Why your dealership needs a CRM (and how to choose one)
10 Oct 2025
What is a CRM and what is it used for in a dealership?
A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a tool that allows you to manage all contacts, customers, and commercial processes of your dealership in an organized manner. It's not just about storing data, but about turning information into sales.
Instead of jotting down visits or calls in a notebook or Excel, a CRM lets you:
Know who contacted you, when, and how.
Automatically follow up on every opportunity.
Have a complete history of each customer (vehicles of interest, previous negotiations, observations, etc.).
7 key benefits of having a CRM in your dealership
1. Unified record of each contact and their history
Prevents leads from being lost or two salespeople from contacting the same customer. Everything is recorded and accessible.
2. Automated follow-up on sales opportunities
You can schedule reminders, automatic emails, or tasks to ensure no opportunity slips through.
3. Improved conversion rate
Knowing what stage each customer is in allows you to close more sales with less effort. The CRM helps to identify friction points.
4. Greater control of the sales team
As a manager, you can see each salesperson's performance, what they are working on, and what opportunities are being lost.
5. Integration with marketing campaigns
A good CRM allows you to know how many leads came from Google, Facebook, portals, or referrals. This improves your advertising investment.
6. Clear view of the sales funnel
You can see how many contacts you have, how many are in negotiation, how many are lost, and why. Key information for decision-making.
7. Improved customer experience
If you remember their preferences, follow up, and offer personalized proposals, the customer feels well taken care of and confident.
What can happen if you don’t use a CRM?
Lost leads: each lead costs money. You can’t afford to lose it due to lack of follow-up.
Dependency on people: if a salesperson leaves, they take the information with them.
Lack of traceability: without clear data, you don’t know which channel is working or which salesperson is performing better.
Limited scalability: without clear processes, it’s difficult to grow without losing control.
How to choose the best CRM for your dealership
1. Assess your needs
Do you sell 10 cars a month or 100? Do you have online, phone, or in-person leads? This defines what functionalities you need.
2. It should be easy to use
If the CRM is complex, your team won’t use it. It needs to be intuitive, visual, and agile.
3. It should allow integrations
Ideal if it connects with your website, WhatsApp, car portals, or advertising platforms. This way, you automate processes.
4. Support and adaptation to the industry
A generic CRM can be useful, but one specialized in automotive will better understand your needs and processes.
5. Price and scalability
Look for a CRM that you can afford and that grows with you. It’s better to start with something functional than to end up with nothing due to high costs.
Quick comparison: types of CRMs in the market
Generic CRMs: HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce. Powerful, but sometimes complex or not well-suited to the industry.
CRMs for automotive: like Dealcar, specifically designed for dealerships, with dashboards tailored for vehicle sales.
Which one to choose? If you are a small or medium dealership, a specialized one will save you a lot of setup and adaptation time.
Conclusion: digitalizing is not optional, it's strategic
Using a CRM is not a luxury; it is a key tool to improve your efficiency, close more sales, and have control over your business.
If you want to sell more and better, start by professionalizing your commercial process. And that starts with a CRM.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does a small dealership need a CRM?
Yes. The sooner you have clear processes, the easier it will be to scale without missing opportunities.
How much does a CRM for dealerships cost?
From free versions to monthly subscriptions. The important thing is the return it generates for you, not just the cost.
How do I know if my team will use it?
Train the team, support them at the beginning, and choose an intuitive platform. If the CRM makes their work easier, they will adopt it quickly.
