Autobytel Inc. announced June 24 it has expanded its dealer support services to include a Dealer Call Center that integrates directly with its new version of iManager (iManager 1.5). According to Autobytel, the Dealer Call Center was developed to help dealers turn more online leads into showroom sales by responding to Internet customers. Dealer Call Center is designed to integrate with iManager 1.5, which was launched in February and is already in use at approximately 5,000 Internet departments nationwide.

"There's a direct correlation between closing ratios and lead response time. Bottom line: the faster a customer is contacted, the more likely the sale," says John Honiotes, Autobytel Inc. vice president, Dealer Operations. "The quality of the customer communication is also a huge factor. Personal phone calls, like those provided by our new Call Center, are naturally much more meaningful and effective than e-mails."

According to the company, the new version of iManager tracks the Dealer Call Center's activities, making this the first time a lead management system has been integrated with an appointment manager program. When a purchase request is submitted, the Dealer Call Center, representing the dealership, immediately calls the customer to qualify the lead and schedule a showroom appointment. Appointment information including a customer profile (exact vehicle specs., additional questions, financing issues, etc.) is posted to the iManager home page and to the dealer's personal iManager daily calendar.

"In our experience, the typical dealership Internet manager can handle 75-100 customers a month. Effective use of iManager and our new Dealer Call Center can easily double that number," adds Honiotes. "By taking on a lot of the time-consuming work involved with identifying quality customers, we can help our dealer network focus on doing more business and doing it smarter. For example, because the Dealer Call Center makes that first, often most difficult, call, the Internet Manager can proceed directly to iManager to view the customer profile and begin closing the sale by preparing the specific information that customer needs."

In addition to its integration with Dealer Call Center, the upgraded iManager also offers a range of online marketing, CRM and reporting features, according to Autobytel. The software, for example, makes it easy for dealers to automate bulk e-mails to targeted customer groups, whether it's for service or follow-up sales communications. iManager's reporting functions, meanwhile, let dealers analyze the performance of their Internet departments both in terms of gross profits and closing percentages.

Autobytel claims dealers have embraced iManager 1.5, which is already driving new revenues in dealerships nationwide. Says Internet Sales Manager Thomas Denney of Camino Real Chevrolet in Monterey Park, CA, "Since upgrading to iManager 1.5, I've been able to expand our dealership's Internet sales team and have increased unit sales by 700 percent, to 150 units per month. This is simply because iManager has freed our seven-person Internet department from the day-to-day management of leads and given us more time to do what we do best—personal interaction with our customers.

iManager is truly the lifeblood of our sales efforts, and I believe it is an indispensable tool for any dealership that takes customer relationship management seriously. With iManager, we've been able to expand our Internet department and increase productivity, while simultaneously improving our customer satisfaction index rating."

About Autobytel Inc.

Autobytel Inc., an Internet automotive marketing services company, says it helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing and CRM (customer relationship management) programs. Autobytel Inc. owns and operates the websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com and Autosite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a provider of automotive marketing data and technology.