Dealers Focus on Efficiency as COVID-19 Exposes Areas for Improvement

COVID-19 has created a new standard of efficiency required for dealerships. Dealers have had to adjust their staffing strategies, increase their focus on digital sales, and meet a steep rise in demand in the midst of a new vehicle inventory shortage. Lance Schafer, general manager of product and technology at LotLinx joined us to give valuable insight into new efficiencies in the auto retail world.

Dealerships have always focused on efficiency. However, since COVID-19, efficiency has been at the forefront of dealers’ minds more than ever. Many of them are finding innovative ways to leverage new technology and digital tools to keep their staff lean and streamline their marketing spend.  

AutoNation Inc. is one such dealer group. Bloomberg Intelligence reported that the top dealer group in the country dismissed thousands of its staff in the midst of the pandemic and may not call them back because consumers are making a permanent shift to buying vehicles online.

Lance also discusses recent LotLinx analysis of paid search which found, on average, spend per vehicle has increased not decreased since COVID-19. Immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic, there were massive cuts to SEM spend, but those have largely come back. Another interesting observation is that SEM marketing for new vehicles is even higher than used despite inventory shortages.

For more great insight from Lance Schafer, be sure to watch our entire interview above.