CAS in talks on joint ventures

IT provider Complete Automotive Solutions (CAS) is planning talks with two American internet software companies that could lead to joint ventures in the UK.

Evaluation is an online lead management system from Productive Dealer Solutions which mystery shops dealers on response times and quality of response to internet enquiries. It then provides training to improve the sales process.

According to Productive Dealer Solutions the minimum standard response time to an online enquiry is 30 minutes. After five hours a dealer’s odds of closing a lead drop by 50%. “If you want to play in the digital arena, you have to make a commitment to respond quickly and respond well to every lead, every time,” the company says.

It offers three packages in America. Silver includes four mystery shops per month, with reports and summary action plans, for around £200 per month; gold assesses performance throughout the business, providing processes and a 90-day action plan, for £300 per month; platinum includes three days’on-site training with a two-day follow-up and costs around £1,300 per month.

CAS is also planning a meeting with Kaizen, which provides a business development centre for dealers whereby trained staff do all prospecting calls and lead follow-up for both phone and online enquiries. Staff also take incoming and outgoing calls for sales and service, similar to a call centre.

Paul Cleverly, CAS sales director, told AM: “We are considering a joint venture in the UK with Kaizen, or we might do something ourselves.

“We will also have conversations with Evaluator regarding a joint venture although there is a pricing issue with their service, which is too high.”