We live in an increasingly digital age. Auto dealerships, long built on face-to-face communication in the show room, have to navigate customers that now expect timely, but personal communication on the go. Attempting to engage with customers is easier than it’s ever been, but actually getting a response is harder than ever.
Convergence, an automotive customer-engagement solution for dealerships, is looking to alleviate some of those issues as it announced it is expanding its operations nationwide. The company offers a platform that turns dealership data into precision-timed, personalized text and email messages designed to drive sales and service revenue. After a successful two-and-a-half-year period supporting over 60 dealerships, Convergence is now scaling to meet growing national demand.
Targeted Messages Right On Time
The company’s platform combines a proprietary messaging technology with a dedicated in-house communications team to deliver timely and relevant outreach. By analyzing a dealership’s existing CRM and DMS data, Convergence identifies opportunities to re-engage lapsed customers, fill service bays, and convert sales leads. To date, the company has sent over 3 million messages, resulting in more than 2,000 scheduled appointments and the sale of over 1,000 cars.
“We’ve helped dealerships, from single-point stores to multi-rooftop groups, re-engage thousands of customers who hadn’t returned in months, scheduling hundreds of new service and sales appointments each month,” said Jim Daly, Co-Founder & COO of Convergence. “By combining personal attention with smart data, we give dealers a way to improve retention and drive revenue even when staffing and labor are tight.”
Automation Enhanced by Humans
Unlike fully automated solutions, Convergence emphasizes a human touch. Every customer inquiry generated by the platform is handled by trained agents. This helps avoid any issues that may crop up in the data or outreach and guarantee accuracy with each interaction. Convergence believes this hybrid approach of data-driven automation and human management is a key differentiator, that allows them to build stronger customer loyalty.
“There are a lot of digital tools in the automotive sector. All claim to be better than the next, but few are unique. Convergence peels back the layers of what you can and can’t do in targeting customers and then precisely hones in and is able to reach customers in ways that will get them to respond, namely by text message,” said Chris Marino, General Manager of BMW of Spokane. “Convergence represents the final frontier on tool-differentiation when it comes to campaigns & engagement.”
Other Features
Other key features of the Convergence platform include a data-activation platform called TrafficGauge for tracking interactions, and support for the entire customer lifecycle, from sales to service and recall campaigns.
The company’s expansion comes as the automotive industry grapples with labor shortages and the increasing need for efficient, digital communication tools. With major dealer groups like Lithia having already vetted and approved the platform, Convergence hopes that it is positioned for broader adoption as it rolls out its services to dealers across the country.
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