7 DealerTech Vendors For Personalized Video Messaging

I have always admired dealers for their entrepreneurial spirit. That creativity showed again when COVID-19 hit the country in March 2020. Many dealers switched to a low- or no-touch sales and service experience. They re-designed processes and sought alternatives to in-person meetings. For example, dealers embraced Zoom, FaceTime, or other mainstream video platforms to do virtual vehicle walk-arounds, explain the trade-in process, and review MPI findings. Unfortunately, those video systems are poorly integrated with the existing DealerTech stack and provide very little control or reporting. Additionally, they only work if both dealers and prospects are on the same platform and available at the same time. Here are seven (7) DealerTech vendors for personalized video messaging in Front-end or Fixed ops. We organized them alphabetically with short descriptions and contact information. There may be other DealerTech providers for video messaging.

Autos On Video:

Autos On Video provides dealership’s BDC and Sales staff with a Video Lead Responder to produce custom one-to-one follow-up videos. Additionally, dealership’s technicians can run the ROpro Service Video application to send customized repair videos to their service customers and increase revenue per RO. Also, View360 and Complete Distribution help dealers to produce interactive vehicle inventory videos. Dealers can post them on their website or syndicate through their other marketing channels and listing partners.

Carfilm:

Sean Waver, formerly Director of Business Development for Bernie Moreno Companies (BMC), and his team built Carfilm to make video sharing simple for car dealers. Through a mobile phone app, dealership staff can record and send personal videos to their prospects to be displayed on pdf’s or websites. Also, videos can also be managed from a desktop computer. Dealership operators gain transparency about the video views and the dealer team usage through a view tracker and dashboard for team statistics.

CitNOW:

CitNOW is a secure and brand-compliant video platform for both the variable and Fixed Ops business. CitNOW Sales offers dealership sales staff a tool to record, edit, and submit personalized videos of vehicles. CitNOW Workshop, on the other hand, brings the dealer’s customer into the shop to review necessary service work. Not only can dealers record videos to send to their shoppers and customers, but they can also start live virtual communication sessions.

Covideo:

Covideo is not a native DealerTech provider but utilized by large enterprises like Carfax or Allstate. After all, Covideo is an easy-to-use video messaging solution that captures personalized messages via a mobile phone app, on the web, screen capture, Outlook integration, or Chrome extension. Dealers can upload existing content, add text, or enhance videos through GIFs or otherwise. Once created, videos can be attached to an email or SMS, pushed to social media, or embedded on the website. Video and admin reports offer insights and management control.

Flick Fusion:

Flick Fusion offers dealers a comprehensive video marketing platform. The Flick Fusion VidCom system can send personalized videos via email and text, or start live video calls. Besides, Flick Fusion offers other solutions to market the dealership’s inventory and services. For example, AutoSpin360 lets dealers post videos on the dealer’s VDP, or Full Motion Inventory Videos on the dealer’s YouTube, classifieds, or social channels. In April 2020, VinSolutions (Cox Automotive) announced the integration of Flick Fusion’s video tool into the VinSolutions Connect CRM system.

SnapCell:

SnapCell dealers can easily create automotive videos through the self-editing SnapCell app for mobile phones and desktop computers. Furthermore, the platform brings custom reports to track video views and dealer staff utilization. There is also a manager approval feature for managers to stay in control. SnapCell integrates with some of the dealership CRMs, and some social networks like Facebook or YouTube. Dealers can make personalized videos to welcome shopper, congratulate them on their purchase, or start live videos which even works for multiple parties.

Truvideo:

Initially, Joe Shaker from the Shaker Auto Group started Truvideo as a communication tool for his technicians to present the MPI findings to their customers via personalized videos. The dealership customers receive the inspection video through email or text and can respond immediately to discuss the next steps. Truvideo now also offers capabilities for sending personalized vehicle walk-around videos, recording the vehicle condition of loaner/rental or other cars on the lot, texting, and even accepting service payments via mobile phone.

Overall, the list of companies for personalized video messaging only includes category specialists. You may find similar video messaging features already embedded in your existing DealerTech suites. For example, some CRM systems like DriveCentric or CRMsuite offer video engagement. Also, all major service management solutions offer video MPI features for your dealership:

In addition, don’t forget to check with your DMS vendor for video messaging: