Automotive Trainer Creates New Way for Dealerships to Achieve Online Sales Success

Virtual Dealer Training

PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 21, 2010 – Automotive dealers are fighting their way out of the industry’s most economically challenging periods.  With the economy on a slow upturn, dealerships are finding more stability in the market and dedicating themselves to the newest advances in online marketing.

However, much like the uphill battles facing a myriad of industries, dealers are struggling to compete with those that had instituted internet initiatives in their stores before the nation’s automotive sales plummeted.  Auto industry expert, Joe Webb, President and Founder of DealerKnows Consulting, has created an innovative program to virtually manage the entire Internet sales department’s efforts and implement best practices with the use of web-based softwares, phone tracking solutions, and video chat.  The Virtual Internet Director program ensures that all online advertising campaigns are measured, monitored, and monetized to their fullest.

“Dealers are getting away from paying the high costs of on-site training.  An automotive consultant will spend a couple of days in the store and drown them in ideas and concepts.  Truth is, it doesn’t always stick.  The teachings of some trainers fades over time.  Dealer employees need long-term guidance, specifically with the Internet departments and business development centers.”

Joe Webb found success in the automotive industry by personally creating and managing some of the most recognized Internet departments in the car industry.  Webb parlayed his successes on the retail side into a prominent digital marketing consulting firm based out of Chicago, Illinois.

“I’ve traveled the nation and trained on-site in showrooms.  What I’ve found is that most dealers and their employees need an advocate in their stores daily.  I saw a need to develop a specific training and management program where I can be in these stores virtually…daily.”

The Virtual Internet Director program as it is being hailed offers car dealers the chance to have a recognized Internet sales expert and consulting leading the team and managing from afar while monitoring up-to-the-minute, real-time online and showroom activities through these CRM (customer relationship management) solutions.

For a fraction of the cost of in-store consulting, Joe Webb guarantees to put dealerships on the path to online success by reviewing internet correspondence between dealer employees and prospects, measuring the necessary metrics for online profitability, policing the ratios to make sure no e-lead goes unanswered and all vehicles are properly are advertised, mystery shopping the dealer client and their competitors, listening to recorded calls, holding daily calls and video trainings to the Internet department staff, and training on the best-in-class processes of online inventory management.

“Dealers’ eyes are opening and realizing that it is a breath of fresh air to know that an Internet Trainer is ensuring the success of the departments without the strain of trial and error.  In this economy, dealers don’t have the luxury to spend too much time learning the best processes.  They need help, but don’t often have the budget for it in store.  DealerKnows’ Virtual Internet Director program solves this need.  Basically, a dealer no longer has to worry about their business development centers…it is my job to keep everything growing for them.”

Webb’s first order of business was teaming with Vin Solutions, an industry leader in offering full-service customer management and website solution software to dealers.  Webb recently became one of the few Certified Vin Solutions Trainers in the nation and believes the Vin Solutions software is one of the few natural fits for his Virtual Internet Director program.