When it comes to your dealership, you need to make sure that you are well prepared for every scenario. You need better data to gain better grosses. And need sales enablement tools to prepare you for digital retailing. How do you get there? By scheduling a demo, of course. But before you do that, take a moment to ask yourself the hard questions. Examine what tools you are using and audit your processes. Here are the top five questions to consider before scheduling your first demo.

5. What are my current sales enablement systems in place?

Start at the beginning and observe what you are using. When did you last audit your solutions? If it has been a while, then prepare to get up to speed with advanced technologies. There has been a slew of advancements in the industry. If you are using an older system, you might want to consider a whole new stack of solutions. From inventory management to a digital showroom, there are numerous opportunities for you to get ahead. Do your research at the start and learn what’s best for you before engaging with a vendor.

4. Is my staff ready for a change?

Training will be a huge part of this process. Do you have the right staff in place? You have to make sure that your workforce is qualified and capable. They have to be able to learn and adapt on the go. It is, however, a bit of a catch-22 as deploying solutions for sales enablement will only better prepare your staff to educate customers. At the same time, your workforce needs to be poised to learn the material for themselves. Staff your store with the best and brightest, and watch as new sales enablement tools help you grow your inventory, hold more gross, and sell more cars.

3. What are my goals for my store?

Have you ever stopped and truly asked yourself that question? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. But it is an important inquiry to make. Especially before investing in a new solution, identify the areas where you want to improve the most. Create SMART goals for your store. Then, identify what different solutions are available to help you achieve those goals. Schedule your demo with these goals in mind and you will be best suited to understand how a tool will help you get to where you want to go.

2. What’s my budget and requirements?

With so many different options available for inventory management, digital showrooms, trading and appraisal, or even ads and syndication, you will need to narrow down how much you want to invest back into your store. Some solutions are overpriced and bloated. But there is a way to gain all of the features of a quality system without overspending. Consider a tool in your price range, but keep in mind that with the right solution, you will be holding more gross and earning more money on each transaction you make. Doing so will allow you to gain the ROI needed to make your sales enablement tools more than just a line item on your budget sheet.  

1. What’s my competition doing?

Finally, do a competitive analysis of what other dealers around you are doing. Your competition will be a great indicator of where you are performing well and where you can be improving. Especially when it comes to trade-ins, you’ll want to have a strong tool that attracts customers with transparency and trust to set yourself apart. If your competition is weak with their ads, you will be able to gain a leg up by having an improved platform for advertising the unique features and functions of your inventory. And speaking of inventory, the better you can manage your lot over your competitors, the better customer experience you can provide. It’s all about having the data necessary to stand out in a busy marketplace.

Now that you have properly prepared, you are ready to schedule a demo. Have a list of questions ready, but treat this part of the process as an consultative approach. You know your dealership inside and out. You know the unique problems you are facing. Now, it is time to connect your store with the solutions that will help take you to the next level. Schedule your free demo today.