score , and a down payment amount , and calculate a monthly payment .”
On the BT South website , Carroll recently added request forms and a texting feature . “ I don ’ t yet get as many leads as I thought , but it really shines in the service department ,” Carroll said . “ The communication there is a huge time saver , compared to using a phone and voice mail .”
To make this efficient , your website must enable easy communication . Websites built by both ARI and Dealers Digital can use a web-to-text messaging feature ( see pic on previous page ), and many online shoppers are more comfortable texting today than calling . It all originates on your website while customers are looking at products . It ’ s almost like they were in your store .
“ I talk a lot to dealers about their Google Business Profile , and it ’ s a very powerful tool ,” said Brett Morris , of Dealers Digital . Even dealers who don ’ t have a website can use this tool to help shoppers find them .
Formerly called “ Google My Business ,” the “ Google Business Profile ” was created , said Morris , “ so local businesses can compete on a level playing field with big national businesses .”
Once a business is verified , shoppers can find it more easily , especially on a mobile device , and can quickly see location , hours of operation , and customer reviews . “ It ’ s not hard to get started , and every OPE Dealer should have a Google Business Profile , no questions asked .”
Aside from the basic info , a GBP will help you get customer reviews . “ Those are important ,” Morris said , “ even if
they ’ re not all five-star reviews . There is a lot of research done on how people perceive them . Morris explains , “ If you come across a business that has 1,000 reviews and they ’ re all five-star , people are skeptical . You want your store ’ s rating to land somewhere between 4.3 and 4.7 . And people want to see that if you got a bad review , you responded to it . You can turn this into a good experience ; it shows you care about your business and listen to customers . These reviews are important , they may be the biggest factor in your Google ranking .”
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www . OPEBusiness . com April 2023 OPE Business 19