Authntk Sits Down with JP Ostiguy
JP Ostiguy is the Director of Retail Sales and Operations at the Alta Automotive Group in Ontario, Canada. He’s been overseeing Internet Sales for 15 years and started advocating for video and digital marketing back when it wasn’t “cool” to do so. He works with over 20 dealerships, helping them manage the internet process and science of communication.
His Nissan Infiniti Group has the highest volume and #1 closing ratio for internet leads in Canada. The average dealership JP manages pulls in about 130 unique internet leads per month, not including used cars. Over the years he has turned the digital implementation process into a true craft, and that’s exactly why we wanted to sit down with him.
Authntk Operations Manager, John Colban, interviewed JP focusing on Implementation of Video, specifically the Authntk App. We ended up producing a 30 minute interview that really packed a punch.
Note that JP has incorporated Authntk Walkaround Videos in 15 of the dealerships he works with, and has been using the app for over 3 years. Here are the highlights from the interview…
Why did you ultimately decide to incorporate Authntk as a part of the sales process? Click here to watch JP talk about why he went with Authntk
Sending large files to customers through email on my own resulted in junk mail and spam problems. Sending it via Gmail with a YouTube attachment was 19 steps, very time-consuming, and I could get marketed against by other dealers. Out of all the products out there, Authntk was only 4 steps.
What are your thoughts on managers who love the Authntk App but are having trouble with participation? Click here to watch JP talk about participation
Process, process, process. When I took over the dealerships no one really wanted to do video, they didn’t really want to do anything extra than they were already doing. So, we made it very simple…
- Authntk can be downloaded on Apple or Android, a lot of the staff really liked that they could immediately use their own tools.
- We allow the staff to use the store wifi, so that handles any data plan issues or personal costs.
- I rewrote the sales process so everyone understood that they’re either “in” or they’re not going to receive the opportunities of the internet leads and phone calls. For all new-hires, we rewrote the pay plans and job descriptions to include video. When I’m hiring, I require a video of the person communicating with me, because if they’re not comfortable doing that then they’re not going to be comfortable doing what I need them to do. We’re really trying to find forward-thinking people.
- There were people who did not want to use their phones, so I went and bought iPad Mini’s for every store. They have no excuse not to do it if I supply them the tools.
- I made sure that everyone had a video upload link through their computers so if they didn’t want to use wifi or they’re having issues, they’re able to use it right then.
- I basically eliminated any conversation or negativity. If there was any push back, it’s no problem. They signed off on our process, so they’re either in or they’re out.
In what area have you seen the most push-back? Click here to watch JP talk about push-back
The hardest part has been consistency. Someone will experiment with it and it doesn’t really go well on their first or second video – maybe they feel weird, don’t know what to say, or they record the video backwards. Once we refine the process and people start seeing results, it really just took off. I have guys who use it religiously with over 500 videos, who are selling 200 300 cars a year now.
They’re also using it to brand themselves. In the greater Toronto area, there are about 35 dealers within an hour of each other, so we have to brand ourselves. Once I got the staff thinking that way, customers started responding to them better. The process is really results-driven.
People buy from people, they don’t buy from computers or technology. It’s funny to see people walk in the showroom and have an appointment, they don’t know with whom but they do know what he/she looks like. So, we see a lot less deals get skated by other salespeople.
Talk about any incentives you run… Click here to watch JP talk about incentives
We do incentivize the staff. Because we’re such a large group we have access to things like Raptors tickets, Mapleleafs games, and concert events that are given to us by our vendors. We gave away $1,000 Mapleleafs tickets for a contest that Authntk actually helped us monitor. The winner was chosen by the best, most engaging video. That month I think we had 200 videos sent from 4 stores.
We’ve had other contests where we give away an iPad, or contests around reputation for the person with the most testimonials or Google reviews, or give them a weekend away. The cost was nominal, a couple hundred dollars, but think about the engagement we got over that short time period.
If I can make a recommendation to anybody, incentivize your staff. I know you’re saying we already pay them enough, and they get incentivized if they sell the car. Yes, but did they sell the car and improve your CSI and your overall customer experience?
