TO:   Sales Consultants & Sales Managers
SUBJECT:  CSE Quick Tip #17 – Time – The New Commodity
Date:  April 2021

The customer’s time and safety are even more important because of the pandemic. It is essential to reduce the time they spend physically in the dealerships.

A popular way to communicate while social distancing is to use video conferencing with customers. Using video conferencing apps during your consultations provide a more personalized experience. This is a great way to conduct an effective needs assessment if the customer will not be in the store. While you move through other parts of the sales process, make sure you understand the customer’s preferred method of communication whether that is text, phone, email, or video chat.

Please see below for specific points to help make the most efficient use of the customers’ time:

• Finding the Right Vehicle
  Complete a well-rounded needs assessment to completely understand the customer’s needs – whether that is in-person or on video chat. If you understand the customers’ buying motivations, you can quickly point them to the options that work best for their lifestyle.
• Negotiating Price
  All of your inventory and pricing should be updated and accurate on your website. This way when the customer is exploring their options before potentially coming into the store, they have an understanding and reference point on pricing. Transparent pricing facilitates digital retailing, which allows your dealership to capture sales customers who now expect this capability. Ensure that in-person negotiation space is adequate to maintain privacy while social distancing from other customers and the dealership personnel who are handling the negotiations.
• Waiting on Finance and Paperwork
  Review how many of the F&I steps can be completed online before coming into the dealership. Having the customer finish as many steps as possible online is the best way to maximize your customer’s time in the store. Digital retailing is here to stay, so give your customers those options, or they may find other dealerships that do.
• Waiting for Delivery
  In this new environment, the best option is to have the vehicle delivered directly to the customer’s homes or work. This eliminates waiting in your store and the customer may feel safer with this process. If the customer is coming into the store, make sure the vehicle is ready on time. During delivery, and really the entire process, customers want to feel safe and reassured that dealers have their safety in mind. Based on KMA’s survey text analytics data, customers are telling us that they expect dealership personnel to adhere to guidelines such as:
  • Wearing masks, which shows respect for the customer’s and dealership personnel’s safety.
  • Visibly sanitizing the facility and their new and serviced vehicles.
  • Social distancing – sales desks need to be placed far apart from other people and for interaction between the customer and the dealership personnel.
• Delivery and Features and Functions
  If you successfully completed a needs assessment, at this point you should understand what is most important to the customer. You can save them time by reviewing those things that matter to them in-person or on video chat and refer them to Kia Features & Functions Videos on YouTube^TM for other features they may want to explore further. Dealership staff wearing masks, and providing masks to their customers, based on the guidelines of your state shows you care for the health and safety of your customers and yourself.

Respecting the customers time has always been a priority, but it is more crucial now since the in-person interaction is currently limited.

Remember during this time, practice social distancing and recommendations from the CDC.

Sincerely,

Sales and Field Operations Team
Kia Motors America, Inc.