Finding your ideal automotive BDC company – one that goes above and beyond to set your dealership up for success – begins with examining your current challenges and goals. Then, you have to scout prospective BDC partners to see what they can offer. Your best automotive BDC provider should seamlessly integrate with your systems and processes, communicate transparently, and utilize modern technology in tandem with human expertise to deliver next-level results.

Why Finding a Strong Automotive BDC Company To Partner With Matters

Any automotive BDC company worth its salt can make sure its clients never miss a lead, appointment, or call, but a truly effective partner will go the extra mile to integrate the latest technology, customize services, train staff continually, and maintain compliance. Those seemingly small but highly effective actions are the markers you should look for when hiring an automotive BDC company, and they are precisely what Strolid offers.

It’s true that our BDC solutions for car dealers are consistently some of the most robust on today’s market, but that doesn’t mean that Strolid is automatically going to be your best automotive BDC provider. You want a partner that’s both flexible and scalable at levels that suit your dealership. If you’re hunting for the top BDC companies for car dealerships, we have the tips you need to secure the business support you deserve.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Challenges and Goals

Before you schedule an exploratory phone call with an automotive BDC company, you’ll want a solid understanding of the answer to this question: “What does ‘BDC’ stand for in automotive?” You’ll also want to define your dealership’s pain points and goals. For example, maybe you need a missed-leads car dealership solution and have already tried implementing a more robust CRM, hiring more staff, or automating your customer responses without the desired results.

Knowing how your business is struggling and where you want to go in the future is critical – otherwise, the automotive BDC company you select may not take the appropriate steps to get you there. Take stock of the following factors to see what type and size of BDC partner can best support you.

Your dealership’s lead volume
Your quarterly and yearly sales and service goals
The number of BDC representatives you might need to handle incoming and outgoing communication
The overall sales and service volume your dealership wants to achieve

Remember: The best BDC company automotive leaders can choose is the one that can grow alongside your dealership.

Step 2: Explore Services That Top BDC Companies for Car Dealerships Offer

Now that you’ve identified your dealership’s current struggles and vision for growth, it’s time to investigate an automotive BDC company or two. Each BDC will have a unique approach, so evaluate their systems and services. This advice is equally applicable to dealerships that are dissatisfied with their current arrangement as it is for those choosing their first BDC expert.

Your BDC provider should not only function as a catch-all customer service center, but it should also propel your business toward new growth and stimulate customer loyalty. Before we dive into how you can choose your ideal sales and service BDC associate, let’s examine what a highly qualified automotive BDC company should offer:

Field inbound calls, emails, chats, and appointment requests
Reconnect with less active customers to win back business
Provide 24/7 lead management and customer response
Personalize communication across multiple channels
Maintain strong communication with dealership staff
Train service representatives in an ongoing fashion
Prove its record of success with similar dealerships
Report on performance and include detailed analyses
Integrate AI technology for optimized customer interactions
Optimize lead conversions and workflow for maximum efficiency
Adhere to proven BDC best practices

Step 3: Avoid Common Pitfalls

Any organization can call itself the best BDC company – automotive veterans have likely seen these “experts” make their rounds – but if you know what to look for, you can identify those who truly live up to the claim. Make sure that any automotive BDC company you hire doesn’t offer the same cookie-cutter solutions for all of its clients. Your company needs and deserves a tailored business strategy to reach its unique short- and long-term goals.

It’s also no secret that artificial intelligence and machine learning now play key roles in accomplishing these. However, many companies that label themselves the “best automotive BDC providers” rely too heavily on AI. When searching for your preferred automotive BDC company, make sure to ask providers how they couple AI with human influence – AI should be a tool in their arsenal, not their only solution.

Step 4: Choose Your Ideal Automotive BDC Company

Industry experts know that the question is no longer, “Do we need an automotive BDC company?” Instead, dealership leaders like you are digging into how to choose a BDC company that’s best for the job. Thankfully, identifying the best automotive BDC providers isn’t difficult if you’re equipped with substantial information. Here’s a checklist you can follow so your next (or first) experience with an outsourced BDC automotive partner can be a great one.

The right automotive BDC company for your dealership will:

Couple detailed reports with actionable insights so you can not only measure the performance of your BDC partner, but also optimize future customer interactions.
Deliver call center software, customer interaction tracking, and AI BDC automotive systems that can both organize and analyze incoming data.
Integrate their platforms seamlessly with your existing management systems.
Scale with your company as it grows and handle increasing levels of call volume, data storage, and analytics.
Provide knowledgeable BDC representatives who can work with your team to answer any questions and resolve any issues.
Offer 24/7 customer service to make sure no client goes unheard and dealership retention and loyalty are prioritized.
Understand the demands of both the sales and service branches of your dealership and support your staff accordingly.
Transparently communicate BDC cost, contract terms, and additional service fees so you always know you’re within your budget.