Dealership CRM Playbook: how to turn messy data into appointments and shows

Most stores have a CRM. Fewer have a CRM that people trust. The difference is not software. It is structure, rules, and daily habits. This playbook shows how to set up your CRM so reps move faster, managers get real visibility, and leadership can forecast with confidence.

Start with a clear data dictionary

Decide what fields matter and how they are used. Keep it short. Everyone should know the definition of each field and when it gets updated.

Core lead fields

• Source: the real origin, not the vendor that duplicated it

• Campaign: the promotion or offer that drove the click

• Intent: sales or service

• Vehicle of interest: make, model, trim

• Trade present: yes or no

• Contactable channels: phone, SMS, email

• Opt-in status: email_ok, sms_ok

Status and stage

• Status: new, engaged, appointment_set, no_show, sold, lost

• Stage date: timestamp for each status change

Operational fields

• Owner: current rep

• Next action: call, text, email, appointment

• Next action date: due date for that action

• Reason lost: standard list you can report on

Document these in one page. Share it with the team. Post it in the huddle area.

Clean dispositions and reasons

Dispositions drive reporting. If they are vague, your reports will be vague. Use a short, standard list that covers 95 percent of cases.

Contact made

• Set appointment

• Pending decision with callback time

• Transferred to sales or service with warm handoff

No contact

• Left voicemail

• Text sent

• Email sent

• Bad phone or email

Outcome

• Not interested

• Bought elsewhere

• Vehicle unavailable

• Duplicate lead

Make it mandatory to choose one. Do not allow free-text outcomes for primary reporting.

Routing that respects speed to lead

Lead routing should be simple and fair. The rules matter more than the tool.

• New internet leads: round robin to available reps with a two minute SLA

• Phone-ups that require a callback: assign to the next available rep in queue

• After-hours: capture and route to an early shift owner for next day first touch

• Reassign if no action within 10 minutes during business hours

Track the average time to first touch by source. Publish it daily.

Daily workflow for reps

Your CRM should reflect a clear daily rhythm.

Morning

• New lead sprint. Call, text, email in a tight burst. Log notes and set next actions.

• Confirmation window for next-day appointments. Confirm time, people, and trade.

Midday

• Same day nurtures for leads under three days old with no reply.

• Clean up tasks that are due or past due.

Afternoon

• Same-day appointment confirmations and no-show rescues.

• End-of-day sweep. Zero past due tasks, all notes current.

Every touch requires a note that answers three questions: what did I do, what did I learn, what happens next. End the note with a dated task.

Automations that save time without losing the human touch

Automate the repetitive parts. Keep humans in the conversations that matter.

Recommended automations

• New lead acknowledgment: short email or text that confirms receipt and sets expectation for a quick call

• Task creation: auto-set next action dates when status changes

• Appointment reminders: 24 hours and 2 hours before, with reschedule link

• No-show trigger: if status is appointment_set and no show logged by end of day, create a rescue task and send a manager note

• Lost lead revival: when a lead is marked lost or 30 days inactive, add to a nurture sequence in your marketing tool

If you use ActiveCampaign for marketing, pass tags and key fields from the CRM and keep conversion events flowing back.

Reporting that managers actually use

Start with a small set of reports. Review them daily and weekly.

Daily dashboard

• New leads and average time to first touch

• Contacts per rep

• Appointments set today and tomorrow

• Shows today

• Top three reasons lost

Weekly review

• Set rate and show rate by source

• No-show rate and recovery appointments

• Example call listening tied to the data trends

• Pipeline aging: leads over 30 days without final outcome

Export these to a one-pager that fits on a screen in your sales tower.

Hygiene rules that keep data trustworthy

Bad data costs time and hides problems. Set rules and audit them.

• No duplicate leads. Merge on sight.

• All contact details validated on first conversation.

• Every task has a due date and an owner.

• No notes outside the CRM. Never in personal devices.

• Leads do not age past 30 days without a final outcome and a marketing tag for reactivation.

Create a weekly hygiene score by rep. Reward the top performers. Coach the rest.

Permissions and accountability

Limit who can change global settings. Protect the fields that drive routing and reports.

• Admin role: one or two people only

• Manager role: can reassign, edit statuses, and run reports

• Rep role: can edit contact details, log notes, set tasks, and update status within guardrails

Log changes to critical settings and review monthly.

Integrations that matter

Focus on integrations that remove manual work and improve tracking.

• Phone system integration for auto-log and call recording

• Website forms and chat lead capture with correct source and campaign

• Inventory feed that populates vehicle of interest

• Marketing platform link to pass tags and receive conversion events

• Calendar tool for appointment booking with two-way sync

Test each integration end to end. Click a link, fill a form, watch the record appear, and confirm that fields populate as expected.

A simple migration plan if you are changing CRMs

Moving systems is risky. Keep it structured.

Phase 1: Discovery

• Export current fields, statuses, and automations

• Define the new data dictionary and mapping

Phase 2: Build

• Configure fields, statuses, routing rules, and automations in the new system

• Create reports and dashboards to match your daily and weekly needs

Phase 3: Pilot

• Move a small team or one rooftop first

• Run both systems for two weeks and compare outputs

Phase 4: Cutover

• Freeze changes in the old system

• Migrate records with clean mapping

• Train the team with short, role-based sessions

Phase 5: Stabilize

• Run twice-daily office hours for the first week

• Fix field bugs and routing gaps immediately

Training that sticks

Do not overload new reps with theory. Teach the clicks they need to do the job.

• Day 1: login, find your tasks, log a note, create a task, update a status, set an appointment

• Day 2: new lead handling and confirmation workflow

• Day 3: no-show rescue and lost lead rules

• Week 2: reporting basics and personal dashboard

Managers should train to the daily reports. If set rate is low, listen to calls and read notes. If shows are weak, review confirmation steps.

Benchmark targets to start with

Adjust to your market and volume.

• First touch: under 5 minutes for internet leads

• Contacts per rep per day: 100 to 120

• Appointment set rate on qualified internet leads: 30 to 50 percent

• Show rate: 45 to 60 percent

• No-show recovery set rate: 15 to 25 percent

• Task past due rate: under 5 percent

Publish these targets and discuss them in the morning huddle.

Quick wins if you need impact in 14 days

• Reduce dispositions to a short, standard list and train the team

• Turn on appointment reminders at 24 hours and 2 hours

• Add the end-of-day sweep to close out tasks and notes

• Build a one-page daily dashboard and review it at the same time every day

Final word

Your CRM is not a filing cabinet. It is the operating system for your BDC and sales floor. Keep the fields tight, the rules simple, and the reporting visible. If the team follows the same workflow every day, your contact rate, set rate, and shows will rise without adding headcount or budget.