• Stop being a LURKER - join our dealer community and get involved. Sign up and start a conversation.

Leads: Asking for a purchase timeframe?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Alex Snyder

Alex Snyder

President Skroob
Staff member
May 1, 2006
3,519
2,442
Awards
12
First Name
Alex
#1
You're a customer, you're on a dealer website or third-party site and you're finally at a point where you are ready to communicate with the dealer.

  • Fill in your primary vehicle of interest
  • Fill in your Name
  • Fill in your Phone Number
  • Fill in your Email address
  • Then.....you're asked what your purchase timeframe is: 1 week, 1 month, 1 year
Why is that a question? If a customer is ready to communicate with the dealership, then they're ready to buy right now. I don't see why we should be asking it of people. That question also sets the stage for your Internet sales person to possibly not give that customer the immediate attention that customer deserves.

Anyway, this thread signifies my new campaign against qualifying a customer before we ever know they exist.

PLEASE POST THE SITES YOU SEE ASKING THIS QUESTION.

  1. Edmunds
  2. KBB
  3. From KBB, click on "Free AutoUSA Quote", and they're asking too
  4. Cobalt sites - this is the default setting
 
#2
I agree 100%, if it were my choice - I would hide that comment/field in the CRM. It is complete BS, a phone call or a store visit is the only way to communicate a time frame! The salesperson should be the one to qualify.

This is also the same reason that I would like to be able to hide the source from the salesperson. I have no real hard data, but something in my gut tells me that an AutoByTel lead is handled differently then a lead from a dealersite. All leads shoudl be worked with the same passion and follow-though, not the "OMG, another lead from them"

--Drew
 
#3
Alex you have a great point, all that timeframe does is make your salespeople check out early. In my case I am the first responder then the leads are farmed out to my sales guys, and I hear all the time, they are not buying right away so the urgency to be the first to call isnt there.
This plays right into what Jerry wrote about on the front page. Its an easy out to keep looking for the next great sale which you could be looking for all day and never come. In my store the internet ups for new cars are doubling floor ups yet my salesguys find more value in the showrooms ups whom may not be as knowledgeable about the vehicle or willing to negotiate on price. SAD THOUGHT I must add because its saying they are not willing to educate themselves to stand head to head and talk about their product! Anyone else in the same boat????
 
#4
Sometimes I think we are in a time machine - Sales 101. Never ask a customer when they are planning to purchase, online or in person. It's sets you up for failure each time.

This question is just the same as Jerry's "A Question Sales Professionals Should NEVER Ask…" posted last week over on the blog.

If I heard someone on my sales team ask this question, I'd want to walk over the slap the pi** out of them :)

Dealers should look at their websites right now and be sure this is NOT a question you are asking.

I wonder what 3rd party lead gen sites are asking this question? We should all start surfing about and when we find these site..mention them here in this thread. Maybe we'll get someone attention. I know I'll get it in from of a few key people.

What sites are you seeing this question being asked?
 
#5
I'm with you guys. If they make in inquiry, their ready to buy. I hate the templates that are sent saying, Dear Mrs. Lunchbucket, most customers who submit a internet inquiry make a purchase within a 3 day to 6 months time frame.
May I ask when will you be in the market ?

I shopped a dealer last week that has a template that says " in order for me to send the correct price quote, can you tell when your planning to buy " ?

If they submit a lead, the customer is ready to buy.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply
Jump to latest Follow Reply
Menu