Why your BDC department should focus on developing strong customer connections in 2021 – Sarah Vantine, Scott Clark Auto

The BDC department at the dealership plays a crucial role in the growth of the business. Today, we welcomed Sarah Vantine to the show to discuss changes in the BDC department. Vantine is the BDC Director of Scott Clark Auto Group in North Carolina. 

Vantine begins the conversation by discussing the lessons learned in 2020. She says that developing communication with customers will be a key focus in 2021. As people have dealt with isolation, they have longed to have human interaction. 2021 will be important for dealerships to develop a strong connection with their customers through phone calls and dealership visits. 

“It’s all about building value and how you go about asking for their business,” said Vantine. “Customers are going to transact when they find value in the services that you are offering to them.”

Vantine says that being able to set up the appointment and asking for the customer’s business is the difference-maker. Vantine and her team conducted a study on the competitors around them and found that many calls were left without any sense of direction. Customers are always searching for guidance in either sales or service. The BDC department must be willing to provide that guidance. 

Vantine concludes the conversation by discussing where buyers stand when they connect with a dealership via phone call. Vantine says that most customers who call the dealership are pretty far along in the buying process and are willing to conduct business in the future. For this reason, Vantine encourages her team to assume the appointment unless dictated otherwise.

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