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

# Summary The original poster asks about adoption rates of video test drive features among dealers when providing price quotes to customers. The thread appears to explore whether automotive professionals are incorporating video demonstrations into their sales and quoting processes as a modern sales tool.

# Summary Internet salespeople face increasing liability from customers threatening lawsuits and negative reviews over pricing errors made in written communications, particularly from affluent professionals (doctors, lawyers) who have resources to pursue complaints. Dealers discuss defensive strategies including website disclaimers, careful quote verification with MSRP inclusion, and signature-line disclaimers in email templates—though the key vulnerability identified is inconsistent protection during follow-up communications when salespeople become less formal. The emerging best practice is embedding standard disclaimers directly into email signatures and quote templates to maintain consistent legal protection throughout the sales conversation.

# Summary A dealership manager raises concerns about cell phone usage on the sales floor—including loud conversations, poor reception, and disruptive ringtones—and solicits best practices from peers. Respondents acknowledge that while cell phones are now essential for sales professionals, proper training and etiquette (silencing phones during customer interactions, using landlines when possible, and leveraging solutions like Google Voice) can mitigate the downsides and maintain professionalism.

# Summary Automotive dealership professionals debate whether dedicated Internet Sales Manager (ISM) departments remain necessary as online research becomes standard customer behavior. While some argue the internet is just another communication tool that all salespeople should master, others present strong evidence that specialized internet departments drive significant revenue—with examples showing 46-80% of sales coming from dedicated online teams with rapid response times. The consensus suggests internet departments aren't dead; rather, the future requires either retraining older salespeople or maintaining specialized teams until the industry transitions to a tech-savvy workforce.

Colson raises the concern that most ILM systems fail to enforce mandatory scheduling of follow-up tasks when salespeople complete customer contact, leading to prospect neglect. The thread reveals that while several systems (iMagicLab CRM, iCar, and some others) do offer this capability, it's often optional rather than required, and manager oversight features vary significantly. The key insight is that truly effective ILMs need automation that triggers the next task before the current one is saved, with options for managers to enforce compliance and schedule tasks on behalf of salespeople.

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# Summary Dealers report rumors that GM OneSource plans to require all GM leads be handled exclusively through their platform (rather than third-party CRM vendors) within 90 days, with GM monitoring response quality and enforcing 24-hour reply standards. While some posters confirm hearing about quality monitoring and CRM recertification efforts, opinions diverge on whether GM will actually force out third-party vendors—with one commenter noting Mercedes-Benz attempted similar control three years ago before abandoning the program due to implementation failures. The thread reflects dealer frustration with manufacturer attempts to police lead management rather than provide better training and support.

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# Summary A dealer asks for recommendations on third-party companies that can delay the clock on GM internet leads to avoid overnight response time requirements, as late-night submissions are disrupting their team's sleep schedules. One respondent confirms they face the same issue but haven't found a working solution beyond manual monitoring. The thread appears to be redirected to an official GM response time discussion thread, suggesting no clear solution emerged.

# Summary GM dealers received notice that Cobalt's LMCC (lead management tool) is no longer an approved vendor and must be replaced, as it doesn't meet new SFE certification criteria requiring mobile interface capability by March 12, 2010. The thread reveals broader frustration with Cobalt's antiquated technology and forced OEM partnerships, though opinions diverge on whether the company's customer service compensates for product limitations. The key takeaway is that LMCC's deactivation reflects GM's push for modernized lead management systems, while dealers and industry pros debate Cobalt's competitive position and product quality more generally.

A new dealer employee expresses concerns about an impending Arkona CRM implementation at their dealership, seeking candid feedback from other users about the platform's performance, drawbacks, and learning curve. The post appears to solicit real-world experiences to help manage expectations before their live date in approximately one month. The thread captures a common situation where CRM selection decisions are made before key staff arrive, leaving them to adapt to unfamiliar systems.

Dealers struggle to accurately track which advertising sources drive floor traffic, unlike their easier-to-measure internet department metrics. The thread explores solutions including questionnaires with visual icons/logos, dedicated phone numbers with call tracking, and incentives for salespeople to collect ad source data, with consensus that success requires consistent process implementation and management oversight rather than relying on salesperson initiative alone. A key insight is that while asking customers directly can work, the most reliable approach combines multiple tracking methods (visual surveys, tracking numbers, post-sale surveys) since customers often encounter multiple touchpoints before visiting the dealership.

# Off Site Call Centers as your BDC The original poster asks whether dealerships should outsource their BDC (Business Development Center) sales calls to off-site call centers, particularly as their dealership group expands. The poster is considering converting their smaller in-house BDC into a service/CSI department while outsourcing outbound sales calls, and seeks experiences and feedback from other dealership professionals on this operational model.

Andrew Carr discusses his dealership's migration from Reynolds to Dealer.com, sharing initial positive impressions while other users offer practical advice and warn of potential pitfalls like lead lifecycle issues and unexpected fees for tracking code installation. The thread reveals that while Dealer.com generally offers improvements over legacy platforms like Reynolds' outdated WebmakerX, users should thoroughly beta-test before launch, keep customers on their own site rather than linking to manufacturer pages, and negotiate technical service charges upfront. The key takeaway is that a successful platform switch requires adequate pre-launch testing, internal team buy-in, and careful attention to hidden costs and feature functionality.

Andrew Carr, a new internet sales manager (ISM) working solo, seeks advice on departmental setup and workflow optimization, struggling to balance lead response, appointment setting, follow-ups, and vehicle delivery. Responses suggest automation tools as alternatives to hiring staff, but Andrew emphasizes the importance of personalized customer service; the thread concludes with Andrew recognizing through discussion with his GM that he should focus on appointment-setting and follow-up rather than delivering vehicles, enabling better overall department performance.

iMagicLab announced an upcoming vAuto integration that will allow users to push and pull vehicle and appraisal data bidirectionally at no additional cost to existing vAuto customers. Early adopters express enthusiasm for the feature, though the thread provides limited detail on actual implementation experiences or technical specifications.

# Summary A dealer discusses his practice of "shopping" competitors by submitting fake inquiries to monitor their sales tactics and follow-up processes, sharing examples of poorly executed email responses he received. The thread reveals a debate about the ethics and value of this practice, with one commenter arguing it wastes salespeople's time and commission, while another defends it as a legitimate competitive intelligence tactic that reveals gaps in competitor responsiveness—ultimately highlighting disagreement among industry professionals about acceptable competitive research methods.

# Summary LHPPOP seeks feedback comparing IMagiclabs and e-Leads Evo 2 as ILM replacements for their server-based Autobase system, which lacks web accessibility, robust reporting, and e-brochure capabilities. The thread includes limited direct experience with either platform—mostly a past demo of e-Leads and some praise for iMagicLab's chat functionality—but offers valuable indirect validation when two dealers commit to sharing their e-Leads implementation results after going live. The key insight is that e-Leads appears to be gaining traction among dealers seeking web-based alternatives, though concrete feature comparisons between the two systems remain incomplete in the thread.

# Summary A GM Internet Manager seeks strategies to improve lead response times under SFE (Sales Force Effectiveness) requirements, specifically addressing leads arriving during sleeping hours (midnight-3am) that are pushing his metrics below target. Responses include practical solutions ranging from using mobile devices with templates and keeping phones at bedside, to outsourcing after-hours responses via call centers or hiring third-shift remote staff, with consensus emerging that while 24/7 responsiveness is necessary, personalized responses yield better lead quality than automated ones.

# Summary A dealer seeks guidance on implementing Autobase CRM at a sister store, specifically asking about reporting capabilities, customer data export, and mass email functionality and deliverability. Responses indicate that Autobase can integrate with ExactTarget for email campaigns, which provides better deliverability than most CRMs, though the integration isn't seamless; the poster is advised to contact Autobase account management and vendor support directly for detailed implementation guidance.

Automotive professionals debate whether 20% of total dealership sales from internet leads is acceptable, with consensus emerging that **30-40% is a realistic goal**, though this varies by market conditions and pricing strategy. Key insights include that tracking ILM as a percentage of sales is useful for accountability and ownership reporting, but closing ratio and ROI are ultimately more important metrics than raw percentage. The thread emphasizes that success depends less on hitting a specific percentage target and more on optimizing lead conversion rates and maintaining profitable pricing.

Jason L is evaluating a switch from Higher Gear CRM and seeks peer feedback on DealerTrack's CRM offering, while noting satisfaction with his current ProMax ILM system. The post is a straightforward product inquiry from someone looking to understand DealerTrack's CRM capabilities and reputation within the dealer community before making a potential switch.

A dealer reports recurring timeout errors when adding or editing leads in Dealer.com's LeadMachine ILM system across multiple sales staff computers, and seeks confirmation from other users experiencing the same issue. After investigating with Dealer.com support without reproducing the problem, the dealer suspects user error or hardware/browser compatibility issues rather than a systemic defect. A community member recommends using Firefox as the required browser, noting LeadMachine works best as a lightweight tool for lead capture and reporting rather than as a full CRM replacement.

# Summary A GM multi-brand dealer solicits benchmarking data on their 5% appointment-setting rate from 357 monthly OneSource leads, acknowledging they're understaffed with only one BDC representative. Respondents indicate the dealer should be achieving higher conversion rates (4-6% or better) and suggest the 5% figure is likely due to inadequate staffing and lead distribution, though opinions vary on whether GM leads should even flow through the BDC versus directly to salespeople or be used to generate new prospects rather than follow up on existing ones.