So that the customer buys again

So that the customer buys again

Our economic system demands constant growth. The requirements are more, more, more. The domestic vehicle market is saturated and there is fierce competition. Every car dealer is literally fighting for new customers. Because as everyone knows: a new customer means new money. "But be careful," says Marc-Ulrich Lech, sales trainer on behalf of Santander: "You shouldn't forget about the existing customers. They come to the workshop and are supposed to keep spending money after buying the car." And we are already in the middle of the new training module of the Santander master class for the bank's cooperation and dealer partners. The master class training courses with the previous modules used car management and sales have been available since 2017. This year a third module was added, existing customer management. The aim is to keep those customers happy who have already bought something.

AN EFFICIENT BUSINESS

Manfred Gansterer has the floor to get us in the mood. The partner of his own marketing agency was previously marketing manager at MediaMarkt-Saturn for almost two decades and therefore knows exactly how to get more euros out of a customer. "Be aware: A new customer costs around six to seven times as much as an existing customer. I didn't notice this until much too late in my job and therefore spent more advertising money than necessary." Honest words, honest compassion in an exclusive group: The Santander master classes are limited to twelve participants and last two days. In addition to intensive, practical lectures and workshops, fun should not be neglected. The event concludes with formula driving at the Pannoniaring on the third day. But back to the existing customers. The participants are made up of employees and owners of branded car dealerships and independent businesses. The atmosphere is relaxed, everyone is on a first-name basis. There is a break every 90 minutes, small groups quickly form and there is an intensive exchange of experiences. “It's not about dry frontal lectures, but about practical tips, a gathering of those in the industry who want to get ahead,” says Martin Quast, event manager for this master class at Santander.

DOES IT HAVE TO BE THAT WAY?

Why existing customer management, or BKM for short? Martin Gansterer explains the changed purchasing habits: "Everything has changed thanks to smartphones and the web. Studies show that the attention span has fallen from 14 to nine seconds. For comparison: a goldfish has ten seconds." There is laughter in the room, but it clearly shows that delighting customers has become more difficult. “My experience has shown that the longer a customer is loyal, the more profitable they are,” says Gansterer. Trainer Lech takes over and gets straight to the point: "I know a car dealer who, as BKM, organizes a customer trip to Italy over the weekend. The customers pay for it, the places are taken immediately and this is exactly how sustainable customer loyalty is created." The way customers go to the car dealer has changed. Today, over 90 percent research on the Internet in advance; before making a purchase, customers statistically visit the dealer 2.1 times and decide between 2.4 car brands. 41 percent now buy a car from a dealer they didn't know before. “Guys, let’s be clear: every customer in the store is a gift,” says Lech. But it's not just fear. "As a car dealer, you have a trump card: you have an emotional, high-quality product. You can work with that," says the trainer. A tip from the industry: "Use creative event ideas. For example, a bicycle dealer invited his customers to the store in winter for foreign language courses in order to improve their vocabulary for the holiday season. That's clever."

NEED TO CATCH UP

The master class is open and honest. After the participants have summarized the many advantages of a good BKM, they should assess the current situation in their company themselves. The self-assessment flipchart is so clear that everyone in the room has to smile. “All right, then let’s get to it, we still have one day to become better and more efficient in the BKM,” says Lech. On the second day, concrete measures will be discussed on how the cumbersome topic of existing customer management can be incorporated into everyday work. We can warmly recommend the master class training to anyone who is interested. An uncomplicated, relaxed event from which you can definitely take away some tips for your own business.