Josh Vajda, Director of Inside Sales at AutoUSA, discusses how to use the latest technology to follow up on leads.

A friend of mine lives in Arizona and was recently telling me about the state’s Stupid Motorist Law. I thought it was pretty amusing and it made me wonder what other funny driving laws are on the books. These are just a few that I found and thought they would make for good comic relief:

 

Arizona: Every year during monsoon season dozens of drivers decide to drive their vehicle across a flooded roadway or wash. Of course, many don’t make it as cars can get washed away in as little as 6 inches of water. The Stupid Motorist Law holds drivers liable for their own stupid decisions; fining them up to $2,000 per incident to cover costs associated with emergency rescues. This law was enacted in1995 and inevitably somebody gets cited every year.

 

Colorado: It is illegal to ride a horse under the influence (I assume they mean the rider and not the horse). This law is rarely enforced but apparently in 2009 a man in a cowboy hat was cited under the law. The biggest dilemma for the police was what to do with the horse; you can’t impound it like you can a car. Finally a local stable owner volunteered to haul the horse back home.

 

Anchorage, Alaska: It is illegal to strap your dog or any other live animal to the roof of your vehicle (I can understand strapping a dead animal to the roof of your car, but a live one?)

 

California: No vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour (now that would be something to see!)

 

Montana: It is illegal to leave a sheep unattended in the cab of your truck or car (I guess this means that if you really want your sheep to ride along in your passenger seat, you’ll have to move him to the bed of the truck or take him with you if you plan to leave the vehicle for any length of time.)

 

Glendale, California: It is illegal to jump in or out of a moving vehicle.

 

Long Beach, California: Cars are the only item allowed in the garage (This law must have been enacted before Hoarders came along).

 

San Francisco, California: It is illegal to wipe one’s car with used underwear (but new is OK?)

 

West Virginia: It is legal to take road-kill home for supper as long as the fatality is reported within 12 hours. This law was passed in 1998 as a cost savings measure, but sparked controversy when animal lovers suggested that some West Virginians would try to run down animals on purpose. Other West Virginians embraced the law and hold road-kill cook-offs that attract thousands of attendees every year.

 

What are some other funny driving laws that you’ve heard of in your state? What are new laws that you would suggest? 

Urban Science recently analyzed its lead management data and, according to these recent articles in the Sacramento Bee and by CBS Detroit, is offering several rosy projections for auto dealers in 2012:

 

• A projected Seasonal Annual Adjusted Rate (SAAR) for vehicle sales of 13.95 million; and according to this report by Automotive News, J.D. Power & Associates estimates annual sales will surpass 14 million.
• Internet lead volume will increase by as much as 10-20%, with the average dealer getting 85 leads per brand per month, up from 75 leads in 2011.
• Much of that growth will come from third party web sites, like KBB.com, Cars.com, Edmunds.com and other sites
• An estimated 30% of OEM retail sales originate from Internet leads.

That’s the good news, but here are the challenges involved:

 

• More than 30% of customers submit a request to at least two dealers, increasing competition for dealers
•  30% of dealers still don’t quote prices online to buyers, which could be costing them business

Increased competition means that dealers have to respond to leads not only quickly, but with a quality message. According to Urban Science's best practices for lead management, dealers should include the following critical elements in their online customer responses: responding quickly, quoting a price, providing alternative vehicles in a similar price range, confirming that the vehicle requested is available in a range of offerings and that the dealer offers the customer next steps – such as coming in for a test drive.

 

I would add these four best practices to that list:

1) Persistent follow up. Not everybody who submits leads buys within 30 days. Continue to follow up over at least 90 days and have a long-term follow-up plan in place. If your lead volume overwhelms your follow-up capacity, consider a technology solution that focuses on lead re-engagement.

2) Manage lead volume. No more than 80-100 leads per month for an experienced salesperson. If your current sales staff is overwhelmed, consider a technology such as an Automated Virtual Assistant that can engage with thousands of leads every month and has been proven to raise closing rates from the average 6-12% up to 28%.

 

3) Management involvement & accountability: The more the GM is involved in the process, the more successful it will be. Every week the GM should review the metrics with the Internet department. How many leads did we get? How many are open? How many calls have been made? How many appointments set? Accountability breeds responsibility.

4) Manager confirmed appointments. Customers feel special if they are contacted by the manager and offered a warm welcome, increasing their likelihood of showing.

 

How is your Internet department preparing for the increased lead volume? What best practices are you implementing to stay competitive?