These days with so much time spent shopping and researching cars online, one of the most difficult tasks is to get customers to actually walk through the doors of your dealership. Gone are days when car shoppers would spend an entire Saturday visiting different car dealerships to learn about the cars that they were selling. Today, most customers that do walk into your showroom already know mostly everything they need to about the car they are interested in. And while your sales staff may be able to point out a few extras and discuss financing options, there are a few more things that your dealership can do – to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for your potential buyers.
If you have customers walk through your doors– you want the environment to be comfortable; so they will want to stay for a while. Following are a few simple tips that can go a long way and may just turn that interested shopper into a buyer.
Climate
Make sure that your heat is working properly in the cold winter months. Nothing will drive a customer out the door like a freezing cold showroom. In turn, make sure your air conditioning works well in the summer months and your dealership can provide some respite from the heat on a hot summer day.
Refreshments and Hospitality
No, we are not talking about putting out a full buffet of food – but a small bowl of candy or mints, a pot of hot coffee or just some complimentary soft drinks or cold water bottles offered to your customers can be effective. These simple touches can help customers to relax a bit and take their time strolling around your dealership. In addition, having an area where they can sit, rest, and grab a cup of coffee can make all the difference for clients to feel at home.
Respect
Everyone dreads the sales person that lurks behind the cars and follows them around the dealership constantly asking you if you need help. Of course you need to engage your customers to make sale, but respect their personal space and the time they may need on their own to look at your inventory. If they have questions, they will surely ask. According to the book, Customers Are People…The Human Touch by John McKean, “It is important to balance the human need for space with the human need for acknowledgement. The need for space is an important facet of interacting with any customer and should be balanced with the parallel human need for recognition and attention.”
Be Punctual
If you have an appointment with a customer make sure you are ready when they arrive. Their time is just as important as yours; show them the respect and attention that they deserve. By creating a comfortable and respectful environment right on your showroom floor, your dealership may find that more customers may decide to stay for a while and then decide to buy.
