On today’s show, we’re pleased to welcome Manheim Express Concierge Specialist Chenita Willis, to discuss how dealers can use this mobile app to its fullest capability, and make listing vehicles easier and less time-consuming.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Jim Fitzpatrick: Hi everyone. I’m Jim Fitzpatrick with CBT news. Thanks so much for joining us today. We’re so happy to have in our studio, Miss Chenita Willis, who is Manheim Express’ Concierge Specialist. Welcome to CBT News.
Chenita Willis: Thanks for having me.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. For those viewers that are out there that don’t know what the Manheim Express Concierge Service is all about, kind of give us a quick overview.
Chenita Willis: Manheim Express is a mobile app. It gives the dealer the opportunity to buy and sell cars through their mobile phone, anywhere, at the auction, on your dealership, on your lot, anywhere you’re able to go ahead and upload cars and get your listings done. Now, once they release this app, we realize some dealers don’t have time, so we do have a Manheim Concierge Service nationwide, where a Manheim rep, such as myself, will come out to your lot.
Jim Fitzpatrick: That’s phenomenal. So the person’s actually going to come right out to our location.
Chenita Willis: Correct. So you get the expertise of Manheim on your location.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah, that is fantastic. What are some tips that you share with dealers who decide to do these listings themselves?
Chenita Willis: What we would love to do then with the concierge service, but some dealers don’t have the time or the resources, so you can always list them yourself. Probably my biggest tip would be when you’re listing the car, just make sure that it’s clean and ready to go. Also, you want to be upfront and honest with the dealer. You want to make sure that you disclose anything that you’re aware of with the car. This is your reputation you’re staking, so definitely you want to make sure that you represent your vehicle and yourself to best of your ability.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah, for sure. That’s a key point, isn’t it?
Chenita Willis: Yeah.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah and how can they create the most effective vehicle listing to appeal to potential buyers?
Chenita Willis: The great thing about the Manheim Express app is it walks you through the process. There’s a step by step walkthrough of each picture that you’re taking. We have technology that allows us to do a 360-degree view of the car…
Jim Fitzpatrick: Nice. Oh wow.
Chenita Willis: Just simply by walking around it. Just take the steps seriously, disclose any damages and put your best foot forward. You want to have a clean, ready, great conditioned car…And if it’s not, that’s fine because there’s always a market for that. You just want to be upfront and honest with what you’ve got.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. When’s the best time to do this? Is it before it goes into recon or after it comes out of recon? How quickly should a dealer do this?
Chenita Willis: You can do it at any point, honestly. If you’re trying to keep your recon costs down, you can list it before it goes into recon…If you know that’s not a car that you’re going to be able to retail. Again, disclose everything and do your 360. There’s a comment section, there are notes, there are things that will post for the buyer. Just be upfront and honest and you’ll have a great listing.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. Sure and the 360 is just as simple as taking your cell phone right?
Chenita Willis: Yeah.
Jim Fitzpatrick: And going all around the car?
Chenita Willis: You do, you start at a certain point, you hold your camera steady, you walk around the car. There’s also technology that allows us to tag any damages on the car. The buyer can zoom in and take a look at what you’re talking about, As far as damages are concerned. It’s really awesome technology.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah and then you also have provided some videos that are online to help dealers through this process as well, right?
Chenita Willis: I have and so if you choose not to use the concierge service, we do have tools that’ll help you make the best listing. We know that one of the questions buyers have when looking at a wholesale inventory is whether there’s anything wrong with the car, how does Manheim Express help dealers understand its condition?
Chenita Willis: Well, the great thing about the Manheim Express app is, again, there’s the ability to tag. So when you’re selling a car, you want to be upfront and honest. You want to zoom in on the damage and make sure that it’s visible, because arbitration is definitely something out there. We definitely want to make sure that whoever’s buying your car is aware of the condition and if you’re uncomfortable with that, you can have concierge come out and we do an inspection. It does get a condition report. So that’s something Manheim will stand behind.
Jim Fitzpatrick: That’s incredible. What a great program. Has Manheim Express app plus the concierge program been successful thus far?
Chenita Willis: We’ve been around for just about a year. I think we’ve been downloaded 60,000 times. We have over 18,000 dealerships that have downloaded and used the product. Yes sir, and there are several hundred concierges throughout the nation.
Jim Fitzpatrick: That is phenomenal. Yeah and is this good for both independence as well as new car franchise dealers?
Chenita Willis: It is, yes sir. You can move inventory regardless of the size of your dealership.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Fantastic. Why would a dealer not do this? This is crazy.
Chenita Willis: That’s a great question.
Jim Fitzpatrick: I’m putting my dealer hat on. I’m thinking to myself, “What have you got to lose?” This is just a phenomenal program for them.
Chenita Willis: Exactly and with the concierge service, you can be as hands-off as you want to be. We’ll come out and do it. We’ll have pricing conversations. We can list them for you. It takes you away from having to do the listing and be able to do something else with your time.
Jim Fitzpatrick: That’s right. That’s an incredible resource you’re providing for used car managers, and dealers alike, that are always shorthanded, don’t have enough time in the day. To be able to dish that over to you guys to say, “Hey, we need some help here.”, and knowing that it’s going to be done right is the most important thing.
Chenita Willis: And knowing it’s backed by Manheim is huge.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Unbelievable. With the consumer, that name is just synonymous with a very high level of integrity in the marketplace. Right?
Chenita Willis: That is correct.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Well, I want to thank you so much for joining us on the CBT Automotive Network. We appreciate it. Hopefully, we’re going to have you back in a few months to see how this is rolling out across the country.
Chenita Willis: I anticipate us growing exponentially.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah, I bet.
Chenita Willis: So thank you.
