CSE Quick Tips
March 27, 2020
CSE Quick Tips

HELPFUL TIPS TO UTILIZE DURING COVID-19

Here are ways to help alleviate customer concerns and apprehension and overcome customer objectives during these unprecedented times due to COVID-19. These processes and tools will help ensure the health and safety of your customers, fellow employees and yourself, while enabling you and your customers to still connect.

CSE Quick Tips
CSE Quick Tip #20

TO:   Sales Consultants & Sales Managers
SUBJECT:  CSE Quick Tip #20 – Executing the Sales Process Online
Date:  March 2020

With the new challenge of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) it’s important to remember the value of providing an effective online experience for your customer that gives them all the information they need to make a buying decision. This uncertain time brings with it a new way of conducting business and selling cars. First and foremost, we must be ready to assist our customers in whatever way makes them feel at ease.

Once your dealership website is digital retail ready, you should also be prepared to fully serve the needs of your customer within that digital space.

An effective website helps get you digital retail ready. A staff equipped with the right resources helps you effectively execute that digital retail strategy.

What can you do to be prepared to serve customers shopping for a vehicle online?

  • Have Product Reference Guides (PRG) readily available to reference and answer any specific model/trim questions customers may have
  • Make sure you have access to KDealer so you can easily access all the resources provided there to answer questions
  • Have the Kia Motor Finance (KMF) information readily available for customers inquiring about financing options
  • Keep the Kelly Blue Book (KBB) website bookmarked to easily assist any customers with questions about the value of a trade-in
  • Be prepared to deliver vehicles at the customer’s home
  • Use video communication tools such as social media video conference apps and others to connect with your customers remotely. Use a steady hand and the backside camera of smartphones and tablets to conduct virtual walk-arounds of vehicles the customer is interested in.
  • To observe social distancing, customers may want to have the vehicle delivered to their home instead of taking delivery at the dealership, and having a pristine vehicle applies when delivering at the customer’s home as well.
  • Customers may be apprehensive or unable to come to the dealership to learn more about their new vehicle. Dealers can direct customers to the Kia Features & Functions Videos channel on YouTubeTM to easily learn more about their vehicle.
  • Be sensitive to limitations this unique situation creates and work to make the customer feel comfortable with the buying process

This new virus may have changed the way we operate, but it shouldn’t change the way we serve our customers. Give them the same exceptional Kia experience they have come to expect.

Sincerely,

Sales and Field Operations Team
Kia Motors America, Inc.

CSE Quick Tips
CSE Quick Tip #21

TO:   Sales Managers
SUBJECT:  CSE Quick Tip #21 – Digital Retail Ready
Date:  March 2020

The world faces a new challenge with COVID-19 (Coronavirus). In these uncharted waters, every one of our customers has been affected in some way by this new environment. In an attempt to counteract the virus and protect our customers, we must take the appropriate measures to limit social contact while still striving to offer the same exceptional customer service our Kia customers have come to expect.

Your digital presence should allow the customer to effectively experience the car buying process from the comfort and safety of their own home during this unique time.

What can you do to make sure your dealership is equipped for the digital buying experience?

Let’s look at a few best practices.

  • Is your website easy to navigate?
    Make sure your website gives the customers a good user experience.
  • Is your pricing and inventory accurate on the website?
    Right now, most customers will be checking online first to see what vehicles are available. Make sure the vehicles they access on the site are available on your lot and that the price listed is correct.
  • Does your website clearly show purchase and leasing options?
    Make sure customers can see what options they have for buying and leasing, including what kind of financing options are available to them. Don’t forget to make sure your customers can find out about any factory incentives on your site as well.
  • Is the contact information for your sales staff up to date?
    Make sure your website clearly lists your sales staff and their contact information. It’s always a great idea to include their pictures as well so customers can visualize who they are talking to over the phone.
  • Is there a live chat option on your website?
    Some people may prefer to utilize a chat option first when exploring online.
  • Do you have staff monitoring emails received from your website?
    If there is an email option on your website, make sure you have personnel that can monitor those messages and respond to customers in a timely fashion.
  • Do you have digital retail tools that allow customers to transact completely online?
    After browsing inventory, customers can review final pricing, receive value for their trade-in, get credit approval, review and select additional finance/insurance products, and complete the paperwork online.
  • Can you use video communication tools such as social media video conference apps and others to connect with your customers remotely?
    Use a steady hand and the backside camera of smartphones and tablets to conduct virtual walk-arounds of vehicles the customer is interested in.
  • Are you prepared to deliver vehicles to customers’ homes?
    To observe social distancing, customers may want to have the vehicle delivered to their home instead of taking delivery at the dealership, and having a pristine vehicle applies when delivering at the customer’s home as well.
  • Did you know that there’s an extensive library of Kia’s features and functions videos on YouTubeTM?
    Customers may be apprehensive or unable to come to the dealership to learn more about their new vehicle. Dealers can direct customers to the Kia Features & Functions Videos channel on YouTubeTM to easily learn more about their vehicle.

The important thing to remember is that because fewer people will be walking the lot and looking at vehicles for purchase in-person at your store, taking the time to enhance your customers’ online experience can still give them any and all information they need to make a buying decision.

Sincerely,

Sales and Field Operations Team
Kia Motors America, Inc.

CSE Quick Tips
CSE Quick Tip #22

TO:   Sales Consultants & Sales Managers
SUBJECT:  CSE Quick Tip #22 – Maintaining Cleanliness in Stores During COVID-19
Date:  March 2020

With COVID-19 (Coronavirus) changing the way everyone operates and does business, we must work together to protect our customers and everyone in the dealership environment.

During these unprecedented times, there are precautions and actions we can take within the dealership to care for the health and safety of our customers and all Kia employees to fight against the spread of COVID-19.

There are specific practices each store can put into place to promote a safe, clean environment for both ourselves and our customers. And for the customers that do visit the store during this time, it is important to relay to them what specific precautions you are taking so they feel comfortable and safe when they step inside your dealership.

Good Hygiene and Personal Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend:

  • Promote regular hand washing by employees and customers
  • Place hand sanitizer dispensers in prominent places inside the store
  • Display flyers or posters promoting hand washing
  • Advise sick employees to stay home

Cleaning and Disinfecting
The CDC recommends:

  • If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
  • For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
  • Clean and disinfect “high touch surfaces” such as door handles, light switches, counter tops, and restrooms more frequently.
  • Work with your local and state health departments to ensure appropriate local protocols and guidelines, such as updated/additional guidance for cleaning and disinfection, are followed, including for identification of new potential cases of COVID-19.

By following the guidance of organizations like the WHO and CDC and executing them frequently and regularly in plain view of customers and employees alike, customers can feel comfortable and confident that the dealership is a clean, safe place.

Sincerely,

Sales and Field Operations Team
Kia Motors America, Inc.

CSE Quick Tips
CSE Quick Tip #23

TO:   Sales Consultants & Sales Managers
SUBJECT:  CSE Quick Tip #23 – Disinfecting Loaners/Rentals
Date:  March 2020

With the new challenge of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) we are facing, it is essential that we take cleanliness and disinfection seriously – especially when it comes to loaners and rentals.

The interior of a car is a place where thousands of germs and bacteria can live. We must do our part to ensure all cars are properly and thoroughly disinfected before delivered to a customer for use.

Recently, CarRentals.com conducted a study that revealed the interior surfaces with the highest collection of germs in a vehicle. While you want to be sure to disinfect all surfaces in a loaner/rental before and after customer use, these are the “trouble spots” you should pay extra attention to.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide the following recommendation on disinfecting surfaces:

  • For disinfection, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
  • Because distilled bleach solutions may damage the interior of a vehicle, please visit the EPA’s website for a list of disinfectants for use against COVID-19 at epa.gov

By taking extra cleaning and disinfection precautions – and letting our customers know and showing them what extra precautions we are taking – we can better safeguard the health of everyone at each Kia dealership during this challenging time.

Sincerely,

Sales and Field Operations Team
Kia Motors America, Inc.