During the previous issue, we discussed why you need a Business Development Center and how to decide who will call customers-salespeople or trained telemarketers. The next step is to find the right BDC manager.
Who makes a good BDC manager?
Any one of the following people make good BDC managers. The key is that you are looking for someone to help your salespeople make a sale. You don't need an "enforcer"-that is what your sales managers do. You need a helpful person with some technology experience that can provide your salesperson with the information they need to contact customers.
Some ideas are:
· A lower performing salesperson who has computer skills and has been helpful running locates and ordering vehicles.
· A person that managed a sales force in the retail business-like a clothing store manager. These employees usually have recent computer experience.
· A graduate of a two-year technical college in computer science, especially with Microsoft products.
· A trainer or former teacher-especially in Microsoft products.
· An office person that is friendly and helpful that would like to work more in sales than accounting.
· A former F&I manager that the salespeople like working with.
· Someone who has managed a call center in another industry.
Many dealerships cannot afford a full-time BDC manager so they often combine this position with one of the following:
· Inventory clerk
· Internet Sales
· Customer Service Manager
· System Administrator (computer and phone system)
A following is a sample job description for a BDC manager.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position: Business Development Center Manager
Department: Administrative Position reports to: General Manager
General Description:
The BDC manager's goal is to promote long-term customer retention by either assisting the sales force or customer retention staff in a continuous contact strategy.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Maintain the BDC office equipment; phones, computers, and supplies.
2. Assist salespeople or BDC staff with customer contacts through training and data management.
3. Provide a report to the salespeople or BDC staff of all customers who have not been in for service for the past four months.
4. Provide a report of customers who are coming in for service that did not buy a vehicle at the dealership.
5. Provide a report of closed repair orders each month or day by salesperson.
6. Keep track of the first service appointment for customers and provide reminders.
7. Provide a report of total customer pay and customer parts sales sorted by salespersons' number.
8. Track the results either by salespersons' or BDC staffs' results of their customer contacts and update the customer database.
9. Create other custom reports and labels as necessary for customer retention or contact.
10. Calculate monthly the dealership's customer retention rate for sales & service departments.
Skills Required and Physical Demands:
1. Excellent math and verbal skills. These skills may be tested and evaluated.
2. Previous salesperson, sales manager, F&I manager, system administrator or accounting clerk experience.
During our next issues we will explore the next six steps to "Using Technology to Retain Customers."
THIS IS THE END OF THE DIGITAL DEALER SECTION