How Does an External BDC Help Prevent the Loss of Leads?

An external BDC helps car dealerships manage their leads, perform the necessary follow-ups, and convert more inquiries into appointment opportunities. Because generating leads is one thing; ensuring that each one receives a response and proper follow-up is another.

Dealerships invest in their websites, advertising campaigns, and various platforms to attract potential buyers. However, when a lead comes in, several factors can hinder the follow-up process: a sales representative who is already busy with a customer, a high volume of inquiries, an initial contact attempt that goes unanswered, or simply a delay in follow-up.

It is precisely at this stage that a BDC can play an important role.

Why do some leads slip through the cracks?

At a car dealership, sales teams must juggle multiple priorities at once. They greet customers at the dealership, respond to inquiries, follow up with customers, prepare paperwork, and guide buyers through the decision-making process.

Meanwhile, online leads continue to come in.

A lead generated through a website, an advertising campaign, or another digital platform can therefore easily end up on hold. In some cases, an initial contact is made, but no follow-up occurs when the prospect does not respond.

The problem isn't necessarily a lack of willingness on the part of the team. It's often a matter of time, resources, and processes.

An automotive BDC makes it possible to allocate resources specifically to handling and tracking these requests.

Why is a quick response important?

When someone fills out a form to get information about a vehicle, they are usually already in the process of shopping for one.

And your dealership is probably not the only one she's considering.

Prompt follow-up therefore allows you to establish contact while the prospect’s interest is still strong. Conversely, the longer a request goes unanswered, the more time the consumer has to continue their search and contact other dealerships.

Having a clear process for managing online leads helps reduce turnaround times and prevents inquiries from going unaddressed simply because the sales team is busy with other tasks.

An unanswered lead isn't necessarily a lost lead

Calling a prospect once and not getting a response doesn't necessarily mean they're no longer interested.

He may be at work, may not have seen the message, or may simply not be available when you first try to contact him. That’s why follow-ups play an important role in automotive lead management.

A structured follow-up process allows for multiple attempts to contact a client according to a set sequence, rather than leaving follow-up efforts solely dependent on the advisor’s availability.

This allows the BDC to stay in touch with the prospect and continue the process until it is possible to gauge their level of interest and, when appropriate, schedule a meeting with the sales team.

How does an external BDC handle online leads?

Using an external sales development center allows you to entrust this part of the process to a team whose role is specifically to manage and follow up with prospects.

At Contacto, the online lead management service helps dealerships navigate the various stages of the process, including:

• handle new requests;

• communicate with prospective customers;

• follow up as necessary;

• assess the needs and interests of the potential customer;

• facilitate the scheduling of appointments;

• Forward the relevant information to the dealership team for the next steps in the process.

This allows the dealership to benefit from a more consistent follow-up process without having to add this responsibility to a sales team that already has to handle numerous tasks on a daily basis.

External BDC and Sales Team: Complementary Roles

The role of a BDC is not to replace sales consultants.

Instead, it allows for a better distribution of responsibilities.

The BDC focuses on handling inquiries, communications, and follow-ups needed to move the prospect toward a sales appointment. This allows the sales team to devote more of its time to customers at the dealership and to prospects who are ready to move forward with their purchase.

This synergy also helps establish a clearer process: each lead is handled, follow-ups are conducted, and relevant information can be shared with the advisor once an appointment is scheduled.

What are the benefits of outsourcing lead management?

For some dealerships, setting up and managing an in-house BDC requires significant resources. This involves recruiting and training a team, establishing processes, managing schedules, and continuously monitoring performance.

Outsourcing, on the other hand, allows you to rely on a specialized team and established processes.

An external BDC for car dealerships can, among other things, help improve the consistency of follow-ups, reduce the number of unanswered inquiries, and free up time for internal teams.

It also becomes easier to ensure consistent handling of leads, even as the volume of requests increases.

Every lead deserves to be followed up on

The efforts made to generate leads shouldn't stop the moment a prospect fills out a form.

How this request is handled going forward is an integral part of the customer journey. A prompt response, structured follow-ups, and an efficient handoff to the sales team make it possible to capitalize more fully on the opportunities that have already been generated.

Through its sales department Contacto Vente, Contacto helps dealerships manage their online leads to ensure consistent follow-up with prospects and encourage them to schedule appointments.