In 2001, I assumed the e-business responsibilities for the second-largest boat dealership worldwide. The very first email inquiry I opened read,
“Why even have a Web site if you aren’t going to respond to your f***ing email?”
After a brief investigation, I learned very quickly that we had not responded to this prospective customer’s repeated email inquiries for a long list of reasons. But the bottom-line was simple, our on-line customer experience was not only failing to capitalize on our sales potential, but it was actually a liability to the perception of our brand and organization as a whole!
In the spring of 2009, Pro Lead Management took the most comprehensive look at how the durable goods industries are using the Internet to garner in-store sales. We requested information from 771 dealers in the marine, RV, and power sports industries through 42 manufacturer Web sites. Included with each request was a phone number and email address. What we found has been shocking.
- Only 45% of retailers responded to our request
- The average response time for those who did respond was 31 hours
- 55% of those who responded did so by email only
- Most email responses were so poorly written that they actually detracted from the customer’s perception of the retailer and the brands they represent
Too often today, manufacturers rely on their retailers to fulfill email inquiries and deliver their brand experience. With the types of results we experienced, this strategy has to be seriously reconsidered.
We have studied the results and identified why the majority of inquiries being submitted to retailers get neglected. We have also discovered why the email responses are typically so poor. Further, we have developed proprietary new methods for lead generation, lead capture, and lead response to overcome these challenges and position our clients for exponential growth – especially in a down market!
Let us help you grow your business in a down market by calling 704.992.1674 or email us at info@proleadmanagement.com.
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