Skype has become the go-to standard for most video conversations, but their IM tool is very effective for one-on-one chat conversations, as well as for groups and work teams. A huge advantage of the platform is that it is available on virtually every device and operating system, including Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux.…

...the 930 had “turbo lag as long as a coffee break. Mash the throttle at 3000 rpm, and the boost gauge plays dead until the tach reaches 4000.” - Car and Driver

During the dark ages of the auto industry in the 1970’s, emissions regulations and an epic disregard for quality automotive products…

It’s one thing to try to view the auto industry through the eyes of a consumer when you work for a dealership.  It’s quite another to attempt to view it as a vendor.…

Deciding priorities when it comes to KPIs and ROI

It’s a conundrum auto dealers face in every aspect of the car business: go for ROI or most affordable?

Go with a factory-mandated…

The CarChat24 team is proud to announce we have received an Automotive Website Award for Marketing Innovation. The prestigious award was presented in San Francisco on January 22, 2015, as the 2015 National Automotive Dealers Association conference kicked off,…

Some people want it to happen,

some wish it would happen,

others make it happen. ~ Michael Jordan…

Shoppers ready to spend money, combined with manufacturers launching massive incentives and ad campaigns, make the holiday season ripe for increased website traffic. These factors also make a quality live chat service a must to capitalize on all this extra dealership website traffic. More than any other time of the year, buyers are in a rush to find the information they want and need on the products…

In his book, Customers for Life, Carl Sewell says to MEASURE EVERYTHING. So how do you measure how well your team is doing with live chat? For many dealers handling chat in-house, ‘measuring chat’ means tracking the number of chat conversations and…

Adding Live Chat software or a hosted / managed chat option to your website doesn’t mean you have to think outside of the box - in fact it is another way to get more buyers INTO THE BOX! I’m sure in the 1930s having a phone was ‘new’ thinking, just like adding a website or dealership email address in the late 1990s was a revolutionary idea.

The debate about whether or…

"...you can't just throw it on there and expect it to generate more sales leads or help you sell more cars"

When the internet began to commercialize in the late 90's, you could throw up a website with a few nice pictures and you were ahead of the competition. Then you had to add your inventory just to be competitive. The same is true with live chat on your website - you can't just throw it on there and…

CarChat24 receives its third “Top Rated” Award for Dealer Satisfaction in the Chat Products Category

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Jan. 24, 2014 -  CarChat24 - 24/7 Fully Staffed Chat & Advanced Dealer Chat Software is the recipient of a “Top Rated” Chat…

As much of the nation is faced with another massive weather event that threatens to close commerce, many auto dealership staff members are staying home because the doors are shut at the store due to the storm or to care for children who can’t go to closed schools. So if your BDC or sales staff isn't at their desks, are they responding to…

Palm Harbor, Fla. - ChatLead.com, Inc. / CarChat24, a leader in 24/7 Staffed Auto Dealer Chat Support, and Dealer Chat Software as a Service, announced today the appointment of Jason Good as Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Alliances. Good joins the team in a leadership…

Making the decision to add live chat to your dealership website can be challenging, deciding to use a hosted service with outside operators can make it even bigger – even if it's only as a backup option. So, why worry about having a hosted live chat service now? Continued below graphic...…

Strong relationships are similar to spider webs, especially in the auto industry. Multiple threads are must to build an effective web for business – or spiders. If you want to build long-term success in car sales, you have to recognize that these relationships start with one tiny thread, and by creating additional threads through rapport and nurturing with quality customer care,…

It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but if an auto dealership wants to establish a successful website live chat program in-house, it is wise to position your chat staff as online operators, and NOT as internet salespeople. There are three reasons this strategy will help create live chat success:

• Allows the operator an excuse to…

It makes sense, and many dealers might suspect, that buyers are willing to travel farther for their car deal than in years past, and those suspicions have been confirmed - again. 

A follow-up study by Autotrader.com to their 2012 White Paper, Have Internet, Will Travel, confirmed this month that “two and a half times more car buyers traveled distances of 30+ miles to purchase a vehicle…

It may not come as a surprise, but paying extra bucks to “go green” in a hybrid car may pay off in self-esteem and image for older drivers, as well as give a healthy boost to the environment, according to a Baylor University study.

This may help fuel…

I could just say 'yes' and make this the shortest blog post ever, but here is why it matters…not that you want the gang from the Used Cars movie in this photo helping you with your business, but having 'car people' involved makes a HUGE difference.

As a dealer, when you look at your DMS, your photo and/or inventory service, and even your website, are they handled by companies that are either well…

Some companies celebrate their birthday with a coupon. Porsche put together this awesome video.

Porsche birthday press release:…