What is, “Level of Expectation”?

I believe it’s the element that is missing in today’s, “short attention span” world!

The reason customers are so unhappy with the automotive experience, is that they don’t know what will happen….

Every single dealership the customer walks into….has a different process in every department.

What happened at the dealership next door is NOT what’s going to happen at your store!

Shouldn’t you clearly define to the customer exactly what is going to go on during their visit to the store??

Shouldn’t you tell the customer, these are the steps in the process and here is an approximate time it will take to complete this process??

Training, confidence, conviction and visual sales aides like table toppers…or posters…or simply a business card with the process printed on the back will help….

Your dealerships showroom sales process….how many steps are there in the process?

Do all your salespeople execute it flawlessly every single time?

Most customers dislike the entire sales process for one single reason…..they don’t know what to expect!

Every single dealership has a different showroom sales process….

17,000 dealerships in the United States….and everyone has a different showroom sales process

I like to break it down into 4 steps in the showroom…but PLEASE….plug your own process into this example!

1. Greeting and explanation of what will we do here at ABC Motors - 1-2 minutes
2. Describe your perfect vehicle and tell me what information you would like to gather today – 10-20 minutes
3. I will find your perfect vehicle in our inventory and I will show you the 4-6 things you told me were most important to you in the vehicle – 10-20 minutes
4. We will then take the vehicle for a test drive to make sure it handles and performs to your liking – 10-20 minutes

If you decide this is truly the perfect vehicle, we will then show you all of the different financing or lease options that are available…

Condense…train…execute…communicate…

Level of Expectation plays a huge part in the F&I process at your dealership. 

Once the customer shakes hands and agrees to a deal…..they have no idea what goes on next. 

Some customers believe it’s a 5=10 minute process to sign paperwork….and they are then leaving with their vehicle!

Level of Expectation tells the customer exactly what will happen next and how long it should take. 

Outline or bullet point your F&I process for all customers…. 

You need the time to build rapport with the customer….isn’t a calm customer easier to build rapport with??

Your customers need a Level of Expectation when they bring their vehicle into the service drive! 

Think about it….the customer drives their vehicle into your service drive….they hand the keys to someone they don’t know….and their vehicle disappears… 

What happened?? 

If you simply take your customer through a Level of Expectation, by outlining or bullet pointing the entire process….your customer has more of a comfort level….and the more comfortable the customer is with your professionalism, they will be more inclined to listen to the service advisor when that advisor makes recommendations on additional services the customer may need…

Do you want to increase the amount of engagement between your website and your customer….let’s try giving the customer a Level of Expectation… 

Before a customer submits ANY personal information on your website in regard to getting information on a vehicle, does the customer know what will happen next? 

If you relayed to your customer, your process on what happens to their information when they submit it….I would wager that you will probably get more customers to submit their information to you…. 

Take your customer through your entire process, point by point….it will build credibility and better rapport from the very beginning….

Does your customer think you really care about them? 

Have you given them your “Level of Expectation” when it comes to retaining them? 

Have you told them that the dealership concentrates on 4 things in order to retain their business? 

Convenience 

Experience 

Price 

Credibility 

When you explain all the ways your dealership is convenient…..tell them that you will always give them a great experience….Your pricing will ALWAYS be competitive and transparent …..and we will always communicate everything with you, so you are comfortable with our credibility…. 

Communicate constantly with your customers….or they will start to listen to someone else’s message….