Introducing our two-way SMS enhancement to LeadBox
Published: May 2023
We recently conducted some consumer research and found that almost a third (29%) of motorists prefer to hear from their chosen workshop via SMS, yet communicating with customers in this way can be inconvenient and costly when using mobile handsets. In addition, many of the existing desktop-based aftersales marketing systems capable of sending SMS messages do not allow for two-way communication – which is essential when the customer responds with a question.
This insight led us to enhance our own desktop-based lead management platform, LeadBox, by adding new functionality that allows service (and sales) teams to easily engage in rapid two-way SMS-based interactions with the customer, in a GDPR-compliant way and without the need for mobile phones.
Changes in consumer behaviour have increased expectations of instant interactions with dealerships, but daily life doesn’t always lend itself to an excess of phone calls if the workshop needs to contact the customer. Adding two-way SMS functionality to our LeadBox software makes it simple for the customer to respond using their most preferred method.
Workshop teams can now use SMS, for example, to seek and secure approval of costs before commencing work or agree a collection time. And to ensure visibility for all team members in a customer interaction, the SMS thread is synched to the customer record for future reference.
LeadBox integrates seamlessly with our VoiceBox Aftersales solution. Every communication sent via our marketing automation platform, VoiceBox allows for true interaction; for instance, emails are never sent from a ‘no-reply@’ email address, telephone calls are never from a withheld number, and SMS messages can always be replied to.
For customers, the ability to engage in two-way conversations via SMS adds a human touch to their experience and introduces a layer of transparency and trust. For dealers, it is a low-cost and time-efficient alternative to telephone calls to the customer which aren’t always convenient for the customer during the day and helps build a reciprocal relationship that aids retention.
For more information or a no-obligation demo, contact us today.
Related Posts
Our most significant takeaway from this session was when Stephanie presented the top five EV barriers among non-considerers; dealers must harness this insight to increase EV confidence.
Our Chief Executive, Jeremy, was in Dallas for the NADA Show 2023! Jeremy was able to feedback on what the state of play is over in the US and how we can apply learnings to support our dealers.
We recently examined over 150,000 customer vehicle records held by more than 100 dealers and found that, unfortunately, only 41% of the MOT-due dates were correct.
