"Automotive salesperson has evolved into a professional advisor!"
Mike is the leading salesman on the Covideo Team, where he’s been in charge of dealer services for nearly eight years. He also has more than 18 years of automotive retail experience, making him an invaluable resource for Covideo’s many users in the automotive industry. Mike coaches them on best practices to better engage their customers through the power of video.
COVIDEO: You had worked in the automotive industry for 18 years before you joined Covideo. What is it about the industry that attracts you most?
I have always had a passion for serving customers within a retail sales environment. The automotive industry was particularly appealing in which it afforded you the ability to control your own destiny. By that I mean, within a commission structured environment – you have control of your income. Success relates to limitless financial income along with additional opportunities for continued growth.
COVIDEO: Now you are working at Covideo as the VP of Dealer Services. What previous experiences helped you the most for this position?
My retail experience has provided me with a better understanding as it relates to customer interactions within the various departments– the challenges within those departments, and how we can use video technology to enhance the customer engagement while providing an excellent Customer Experience.
COVIDEO: What is it like to communicate with automotive companies from the other vendor side?
Rewarding. I can truly understand their daily challenges and can ask the relevant questions to offer meaningful solutions in efforts to help them succeed.
COVIDEO: What makes an automotive salesperson different from sales professionals in other industries?
When I first started in the industry, I believed there to be a great disparity. The “car salesman” was considered the corporate misfit and was not guided by ethical boundaries as those within the corporate world, creating for themselves an aura of irrelevancy, thus tarnishing their reputation. However, I believe that bridge has been gapped and over the years our automotive dealers were forced to embrace Customer Satisfaction. Where now I believe that today’s an automotive salesperson’s role has evolved into more of a professional advisory role when providing today’s educated customer with a friendly, transparent experience.
“Now, I believe that today’s an automotive salesperson’s role has evolved into more of a professional advisory role when providing today’s educated customer with a friendly, transparent experience.”
COVIDEO: As a passionate video lover, what benefits do you like to point out most to your clients for integrating video communication in their business?
We are forced into the habit of communicating via email in today’s business world. Yet no email, even with its bold-typed words, can ever replace those passionate voice inflections of that face to face interaction. Adding visual cues along with voice and facial expressions clearly allows you to deliver a more compelling message. As they say: If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what is a video worth?!
COVIDEO: Positive short-term effects are great, but can you tell us more about the long-term ones? What do companies that use video communication in a year or two, or even more, get from it?
The long-term effects, in part, helps to create a company culture of transparency. Mind you, video communications are not just powerful for customer-facing communications. Many companies create a culture of synergy when using video within their internal communications as well.
COVIDEO: What changes have happened in the automotive industry that more and more people turn to video communication?
I believe it to be their understanding of staying ahead of the technology curve, and to be able to better communicate to that of the customers’ lifestyle today.
COVIDEO: What are your predictions when we talk about communication in the automotive industry?
Video communications will become the new norm and plain text communications will become obsolete. Our customers will dictate as such.
COVIDEO: Are there any challenges you see that might become obstacles for video integration in this industry?
As with any industry, yes there will be challenges. But the only obstacle will be those that refuse to keep up with technology and change with the times. Unfortunately, these companies will be left behind.
Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.
