Dealers nationwide struggle with “dirty data” in their CRM and DMS systems, which often limits dealerships’ marketing potential and causes customer miscommunications.
In today’s episode of Inside Automotive, Brooke Furniss, Founder of BZ Consultants Group and host of the Facts Not Feelings podcast, joins us to discuss why cleaning up your dirty data is critical to step up your marketing game and strategies for doing so!
Many dealerships believe they must invest more in marketing to accelerate their sales. While this may be true, it is difficult to have a successful marketing campaign when your database is filled with “dirty data.”
Furniss drops some eye-opening statistics on us:
- Approximately 50% of customers have an unverified or no email address listed in the system
- Roughly 20% of customers who have purchased a vehicle in the past no longer own it
- About 20% of customers are under an open recall
- Only about 50% of customers successfully receive marketing materials.
To top it all off, if the dealership’s CRM and DMS contain higher inaccuracies, their reach can be further stifled, resulting in unproductive marketing efforts. OEMs may also use the data in your CRM and DMS systems to send marketing materials on your dealership’s behalf.
The inaccuracies can also damage the dealership’s relationships with its customers. Customers can often be frustrated when they continue to receive marketing materials that no longer pertain to them or, even worse, better deals after they purchase.
Considering all of this, it’s crucial to keep your database clean and up-to-date. Furniss has some excellent tips on how dealership teams can effectively clean and maintain the data.
First, dealers should conduct an audit of their data. By taking a step back and auditing, dealers can identify gaps, verify customers’ contact information, and address changes to customer information, such as vehicle ownership or recall statuses.
After auditing and cleaning up the data, it is critical to ensure the mess doesn’t happen again. Dealers should adequately train their teams to correctly input data into the system and complete regular validations. Regularly checking the data’s accuracy makes it easier to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
However, Furniss’ most significant tip is to find a CRM and DMS system that offers bidirectional synchronization. This synchronization can effectively maintain accurate data across both systems, minimize discrepancies, and eliminate outdated information.
Many service providers advertise that they offer bidirectional sync, but it’s often not effective. Be sure to check with your service provider to ensure that they can truly and effectively accommodate your dealership’s data management needs.
By utilizing Furniss’s clean data tips, dealerships can amplify their marketing efforts, significantly increase their success rates, and minimize wasteful spending.
“Just know that 50% of your database is not accurate...we are literally lighting money on fire because of it.” – Brooke Furniss
