Progressive steps to implementing a successful automotive internet department
Leadership – Ownership & Management buy
in is the cornerstone to succeeding in the development of an internet department. Without the full commitment of both these entities, it will be too easy for an anyone team member to be faultier when the adversities of success must be overcome.
Willingness to Accept Change – One simple word
“Evolution”; the automotive consumer buying cycle and market have changed and will continue to change within short time periods. The day of simply searching through the Sunday paper for the biggest ad, driving over to the dealership, and hoping to get the best price are numbered. The automotive consumer is now educated, demanding, and less brand loyal than ever before. Understand this and adapt to it.
Establish Long–Term Goals
With success usually comes many failures, otherwise, everyone would be successful; establish both short–term internet marketing goals and long–term marketing goals. Being willing to accept short–term trials and tribulations, developing a successful internet marketing department is not much different than managing any other department within a dealership. You must promote, hire, manage, recruit, establish procedures, sell, re–evaluate, and adjust on a daily basis with a long–term goal of obtaining profitability within an internet department based on sound business practices.
Step 1 Completed:
Ownership and Management are ready, the Willingness to Change is in–place, Long–Term Goals are in the making, and it’s now time to set things in motion…
Build a Team & Develop a Business Culture
Developing an internet department is not a one-person show, it’s time-consuming and there are not enough hours in a day. The larger your team is the quicker you can accomplish your long–term goals with strong leadership. Each individual working within an auto dealership in one way or another can contribute to the success of internet marketing development. Evaluate each automotive position and role within the dealership and how they can positively contribute to the success of a newly formed automotive internet department. Consider everyone from the switchboard operator, to a parts counter clerk, to the outside vendors that supply marketing support.
Personnel Capabilities and Time–Management
With a listing of all the dealership workforce in hand, it’s now time to evaluate each individual’s personal capabilities and active role as a team member. You’ll need to develop a few individual teams to successfully market a dealership online, they are;
1) Computer hardware and software literate individuals
These individuals maintain internet connection ability & implement required third–party software
2) Creative a unique marketing development group, not solely made–up of management
This team’s purpose is to find common ground between the average user & management desires
3) Supervising leadership & management team
Obviously to maintain the forward objective, implementation, and hold individuals accountable
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A little point of interest; be careful not to overlook anyone, computer usage is now mainstream and you may be surprised by the capabilities of an individual that you would normally not consider a viable candidate when developing a new dealership department. As for Time Management, there are only 24 hours in a day, it is suggested that if one individual possesses extraordinary skills that you team that individual up with understudies and delegate job responsibilities
