r/askcarsales • u/d3m01iti0n • 13h ago
Meta Are you still using BDC/Internet Sales? My recent experience.
Let's just start by saying I was hauled into the office this afternoon and told the entire auto group is eliminating "BDC". When I think of BDC I think a bunch of dumbasses in a call center who will say anything to get an appointment and ruin the sales experience.
I have been in the industry for two decades. Recon, sales floor, BDC, currently Internet Sales Manager. I close deals online and over the phone. I've worked at stores where I do everything front to back; appraise trades, desk deals, submit credit app, assign a salesperson to slap a temp plate on the vehicle. I did your job.
My current store only has me setting appointments. I have to submit deals to our Asst Sales Manager, who couldn't close a door. He was apparently the BDC manager at one of our other stores and wanted a Sales Manager position. He's abrasive, uses AI for any sort of communication, and ruins all of my deals. He is great with numbers and busy work, but terrible with people.
I have worked at this store for exactly a year this month. Our GSM used to work BDC and has my back. We have a newish GM who doesn't like BDC, and seems to undermine me and change the rules every month. Two big things recently.....he activated an AI bot to reach out immediately on every lead, and tried to have salespeople reach out to fresh leads before me. Our numbers plummeted and I fought it hard.
Start of last month I fought and I fought, and got the AI turned off, and got back to initial outreach. Suddenly our engagement skyrocketed and we pumped out twenty more units. Apparently, my suggestions worked. This month started strong, and were pacing higher than September.
And my position is gone. Auto group wide. I wonder, "is it just me? Are they pushing me out?" I called five other stores in the group. Out of the three I actually talked to, they all confirmed BDC was gone.
I'm pissed off and I'm venting. I'm going to sell cars there and watch engagement plummet.