You’re Dealership is currently experiencing one of two scenarios: overworked sales people or under worked sales people. Luckily, one addition to your dealership can help with both dilemmas. I’m sure if you don’t already have a BDC, it’s most likely crossed your mind to implement one. You may have even begun talks with your staff to build up a department already. Before you begin, however, there are three main things you need to consider when setting up a BDC.
- Financial Commitment
Most BDC employees are paid on an hourly base. Depending on your state, the pay usually ranges from $10-$20 per hour. As an extra incentive, a commission should be given for each qualified person that shows up for an appointment. Going even further, a bonus can be awarded to each BDC employee that reaches a certain quota of qualified appointment walk-ins per month or quarter.
Once you’ve figured out how much it will cost to staff the place depending on the volume of sales your store does, you have to budget for the necessary equipment. Your sales people will need phones, headsets, computers, and the necessary software to take the calls.
- Staffing
After interviewing a Bdc Manager, the top 3 characteristics that a BDC employee should have:
- Aggressive
- Direct
- Patient
The first rule of hiring a BDC staff is to employ from outside the dealership, not within. Look beyond your sales team when hiring because you want someone with better phone experience. Once you locate people with a experience and these 3 characteristics, it’s essential that you keep them in the loop of the deals offered. Maybe even sit down with them on a monthly basis to watch the commercials all customers will see prompting them to call in. It’s best if your staff has limited knowledge of things like inventory and car features so that they can let the sales team handle that once the appointment is made.
Employ a BDC manager as well. A BDC manager will handle the call center and report to the GM rather than a GM taking the reigns of the dealership and Bdc Department as well. Your BDC manager will have the task of following up with the GM on a weekly basis to give updates; finding areas that can be improved.
- Measurement/Main Goal
What’s the overall goal you’d like to achieve after implementing the BDC department? Which ever goal you decide to come up with, this will be the way in which you measure the success of your BDC. For example, if you’re overall goal is to increase sales, you will measure your BDC department by how many sales are closed.
Whatever the goal your dealership chooses to make, your GM will have to check in with your BDC manager regularly to ensure the efficiency of the BDC department.
