NEW YORK – automotiveMastermind, part of IHS Markit and a provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for dealerships and manufacturers, is re-deploying sales and business development managers to prospect on behalf of dealer partners, demonstrating the company’s support and commitment to dealerships during COVID-19 disruptions. Thevirtual Business Development Center (BDC) program is currently piloting with 215 stores across the U.S.

So far, the program has generated the following results:

• 339 hours worked on behalf of dealer partners

• 283 sales follow-ups and virtual appointments booked

“Never have we seen the ongoing support from a vendor partner as we are experiencing from automotiveMastermind,” said Robert E. Rombs, Jr., vice president at Tysinger Automotive Family. “The virtual BDC has proven to be an invaluable asset, as we have booked five additional sales appointments in just the first two sessions. We are confident in our ability to be successful and to emerge stronger than ever as a direct result of our partnership with automotiveMastermind.”

The combination of Mastermind’s industry experience and the integrated nature of the company’s Market EyeQ sales platform helped inspire the idea of creating a virtual BDC program. With Market EyeQ, each of Mastermind’s remote team members have access to the same data-driven customer insights as their dealer partners, making the process of prospecting and handoff seamless even from afar. 

“We’re a team of passionate auto industry experts, so the decision to create a virtual BDC for our dealer partners during this particular time was a no-brainer,” said Mastermind Co-Founder and CEO Marco Schnabl. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 challenges, we’ve encouraged our dealer partners to pivot their operations, including remote sales and maximizing their BDCs. We practice what we preach and serving as an extension of our customers’ BDCs is a critical way we can support them.” 

In addition to the virtual BDC, Mastermind has developed numerous resources to support dealerships during COVID-19 disruptions, including:

• Mastermind’s Virtual Resource Center – including whitepapers, checklists and videos to help dealerships pivot operations and make sales and service adjustments to accommodate for COVID-19 challenges.

• Free webinars from Mastermind’s thought leaders – topics include maximizing the service drive, creating a virtual dealership and how to kickstart auto leads during and after COVID-19 disruptions.

• Mastermind Gives Back to the CDC Foundation – Mastermind is donating $25 per virtual demo and $100 per deal signed to the CDC Foundation through April 30.

Mastermind is regularly creating new COVID-19 resources for dealerships. To view the full, free resource library, visit www.automotivemastermind.com/covid19.