The 2011 Sienna and Avalon Earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick' Award

2011 Toyota Sienna and Avalon:
The 2011 Sienna and Avalon Earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick' Award
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that the all-new Toyota Sienna van and redesigned 2011 Avalon full-size sedan have each earned “Top Safety Pick” awards. The “Top Safety Pick” is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “good” in the IIHS’ front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The IIHS testing was made more stringent in 2010 with the addition of the rollover test.

The new Sienna is the first, and currently the only minivan to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick since the rollover test was added to the criteria.

To earn a “good” rollover rating, a roof must be able to support the equivalent of four times the vehicle’s weight compared with the current federal standard of 1.5. In the IIHS testing, the Sienna roof withstood a force equal to 4.12 times its vehicle weight. The Avalon’s weight withstood 4.07 times its vehicle weight.

The IIHS is an independent non-profit research and communications organization funded by auto insurance companies. All Toyota models meet or exceed the safety requirements of the federal government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/2011-toyota-sienna-and-avalon-159197.aspx

Greg York began his automotive career in 1987 following a successful stint as a bond trader at NCNB in Charlotte, NC. He worked first overseeing the Toyota franchise for this family-operated business, leading a third A graduate of Duke University and UNC’s Executive Institute, Greg quickly became involved in all aspects of the organization. He assumed the reins of the Honda dealership in 1990 and became President of the Auto Group in 2000. In 2000, he spearheaded the purchase of Buick and GMC franchises, added a Nissan dealership in 2005, and Chevrolet/Cadillac in 2008.

Greg’s leadership has ushered in two decades of prosperity and growth for the organization. Founded as a single franchise in 1971, Vann York Auto Group sales now represent 40% of the local car market and 30% of the truck market. In the last decade total sales revenues have grown from 50 million to over 125 million. Vann York Auto Group now represents ten franchises and will sell over 6,500 vehicles this year.

The financial track record of Vann York Auto Group is matched by its outstanding reputation within the community – building relationships that last, as the company mission statement affirms. Greg has helped build this reputation by serving as a faithful steward of the local community. Named to the Triad’s Top 40 Leaders by 40 in 1995,

Greg serves on the Board of Directors for High Point Bank & Trust, High Point Regional Hospital, and United Way. He has chaired the Board of Westchester Country Day School and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater High Point. Greg is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization.

Awards/Recognition

• Voted top auto dealer in Reader’s Choice Awards, High Point Enterprise in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.
• Seven time winner of President’s Award for Honda
• Multi-year winner of Buick Select Dealer Award and Pontiac Master Dealer Award
• Winner of Nissan’s Owner’s First Award (first year of operation
• North Carolina Business of the Year in 2000
• Numerous awards for community involvement including United Way
• Man and Youth Award, Boys and Girls Club of High Point, 1995
• Margaret Kemper Bonney Volunteer Award, Westchester Country Day School

March 2010 Internet Sales for Toyota

Its been awhile since I have been able to post so I have some catching up to do. I recently returned from the 8th annual Digital Dealer Conference in Orlando Florida as a guest of Reynolds Web Solutions. I am glad to have them on our team. They are the best! I will post more about them soon. I have also been taking on line courses to improve my skills for html. As our Internet Department grows I am finding myself having to learn more on a daily basis just to keep up. I am excited about whats in store concerning Internet Marketing, Website maintenance, and our Internet process.

Below are our stats for March & April 2010...

For March 2010, we had 75 internet deals close.

• 55 directly through email as 1st contact


• 5 as phone 1st contact


• 15 as walk in 1st contact with coupon
  

Of the 55 closed email leads

• 39 where sold within 5 days of lead submission.


• 2 closed within 6 to 10 days.


• 10 from 10 to 15 days.


• 4 Took from 31 - 60 days.

For April 2010 we had 70 internet deals closed
28 of the closed deals came from walk in with Internet ad, Internet coupon or Internet phone calls.

• Of the 42 closed email leads


• 37 where sold within 5 days of lead submission.


• 3 closed within 6 to 10 days.


• 2 closed within 6 to 10 days.


• none took over 60 days

A great deal of our success at Toyota is that Bryan, Charles, Damaris & the entire Management. They works to make sure the internet customer is treated as a top priority. They work with the sales staff help listen and respond to customers questions and concerns. Timely & relevant response is a must. It only takes one click to turn us off.

This is not an advertisement for Vann York Toyota, but only an example that it takes everyone in management and sales to establish an effective internet department.

The first 5 days of follow up emails coupled with phone calls to the customer are critical to our internet strategy.

According to J.D Powers, Cobalt and R.L Polk between
1. 76% - 83% of New Car buyers use the Internet when shopping for a new car
2. 79% used the internet to research the dealership.
3. Most people researched and determined which vehicles they would buy from 6 weeks to 3 months before they submitted their first online lead.
The point is that by the time they submitted their 1st lead to a dealership, many where already past the research phase and close to the purchasing stage
According to Cobalt’s 2008 automotive eShopper Experience Study: Results showed of the leads that closed:
24% Within 10 days of lead submission
43% Within 30 days of lead submission
25% 31 - 90 days
32% 91 - 120 days
· The longer a lead remains unsold, the more likely it is to convert to a used vehicle.
Southeast Toyota did a PLS Survey to tell us about where they shopped (in addition to where they bought) and how far down the purchase funnel they got before rejecting and going somewhere else.
Location and Availability where among the top 2 reasons they chose or rejected the dealership. Honda & Mitsubishi reported from their research that 80% of internet shoppers purchase from with in a 20 mile radius of the dealership. According to SET...Other reasons customers did not purchase from a particular dealership that THEY SELECTED TO SHOP WHERE AS FOLLOWS...
Rejecters who contact by email (2,298 customers):
#3 reason for rejecting: Didn’t follow up with me (13%)
#4 reason for rejecting: Poor use of my time (10%)
#5 reason for rejecting: Wouldn’t provide a price (7%)
I am sending this information to each Internet Manager as well as every General & New & Used Sales Manager to help make sure our response (Quality of Response & Time) and follow up are at the top of everyone's priority for internet clients. It will take more than just relying on the Internet Managers to bring a deal to the desk. Follow - up & our process is the key to our growth.

Look forward to our next post,

Rick Campbell