finish a sales transaction strong, don’t complete first-time car buyers’ DMV tasks in person—instead, take care of everything online. You can get titles, tags, and license plates for your customers online quickly and easily by using a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management. 

We have an online-only platform that helps dealerships get their customers’ tags, titles, and license plates in a timely manner. That way, their car buyers are happy, and their sales team is stress-free because they don’t have to interact with the DMV. 

We work with auto dealerships across the U.S., so it doesn’t matter what state your business is in. With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, we know all the rules and regulations to follow to ensure your car buyers get everything they need without anyone having to visit the DMV. 

Keep Up with the Times 

The rise of Amazonification signals a shift in the way first-time car buyers will approach purchasing a vehicle. Auto dealers will either sink or swim, depending on their reaction to this change in shopping behavior. However, assuming you want your dealership to succeed, you can offer an online shopping experience to ensure you keep up with the times and experience long-term success. 

Want a private DMV services company to get your customers’ titles, tags, and license plates? Call our DMV experts at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247).

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How to Get Dealer Tags and Titles Processed Quickly & Accurately

dealer tags and titles

Running an auto dealership has become increasingly difficult. Whether you own a large or small dealership, you must wrestle with many challenges and changes impacting your industry. Some of those obstacles include: 

  • Increased competition: Online-only dealerships are giving brick-and-mortar dealerships a run for their money, forcing traditional auto dealers to find unique tactics to engage car shoppers. 
  • Labor shortages: Staff shortages are wreaking havoc on the auto industry, with 57 percent of car dealers recently claiming to be understaffed. The hope that this reality will change is grim—80 percent of auto dealers expect the issue to worsen in the short term. 
  • Sales stress: The demand for cars is maintaining healthy levels. However, meeting that demand with a smaller workforce is adding stress to sales teams, making an already challenging job more difficult. 
  • Transition to online sales: Today’s car buyers are mostly millennials, and many of them enjoy using online tools to look for vehicles instead of immediately visiting a dealer’s lot. This change in shopping behavior means auto dealerships must quickly shift their sales processes online.   
  • Reduced dealer loyalty: In an age of many options, dealer loyalty has taken a hit. The percentage of people loyal to a specific dealership has reduced by 1.6 percent. 

Eventually, these issues won’t be too prevalent, as they are fixable. But until they’re gone—or at least less significant—you’ll have to face them every day at work. The worst part? You’ll have to navigate these various obstacles while still doing tedious tasks like processing dealer tags and titles for car buyers. 

Fortunately, you can alleviate your burden by implementing a creative solution to get tags and titles quickly and without errors. However, before revealing that solution, let’s briefly walk through why you should even consider implementing the tactic. 

Three Challenges of Getting Dealer Tags and Titles

Working with the DMV is never easy. Regardless of the state that your dealership is in, you typically face three problems when trying to secure dealer tags and titles for your customers. 

1. Long wait times

No matter what you’re getting at the DMV, you have to wait hours in line or on the phone to start the process of retrieving what you need. It doesn’t matter if you require simple documents like dealer tags and titles—you’ll have to endure a lengthy wait to deliver your car buyers the desired documents. 

The unfortunate part is that you don’t have the capacity to take three to four hours out of your day to focus on DMV tasks, especially when you’re trying to handle consumer demand, work overtime to compensate for labor shortages, and take on more responsibilities to ease your sales team’s stress. 

2. Trouble navigating the website

Trying to get dealer tags and titles on the DMV’s website isn’t any easier than waiting in line or on the phone. While the online option is nice, the DMV’s website isn’t intuitive. Finding the forms to fill out and understanding all of the instructions can be a hassle, increasing the amount of time it takes to give your car buyers their tags and titles.

3. Submitting the correct forms

With DMV rules always changing, it’s hard to know if you’re submitting forms correctly. It’s easy to make mistakes, and if you’ve been in the auto industry long enough, you’ve probably made a few.

From filling out the wrong documents to providing the wrong information to skipping sections you don’t think apply to you, there are many ways things can go wrong when trying to complete DMV forms. And making mistakes always require you to backtrack and ask car buyers to wait even longer for their tags and titles.

How to Get Dealer Tags and Titles Hassle-Free

Sidestepping all the headaches that come with the DMV is one of the best things you can do to focus on the challenges your auto dealership—and the industry at large—is experiencing. But how do you complete that sidestep? To process dealer tags and titles quickly and accurately, you should work with a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management. 

With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, our team knows the requirements you must follow to get your customers’ tags and titles, regardless of the state your business is in. We have the connections and expertise to ensure your car buyers receive what they need in a timely manner, and we provide everything using a straightforward, intuitive online platform so that you never have to leave your office or sit for hours on the phone. 

When working with us, you can focus solely on sales and all the other responsibilities and challenges your dealership is experiencing. Additionally, allowing us to retrieve your dealer tags and titles unlocks many other benefits, like the following: 

  • Increase in customer satisfaction: Since we do everything online and bring decades of experience and connections to the table, your customers will get what they need quickly, increasing their satisfaction with your business. 
  • Decrease in administrative hours: Instead of spending time on administrative tasks, you and your team can focus on the tasks that matter most, like attracting car buyers and meeting their needs. 
  • Elimination of errors: Working with experts means zero errors on titles, tags, or forms that must be completed to get the DMV documents your customers need. With that advantage, your dealership’s DMV process will be so streamlined that you’ll never have to worry about backtracking again. 

Working with a private DMV services company like ours to get your dealer tags and titles will be a game-changer for your business. By having us retrieve what your customers need, you’ll give your team the ability to redirect energy toward the efforts that’ll keep your dealership afloat—and in today’s complex, competitive environment, that’s exactly what your company needs. 

For assistance in getting dealer tags and titles, contact our representatives at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247).

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The Best Sales Tools to Boost Employee Retention

sales tools

When thinking about workplace culture, it’s easy to immediately imagine employees at startups or tech companies. There are tons of articles showing Facebook or Google’s offices where people eat in massive food courts, host meetings in stylish courtyards, and play ping pong on their breaks. But workplace culture shouldn’t just matter to startups and tech giants—it should also matter to your auto dealership. 

One of the biggest issues facing dealerships today is that 67% of salespeople leave within a year of being hired. Right behind them are service advisors and technicians. Put that together, and it’s clear that auto dealers have a hard time keeping their employees satisfied and loyal. Fortunately, it’s possible to create a workplace culture where your team thrives, particularly your sales team. All you need to do is implement the right sales tools. 

The Top 5 Sales Tools for Dealerships

Oftentimes, employee-facing sales technology is deemed as a solution that boosts the customer experience and decreases transaction costs. But this technology can also improve employee retention. Your sales team wants technology to help them do their jobs, and when you equip them with solutions that make their lives easier, they’ll stick around longer to happily use the tools you’ve provided. 

When LinkedIn published a report on the state of sales, it indicated that 97% of salespeople believe sales tools are “important” or “very important.” Additionally, LinkedIn found that nearly half of respondents use sales tools at least once a day. So if you’re not giving your sales team what they need, you’re missing an opportunity to create a workplace culture where they feel supported—and a lack of support leads to a lack of reasons to stay. 

A recent study found that employees who felt the lowest levels of support from their organization or boss had the least commitment to the company, low job satisfaction, and the highest probability of leaving. On the other hand, those in a supportive work environment were committed, satisfied, and eager to stay put in their position. To ensure your salespeople have similar positive feelings, you must create a culture where they feel empowered to do their best—but of course, that means implementing grade-A sales tools. 

For insight on which sales technology you should consider getting your team, here’s a list of the top five options.

1. CRM System 

Customer relationship management (CRM) software helps your sales teams track and organize your dealership’s relationships with its customers. With this tool, your salespeople can automate communication with leads, keep tabs on sales and marketing efforts, enhance existing relationships with car buyers, and improve customer retention. 

Typically, getting a CRM system is one of the best investments you can make for your team. According to a recent study, 68% of salespeople believe the tool is “very important” to closing deals, likely because a good CRM has everything they need to report and reference interactions with contacts and know how to move relationships forward.

2. Online DMV Platform 

Another great investment for your sales team is an online DMV platform that makes it easy for employees to get car buyers’ license plates, tags, titles, and vehicle registration. To access this type of sales tool, you’ll need to work with a private DMV services company like our team at Barry Risk Management. 

We have an online platform that auto dealerships can use to get the DMV items their customers need. The best part? Our team does all the legwork—we fill out the necessary DMV forms and mail the license plates, tags, titles, and registration to car buyers. All we need is a little information about your customers to make everything happen. It’s that simple. 

When your sales team uses our online DMV platform, they don’t need to stand in long lines at the DMV, gather and fill out forms, or call DMV reps for questions and guidance. Our sales tool and team—who has 30 plus years in the DMV industry—will take care of everything digitally so that your salespeople can focus on attracting and closing more deals. 

3. Sales Intelligence Tools

A sales intelligence tool is game-changing because it helps your team know exactly which prospects and customers to talk to, what they should talk about, when they should reach out, and what information they should provide to nail the interaction. This insight is made possible through the contextual information sales intelligence technology delivers. 

With a sales intelligence tool, your employees will have contacts’ digital footprints, current contracts, purchase history, and business objectives. That information is crucial to closing deals and building relationships, and 62% of sales professionals agree, with them believing that sales intelligence is “very important” in helping them make sales. 

For ideas on which sales intelligence software to get, check out G2Crowd. It’s a peer review site that compares sales intelligence technology and their ratings. 

4. Social Selling Software

A social selling tool will help your sales team initiate and build relationships with car shoppers on social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Some salespeople log into social media accounts and use them directly. However, others prefer social selling software because it allows them to monitor and sort through messages to see what is and isn’t relevant, check what leads are saying and sharing, and publish content on multiple networks.

If your sales team uses social media regularly to promote new inventory, getting a social selling tool could be beneficial. This type of software will increase your employees’ productivity and success in attracting new customers. 

5. Productivity Tools

Want to make sure your team gets stuff done? Then, help them by providing productivity tools. It’s not easy to stay focused and achieve substantial results every day, but that’s why productivity apps exist. They can help your sales team improve efficiency by offering automation and time-saving features like contract building, pipeline report creation, meeting schedulers, and lead generation tools.

Examples of great productivity apps include project management platforms like Asana and Trello, communication apps like Slack, and sharing and storage tools like Dropbox. 

Equip and Support Your Sales Team

Your sales team wants to perform well—they want to close deals and make money, and so do you. After all, your sales team’s success is your success. But to give your employees the best chance of accomplishing their goals, you need to equip them with tools that support their ambition and work. Then, you’ll have a high-performing culture where salespeople feel empowered to stick around instead of looking for a job elsewhere. 

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5 Dealership Challenges & How to Overcome Them

dealership challenges

It’s an exciting time to be an auto dealer. Research suggests that the U.S. automotive dealership market is expected to hit $57.3 billion, resulting in a compound annual growth rate of more than 4% over the next five years. This prediction isn’t surprising. 

The industry has seen significant success, given the recent demand for new and used cars and shoppers’ excitement about new technologies like electric cars, connected cars, and autonomous vehicles. However, while the growth and advancements in the auto industry are compelling, dealerships still experience many hurdles to success.  

The top dealership challenges 

These days, running a dealership comes with unique problems. Even if your business is currently hitting or exceeding sales goals, it may not last long if you can’t overcome the top dealership challenges affecting the industry. To put your company in a position for long-term success, you need to take steps to mitigate five dealership issues. 

1. Increased competition

With online-only retailers challenging brick-and-mortar dealerships, competition is fiercer than ever. For your business to experience success, you have to find unique ways to engage car shoppers who are interested not only in the dealerships down the street but also in the ones dominating online. Consumers have options everywhere, and contending for their attention requires you to have a competitive edge. 

2. Reduced dealer loyalty 

Increased competition means decreased dealer loyalty. Over the last five years, dealer loyalty has decreased by 1.6%, even though brand and manufacturer loyalty only reduced by 0.2%. If you’re wondering whether reduced dealer loyalty genuinely impacts business, remember that loyal customers usually bring the highest ROI on sales and trades. 

3. Demand for digital communication

The days of visiting a physical dealership or picking up the phone solely to communicate with sales reps are gone. Car shoppers want the option to communicate digitally. They want a contactless experience that allows them to ask questions and receive updates. So if your dealership still requires customers to talk on the phone or sit at your desk to get information, your business may be in trouble. 

4. Changing shopping behavior

Another dealership challenge is today’s new shopping behavior, an issue primarily stemming from millennials. In 2021, millennials became car dealers’ biggest pool of potential customers, which was surprising to most in the industry. People thought millennials weren’t interested in driving and that they preferred walking, biking, or ride-sharing—but the reality was that millennials simply preferred to shop differently. 

Instead of immediately visiting dealerships to spend hours considering options and negotiating, millennials like to utilize online tools and research to determine which vehicle may be the best. Some millennials are open to even completing the entire car sales process online. 

5. Inefficient after-sale process

For consumers, buying a car is only half the battle. Unless you do it for them, they still have to take many steps to legitimize the transaction, which they must do at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Regardless of who takes the lead, finishing the after-sale process in a timely manner is often impossible. Even though we live in a digital age, phone calls, in-person visits, complex forms, and long wait times still characterize the after-sale process. 

Overcoming common dealership issues

If you want to set your dealership up for success, you need to have the ability to overcome the top five dealership challenges. Of course, many solutions can help you achieve that, but if you prefer to start with one, here’s an idea: work with a private DMV services company like our team at Barry Risk Management. 

As a private DMV services company, we directly streamline and quicken the after-sale process by getting your customers’ tags, titles, license plates, and vehicle registration all online. That means you don’t have to do any legwork—we’ll take care of that for you. All we’ll need is a little information about your customer and their purchase, which you can give us online. Then, we’ll take steps to get the documents your customers need to legitimize their transaction. 

Also, it doesn’t matter where your customers live or your dealership’s location. Our team has over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry and knows what each U.S. state requires for car buyers to retrieve their tags, titles, license plates, and vehicle registration. With our knowledge and online capabilities, your customers will have what they need quickly and with little to no hassle. 

The best part? Our DMV services can help your business overcome the other four dealership challenges. Our efficient process and digital platform will give your team the following: 

  • A competitive edge: Many dealerships still use a traditional approach to interacting with the DMV. If you transition into using a more modern approach, you’ll differentiate your dealership from competitors. 
  • Increased brand loyalty: When customers know you can make their car buying process easier, they’ll be more likely to keep coming to your dealership instead of considering other options. 
  • A digital tool for communication: Since our team does everything online, we don’t need to see you or your customers in person. We also don’t need to speak on the phone if that’s not preferred. Our team communicates digitally and uses an online platform to get DMV tasks done quickly, meeting the new need for digital communication. 
  • A better experience for car shoppers: With car shoppers preferring digital experiences, you’ll stand out by offering a way to get their tags, titles, license plates, and vehicle registration online. Consumers will think you understand their shopping behavior and be more inclined to buy from your dealership instead of one that hasn’t aligned with their preferences. 

By working with our team at Barry Risk Management, you’ll receive the advantage your company needs to start overcoming the dealership challenges impacting business owners. That advantage will set your brand up for long-term success so that your dealership continues to grow. So, don’t hesitate to reach out. Call us to help lay the foundation for your company’s victory. 

Contact one of our representatives at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to develop a streamlined after-sale process that also helps you overcome other dealership challenges!

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What Does Instant Gratification Mean for Car Dealers?

what does instant gratification mean for car dealers

It’s no secret that instant gratification is real. People want things quickly and hassle-free, so much so that 45% of consumers will switch brands if companies don’t actively anticipate their needs. If you want someone to blame for this problematic trend, point the finger at the on-demand economy, which consists of tech giants like Amazon, Netflix, and Uber. These brands have conditioned shoppers to expect companies to be fast and responsive in our always-on culture. Long wait times and general statements like “we’ll handle it when we can” are unacceptable, and that’s not just true for retail brands. 

Regardless of your industry, you can’t shrug off instant gratification, believing it only impacts e-commerce companies. In a world where most people—especially millennials and Gen Z—prefer immediacy and a click-and-collect model, every market must consider how instant gratification affects them. That means you need to ask yourself an important question: what does instant gratification mean for car dealers?

Faster Transactions are Crucial 

While in-person visits haven’t disappeared, you can’t bet your dealership’s success on them. More people are buying cars online, with some shoppers completing transactions on their mobile phones. 

One general manager of an auto retail shop said in an article that the majority of their brand’s purchases came from mobile devices. In that same article, an automotive retail consultant said they noticed that 30% of U.S. new car sales in 2021 happened online. Before the pandemic, that number was less than two percent. So, what’s the deal? 

According to Progressive, one of the primary reasons for the increasing number of online sales is the time savings associated with it. Having the opportunity to browse cars online, research the best options on a laptop or mobile device, and complete paperwork digitally allows consumers to finish their car-buying process almost instantaneously. And that reality means your car dealership needs to start moving its sales process online. 

If you want to compete in today’s environment, you need an intuitive, speedy website, a consistent social media presence, an online chat option, and educational content that answers consumers’ most common questions. These elements will ensure car buyers have everything they need to receive quick answers and make fast decisions. However, an online sales process isn’t the only thing you need to succeed with consumers these days.

Supercharge Your DMV Processes

There’s one thing most people agree on: the DMV is slow. No matter the day or time you visit or the item you need, the DMV can take weeks or months to provide any documents. For most, this situation was frustrating before the on-demand economy birthed instant gratification. But now that patience is no longer a virtue, dealing with the DMV is a headache for almost everyone. 

No one wants to stand in long lines or experience lengthy hold times on the phone to get the DMV documents they need for their cars. After purchasing a vehicle, people want to have all their legal documents in hand within days. Fortunately, there’s one way to achieve this difficult goal, and that’s to work with a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management. 

These types of companies are designed for car buyers who crave instant gratification, primarily because they do everything digitally to provide DMV documents hastily. For example, when working with our team at Barry Risk Management, your dealership can give car buyers the following items in a timely manner. 

1. Car Titles 

A title is one of the most important documents car buyers need. Without it, no one will believe they own their car, making it critical to deliver this record as soon as possible. Luckily, when partnering with our representatives at Barry Risk Management, all you have to do is go online and provide a few pieces of information. Then, we’ll give those details to the DMV and make sure your car buyers receive their titles in little to no time. 

2. License Plates

Your customers can only drive with temporary license plates for so long. Eventually, they’ll need their official plates. If you want to provide this quickly, our team at Barry Risk Management can help. All it takes is providing some information about the car buyer via our online platform. Then, you can sit back while we work with the DMV to deliver your customers their license plates within days. 

3. Tags & Vehicle Registration 

For your buyers to drive their cars legally, they’ll need official tags and vehicle registration. Instead of visiting your local DMV to handle this step, you can use our services. After going online and answering some questions, our representatives at Barry Risk Management will handle what’s necessary to give your customers their tags and vehicle registration in a timeframe that makes them happy and you satisfied.

Giving car buyers instant gratification

Experiencing success isn’t as simple these days. For your dealership to thrive, you must adjust to consumers’ desire for instant gratification, which means transitioning to online sales and quickening your DMV processes to ensure your car buyers get what they need in a timely manner. Only after taking those two steps will you put your business in a position to gratify consumers instantaneously.

If you want to supercharge your DMV process for car buyers, call Barry Risk Management at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to learn how we can help.

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5 Signs of Employee Burnout at Dealerships & How to Prevent Them

employee burnout

Working at a dealership has its rewards. Whether it’s seeing a satisfied customer drive off the parking lot or enjoying a hard-earned commission, employees discover many benefits when working at a dealership. However, they also discover many challenges. 

Whether you’ve realized it, burnout is one of the most common problems employees face, especially when working in sales. While fun and lucrative, selling vehicles is one of the most demanding jobs. It takes patience, persistence, and a hefty amount of people skills to ensure car buyers feel comfortable. Given the difficulty, sales reps burn out quickly, increasing turnover, which is the last thing your dealership needs right now. 

Labor shortages are already impacting the industry, particularly in service departments. The lack of technicians has increased wait times for vehicle owners while decreasing customer satisfaction. If your dealership wants to prevent its sales department from also struggling, you can’t afford to let your team burn out and quit. 

But how can you solve the issue? It’s simple—know the signs of burnout and take steps to prevent them so that your sales team feels healthy and happy at work. 

What is Burnout?

First things first—what exactly is burnout? The term was coined in the 1970s by psychologist Herbert Freudenverger. It describes a severe state of mental and physical exhaustion that eliminates the joy people get from their careers and social interactions. 

The condition is worse than ordinary fatigue. When someone feels burned out, they struggle to cope with stress and manage day-to-day responsibilities. They may even develop a pessimistic outlook on life and feel so hopeless that getting out of bed in the morning is a challenge. 

5 Clear Signs of Burnout 

While burnout is mentally and physically uncomfortable, it’s not always easy to spot. It’s not like noticing an employee who’s sick with a cold. Burnout is less blunt in how it manifests. Still, there are five tell-tale signs your sales employees are running on fumes: 

  • Isolation: One significant sign of burnout is intentional isolation. When people experience burnout, they usually feel overwhelmed, causing them to reduce social interaction with family, friends, and coworkers. 
  • Exhaustion: Do any of your sales employees frequently complain about headaches, stomachaches, sleep problems, or changes in appetite? If so, those are physical signs of burnout. 
  • Irritability: When workers are burning out, they’re not as fun to work with—often, they lose their cool with colleagues. Even doing everyday tasks might set them off because they already feel overwhelmed. 
  • Escape fantasies: Dissatisfaction with life entices people to escape reality. Sometimes, that looks like using drugs, alcohol, or food. Other times, it’s daydreaming about solo vacations or running away. 
  • Constantly ill: Are any of your sales reps frequently sick? If so, that’s a sign of burnout. Like most stress conditions, burnout can weaken the immune system, increasing people’s risk of getting sick or experiencing insomnia, depression, or anxiety.

If some of these signs bring certain employees to mind, don’t worry. The symptoms of burnout are also side effects of other conditions, so there’s a chance your employees could be experiencing something that has nothing to do with their jobs. However, that’s not an excuse to avoid doing something. To ensure you at least create an environment where your sales employees thrive, you need to take steps to prevent any chance of burnout compromising your dealership’s success. 

How to Prevent Burnout

Fortunately, preventing burnout isn’t hard. All the strategies have one thing in common: they increase your sales reps’ quality of life in the workplace. Keeping that in mind, here are three tips to push burnout out of your dealership. 

1. Prioritize Employees’ Health

While you can’t control how employees manage their health, you can encourage them to make good health decisions. A proper diet, exercise, and deep sleep will go a long way in helping your sales team avoid burnout. So, you should encourage your sales reps to prioritize their health. 

If you see an employee consistently working long hours and eating at their desk while crossing off tasks, tell them to take a break. Encourage them to go on a walk, eat a good lunch, and stop working at a decent time to ensure they get an appropriate amount of sleep. 

Also, make it easy for employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle by offering nutritious snacks and drinks in the break room. Instead of stocking it with Red Bull and candy, provide healthy options like fruit, water, tea, and small vegetable trays. 

2. Outsource Certain Tasks

Some tasks don’t need your sales team’s attention. If you can outsource little things so employees can focus on bigger responsibilities, you’ll decrease their workload to help reduce burnout. But what to-do’s should you outsource first? The most immediate answer is any DMV task that your sales team handles.

Whether it’s getting license plates, tags, or vehicle registration for car buyers, DMV responsibilities take time your sales employees don’t have when they’re trying to meet quotas. That’s why companies like Barry Risk Management exist. Our team has over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry and handles auto dealers’ DMV needs. 

Regardless of a dealership’s location, our representatives at Barry Risk Management know what every state requires for car buyers to retrieve their license plates, tags, or vehicle registration. We know what paperwork to complete and submit, and we have an online platform that allows us to finish DMV tasks virtually and quickly. 

When working with us, your sales team won’t have to visit the DMV in person, experience long wait times, or fill out forms. We handle all the DMV stuff, so your sales team can focus on essential tasks, knowing their customers are being cared for. 

3. Encourage Work-Life Balance

While it’s great to see employees in the office, they need to have lives outside the office. Overworking decreases productivity and leads to burnout, which is why you should encourage work-life balance. Tell your sales reps to take vacations, whether somewhere beautiful or right in their homes. 

Also, don’t disparage employees who take time off for illness, family reasons, or important events. In fact, consider developing a system that promotes flexible scheduling. More than ever, employees want flexibility. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to work. But it does mean they want the opportunity to take off, show up later than 8 a.m., and work from home when possible or necessary. Providing that opportunity will not only prevent burnout but also increase employee engagement and productivity. 

Build a Healthy Work Environment  

In a time when labor shortages are prevalent in the auto industry, your dealership can’t afford to have employees burn out. If you want your company to be successful, you must create an environment where employees can thrive, especially since some are more prone to experiencing burnout because of the nature and demands of their job. 

Take a load off your sales team by contacting Barry Risk Management for your dealership’s DMV needs. You can reach a representative at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247). 

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5 Dealer Tech Tools to Have in 2023 to Boost Sales & Marketing

The dealerships you drove to in the early 2000s are not the same ones you approach today. As time has passed, dealerships have started operating differently, and the most successful ones have focused on shifting to the tune of consumers’ increasing reliance on technology. 

Today’s notable dealerships are transitioning their sales online, developing intuitive, well-designed websites, joining social media, creating digital content, and quickening their DMV processes. These changes primarily appeal to millennials, who are becoming the largest demographic of U.S. car buyers. Dealerships that want to attract this generation know that millennials don’t shop for everything in person. This demographic is not as likely to drive to a dealership lot, find a car, and haggle over price solely in face-to-face interactions. 

Millennials are tech-savvy, and the generations after them are well-acclimated to the digital world. So, if your business wants to succeed with these new types of car buyers, you must operate things differently. Instead of hinging all your success on an in-person model, it’s time to implement dealer tech. 

What is dealer tech?  

Dealer tech is short for dealership technology, which is software applications and online tools that dealerships can use for their retail operations. Many types of dealer tech tools exist and typically fall into three categories: 

  • Office and General Management: This dealer tech includes payment platforms, dealership intelligence applications, dealership management tools, and human capital management solutions. The staff members who’d benefit the most from these technologies include dealership owners, general management, CEOs, CFOs, office managers, and accounting and billing employees. 
  • Marketing and Sales: The dealer tech in this category focuses on helping dealerships enhance their sales and marketing initiatives. Some common tools are CRMs, advertising systems, social media, online content, and dealership engagement tools. The primary users of this tech include CMOs, CROs, general sales managers, sales reps, digital marketers, customer experience managers, and leasing consultants. 
  • Fixed Operations: In this category, the dealer tech ranges from mobile car care to tire management tools to service management suites. Some team members who’ll use these solutions include service directors, shop foremen, fleet managers, parts directors, logistics managers, collision center directors, service technicians, and body shop clerks.  

Having dealer tech in every category is wise, especially if you run a large operation. Ideally, you want every department to feel equipped and empowered to use technology to help your dealership grow. However, for the purposes of this article, you’ll learn about the marketing and sales tools you should incorporate into your dealership’s workflow.

Dealer tech tools for sales and marketing 

Various types of dealer tech can enhance your sales and marketing, and you’re welcome to try as many as you find beneficial. But keep in mind that biting off more than you can chew may be overwhelming, especially if your sales and marketing teams aren’t used to leaning on specific tools. 

So, below is a list of just five solutions you should implement throughout 2023 to stay relevant and appeal to most car buyers. To make things easier, adopt one to two tools per quarter to ease your team into the changes. That’ll also leave room for learning curves, which is especially important to give your employees. 

Keeping all that in mind, here are five sales and marketing dealer tech tools to start using. 

1. Social Media 

There are 4.7 billion active social media users, and guess what? That number could hit 5.8 billion in 2027. Why should that matter to you? It’s simple—if you’re not actively engaging with car buyers on social media, you’re missing a huge opportunity to attract and convert leads. 

You can find car shoppers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. And if you create content that’s visually appealing, engaging, and relevant to them, you’ll have no problem getting potential customers to browse your dealership’s inventory. 

2. An optimized, eye-catching website 

Google found that 92% of car buyers research online before making a purchasing decision. That means your website must be optimized for search engines to ensure it ranks and is easy to find in search results and Google Maps. Without an optimized website, people won’t organically discover your dealership and will simply click on your competitors’ sites on the first page of search engines. So, take time optimizing your website with target keywords. 

Additionally, make sure your site is intuitive and well-designed. That way, when people discover and visit it, they’ll browse instead of leaving after a few seconds. An eye-catching website should have high-quality photos, persuasive call-to-actions, incentives, updated pricing, and effective inventory filters. 

3. Website and Content Strategy 

Every brand needs great content to outperform competitors, and yours is no exception. With a majority of car buyers preferring to research online before purchasing, you need to have resources that aid in their decision-making process. 

Blog content, videos, email marketing, buying guides, testimonials, and in-depth vehicle information are valuable resources that car buyers will appreciate and utilize. Your ability to provide them will determine whether you get or miss a sale. 

4. Online DMV platform 

It’s no secret that most people don’t like the DMV. While going is a necessary evil, the DMV consistently has long lines, lengthy wait times, and many forms to find and fill out. If you want to get license plates, tags, or vehicle registration for your customers, it could take weeks as you try to gather all the necessary documents and go back and forth with DMV representatives. 

Thankfully, there’s a way to simplify things: you can use an online DMV platform to meet your customers’ DMV needs. The good news? You don’t have to build anything yourself. All you have to do is outsource your DMV-related tasks to a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management. 

We have an online platform that allows us to help dealerships retrieve their customers’ license plates, tags, and vehicle registration. We work with dealerships all around the U.S. and gather and fill out the appropriate forms to ensure car buyers get what they need in a timely manner. That means no more long lines, wait times, or energy spent running in circles trying to get everything your customers need. When working with a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management, you can rely on professionals who will use an online platform to make things easier and faster. 

5. A CRM System 

One of the most integral pieces of any successful sales and marketing initiative is an integrated CRM. With this dealer tech, you can capture all of your leads and track follow-up and lead engagement reports. This insight will let your sales team know which car buyers to circle back to and which resources your marketing team should create to help sales reps’ interactions go smoothly. 

However, make sure your sales team actually uses the CRM daily to log reports and customer interactions. The last thing you want to do is miss out on critical insights that could result in a sale. 

Innovate to stay keep up

Dealerships no longer have the luxury of solely relying on face-to-face interactions to close deals. With tech-savvy generations entering the car-buying market, your dealership must use sales and marketing tools to attract customers and compete with brands that are readily adopting new technology. Only then will your business be in a position to thrive long-term and consistently generate sales. 

Want to rely on an online platform for your DMV needs? Contact Barry Risk Management now at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247).

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5 Automotive Technology Trends

automotive technology trends

While the automotive industry is experiencing digital innovation, research still suggests that consumers like visiting dealerships. A recent study indicates that 75% of car shoppers believe visiting a dealership to test-drive a vehicle is essential in their buying process, and 69% prefer to negotiate on price to receive the best deal. 

Why is this important to know? It’s simple—the in-person dealership experience still provides immense value. However, that value is only associated with specific tasks. That means your dealership should continue to focus on and enhance particular parts of the face-to-face interaction. But for many steps in the car buying process, you must start considering the role technology should play. 

Several automotive technology trends are shaping various parts of the sales and marketing process. If you want your dealership to remain competitive, you need to keep an eye on the tools changing the way you do business. For insights on the top innovations impacting your industry, here are five automotive technology trends to remember. 

1. Online sales are increasing 

This trend shouldn’t be too surprising. There are hundreds of articles explaining the growth of online car sales, but that’s because this trend continues to make positive gains. 

According to a recent study by Cox Automotive, 55% of customers have transitioned to an online car-buying process. Over time, that number will increase, especially as CarMax and Vroom grow in popularity. So, if you want your business to attract some online car sales, you should start taking steps to handle the digital sales process successfully. 

2. Personalization is a priority 

Another study by Cox Automotive reveals that 72% of U.S. auto dealers and 67% of car buyers think personalization technology, such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI), will enhance the car-buying process. Targeting consumers with personalized recommendations is in such high demand that, despite people’s weariness of providing their personal data, 68% of consumers surveyed said they wouldn’t mind dealerships using personalization technology if it leads to a better car-buying experience.  

The only problems hindering dealerships from moving forward with automation and AI are employees who are resistant to change, processes that aren’t set up for personalization technology, and a high price point that doesn’t seem worth it. These obstacles may be thwarting you, too. But if your dealership wants to sell more vehicles, you must overcome these challenges. Around 76% of car buyers expect auto dealers to know something about them before they hit the showroom floor, and failing to do so might cost you money. 

3. DMV tasks are happening online 

What’s one place most people dislike dealing with or visiting? The DMV. Completing anything at the DMV takes a while. Typically, you have to stand in long lines, find the right forms to fill out, speak with unenthusiastic workers, and wait weeks until you get what you need. This process is complicated not only for car buyers but also for dealerships. 

Trying to complete the paperwork for a customer’s license plates, vehicle registration, and tags can take what feels like ages. And car buyers are typically not happy about the long wait time. That’s why dealerships are starting to complete their DMV tasks online by working with private DMV services companies like Barry Risk Management. 

These types of businesses approach the DMV digitally. For example, when a dealership makes a sale, private DMV services companies will gather and complete the necessary forms to retrieve the customer’s license plates, vehicle registration, and tags—and they’ll do it all online. 

This digital process speeds things up significantly so that customers get what they need in a timely manner, and it empowers dealerships to work on more critical tasks while the private DMV services company handles the paperwork auto dealers don’t want to touch. So, if your auto company wants to make the DMV experience great for customers and your sales team, using a private DMV services company should be your next priority. 

4. Cybersecurity is gaining momentum 

Since many processes are shifting online, cybersecurity upgrades have become more and more essential. Online commerce means there’s an increased risk of fraud, hacking, and cyber threats, and that risk affects dealerships and customers. Decreasing the potential of nefarious activity has led many dealerships to partner with cybersecurity experts, who help ensure auto dealers have safe, protected digital transactions. 

One tool that’s been beneficial, in particular, is secure payment processing solutions—these offer fantastic security features that protect businesses and consumers. Other tools gaining traction are touchless payments and PCI DSS compliance, both of which deliver additional security for transactions. Having all these tools in place is a great way to give your team and customers peace of mind during a sale, so take time to beef up your cybersecurity if you haven’t already. 

5. Electric vehicles are in high demand

One tech trend that’s impossible to ignore is the demand for electric vehicles. These cars continue to increase in popularity and gain market share. In Q1 of 2022, electric vehicle sales in the U.S. hit a record high of more than 200,000 vehicles. According to Experian, registration for electric vehicles also surged 60% in the first three months of 2022, and consumers’ interest in purchasing an electric vehicle has increased by 70% since January.  

Some factors driving this interest in electric vehicles are improved performance, clean energy, and high gas prices. Experts predict the demand will continue to remain high, so much so that 70 million electric vehicles will be on the road by 2023. If your auto dealership wants to cash in on this market, you should start putting more electric cars on your lot.

The Next Level

Every business has to evolve to keep up with consumer and industry trends, and your dealership is no different. To continue succeeding in a competitive environment, your team must implement the latest technologies shaping your industry. Only then will you reach a new level of business where sales are consistent, car buyers are happy, and your company is equipped to deliver the best experience possible.

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How Dealerships Can Create a Great Online Shopping Experience

dealerships must create a great online shopping experience

Let’s cut to the chase. Online shopping is here to stay. Research indicates that more than 263 million American consumers shop online. For perspective, that’s about 80% of the U.S. population. If you’re wondering whether people actually prefer this route or are doing it because they have no other choice, the former is true. Around 56.6% of American consumers prefer an online shopping experience. 

The industries dominating e-commerce include apparel and accessories, computer and consumer electronics, furniture and home furnishings, and health and personal care and beauty. However, want to know what industries are also attracting online shoppers? The auto market. 

Consumers are embracing online car buying and seeing more satisfaction from it than those who purchase vehicles in person. A 2022 survey by Progressive suggests that 78% of U.S. consumers who bought a vehicle online thought it was a highly satisfying online shopping experience. In comparison, only 58% of people who bought a car in person thought it was gratifying. 

The great satisfaction rates with online car buying provide a significant reason to believe that consumers will continue to take a digital path to purchase a car. An IBIS World report even indicates that the 2022 online car market will surpass its current value of $38.1 billion by 5.1%. 

However, what does all that mean for your dealership? Why should you care about any of this information? It’s simple—you need to start creating a great online shopping experience to ensure you get a piece of the digital pie. 

how dealerships can create a great online shopping experience

Steps to creating an online shopping experience

Building a great digital experience for online shoppers can sound intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it. If your dealership has generated most of its sales in person—like many dealerships have— shifting your focus online can sound like a challenging task. You may not know which strategies to take to accomplish this goal. But fortunately, this article will provide specific steps your auto dealership can take to start creating a great online shopping experience.  

1. Provide incentives and rebates

There’s nothing like a good deal to get consumers to purchase a vehicle online. That’s why you should make sure to spotlight every incentive and rebate available on your website. Be clear about the deals consumers can take advantage of when they shop online. The digital shopping experience should always promote incentives and rebates to increase sales. 

2. Have a unique brand voice 

If people have never heard of your auto dealership but come across it online, how can you ensure they remember your business? Develop a unique brand voice. 

You want your dealership to be memorable, and one of the best ways to accomplish that is with a brand voice that’s relatable, personable, and distinct. Consumers want to feel like they know you even if the relationship they’re building with you is online, so make sure you create a brand voice that builds a lasting connection. Doing so will lead to trust, and trust will lead to purchases. 

3. Implement VIN-specific ads

Personalized advertising is always a great way to deliver an excellent online shopping experience, and with VIN-specific ads, you can do that. These types of advertisements target consumers who are ready to buy a car and match them with suitable vehicles in your inventory. How does that work? 

Maybe a shopper is looking for information online about a vehicle. In that case, VIN-specific advertising will provide that information through creative, interactive ads. Basically, this strategy is all about delivering personalized content and prioritizing a hyper-targeted marketing approach. 

4. Refresh your company website 

Your website is the first impression that consumers will receive about your dealership. As such, you need to make sure it’s top-notch. According to Stanford web credibility research, 75% of consumers admit they judge a brand’s credibility based on its website design. So how can you update your site in a way that builds trust with online car shoppers? 

First, focus on loading speed. Around 79% of consumers said they wouldn’t return to a slow website to make a purchase, and 44% of consumers would share their poor experience with others. If you don’t want to be the dealership people are talking negatively about, have a fast website. Most people want a web page to load in two seconds or less. 

Next, make sure you have great images on your site. Ideally, they should be your own photos. However, if that’s not an option, use high-quality stock photography. 

Finally, make sure your website is easy to navigate and clutter-free. Your site should be intuitive, with call-to-action buttons clearly visible, categories readable, organized, and clickable, and links working perfectly. Your site shouldn’t be bogged down with too much information or graphics. It should be simple, sleek, and easy to follow. 

5. Handle DMV needs online

In a world where everyone wants things done quickly, you can’t afford to handle your customers’ DMV needs online. If you have to get tags, titles, registration, and license plates for car buyers, don’t do all of this the traditional way. Visiting or calling the DMV will require your customers to wait weeks to get what they need as you gather and fill out the correct paperwork. 

If you want to give buyers what they need faster, move your DMV tasks online. You can easily do this by working with a private DMV services company like Barry Risk Management, which uses a fast online process to provide the DMV documents your customers need in a timely manner. Even better, companies like Barry Risk Management gather and fill out the DMV paperwork for you so that you don’t have to worry about it, saving you time as well. 

Craft the best digital journey

With more people going online to find and purchase cars, you must start building an online shopping experience that attracts and pleases potential customers. Using the tips above will get you started on the right path, so implement them as soon as possible. That way, you can position yourself as an option for online car shoppers.