Taking Orders Without Being an Order Taker

While I really look forward to the day I won’t be blogging about inventory constraints, based on the newest information regarding chip shortages, talk is it could affect vehicle production into 2023. We have clients that have already filled their entire allocations with orders for future vehicles. Ordering cars will now have to become a sales skill for today’s automotive professionals. Yet how does one learn to take orders for vehicles without being an order taker? There is a way.

Just because you’re taking orders doesn’t mean “selling” is over. Let’s face it, we could have a software program or showroom kiosk take orders, but there are still valuable opportunities we must explore. Regardless, the act of ordering cars is here to stay.

10 steps to ordering cars the right way when engaging buyers

1) Acceptance

First off, for your own sanity, recognize this is the world we live in now. (Accept that this is a part of the new world so understanding inventory availability is imperative. A firm grasp on one’s inventory needs to be part of every consistent car sales training you emphasize for your team).

2) Acknowledgement

An early acknowledgment to the shopper that their desired vehicle is one sought by many with limited supply and production is important. Don’t get their hopes up just to delay their excitement for 6 months. An early introduction to the process of ordering cars process needs to be made.

3) Education

Educating the customer as to why this is happening in our industry, across all makes, referencing sources, and giving them certainty it’s only an obstacle, but one easily managed is important. Ask if they have heard the news about inventory shortages.

4) Considerations

It is important, now, to not go straight for the deposit, as so many salespeople do. This is where asking questions to best understand your customer is necessary. When you first decided you wanted to get a new vehicle, what steps did you first take in your research?

What makes did you consider (or are still considering)? What made you decide on this model? Have you looked into ordering cars before? What about the vehicle you desire is a need vs a want?

Are there any time constraints you have? Are you concerned with the reliability of your current vehicle? Is your budget available now that may not be later that you should take into consideration? Have you always bought new, or have you purchased a pre-owned in the past? What was your experience with that?

5) Alternatives

Regardless of how dead set they are on their desire to order a vehicle from you (which is still awesome if you think about it), you must let them know you wouldn’t be a good adviser if you didn’t at least recommend a couple of alternative vehicles ready right then and there. It is your job to recommend they at least take a peek at something that may serve them better sooner.

If you can put their eyes on another vehicle available and open up their potential outcomes, you’re not being an order-taker, you’re providing a solution as an adviser. (This is why understanding your inventory is so necessary.) If they go with that recommendation, which could be financially beneficial to them, continue as you know to handle every sale

6) Enthusiasm

Hey – maybe they want what they want, and a deposit is the only way to go. Still realize, while they may only be putting down a small amount of money they may later ask to be refunded, at the very least be enthusiastic about them getting their place in line for an order. Selling a place in line must be equivalent in enthusiasm to buying a vehicle in person.

You sell incredible vehicles and they should still be excited about this inevitable purchase. Take that deposit as if they’re winning a bid on a new home. They may not be able to move in right away, but it’s theirs.

7) Accessories

It is not too early to get them thinking about accessories. You need to know exactly what you want when ordering cars online. Right now, because they aren’t going to be having a payment 45 days out, adding accessories to their future vehicle is like spending play money. There is no sting if they see what it converts to in payments. They don’t get sticker shock.

Consider using accessory-focused software that shows the consumer what their vehicle will look like if they don’t just take it as stock, but have it customized with dealer-installed accessories to fit their lifestyle. They can always choose to withdraw it any time between now and when it hits the lot, but this both improves profitability and helps them take some mental ownership of the future vehicle.

8) Expectations

We need to set realistic expectations on how the deposit works, how long the vehicle is truly estimated to arrive, and also how you will keep them updated throughout the waiting period. Don’t just take the deposit and ring them 3 months from now when you have info on it. Keep engaging them, every 10 days to 2 weeks with any relevant news. It could be anything from info about a factory opening back up to new designs for a model year, all the way to your dealership’s involvement in local charities. Make them a part of the conversation.

9) Maintenance

If you’re already going to be making them a part of the conversation, why not try to bring them into the fold of the dealership as well? Your service department builds long-lasting relationships that improve retention. If ordering cars means customers are several months out before their new car or truck arrives, why not ensure your team is caring for their current vehicle between now and then?

Whether it could be a perk from the dealership that the vehicle they’re trading in gets a free oil change between now and the time their car arrives, or not, you can start building a strong relationship between dealer and customer well in advance of the customer taking delivery.

10) Gratefulness

In the end, be grateful. (As we listen to sales calls and provide phone training to dealerships, we hear a lot of “take it or leave it” language, and this is not the way to start a positive relationship with a client.) Show them how grateful you are they picked your brand, your model, your dealership, and yourself to place this order for their future vehicle. Be grateful they gave you attention and time while you assisted them. Ordering cars might be nothing more than paperwork, but it still involves commitment and trust. Salespeople must not overlook this when assisting customers with such a transaction.

At DealerKnows, we spend a lot of time training salespeople and BDC agents on how to overcome obstacles and convert shoppers to customers. Inventory constraints, be damned, ordering cars cannot be viewed as a secondary job. Using these 10 steps above will improve the customer experience when ordering cars while increasing profits. While ordering cars are typically not what excites salespeople, as I’ve shared in my last blog, an important car salesperson tip is to appreciate the small wins. A deposit is definitely something to be happy with.