Many dealerships struggle to realize and respect the role and value of a Business Development Center (BDC), and the impact it has on showroom traffic. The BDC staff is often the first impression a prospective customer has of the dealership. They sell the value of doing business with your dealership versus the competition. The staff also establishes rapport by selling appointments to get the customer through your door. Selling appointments sets up a smooth transition to the sales team turnover.

The most successful dealerships maximize the return on their advertising investments and see the biggest conversion of inquiries into showroom traffic. These dealerships have one big thing in common; they have a dedicated, structured, organized BDC whose primary task is to “sell appointments; not cars”. The structure of the BDC includes training, processes, call guides, email templates, and call protocols. It is essential that you have a dedicated BDC team to follow through and keep the structure.

“Your BDC should be Selling Appointments; Not Cars!”

Rather than trying to sell the cars themselves, it is important for your BDC to focus on selling appointments. The more appointments they sell, the more appointments they set. The more appointments set, the more showroom traffic and opportunities there will be for your salesmen to do what they do best, which is to sell cars. When selling appointments, the BDC gives the customer a realistic expectation of what the showroom experience will be. Upon setting an appointment, the customer will know: where the dealership is located (providing address and landmarks to them), when the visit is scheduled, what to bring with them (stips), and who to ask for when they arrive. There will also be an appointment confirmation in place.

Can appointments be set by having anyone in the store answer the phone, give the dealership’s general information (location, hours, etc.) and simply tell the caller to come in whenever? Maybe, but the results will likely be poor at best. You can’t get the appointment show results you want without daily and consistent use of proven practices and processes.

There is definitely a process involved when selling and setting appointments for dealership visits. To be successful, your BDC needs organization and structure. There are many hurdles to jump to ensure that they are solid appointments that show. As a result of using call guides and protocols, your BDC staff will develop the ability to convert the dealership opportunities into appointments without creating barriers that result in a no-show appointment. Teach your staff how to sell appointments, not cars, and your sales team will have more opportunities, which should ultimately increase your sales volume.