The used car market is undergoing a market correction of sorts, with enquiries and general demand slowing slightly. However, demand is still outweighing supply (partly due to the long lead times that still remain for new car deliveries), and the struggle to maintain good used car stock levels means prices remain high.

With this being said, it’s crucial that dealerships ensure they maximise incoming leads and customer engagement for more successful sales. In this blog, we’ll explore five ways you can use technology to nurture potential customers – making the most of every enquiry that comes your way.

1. Generating enquiries through great online assets

The quality of the information that customers can explore when either searching for vehicles online or making enquiries can make a huge difference in engaging their interest. CitNOW Web is full of functionality that makes it easy and quick to record and develop top-notch digital content, including:

• Automatic background replacement: remove image backgrounds and replace them with a clean, customised, professional-looking backdrop for a look that’s brand-consistent
• Guides and wireframes: built-in features including zoom, lens swap, levelling and manual focus means team members of every level of experience can easily create professional-looking images and videos
• Auto-uploading: integration with all major online sales portals means that the videos and imagery you capture can be automatically uploaded to your online sales listings

2. Engage with video along the way

Video can be applied at many different stages across the customer journey, helping sales staff build trusted relationships with customers, as well as engaging them with personalisation. CitNOW Sales is ideal for developing these videos, and brings together branding, professional editing, and feedback through ratings and the integrated dashboard. Types of video you can develop through CitNOW Sales can include:

• First enquiry responses that address specific information the customer has requested
• Full walkaround videos that are fully personalised to the customer’s areas of interest
• Reminder videos ahead of in-person appointments, and follow-up videos afterwards
• Live videos that allow customers to continue through the purchasing journey from the comfort of their own homes or on mobile devices

3. Quicker, more efficient lead management

At a time of slowing demand, sales executives need to do whatever they can to maximise every lead and opportunity. This means fast responses to customer enquiries, especially as research has suggested that more than 40% of car buyers are more likely to purchase if they receive an enquiry response inside 30 minutes.

This is where a solution like Dealerweb React comes into its own, collating all leads and enquiries received from different online sources and immediately displaying them within a single dashboard. In a matter of minutes, sales staff can understand the nature of the enquiry, respond to the customer via email or phone call and then get to work with personalised video creation to further enhance the customer’s experience.

4. Enable transparent part exchanges

According to recent CitNOW Group research, over half of car buyers are more inclined to buy from a dealership that makes a part exchange offer first. Taking the stress out of the part exchange process, and removing the disputes that can arise when dealerships and customers valuations differ, can help the customer journey run much smoother.

Innovations like Tootle, which features cap hpi valuation data, and the ability to generate clear and extensive reports on vehicle condition, can deliver simplicity and transparency to the whole part exchange process.

5. Ease the financial transaction process

As a car purchase is one of the most significant financial transactions that a customer would normally make, it’s understandable that they want it to be as hassle-free and simple as possible to complete a purchase. Integration is therefore vital as it can blend purchasing into the rest of the customer journey.

This can be achieved through CitNOW integrations like iVendi, where finance options, checks and reservation opportunities can be launched straight from the video presentation page; and Bumper, where customers can apply for finance directly through workshop video pages when repairs need to be conducted.

CitNOW Group has solutions to help with the full customer journey process to maximise enquiries and engagement. Find out more here.