Luxury car dealer crosses sale line first with automated, conversational SMS.

In 1911, Albert Octavius Dutton started a business building horse-drawn carriages. Today, Dutton Group is Australia’s largest luxury car dealership. Their showroom of luxury, prestige, sporting, and vintage cars has earned ‘icon status’. But their catalogue of cars isn’t the only thing the Dutton name is famous for.  

For 100 years, they’ve consistently provided a superior level of service. These days, that involves using automated SMS workflows and conversational messaging to build a loyal following – and get the sale across the line, first. 

The challenge. 

When you’ve been around as long as Dutton Group have, you know what makes a great customer experience. You don’t become a destination for serious car collectors and passionate enthusiasts from around the world without doing something right.  

What their customers need and want has changed over the years. But, as Head of Marketing Marcus George explains, these days, it’s all about speed. 

When people want to buy a car, the faster you can respond, the more likely you are to seal the deal. People have different preferences, so you need to talk to customers using the platforms they’re comfortable with.  

And what about when a customer wants to upgrade three years down the track? How do you make the car-buying experience soooo good, you stick in a customer’s mind for that long? 

That’s where SMS comes in.  

The Dutton Group was using SMS Magic, until it made the call to switch to Sinch MessageMedia.  

“The overarching reason is we were looking for a partner that really aligned with our objectives. We’re confident we’ve made the right decision with Sinch MessageMedia,” says Marcus. 

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The solution. 

After a conversation with Sinch MessageMedia,  they realised they could be doing a whole lot more with SMS. 

We gave them some ideas on how to leverage SMS, how they can get more engagement, and where they could integrate text messaging into different parts of the customer journey.  

It’s what “sinched” the deal (pun intended!). That, and the fact we have a Salesforce integration. 

Automated SMS workflows. 

In Australia, carsales.com.au is the largest online marketplace for cars. 

On average, a person looking for a car will contact 3-5 dealerships. How fast you respond can make or break the sale. You need to acknowledge you’ve received the request and say how quickly a salesperson can contact them.  

Whoever gets there first will generally get the business. That’s why that initial response is so important.  

With Mercury SMS for Salesforce, Dutton’s sales team can: 

• Easily connect with customers via automated SMS – directly from Salesforce.  
• Prospective customers know a salesperson will be in contact with them as soon as possible – even if it’s midnight.  
• Whether it’s one or 100 enquiries, automated workflows ensure every lead is followed up – and fast.  
• Salespeople get new message notifications via the Salesforce app, so they can respond while on the road.  

Some people will go through the entire car-buying process through text, so getting to the customer at the right time and on the right channel is critical for our business.

Marcus George, Head of Marketing, The Dutton Group 

Conversational messaging. 

Aside from buying a house, a luxury vehicle is often the second biggest investment someone can make.  

For some people, that decision takes less than a day. For others, it can take longer before their feet finally hit the gas.  

But, no matter how long that lifecycle is, it’s an opportunity to meaningfully connect with them. And that’s exactly what Dutton Group is doing with SMS.  

The advantage of integrating SMS – and using a dedicated number people recognise – is their sales team can leverage conversational messaging to enhance the overall customer experience and maintain relationships, even after they’ve driven away from the showroom.  

With Sinch MessageMedia, they can have one-on-one conversations with every customer: 

• Throughout their journey to car ownership.  
• Post-sale, on the anniversary of their purchase or when they’re ready to upgrade. 

The results. 

With automated SMS workflows and conversational messaging, Dutton Group is chatting to more customers more frequently – and when it matters the most.  

With a delivery rate of 100%, they can leverage conversational messaging to: 

• Speed up the sales process. 
• Nurture and maintain relationships that stand the test of time. 

And, with a 7% average inbound messaging, it looks like their customers are reallly enjoying the personal attention.  

Now that’s how you deliver a more personalised experience that keeps you at the top of your game – and the market.  

With Sinch MessageMedia, we can contact more customers more often and when it matters to them most.

Marcus George, Head of Marketing, The Dutton Group 

What’s next? 

Dutton Group is made up of eight brands across a variety of wholesale and specialist automotive services. Even after a century in business, they’re always looking for new growth opportunities 

Competition is fierce, and customers have more choices than ever before. So, getting close to them – and staying close – is a priority.  

“We know we do a great job, and we’ve got great cars. The challenge is making sure we’re talking to our customers more frequently. And, with Sinch MessageMedia, we can have those ongoing conversations,” says Marcus.