To BDC or Not to BDC – That Is the Question!

Before we get too far into this post, the answer to the question is a resounding YES!

Big or small, if you want to compete in today's market effectively, you should definitely be working on your BDC. The job of a BDC is to make sure you take full advantage of every opportunity available. Opportunities wasted are opportunities lost.

We spend lots of money generating leads, but there is very little effort spent working the leads that we get. In many cases, a new lead receives one attempted phone call. If we do not make physical contact with that first call, we leave a message then go on to the next lead, never to go back to the previous lead. 

If you are still on the fence, look at these three ways your BDC can maximize leads and even create new ones!

1. Incoming Calls and Leads

This should be the first job of a BDC. Thousands of vehicle sales are gained or lost each day based on how incoming phone calls and leads are handled. The consumer contacts us to ask questions, but many times we forget to ask the consumer questions. In a high percentage of cases, the salesperson fails even to get the name of those calling. We are talking about someone that’s in the market right now, and we do not even know who they are. The goal with each contact should be to get a name and set an appointment.

2. Outgoing Calls

We see this as one of the major failures of most marketing campaigns. The manufacturers have been very disappointed with the follow up on the leads they generate and supply. Many salespeople that are great at face-to-face sales are terrible at working the phone. Your BDC teams are experts at handling these outgoing calls because that is all they do. The goal should be to contact 100% of your leads by phone, and leaving a message is not considered a contact. You cannot set an appointment with an answering machine.

Your BDC should also take the lead on contacting references for customer applications (those references can become new leads as well!). Moreover, there’s one more group of highly neglected leads, your past customers.

3. Dead Leads

You should not limit outgoing calls to just new leads. Your BDC team should also be calling what many consider “dead leads.” There are many reasons for a missed appointment, but so many times we just assume the consumer lost interest. The only way to find out what happened is with a follow-up call. In most cases, we find that the appointment can be rescheduled.

4. Follow-Up Letters

You should build a series of letters to follow up on leads and customers. These letters should be sent without fail. You should also send birthday cards or letters. This is one of the most powerful methods of building a close bond with your customers. From this, you can incentivize your referral program, maintain brand recognition, and grow customer loyalty, all in one simple letter.

The BDC should be the centerpiece of your future marketing efforts. It is an investment that will pay huge dividends. Your competition will wonder how you increased sales so much without increasing your advertising. We will just keep that as our little secret. Good Luck and Good Selling!

About the Author- Denny Long has created the most innovative marketing tools in the automotive industry for some of the most well-known names in the industry. As lead writer for Special Finance Magazine for 15 years, he has watched the subprime market blossom and took note. Due to his extensive knowledge of analytics, computer programming, and direct mail marketing, he built the most sophisticated and successful analysis tools in our industry.