What the studies found
Most stores reply fast. Few give a price.
Shoppers sent questions about cars to over 1,700 US dealers. Most got a reply within 15 minutes. One in four got a price.
First replies to a buyer's question about a car
Replied within 15 minutes
61%
Gave a price
26%
51%
Questions that needed a person got a personal answer within a day 51% of the time. Typical questions got one 78% of the time.
1 in 5
Online inquiries that got no personal response within a day.
What counts as an answer
A real answer does four things.
Kia's checklist for a first reply includes them. Confirm the car is there. Answer the customer's questions. Give a price and a next step.
A fast message that does none of that only tells the buyer the form worked.
Is the red Mazda3 the hatchback? Is it automatic?
1Yes, the red 2021 Mazda3 GT is here. 2It's the hatchback with an automatic. 3It has 64,000 km and is listed at $23,990. 4Want to drive it tomorrow? 4 PM and 6 PM are open.
- 1The car is there
- 2The answer
- 3The price
- 4A next step
Store hours
Your store is closed most of the week.
Take a store open 9 to 8 on weekdays and 9 to 6 on Saturday. It is closed 104 of the week's 168 hours.
A lead sent at 7 PM on Saturday waits 38 hours for Monday morning. Kia asks its dealers to aim for a personal reply within one hour. A store can be quick all week and still leave that buyer waiting.
Check your own store
Time your store tonight.
Your CRM report may start the clock late or stop it on the auto reply.
Send a lead from your own website at three different hours. Use a name and number your staff won't know. Ask one real question and time the first message that answers it.
Lead response test
| Sent | Answered at | Real answer? |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 2 PM | 2:41 PM | YesNo |
| Friday 9 PM | YesNo | |
| Sunday 11 AM | YesNo |
An auto reply or "when can you come in" does not count.
How Sales Assist AI answers
The first four minutes of a Sunday lead.
Sales Assist AI answers a new lead within seconds of the lead coming in. It answers what the buyer asked with the real car and its listed price.
When the buyer writes back it answers again. Two texts in a row get one reply. It books only times your store is open.
Sun 7:02 AM · Corolla Cross lead
0:00
- 0:00
New leadDo you have a Corolla Cross Hybrid? I'd trade my 2016 Camry.
- 0:13
Hi Chris. This is the AI assistant at Lakeshore Motors. Yes, we have a 2024 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE in white with 22,000 km. It's listed at $36,990. What trim is your Camry and about how many km?
- 2:10
LE
- 2:12
around 140k
- 2:41
Thanks. Our team will look at the Camry in person to give you a number. Could you come by Monday? 5 PM or 6 PM are open.
- 3:05
6 works
- 3:30
You're booked for Monday at 6 PM. Bring the Camry and its ownership. We'll look at it while you drive.
Visit booked for Monday 6 PM
Questions
Lead response time questions
How fast should a dealership respond to an internet lead?
As fast as you can with a real answer. Kia asks its dealers to aim for a personal reply within one hour. Most buyers visit more than one store before they buy.
Does an auto responder count as a response?
Not to the buyer. Kia's guide says to turn the auto reply on only outside business hours.
What do manufacturers measure?
It depends on the brand. Kia asks its dealers to aim for a personal reply within one hour. Your own program sets the exact target and how it is measured.
What happens to leads that come in at night?
When nobody is working they wait for the morning. A lead sent Saturday evening can wait until Monday when the store is closed Sunday.
How do I measure my store's real response time?
Send test leads from your own website at different hours. Send one through a listing site too. Time the first message that answers the question.
Lakeshore Motors, Bayview Auto and Westbrook Motors are made up. So are the names, cars and prices.