The automobile industry is highly unlikely to ever completely disappear, although it is having to adapt to modern times. The cost of fuel, the emergence of electric vehicles, and squeezed profit margins are making dealers consider how and what they sell.
The US automobile industry has about 50,000 establishments across the country. However, now many dealers are looking to the net for digital sales and higher conversions. Car lots and showrooms require either the purchase of land or rental. Selling online can lower overheads in certain areas.
Nevertheless, consumers still have the need to speak to a real person from time to time. Not all purchases can be made online with a couple of clicks. Sometimes it is necessary to ask questions and comprehend more about the products you are considering.
To combat this problem, some car dealers are now utilizing chat software to help with online and offline sales.
What is chat software?
If you have been on the net long enough you may remember the popularity of chat rooms. These were websites where people could meet new and old friends and send messages via public, or private rooms.
Chat software works on a very similar principle except it is only one-to-one. There are two main types of chat software, and these are ones that involve bots, and ones that use live operators.
Chatbots certainly have their place on the net and can be a useful tool for answering simple questions or helping a user to navigate around a website. Live chat is on a different level as far as customer service is concerned, and it can also be used to help convert leads into sales.
Is chat software a replacement for humans?
Chatbots certainly replace humans in the sense that the software is automated and has no need for human interaction except on the consumer side. Live chat software uses human operators though.
In the car retail sector, live chat can replace, at least partially, the need for a visit to the showroom to find a representative to talk to. Software such as Visitor Chat uses operators who are qualified and experienced in the automotive retail market to answer questions online. This can help improve digital sales, and also traditional sales in the showroom.
Does chat software increase sales?
The automotive industry is still massive, but there has been a decline in sales over recent years. The global online car buying market was worth $238 billion in 2020 though so it is not exactly a dying industry. Especially when you consider it is expected to grow to around $723 billion by 2030.
Much of this growth is predicted to come from the digital retail sector. Chat software can be used to complement a car dealer’s website by providing ongoing customer support during the user’s visit. The operator can lead the customer through the areas of the website, explain certain tools available, and answer pertinent questions about financing, or test-drive availability.
Through the use of chat software, the customer can be taken through the entire sales process online, or guided towards the nearest showroom to complete their transaction.
How does chat software affect the customer experience online?
Live chat software can help to increase trust and loyalty through immediate responses to questions. There are some scams targeting car sellers and buyers online. By going to an official website you know that you are talking to operators who are authorized by the dealer.
Part of the idea behind chat software is to give the same experience that a showroom would with representatives available, but online. The customer has the convenience of browsing from home or at work, but with a knowledgeable operator assisting them along the way.
Does chat software help the car dealer make sales in other ways?
Some live chat software can be incorporated across different platforms. Therefore, it can be used to increase customer engagement not just on the company website, but also on social media.
Live chat software often has other features too with reporting on various metrics to help analyze marketing campaigns and different departments. Productivity, stock levels, and availability can all be monitored through the reporting suite.
Summary
There are many scams surrounding cars and dealers, so it is important to only go to the official websites when considering digital retail. Ones that employ live chat have to have knowledgeable people operating the software, and this adds an extra level of trust which is always welcome online.
Live chat operators can also hand over to in-showroom employees, and sales can be finalized there instead of online. Live chat allows the showroom experience to happen online and helps to give the consumer enough information that they can make a car purchase online, or in the showroom at a later date.
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).