How TargetCRM Transformed Customer Engagement for These 5 Dealerships
Did you know that 70% of consumers have opted in to receive texts from businesses, and 61% say they want the ability to text a business back?
Staying connected with customers is more important than ever. However, traditional communication methods like phone calls and emails can no longer meet the demands of modern business.
In this article, we’ll explore how several dealerships, including Smith & Sons, Arbor Tech Supply, Ebling’s Service Plus, and ATS Outdoors, leveraged TargetCRM’s advanced communication tools to streamline their marketing efforts, enhance customer relationships, and boost sales.
ATS Outdoors
Challenge: Reaching Customers Without the Resources of Big-Box Retailers
For ATS Outdoors, a two-location dealership in Texas, standing out in a market dominated by big-box retailers and online giants like Amazon was no easy task. Cody Armstrong, co-owner of ATS Outdoors, wanted to give his customers the same seamless, mobile-friendly experience they’d grown accustomed to elsewhere—without the massive resources of large-scale competitors.
“I still feel like I need to support my local business. But the Amazons of the world have made it so dang easy to not do that. For me, I need to be able to reach my customers in that way. With a clean, intuitive website and easy ways for customers to shop, I wanted to make it easier for people to do business with us and keep growing.”
Solution: Leveraging TargetCRM to Streamline Communication
Cody turned to TargetCRM to improve outreach. The dealership used customer group segmentation and text messaging to engage customers, driving higher service revenue during the off-season. The use of SMS was instrumental in improving sales and communication, as more traditional methods such as email would get lost in the shuffle.
“The results have been really good. We met our goal of 400 machines for the winter service special and ended up doing 430. Texts worked better than emails for us—because they’re instant. Emails often get lost in spam, but texts go straight to customers’ phones and get immediate attention. It’s just a more efficient way to communicate.”
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Arbor Tech Supply
Challenge: Maintaining Effective Communication
As Arbor Tech Supply grew, the dealership faced challenges staying connected with its increased customer base. Traditional methods like postcards and phone calls became ineffective in reaching customers, particularly for time-sensitive seasonal promotions.
“We sent out postcards before Christmas for our winter service special—free pickup and delivery for $199 plus parts. Then I waited until after New Year’s, and we started calling everybody. But a lot of people don’t like to answer their phones, or they don’t know the number and all that.”
Solution: Transforming Communication with TargetCRM
Arbor Tech Supply adopted TargetCRM, which enabled them to connect with customers directly through SMS. The results were immediate and exceeded expectations.
“I sent the text message out, and it was like instantaneously, the phone started ringing and it rang off the hook all morning long. The phone just kept ringing. It was a very basic text message, too. We were like, we should have sent this text message out a month ago.”
The ability for customers to text back also streamlined communication, allowing for more personalized interactions.
“TargetCRM also allowed customers to text back and forth with us, which has been wonderful because they can text me, and I can respond, but they don’t have my personal phone number. It’s been a really good way to communicate much better with our customers.”
Ebling’s Service Plus
Challenge: Improving Communication and Efficiency in Service Operations
With a busy service department managing nearly 9,000 work orders annually, Ebling’s struggled with phone calls as the primary mode of communication. Customers often couldn’t answer calls during business hours, creating delays and inefficiencies in operations.
“It seems that the shift in the last number of years has been that people can’t necessarily pick up their phone and talk as easily as maybe you would’ve in the past.”
Solution: Streamlining Communication with TargetCRM
Ebling’s adopted TargetCRM to improve communication. The dealership implemented the platform’s two-way texting feature, cutting down on delays and improving response times, particularly for surveys and quick notifications about service orders.
“The texting features are what we use primarily in TargetCRM, and the surveys are another one that we use. Now it’s like a simple, ‘Hey, your machine’s finished. You can come get it anytime.’ So, it takes us 10 seconds or 15 seconds. It’s definitely a time-saver for quick notifications.”
Ebling’s customers have also embraced the change, with many preferring text messaging over phone calls.
“There’s a handful of customers who’ve raved about it. They just love this two-way texting back and forth. They say they actually prefer that over a phone call because it allows them to get back to us at their convenience instead of listening to a voicemail or not hearing the phone ring.”
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Smith & Sons
Challenge: Effective Communication
Smith & Sons faced growing challenges in reaching customers efficiently. Traditional communication methods, such as phone calls and emails, were insufficient for the increasing demand for timely outreach. With no solution in place, the dealership needed a modern alternative to connect with customers quickly.
“Prior to that, it was just a phone. Our other marketing efforts were handled through MailChimp, so bulk communication was done via their platform. However, there wasn’t really a bulk texting application.”
Solution: TargetCRM’s Advanced Text Messaging System
By adopting TargetCRM, Smith & Sons transformed their communication strategy with SMS and MMS capabilities. The system allowed for faster, more engaging customer interactions, significantly improving response times.
“Texting is where TargetCRM truly shines, as people respond much faster to texts.”
MMS proved especially impactful for sales, with the ability to share images back and forth with their clients.
“MMS is certainly more powerful because we can attach images. If you’re selling this product, the ability to convert from SMS to MMS and offer image-friendly texting is a game-changer.”
3B Outdoor Equipment
Challenge: Standing Out Against Big-Box Shops
As a family-owned business competing against big-box retailers, 3B Outdoor Equipment faced the challenge of meeting rising customer expectations in an increasingly tech-driven world. To stay competitive and maintain its community-focused reputation, the dealership needed a way to provide exceptional service while leveraging technology to streamline operations and communication.
“The world we live in is what Amazon has created. They’ve created a technology world and no matter if you’re fifteen years old or a hundred, you can operate a smartphone and buy anything you want. As a business, you’re either going to join the party or you’re going to get leap-frogged over. Embracing really is the keyword. You need to embrace technology and learn how to leverage it in order to continue growing your business. It’s key if you want to survive.”
Solution: Leveraging TargetCRM to Stay Connected
To address these challenges, Matt adopted TargetCRM in 2017. The system provided tools to eliminate human error, track business activities, and enhance communication through features like broadcasts and automated surveys. These capabilities allowed 3B Outdoor Equipment to stay connected with customers year-round, send timely promotions, and respond personally to feedback.
“If you get negative feedback through the automated survey, TargetCRM lets you connect personally with those customers and address that situation. People want to be heard, and they want to know you care. And we do! TargetCRM gives us an opportunity we never had before, where customers leave upset and never come back. Now we can quickly right that wrong and keep them coming back.”
Texts That Sell, Service That Shines
Efficient, effective, and advanced client communication methods are key to maximizing business for your dealership in today’s modern digital world.
TargetCRM can empower dealerships to overcome traditional communication challenges, connect with customers faster, and drive better results.
