COLUMBUS, Ohio – ZipDeal, a streamlined, post-sale, pre-F&I vehicle delivery system for automotive dealers, launched at the beginning of August. Created by dealership owner Steve Lindsay, and helmed by industry veterans Chip King and Tony Gomez, ZipDeal streamlines and monetizes the frustrating downtime between when a customer says "yes" to a deal and enters the F&I office. It uses a series of interactive questions that simplify paperwork and save the customer time while creating a 100 percent personalized delivery process, increased dealership profits, higher CSI, and greater customer retention.
ZipDeal makes sure our sales staff present every product and accessory, every time for additional revenue streams while giving consumers the control they want over the process.
Lindsay created ZipDeal in 2017 for Lindsay Automotive which includes Lindsay Honda, the top volume Honda dealer in the Midwest, and among the top ten in the country. Lindsay's goal was to improve the major pain point of the vehicle delivery process for his sales staff and customers with a consistent, personalized presentation that put the customer in the driver's seat. ZipDeal is unique because it links six pre-delivery customer touchpoints into one customer-driven interactive tool.
“We perfected a system that greatly enhances the customer experience and helps us gain control over the end of the sale. It also addresses additional sales opportunities, including protection products, that often weren't presented before," said Lindsay. "With dealer front-end profits as low as 3%, we can't count on sales staff to just sell cars anymore. ZipDeal makes sure our sales staff present every product and accessory, every time for additional revenue streams while giving consumers the control they want over the process."
Customers proceed at their own pace through a series on online questions and options that address these key areas:
New deal and trade-in paperwork – Customers complete key deal details which eliminate sloppy paperwork and decreases contracts-in-transit, so dealers get paid faster.
Insurance options – Customers can shop their existing provider against a host of competitors to acquire the best possible terms and conditions.
Finance and protection products – The presentation of F&I and protection products includes videos, product images, and detailed product descriptions so customers can educate themselves on their own time without a high-pressure sales environment.
Feature functionality – Every vehicle feature is explained and explored so customers can leverage all the features available.
Personalized vehicle settings – A deep dive into vehicle customizations ensures settings are personalized for customers before they drive off the lot, from auto-lock features to programming preferred radio stations.
Online review – At the conclusion of the ZipDeal delivery experience, customers rate the dealership and if the rating is positive are automatically asked to post a review. Managers are notified in real-time of negative ratings so they can rectify issues while the customer is still in the store, avoiding a negative review and poor CSI.
ZipDeal is available for both desktop computers and tablets. The collected data is either printed out automatically for placement in the deal jacket or pushed to a dealer’s DMS for the F&I manager to review and tailor the F&I menu and delivery experience to a customer’s needs.
Lindsay Automotive piloted ZipDeal with the top five sales staff at each of its two locations. Staff was trained on accessories and protection products (paint and fabric) and earned commissions on sales. Within three months, protection product sales increased from 5% to over 33%, and reps were earning as much as $3,000 a month in extra commissions.
Also, the dealership reduced the frustrating downtime between the end of price negotiations and the F&I process. This was due, in part, to inviting the customer to engage in the delivery process. The dealership also increased Finance PVR profit by over $200 and boosted positive online reviews by 500%These gains were a direct result of presenting every product to every customer every time, an area where dealers have historically struggled.
Lindsay Automotive’s success inspired automotive industry powerhouse duo Chip King and Tony Gomez to bring ZipDeal to market as they realized its potential to improve the customer experience, impact a dealer’s bottom line, and provide a competitive advantage in today’s market.
Commenting on the launch of ZipDeal, King stated, “This tool pulls all of the processes together and puts the customer in the driver’s seat like nothing else out there. The average dealer is making less than $300 in front-end gross profit on new vehicles. ZipDeal reconnects customers with protection products, accessories, and insurance options, for more revenue streams and back-end profits. Customers get a consistent, personalized process that puts them in control, and dealers make more profit. It’s a win-win.”
Gomez added, "Having spent the last year in a high-volume retail environment, one of the biggest challenges is the downtime between consummating the deal and getting the customer into the F&I office. ZipDeal's delivery system focuses on engaging the customer during that time and exposing them to every opportunity, which is critical to customer satisfaction and the dealer's profitability.
For additional information and to schedule a demonstration call: 877-699-7770, or visit www.zipdeal.com
Read: Voting Underway for 2020 Dealers’ Choice Awards
