As managers, we implore our sales team to focus on the follow up. We know that follow up is where most deals get closed, most issues or objections get uncovered, and a true relationship with the customer is built.We also are keenly aware that follow up is the piece of the process where the ball gets dropped more often than not. So, we train it and discuss it often. We complain to peers about the inefficiency of our sales team’s followup attempts, and we harp on our sales managers, pushing them to focus on follow up as one of the key reasons why we don’t have the amount of sales that we should. Studies have shown that 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close a deal. Yet, 44% of salespeople follow up just one time before giving up on the pursuit.I’d say in the auto industry, it may take even more than five follow ups. I would argue that it can take as many as ten separate touch points in order to effectively reach a customer. Yet, after four follow up attempts, an astounding 94% of salespeople have given up on the follow up entirely.Now, this can be for several different reasons, and it is unfair to say that this is the result of pure laziness.In fact, managers may be part of the issue.I can tell you that personally, I want my salespeople to follow up endlessly until they receive a yes or no. I expect them to reach out as much as it takesto get the job done. However, I also expect my sales team to stop what they’re doing and greet an up when they walk in the door. No manager can say with honesty that they wouldn’t be frustrated if they had a room full of customers and all of their salespeople are busy at their desk, sending followup calls, emails, and texts instead of working with the customers that are right in front of them.The problem is that after they’ve greeted an up, worked with them, taken them on test drives, and worked the sale effectively, the list of contacts fall by the wayside. Life happens, and when days get busy, tasks get forgotten and corners get cut. It isn’t ideal, but you and I both know that it happens, and it happens often. We’re relying on the salesperson to spend what can often be hours chasing a lead in the hopes that they can convert it to a deal,while we have deals standing right in our showroom. It doesn’t always workout the way we want.And so, follow up suffers.
I believe the solution lies within allowing our sales team to focus their efforts on the most pertinent task at a given time, and often that task is working with the customers who are actively on the lot. Having an automated system in place to handle the mundane, tedious task of followingup with customers will allow them to do just that.It may take a salesperson two hours to follow up with all of the customers that he or she needs to follow up with, and even then, they may not get ahold of the customer at all! Sending out a pre-scheduled text message, however, would take only a few seconds. In today’s day and age, a text message is much more effective than an email at getting opened and responded to. This fact, paired with the ability to automate this process, saves time for the salesperson so they can focus on selling cars, and ensuresthat the follow up is handled exactly how you want it, and when you want it.A.I. changes the sales game because A.I. allows us to automate the mundane tasks that don’t necessarily require a human touch. This effectively buys us more time to devote to other areas. It ensures that followup is never forced to take a backseat, while also not requiring a person sitting at the desk making calls all morning. Ultimately, it provides our storewith the ability to work smarter, and to maximize our time management.Now, I’m not saying that this should turn into a free-for-all where salespeople are no longer expected to ever follow up. By all means, your salespeople should strengthen their follow up abilities and utilize them during down time.However, I am saying that by relieving much of the pressure that follow up holds over your salespeople, you provide them with more time in the day to do what they do best: sell cars.When it comes to follow up, and handling ups in the showroom, time is of the essence. And when time is of the essence, time management becomes your most valued asset.Automation allows you to essentially buy more time in the day.And, for my store, this was invaluable.
