As a data collector and photo taker, I think it's important to note that this is a relationship and that all relationship need both parties to be actively involved. If your 3rd party data collection company comes in on Tuesdays and Fridays, be prepared. What I mean is, have the vehicles you want photgraphed clean and available. To many times I show up to process cars and some of the cars they want done are not detailed or are somewhere on the lot that no one can find (outside detailers, re-con or salesperson is using it as a lunch-wagon and so on....). My responsible is to service your account and collect great photos and correct data and upload it to our system. Which situation is best:
1.
Before walking the lot to see what needs stickers or replacement stickers because their torn or faded, I'll print off a missing photo report and touchbase with the manager to collect prices, warranties, and keys and to discover if there are any additional vehicles that I might have missed or are coming back to the lot soon. I like a staging area to photo the vehicles at that into consideration the sun and the area as it might have to do with traffic. Make sure it's not at the entrance to your dealership or in front of the service doors, I don't like the idea of someone running me over or that might be blocked by a customer's car.
Remember, we are commissioned employees and we need to do the job right as qucikly as possible. To assist the accounts we service, some accounts are 3 times a week service to help reduce the stress as to push the car to the photograph stage prior to the detail stage. Some dealers have decided to detail the vehicle first, then photograph and then service because the service dept is so busy with customer's cars. At some dealers, I find myself removing the plastic from the wheels, seats, steering wheel, hood and more. For soem reason, Ford puts a lot of paperwork inside the new cars that needs to be removed or hidden to take good photos of the interior of the car.
I have dealerships that use their DMS to populate their account or they add them manual and I have accounts that only display vehicles that have photographs available. Or one account allows new vehicles to populate via DMS and pre-owned only as they are photographed. It's your choice.
There's a lot to be considered and planning to tackle this situation.
1.
Before walking the lot to see what needs stickers or replacement stickers because their torn or faded, I'll print off a missing photo report and touchbase with the manager to collect prices, warranties, and keys and to discover if there are any additional vehicles that I might have missed or are coming back to the lot soon. I like a staging area to photo the vehicles at that into consideration the sun and the area as it might have to do with traffic. Make sure it's not at the entrance to your dealership or in front of the service doors, I don't like the idea of someone running me over or that might be blocked by a customer's car.
Remember, we are commissioned employees and we need to do the job right as qucikly as possible. To assist the accounts we service, some accounts are 3 times a week service to help reduce the stress as to push the car to the photograph stage prior to the detail stage. Some dealers have decided to detail the vehicle first, then photograph and then service because the service dept is so busy with customer's cars. At some dealers, I find myself removing the plastic from the wheels, seats, steering wheel, hood and more. For soem reason, Ford puts a lot of paperwork inside the new cars that needs to be removed or hidden to take good photos of the interior of the car.
I have dealerships that use their DMS to populate their account or they add them manual and I have accounts that only display vehicles that have photographs available. Or one account allows new vehicles to populate via DMS and pre-owned only as they are photographed. It's your choice.
There's a lot to be considered and planning to tackle this situation.
