Scrappage end starts tech
May 6th, 2010 by Richard Aucock
DEALERS are switching to DMS systems to drive additional sales avenues following the end of the scrappage scheme.
Innovative solutions are being sought to fill the gap left by scrappage, and DMS mining is a growing trend.
Pinewood technology says car dealers are applying lessons learned during the scrappage scheme boom here – where they extensively used their DMS to hunt out those customers who were potential prospects.
MD Neville Briggs said of scrappage: For many dealers, these campaigns were pretty successful and helped them to sell a substantial number of cars.
‘In fact, the methods they used showed a lot of dealers the potential of DMS systems when it comes to making the most of the reduced number of sales opportunities available in a tough economy.’
Briggs offers some ingenious examples of creative DMS uses. Such as, holding a special convertible evening on the first summery weekend of the year: dealers could give away a picnic set with every new drop-top sold.
‘Potential customers for this kind of promotion can be identified through the database – existing soft top owners who haven’t replaced their car in two years or more, empty nesters, etc – and they can be texted about the event in a matter of minutes.’ Smart, huh?
‘There is no magic wand to wave here but using a DMS to its full potential means that dealers can build solid databases that have huge business value while building sales and marketing campaigns that are very proactive.
‘DMS systems means that these kind of creative, on-your-feet ideas can be generated and acted on very quickly, producing rapid results.’
If you have used your DMS in a similarly creative way, do please let us know!