CRM, ILM, Chat, Desking, Emails, Phone, SMS

Automotive professionals discuss ringless voicemail (RVM) technology and whether dealerships should adopt it for customer communications. While several services exist that enable direct-to-voicemail messaging, a critical legal warning emerges: the TCPA now covers these practices, creating legal liability for dealerships using them for unsolicited marketing. The thread concludes that RVM can be used legally only in specific, compliant scenarios—such as service follow-ups or declined repair notifications for existing customers—when integrated through compliant platforms like Talk Options.

# Summary Automotive industry professionals debate whether CRM systems deliver net value to dealerships, with concerns that rigid, task-based processes penalize salespeople for actual sales work and that poor implementation/training undermines effectiveness. Key issues include: CRMs enabling ineffective mass email blasting, task backlogs making productive salespeople appear unaccountable, and systems built by IT departments rather than desk operations. The consensus suggests CRMs fail when used as management surveillance tools rather than practical desk aids, and that their success depends entirely on proper training, simple flexible processes, and data entry discipline enforced by management.

# Summary A BDC director asks how to avoid quoting prices over the phone for vehicles without online pricing, but experienced forum members push back, arguing that withholding pricing information is outdated and counterproductive—ultimately advising him to either give transparent pricing or find a more progressive dealership. The thread concludes with Jerry Thibeau from Phone Ninjas offering data showing that price questions are rarely asked (4.5% of calls) and suggesting that when they are, salespeople should redirect to discussing the trade-in rather than deflecting on price.

A dealer is experiencing email blacklisting issues with their CRM domain because GoDaddy's DNS servers are still listed as the public-facing DNS despite moving the domain's MX records to their CRM provider, and the blocking ISP attributes this to spam activity associated with GoDaddy's servers. The core problem appears to be that updating the MX record alone doesn't resolve the DNS propagation issue—the full DNS nameservers need to be changed away from GoDaddy to remove the association with their spam reputation. While no complete solution emerges, the thread confirms this is a known issue in the industry and suggests contacting both GoDaddy support and the blocking ISP for assistance.

# Summary Dealers debate the prevalence and wisdom of 84-month auto financing, with consensus that while consumers will readily accept extended terms when available, these long payment periods create problems—including underwater trades-ins and reduced profitability. The thread reveals tension between manufacturers pushing extended financing (FCA Canada's 96-month options) as a sales tool and dealers' concerns that making these terms readily available encourages poor consumer decisions, with some arguing leasing is a better option than long-term purchases in today's market.

# Summary Salete is asking for feedback on Sendsmart AI, a Conversica competitor, specifically regarding its capability to engage leads with an introductory conversation before routing them to salespeople. The thread appears to seek peer recommendations and experiences from other dealers regarding this CRM/ILM tool's effectiveness.

# Summary Chris Fruchey, a burnt-out 20-year veteran salesman struggling with poor closing ratios in his dealership's internet department, discovered renewed passion by focusing on incoming sales calls—an area where he excels despite his broader motivational struggles. The post suggests that identifying and leveraging individual strengths in specific tasks (like phone sales) may be key to overcoming burnout and rediscovering career satisfaction in automotive sales.

Don Scott asks whether any CRM or ILM tools sync with Google Calendar or offer mobile apps, as his sales team needs calendar and task functionality on their Android phones while away from their desks. Respondents mention solutions like Insightly, Salesforce.com, and DealerSocket CRM's mobile app with notification capabilities, though later commenters note the thread is from 2011 and point out that most CRM providers now have built-in mobile alerts and reminders as standard features.

• Poll

# Summary The thread discusses best practices for delivering price quotes to customers who inquire remotely rather than visiting the dealership. While the original poster describes their dealership's evolution from a centralized manager-controlled quoting system to a simpler one-price model, a respondent proposes an innovative solution: embedding personalized price quotes into video responses to create a more engaging, transparent customer experience that makes prospects feel special and valued.

CDK Global's acquisition of eLead CRM, one of the last independent CRM platforms serving ~4,000 dealerships, sparks debate about whether consolidation in the automotive software industry benefits or harms dealers. Forum members express skepticism about large conglomerates acquiring established CRM platforms, with concerns that CDK will mismanage or ruin eLead's technology, though some see it as an opportunity for remaining private CRM competitors to gain market share.

A dealer criticizes a CRM provider for claiming that manually sending calendar invites and SMS reminders is a "best practice," when modern CRMs should automate these communications upon appointment creation—a standard that other industries like healthcare and service businesses have already implemented. Respondents agree the dealer makes a valid point, noting that most automotive CRMs rely on outdated technology and lack automation features that are commonplace elsewhere, though some platforms offer these capabilities if configured properly. The thread highlights a gap between customer expectations set by other industries and the current state of automotive CRM tools.

# Summary Ben Blanco dispels a common misconception that switching chat vendors will eliminate incoming chat leads from third-party listing sites like Cars.com, AutoTrader, and CarGurus. He reveals that dealers with active contracts on these platforms are actually entitled to a free ContactAtOnce license, meaning there's no legitimate trade-off or risk to switching chat solutions. The insight challenges dealers' fears about vendor lock-in and suggests they have more flexibility in their chat tool choices than they may believe.

• Poll

# Summary A dealer discovered that FCA was making unauthorized outbound calls to their leads through an outsourced BDC—without the dealer's knowledge or approval—using a different phone number and mispronouncing the dealership's name. The thread discusses whether this was an opt-out feature the dealer missed, but the broader consensus is that OEMs increasingly prioritize brand control and direct customer contact over dealer relationships, viewing dealers as obstacles rather than partners in the sales process.

# Summary The thread debates whether dealership BDCs should handle all incoming calls or if a dedicated operator position is necessary to filter non-sales inquiries across multi-location groups. While one commenter argues that using operators as a testing ground for BDC talent and live phone skills can actually boost CSI, others point out that routing many non-sales calls (service, general questions, etc.) through BDCs wastes their time and resources that should focus on lead conversion.

A dealer is frustrated with XRM Car Research's email automation capabilities, noting that their "auto email" feature still requires manual steps (updating leads, editing rules, selecting templates) rather than functioning as true automation. The poster is seeking either a workaround within the platform or contact with someone at XRM who can provide a genuinely automated solution that doesn't rely on manual campaigns or basic autoresponders.

# Summary Dealers debate the contradiction between holding gross profit and aggressively discounting new vehicle prices to meet sales objectives, with derrickwoolfson proposing selective price leaders on aged inventory to drive traffic while preserving margins on other units. The conversation reveals a brutal market dynamic—particularly for brands like Nissan—where dealers must price thousands below invoice just to generate leads, despite receiving minimal manufacturer incentives, creating an unsustainable business model. Participants conclude that this "insanity" stems from OEM oversupply and brand wars rather than dealer strategy, with warnings that continued market softness and falling used car prices will force painful dealer consolidation.

Mitchell Brenner enthusiastically shares his positive first-day experience switching from Higher Gear to Vin Solutions CRM, praising staff adoption and the system's ability to track customer engagement, which sparks both congratulatory responses and skepticism from other forum members questioning whether one day is enough to judge a system. The thread becomes defensive when a commenter insinuates kickback motivation, with Mitchell forcefully rejecting the accusation and emphasizing his professional integrity and thorough vetting process. By thread's end, other dealers transitioning to Vin Solutions offer more measured perspectives, acknowledging improvements over legacy systems while noting typical implementation quirks and requesting ongoing updates rather than premature conclusions.

Jeff Kershner raises the question of whether AI phone assistant technology like Google Duplex could help dealerships reach customers who don't use online booking systems, drawing a parallel to existing AI chat solutions. The post prompts discussion about the practical applications and viability of AI-driven phone automation for the automotive sales industry.

# Summary A dealer reflects on his early CRM implementation failure and pivots the discussion into a broader critique of instant-gratification culture and poor leadership in automotive dealerships. The thread explores tension between visionary statements and hands-on execution, ultimately converging on the idea that effective leaders serve and empower their teams rather than dictating from above, and that spreadsheet-driven decision-making divorced from human mission becomes hollow.

# Summary Automotive dealers discuss their experiences with eLead CRM, with multiple users reporting strong satisfaction with the system's integration capabilities, ease of training, and customer support compared to previous solutions like Higher Gear and AutoBase. Key strengths highlighted include seamless desking tool integration, DMS connectivity, mobile functionality, and responsive vendor support, though one user notes occasional technical freezing issues related to network security rather than the platform itself. Overall, the thread suggests eLead is a solid, underrated CRM choice for dealers seeking an integrated customer experience management platform.

Jeff Kershner announced a RefreshFriday video episode featuring JP Ostiguy (Operations Manager at Zanchin Automotive Group) and John Colban (Authntk WalkAroundVideo), focusing on how video technology has driven significant sales increases and is being expanded into service departments. The discussion highlights practical applications of video in automotive dealership operations, with insights from both a dealer achieving strong results and a video technology vendor with years of industry experience. Key takeaway: Video is becoming a critical tool across multiple dealership departments for improving sales performance and customer engagement.

A Nissan dealer asks for reviews of Promax CRM and receives mixed feedback: while some praise its strong desking capabilities and end-to-end lead management, others criticize its complexity, poor admin/IT requirements, and lack of robustness compared to alternatives like eLead and iMagic. The original poster reveals they actually use Promax but find it overly complex for their Buy Here Pay Here operation, and a departing customer expresses frustration over Promax's data export fees. The key insight is that Promax works well for traditional dealerships wanting an all-in-one tool but may be overkill for specialized operations, with implementation and support quality varying significantly by account.