Top 8 Reasons why Car Dealers need a Mobile App

Boosting App Engagement: 5 Strategies for 2024

by Auto Dealer MarketingCar Sales

Simply put, just having an app isn’t enough….

In today’s digital age, auto dealerships are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage with customers and enhance their overall experience. However it’s essential to implement strategies to maximize customer engagement. First and foremost it’s important to establish your mobile app must be part of your sales process. The sales team is your frontline champion for marketing the app to the customers sitting in the chair right in front of them. Contact us to learn best practices for your sales and service teams. Beyond that, to stay competitive and gain the advantage more is needed. Here are five PROVEN methods for your dealership to maximize your mobile app growth and success:

A dealership-branded mobile app serves as an excellent retention tool and has been adopted by many stores, large and small – CBT News

Mobile Site Banner

A strategically placed banner on the your mobile website can effectively promote the app and encourage downloads. This banner should highlight the benefits of using the app, such as access to exclusive deals, convenient service scheduling, or personalized vehicle recommendations. By integrating the app promotion into the your online presence, they can capture the attention of website visitors and convert them into app users. We work along with your website provider to get this implemented for you.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are a direct and immediate way to engage app users. You can leverage push notifications to alert customers about special promotions, service reminders, new vehicle arrivals, or exclusive events. By delivering timely and relevant messages, dealerships can keep their app top-of-mind for users and encourage them to return for maximum retention.

Geofence Messages

Geofencing technology allows you to send targeted messages to app users based on their physical location. For example, when a customer enters the vicinity of your dealership send them a welcome message. Sponsoring a local event? Send your customers an automated geofence message thanking them for their support. This is your opportunity to get creative here! They can receive a notification reminding them to schedule a service appointment or offering a discount on parts and accessories. By leveraging geofence messages, you can deliver relevant and timely content that enhances the customer experience and drives foot traffic to your locations.

On-Site Signage

Utilizing signage material within your dealership’s physical locations is another effective way to promote the app and encourage engagement. This could include posters, banners, or digital displays featuring QR codes or short URLs for easy app download. By integrating app promotion into your dealership’s physical environment, can reach customers at the point of sale and encourage them to download the app for specials and rewards using our build in loyalty rewards program.

Email Blasts

Email marketing remains a powerful tool for engaging with customers, and your dealership can leverage your email lists to promote the mobile app. Send targeted email blasts highlighting the benefits of downloading the app, such as access to exclusive offers, loyalty rewards, or personalized vehicle recommendations. By segmenting your email list and tailoring the messaging to specific customer interests and preferences, effectively drive app downloads and increase engagement among your audience.

With your branded mobile app you have a valuable opportunity to enhance customer engagement and drive business growth. By implementing strategies such as push notifications, mobile site banners, geofence messages, on-site signage material, and email blasts, you can effectively promote your app and gain crucial customer retention. By leveraging the power of mobile technology, you will build stronger relationships with your customers and stay ahead in today’s competitive automotive market.

Schedule a demonstration today to be part of this success!

Top 8 Reasons why Car Dealers need a Mobile App

Top 8 Reasons why Car Dealers need a Mobile App

by Auto Dealer MarketingCar Sales

Why a branded mobile dealer app is a necessity in 2024

The move to a more digital automotive shopping experience has been long coming, but, admittedly, slow moving. However, 2020 has forced the industry to finally accelerate in this area all the way down to the dealership level. Over the past two years consumers have been meticulously trained to have complete end-to-end purchase experiences digitally. With this shift, it’s more imperative your dealership is remaining ahead of the curve with a branded mobile app. 

As stated in a ‘CBT News’ article, “A dealership-branded mobile app serves as an excellent retention tool and has been adopted by many stores, large and small.”  A link to the full article is here. Let’s note some more specific reasons why your dealership needs a mobile app.

 

A dealership-branded mobile app serves as an excellent retention tool and has been adopted by many stores, large and small – CBT News

Engagement

Consumers are more and more dependent on apps today than ever. From banking, retail, food delivery, etc. Consumers simply do business on their mobile devices. A branded mobile app carves out a critical piece of digital real estate on their most used device. Push Notifications are the centerpiece of keeping customers engaged and retained. Service reminders and sales specials can be placed right on their lock screens. Take personal truly to the next level with automated geo-fencing messages that generate when customers arrive to the dealership or any related areas. 

Customer Experience

Bring the dealership experience right to the customer in so many ways. Allow quick and effortless inventory shopping with full images and vehicle details. Allow consumers to schedule test drives, service appointments, get prequalified, or apply for finance all directly from the mobile app. Have virtual one on one meetings with your consumers with live video calls, perfect for a virtual tour around the showroom floor or for service technicians to give consumers a live rundown of issues with vehicles that were found during the repair process. The digital retailing experience starts with the mobile app. 

Customer Targeting

With a mobile app you are able to get valuable insights from your customers’ browsing habits and act on them with analytics data from the mobile app. See what your customers like and ways you can appeal to them better for a better experience for them. Create segments of your customer base to send targeted messages to particular groups or vehicle owners. 

Retention

As stated in the beginning of the post, customer retention is a strong point of any good mobile application. Keep your loyal customers returning with a fully customizable loyalty rewards program. Fully integrated service scheduling with Xtime allows customers to make an appointment in a matter of seconds. Retention is largely related with engagement. An engaged customer is a retained customer. Leveraging all of the tools of the mobile application will keep your dealership top of mind and make sure they stay engaged and committed to your dealership. 

Customization

Being able to customize the app may not at first thought have any impact on your customer’s app experience, but customization is another critical part of keeping the customer engaged. M-Link allows dealers to make instant changes to their Home Screen and menu layout on the fly to keep up with seasonal changes, ongoing trends, and whatever customers are demanding at a given time. Having a customizable loyalty rewards program keeps things exciting for new and creative ways to earn points in sales or services. This allows for more unique marketing efforts as well. You can even create customized pages in the app for more individualized needs. Have a body shop? Create a functional accident reporting screen for customers to upload photos and/or a video of their damage, all on the fly. 

 

The global pandemic has changed the world, and many of those changes are here to stay. We’re now doing much of our business from home, and that includes working, schooling, and shopping. Smartphones have become the new shopping mall, and that’s the main reason why every retailer, even car dealers, need a mobile app of their own. 

Schedule a demonstration today to be part of this success!

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App? The Expensive Way vs the Practical Way

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App? The Expensive Way vs the Practical Way

by Mobile App Development

How much does it cost to make an app? This is such an open-ended question that finding the right answer is often difficult.

A simple bare-bones mobile app can cost you less than a thousand dollars, but the more features that you integrate into the app, the more it’s going to cost you eventually. Having a mobile app is critical to the growth of your business. With revenues going up in billions for mobile apps, it’s easy to understand just how much potential there is for businesses that want to grow by building their own mobile app.

While many developers will claim to make an app for you at a lower fee, you should know that it’s going to be severely lacking on features as well. After all, you will only get your money’s worth. But, in general, how much does it cost to make an app? In the following paragraphs, we will break down the costs associated with building a mobile app into separate phases.

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App? Breaking Down the Elements

There are three major elements that you need to focus on: app development, design, and startup costs. The average cost of an app ranges between $80k and can go as high as $250k depending on the type of features you want to integrate.

The first stage is app development, in which the front end and back end of the app will be developed. Extensive testing will have to be carried out to iron out the creases and make sure that all of the included features are working properly.

Once that is done, the app will move into the design phase, where the visual design of the app will be configured. This includes working on the UX and the UI of the app, along with the design, logos, and other features. Copywriting services will be required as well to create the app’s content.

Once that is done, the next step is the startup costs. Marketing the app is going to be critically important. Without adoption, it’s going to be virtually impossible for the app to sustain itself. As a result, a significant amount of the budget is going to be set apart for marketing.

Then, there’s support. Problems with the app will need to be catered to, so appropriate support will be provided. An office will be set up to hire staff who will run the office and manage issues.

Now, how much does it cost to make an app? Here’s a brief summary:

  • Simple apps can cost a maximum of $80,000
  • Basic database apps can cost as much as $150,000
  • Apps with advanced features can cost as much as $250,000
  • Gaming apps can cost even more than that depending on the quality

However, there are other things to understand as well. App development is usually an ongoing process. Once the app has been built, it’s going to be refined and reworked over and over again, and all of this is going to require money. For instance, car dealers are going to need an app that allows them to show off their inventory easily.

Requirements for Car Dealers

There are several key features that you are going to want to include in your app for car dealers. You need to start by figuring out the number of platforms on which you are going to make the app available, and then determine the complexity of the app itself. Certain design elements are also going to play a role in the overall build.

Now, let’s take a look at these requirements separately for car dealers.

Platform Requirements

You can either create a native app for iOS or Android, or you can create a cross-platform app that is available on both platforms. As a car dealer, you need to understand that both iOS and Android are incredibly popular platforms. To allow more potential customers to view your inventory and access the app, you need to make sure that you develop apps for both of these platforms.

Cross platform apps are slightly more expensive, but they are definitely worth the money. You are going to have to pay a bit more, but it will also allow you to access a greater number of customers.

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App? The Expensive Way vs the Practical Way
How Much Does It Cost to Make an App? The Expensive Way vs the Practical Way

Design

How do you want the car dealer app to look? There are a few design elements that you need to include. For starters, the car dealer app should have an aesthetically appealing design. The look and feel should be in line with the aesthetic at your dealership for creating brand consistency.

That’s not all; you will also need to work on the user experience to make it as seamless as possible. Essentially, you have to understand that you will be listing plenty of cars on the platform. It’s important to allow for fluid navigation and lots of high-res pictures so that people can check and make a booking easily. They should also have an option to set up an appointment.

Complexity

This is a slightly confusing part, but one that plays an important role. You might need to add integration for accepting payments online as well, especially if you are going to offer in-app purchases to your customers. Obviously, as a car dealer, this is a fantastic feature to add, but you may have to spend more money.

That’s why it’s important for you to evaluate whether such a feature is necessary or not, especially considering your target market. Most people will want to visit before they decide to buy a car.

If you want to avoid going through the traditional way, you should consider getting in touch with DealerApp Vantage. Our mobile app platform that allows you to build an app tailored for car dealers within minutes, without having to pay over the top. It’s a fantastic option for people who quickly want to build and launch an app to separate themselves from the competition.

deploy your auto dealer app with just a few clicks.

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Learn How to Make an App in Five Different Ways

Learn How to Make an App in Five Different Ways

by Auto Dealer Marketing

Developing a mobile app is one of the best things that you can do to promote your business.

Numerous studies have shown that having a mobile app is important for businesses that want to compete in this day and age. It is the ultimate way to get access to a whole new market. More importantly, learning how to make an app is now much easier than ever before. You really don’t need to learn as much code or go through extensive courses before you are able to create your own app.

Instead, there are a number of different ways by which you can create an app. For those who want to learn how to make an app, here are five different ways to keep in mind.

1. Write the Native Code for it

Known to many as the basic way for creating an app, all you have to do is write the native code for the device that you are creating the app for. For instance, if you are developing an app for the iOS platform, you will want to write the code in Swift, which is the default programming language for Apple.

On the other hand, most apps for Android are coded in Java or Kotlin, so you can write apps in those. However, the limitation with this method is that you will have to maintain two separate codebases, which can be a problem for smaller businesses.

Learn How to Make an App in Five Different Ways

2. Using React Native

Another excellent option is to make use of React Native. It gives users the option of writing JavaScript code while using fully native widgets. The platform still makes use of JavaScript runtime libraries, but it doesn’t make use of WebViews. More importantly, the presentation is not HTML either.

React Native is community-driven, and also features a live reload option. It offers fantastic performance for mobile environments, and has a very modular architecture that closely resembles React. React Native is much more intuitive when compared with other hybrid apps. However, it still faces quite a few performance related problems because of its reliance on JavaScript’s bridging.

How to make an app with React Native

If you don’t know how to make an app yourself, you can always schedule a demo of our mobile app service that is exclusively targeted toward car dealers.

3. WebViews

One of the simplest ways to create mobile apps was to create hybrid apps. They were essentially touch-navigable web pages that were presented in the app container. The framework obviously limits user experience and makes use of the JavaScript bridging to connect with native services. It also has a negative impact on performance and is obviously not as intuitive as you might think. React Native is actually considered an upgrade over this.

Learn How to Make an App in Five Different Ways

4. Using Flutter

Another excellent option to use is Flutter. The development style offered by Flutter is quite reactive, very similar to React Native, but the reason why Flutter is more popular among developers is because Flutter gets rid of the runtime JavaScript libraries altogether. Instead, it compiles the code natively for use on different platforms.

This leads to a litany of advantages, starting from faster app performance and quicker loading times as well. As a car dealer, you will want to make sure that you create a mobile app that is responsive and loads up quickly. Obviously, you will have plenty of products on your app as well, so if the loading times are not decent enough, most users are simply not going to want to stay on the app for a prolonged period of time.

How to make an app with Flutter

5. Using Progressive Web Apps

One of the best things that you can do as a car dealer is to get an application made using progressive web apps, which many may consider the future. Web APIs now allow for greater interaction between devices and their corresponding web pages, which means that the pages can be cached, thus allowing users to work offline as well.

What’s our take?

Hiring a developer can be costly and you will always depend on them for further updates. Also, learning the programming language yourself has its benefits but there will be a learning curve that might be too long and impractical.

If you don’t know how to make an app yourself, you can always us turn-key services like DealeApp vantage.  Schedule a demo of our mobile app service that is exclusively targeted toward car dealers. A demo will help you better understand the capabilities of the service and allow you to explore the benefits and see how fast you can bring your dealer app to market.

Automobile companies often face a litany of challenges as they continue to grow. Car dealerships have to come up with unique and interesting ways to separate themselves from the pack. As a car dealership owner or service manager, it is your responsibility to make sure that you are able to create a product that resonates with your customers.

Simple features such as allowing customers to set up dates for servicing or for tracking their application progress and updating inventory regularly are essential and you need to incorporate those. Once you are able to do that, your app’s ratings are automatically going to improve.

Resources:

Mobile App Design and UX Best Practices

Mobile App Design and User Experience (UX) Best Practices

by Mobile App Development

Hit the nail on the head with Mobile App design best practices to achieve a great UX (User Experience)

The market for mobile apps is growing by the day, and if you want to remain competitive in the business world, it is important for you to make sure that you come up with the right mobile app design for your business. If you are running a car dealership, it would be a great idea to come up with an app design that not only meets the needs of your customers, but also offers seamless compatibility. The result is, well you guessed it: a great User Experience (UX).

There are plenty of key features that you will want to incorporate in a mobile app that is primarily designed for car dealerships. Here are just a few.

Mobile App Consistency

Design consistency is perhaps of the utmost importance for making sure that users are able to easily recognize what the app is about. You will want to make sure that the typeface, the controls, and the colors remain the same on all platforms for which the app is created. Make sure that it is virtually the same app on both platforms. This is going to help get rid of confusion and make sure that users know your branding.

Focus on Eliminating User Doubt

An important mistake that many app developers make is that they do not provide enough feedback to the user who is engaging with the app. Eliminating user doubt is critical for the success of your app, and this is only possible when you are able to provide some sort of feedback every time a user interacts with the app.

For instance, a pop-up message should show up when a user fills out a form on your app. If a user is checking out cars available on your dealership in the app, every touch that they register should be confirmed.

Mobile App Design with Easy Navigation

The journey taken by your users to reach a specific goal is obviously important, and you need to take steps to minimize the number of steps involved in their journey. You have to make sure that you take appropriate steps so that the user is able to see different cars, place an order, book a service, or interact with your dealership in the most convenient manner. If they want to set up a meeting, they should be allowed to do that. The less steps a user has to take, the better it will be for your users. It’s only going to help in improving your contact with your end-consumers.

Simplify User Actions

Another thing that you need to do when creating a mobile app is to focus on breaking down the user actions. Instead of giving the user several actions on a single screen, provide them with a sort of home page and then focus on providing one action on each screen. For instance, if a user wants to book a service, they should be taken to a screen that allows them to choose from different options.

Once they click on a specific option, the user will be taken on a separate screen to show them all of the features within that servicing option. They can then make a booking through that separate screen.

The same can be applied for bookings as well. Users can easily make bookings for cars after checking the features and comparing them on your app. It’s a simplified way of making sure that you do not overburden the user with plenty of options.

The aim here is to make sure that a user has plenty of space to work with. Keep in mind that most users will be using the app on a screen not bigger than five to seven inches. That is why it’s important to keep the options minimal.

Focus on Different UI Elements

If you take a look at some of the most popular apps in the world, you will realize that they all follow a similar mobile app design strategy. All important elements are shown near the top of the screen, and then, they are broken down in terms of importance. More importantly, despite the limited space available on the screen, many of the apps also make use of whitespace in a very intelligent manner.

It’s all about prioritizing the amount of information that is shown on the screen. When developing a mobile app for your auto business, the focus should always be on providing relevant information. A lot of information might not be required, and can be easily omitted or shown on a separate screen. These are some simple design elements that your mobile app should focus on.

If you want a mobile app designed for your car dealership, you can always schedule a demo with us. We have built plenty of mobile apps in the past and are highly experienced in helping dealerships improve on their customer satisfaction by building tailored mobile apps.

Top 8 Reasons why Car Dealers need a Mobile App

Top 8 Reasons why Car Dealers need a Mobile App

by Auto Dealer MarketingCar Sales

How a Mobile App Benefits Car Dealers

The global pandemic has changed the world, and many of those changes are here to stay. We’re now doing much of our business from home, and that includes working, schooling, and shopping. Smartphones have become the new shopping mall, and that’s the main reason why every retailer, even car dealers, need a mobile app of their own. Contact us today to schedule a demonstration!

1. Attract Views

These days, “window shopping” means shopping on a Windows (or Android, or Apple) device. People are staying home; they’re not going to car dealers’ lots to kick tires and see how they look behind the wheel. No, they’re clicking the links that catch their attention. If you want your links to be the ones clicked, then you’re going to have to know your market and what they’re looking for. The right mobile app platform can help you do that with geo-targeted digital marketing campaigns. Contact us to schedule a demonstration today!

2. Convert Viewers to Shoppers

Getting prospective buyers’ attention is obviously the first step to making a sale; however, you have to convince them not only that they want to buy a car, but that they want to buy from your dealership! Again, here’s where geo-targeted marketing strategies come in. The app platform can notify your sales staff when the prospect triggers a geofence, and your salespeople can step in with a personalized pitch. Let us show you how this works.

3. Give Shoppers Information

Making the customer aware of what you have to offer is the first step, but it’s the first step in a long journey. Most of today’s shoppers want to do a lot of research before making a purchase as large as an automobile, and you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do this. A good mobile app designed for car dealers puts all of this at their fingertips. They can look up makes, models, trim lines, options, incentives, and more on their own time and in their own way. Contact us today to learn more!

4. Make the Transaction Easy

Buyers may want a specific vehicle, but they also want an easy transaction. This means that they want and deserve transparency as far as pricing, incentives, financing options, warranty and service options, and more – and a lot of them want it presented in the dealer’s mobile app so that they can review it without feeling pressure in a dealership office. Let us show you how to make that happen with a demonstration of our mobile app.

5. Schedule Service and Maintenance

Yay, the buyer has bought the car! Now you want to keep them coming back to you for scheduled service and maintenance, and the best way to make this happen is to make it easy for them. By now, your customer should be completely familiar with your mobile app, so encourage them to browse the service department menu and schedule all their service and maintenance that way.

You can target them with special offers based on the recommended maintenance schedule, and you can increase customer spending by presenting complementary offers as well. This keeps your customer in your showroom and ensures that you will be top of mind for all automotive-related needs. Contact us today to schedule a demonstration of the mobile app that can make this happen.

6. Offer Rewards and Notifications

Car dealers can set up loyalty programs through their mobile app so that customers receive loyalty points for scheduling service or completing other activities, such as writing reviews of the dealership, making referrals, or any other related activities. They can trade in these points for discounts on service or dealership swag, which is also great for keeping your name and logo visible in the community.

You can also set your app to notify customers of events such as sales, new inventory, dealership events, manufacturer recalls and notifications, or anything else that you think they’d be interested in – and the app can even help you figure out what might interest the customer! Schedule a demonstration today to see more.

7. Sell and Service More Vehicles

This is the bottom line, right? All things considered, car dealers with a good mobile app are going to sell and service more vehicles – which is what every dealership needs to improve their bottom line. Contact us today to schedule a demonstration of the most comprehensive mobile app in the automotive industry.

8. Know That You’re in Good Company

If you think that this all sounds too good to be true, read what some other car dealers think about this mobile app.

“Delivering a superior experience across our dealerships is at the very center of our digital strategy. As our customers continue to move toward a mobile-first approach, Mobile Dealer helps us to deliver the best mobile customer experience when they buy and service from our family of dealerships.” –  LAND Auto Group, Kelsey Bilyk, Group Marketing Director

 

“Mobile Dealer has boosted our inventory views by over 110,000 over the past six months which has helped us to drive more sales growth. Over 75% of buyers that visit our lots already have the app downloaded. Each time I push an offer or new listing to our app, our sales call volumes increase two fold. Mobile Dealer delivers INCREDIBLE value to our digital marketing program.” – Ohio Trucks Group, Mike Linder, Marketing Manager

Schedule a demonstration today to be part of this success!

Is Your Auto Dealership Ready for Digital Retailing in 2021?

Is Your Auto Dealership Ready for Digital Retailing in 2021?

by Auto Dealer MarketingCar Sales

Digital Retailing Goes Big

The world in general, especially auto dealerships, is going to look a lot different in 2021 than it did just a few years ago. Online shopping and digital retailing has been growing at approximately 20% per year, according to Adobe Analytics and the National Retail Federation.

Make sure your dealership can be a part of this by scheduling a demonstration of our mobile app!

Schedule a Demo

Trends in Car Shopping

Driven in part by 2020’s lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, people are doing more and more shopping from their smartphones in the comfort of their own couches. We’ve all gotten used to browsing online, paying electronically, and having the goods delivered to our doorsteps.

Well, the big brown trucks aren’t likely to become car carriers any time soon, but there’s every reason to believe that digital retailing is the way for dealerships to grow and thrive. Consulting firm McKinsey & Company reports that fewer than one-third of younger drivers plan to buy their next cars in person at a dealership lot, and many would prefer to have absolutely no contact with any sales people at all (it’s not you, though, it’s them, we promise!). Cars.com surveys show that these buyers would prefer to handle all negotiations online, and this includes obtaining financing as long as they can also get full disclosures and accurate quotes.

The digital retailing train has pulled out of the station and you can make sure that your dealership is on it by scheduling a demonstration of our mobile app today.

The Industry Is Ready

The automotive industry is prepared to embrace the trend toward digital retailing. There are now platforms that leverage big data, analytics, and technology to provide both dealers and consumers with a seamless online car shopping experience from “window shopping” through contracts, financing, taxes and tags, and everything else that goes into getting ready to drive away.

Some of the automotive industry sectors that these platforms cover include:

Manufacturing: Information is collected on every make, model, and trim line offered by every manufacturer. Information is also collected on every possible rebate or incentive, including VIN-specific, option package-specific, region-specific, and dealer-specific offers, as well as whether these incentives can be combined or stacked.

Lending: Complete information is available for every published program offered by every lender in the country, for borrowers ranging from subprime through excellent credit. This includes all factors that could influence a purchasing or lending transaction, including parameters, policies, and other program-specific criteria.

Dealership: This includes information on every dealership’s required terms and conditions, including individual price rules, fees, lender relationships, reserve policies, and anything else that might be relevant. This is extremely useful when considering how your dealership should position and present itself to consumers.

Consumer: Information is available on all consumer credit bands and how they are classified, collected, and considered by every lender or manufacturer financing program.

Municipal and Government: This includes everything that any dealership needs to know about state, county, and local legalities such as laws, rules and regulations, tax percentages, calculations, registration fees, and other Department of Motor Vehicles Information.

Dealerships that are considering moving into or strengthening their digital retailing strategies – and that should be every dealership! – would do well to make sure that they can access all this information to make their online showrooms more attractive and accessible to potential buyers. Schedule a demonstration of our mobile app today so that you can see how easy and convenient it can be.

Is Your Auto Dealership Ready for Digital Retailing in 2021?
Is Your Auto Dealership Ready for Digital Retailing in 2021?

Is Your Dealership Ready?

The country is opening back up again, which means that people will be working and driving and buying and spending. But 2021 is going to look very different from 2019, and one of the changes that looks as if it’s here to stay is “from home.” Going forward, a lot of us are going to be working from home, worshiping from home, schooling from home, and shopping from home – even for cars.

It’s true that it’s a sellers’ market now, but this doesn’t mean that all sellers and all markets are going to come out on top. You are no longer competing with just the dealership down the street; the market is wide open and geography is not the limiting factor that it once was.

Dealerships need to get with the times if they don’t want to be left behind. This includes creating attractive virtual showrooms, figuring out how to arrange test drives and deliveries, and most importantly, presenting potential buyers with all the information they could want or need right on their smartphones.

Today and tomorrow’s buyers demand complete access and transparency. They want to know how to get the best car, with the best options, at the best price, on the best terms, with the best financing. Learn how to make this kind of digital retailing happen for them by scheduling a demonstration of our mobile app today.

How to Increase Fixed Ops Revenue with a Mobile App

How to Increase Fixed Ops Revenue with a Mobile App

by Auto Dealer MarketingFixed OpsMobile App Development

How Does a Mobile App Affect Your Fixed Ops Revenue?

We’ve all been affected by COVID-19, and that is especially true for the business world. If you’re in charge of the fixed ops division at your dealership, you might be wondering how to keep things productive and making money during this horrible pandemic, especially since so many people are now working from home. 

But not to worry because since the digital world is here to help, the only thing you need to make sure your business stays afloat are a few tips, some suggestions and a good mobile app for your dealer.

Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can’t stay connected with your customers. There are numerous marketing strategies that will help keep your sales numbers up and your service department busy. You can schedule a lot of these strategies via your cellphone, where you can also check the status and the analytics of each program you choose so that you know what your numbers are. 

For the most part, there are at least five different areas you can concentrate on to help all areas of your dealership survive and thrive during COVID-19. 

They are described below.

  • Become intimate with your inbox. Rather than only concentrating on sending out e-blasts and nothing else, you should go all out when it comes to your email marketing program. Compared to many other marketing programs, email programs that have a specific goal in mind go a long way in converting your current customers into customers for your service department. Send a targeted email out describing a service discount or sale. Most people need something done on their vehicle at any given time, so it should be easy to drive those people to the service bays.
How to Increase Fixed Ops Revenue with a Mobile App
  • Build up your service department so that everyone knows how great they are. By using a variety of online marketing techniques and your mobile app, you can boast about the many things your service department can do. Target people who haven’t had their cars serviced in a while and people who declined any type of long-term warranty. Current customers should be targeted because they are the most likely to visit your service department, if not immediately, sometime in the near future. New car buyers especially tend to be conscious about how well their vehicles are maintained, so make sure you include them in any digital marketing programs you initiate. This is something your fixed ops division can do that is both simple and efficient.

  • Enhance your website and make sure it is current and offers valuable information. Get online and update your site, making sure you highlight your service department. Make sure any service-related questions that customers might have are answered; in other words, try your best to be proactive. Customers will look to your website when they have any questions about any part of your business, and if service-related information just happens to be on there, they are very likely to go toward it. Even if they’re not currently needing service on their vehicle, they’ll remember that information for the future.

  • Think about your mindshare. When you plan your marketing campaign, try to utilize various platforms so that you reach as many people as possible. Keep in mind that your ultimate goal is to keep your company in the back of their minds. We’re not just talking about current customers; this also means giving some attention to shoppers and other potential customers so that they remember you later on when they need you. After all, a fixed ops department’s job is to make sure all of the departments in the dealership are successful and thriving, and since you can do so many of these things on a mobile app, you can create and monitor marketing campaigns even if it’s the middle of the night.

  • Make sure you consider your search engine results page (SERP), which is crucial for bringing in new customers. This page is the first exposure they’ll get to your company, so you want to make sure it is absolutely perfect. Remember that this is the page they’ll be directed to when performing an Internet search, so you should use a combination of Organic, Paid, and Map Pack search results. You want visibility, but if your SERP isn’t tended to, viewers will quickly move onto something else.

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A Few Final Thoughts

Managing your fixed ops department during the pandemic isn’t as challenging as you might think. All you have to do is set some goals and have a strategic marketing plan all laid out so that you use a variety of platforms to target certain customers. When customers download your dealership’s mobile app, you can interact with them from anywhere, which saves you a lot of time and helps you make money. No dealership has to go it alone, and if you’re curious about apps that work and you’d like to see a demo, all you have to do is contact us whenever you’re ready.

How Car Dealers Can Use a Mobile App to Keep Customers Engaged

How Car Dealers Can Use a Mobile App to Keep Customers Engaged

by Auto Dealer MarketingCar SalesMobile App Development

Mobile phones and their mobile apps are the most popular way for people to search for the services they want and need.

This offers dealers an enormous opportunity to establish relationships with customers and leads, and they can communicate directly with customers and people who might use their services. If you are looking to increase your engagement and build loyalty with your customers, creating a mobile app is a great idea.

Your Mobile App Creates Brand Recognition

When a customer finds your site, you should have an offer to download your mobile app. This way, the icon with your name is on the screen of their smartphones each time they look at it. This helps to create brand recognition so that when they need an oil change or want to look for a new car, they will think of your dealership. If the app is user friendly, they will use it before doing an online search. Your dealership name will stand out in their minds and they will refer you to their friends and families.

You Can Offer Promotions and Other Discounts

Another way to keep customers engaged through your mobile app is to offer promotions and other discounts. For example, if you have a promotion, it can show up as a notification on the app. Your customers will open the app to find out what it is. As long as you are offering promotions that your customers want, you will increase your revenue this way. This helps you to stay engaged with your customers, which helps to develop a relationship and build trust.

If you have a dealership, creating a mobile app for your customers can help you engage with them.

You Can Compile Data on Your Customers to Improve Your Business

When you have a mobile app, you get valuable data on your customers so that you can learn more about them. You can custom tailor your services and promotions to improve your customers’ experiences. The key to customer retention is making sure that they feel appreciated and valued, and when you have data that helps you to understand their needs, you can do this more efficiently.

How Car Dealers Can Use a Mobile App to Keep Customers Engaged

You Can Boost Engagement to Help Improve Your Business

In addition to offering promotions and discounts, you can conduct surveys and polls. You can find out what customers prefer, including size of cars, styles, colors, trunk space, how many people it holds, and more. This gives you more specific data on each customer so that you can send them information and offers that relate directly to their interests. This is a great way to build a relationship and create trust with potential customers.

You Can Entice Your Customers with High Impact Videos

Customers love to see videos of a test drive, interior features, and close looks at the exterior of vehicles. This gives them an opportunity to virtually experience a vehicle before they come in to make a purchase. You can include these types of videos so that customers can gather more information on cars they are interested in purchasing or leasing. This might help them to take that next step of coming in and test driving it or purchasing it.

You Can Use a Mobile App to Personalize a Customer’s Experience

Another benefit to a mobile app is that you can personalize your customers’ experiences. You will be able to address them by their first names, and you can customize the information they receive by tracking their preferences. You can simplify the process of selecting a car for them by helping them remember what they are interested in, and you can let them know when you offer incentives to purchase the model they like best.

You Can Create a VR Test Drive Experience

Virtual reality is becoming more and more common, and you can use it to provide your customers with a virtual test drive of the vehicle they prefer. The technology is similar to what you use in a video game, and your customers will enjoy seeing what it might feel like to drive the car they want to buy. This also gives you an opportunity to develop your brand name and engage with your customers.

Your Customers Can Build Their Dream Vehicles

Another feature that you can include is one where your customers can build the vehicle they desire. This allows them to see the car they want before they come in. They can match their version with cars you have available, and they can save it for future reference. They can make changes if they change their minds, and they can see the car they want to buy. This may help to give them the push they need to come in and see the real version.

Final Words

If you have a dealership, creating a mobile app for your customers can help you engage with them. This builds brand recognition and customer loyalty so that they will come to you when they are ready to purchase a car or need services performed.