Currently, the automotive industry is finding itself at a crossroads where traditional methods of selling and customer experience are rapidly shifting from the physical to digital. Buyers now not only have a wider range of vehicles to choose from, both offline and online, but the way they interact with sellers is changing too. This has led today’s automotive manufacturers and service providers to prioritize digital transformations in order to connect with their customers where they are in order to deliver the best possible experience. Casabaca Toyota was able to achieve this with the help of SugarCRM.
Founded more than 60 years ago by three brothers, Casabaca Toyota is now Ecuador’s largest Toyota dealer with over 500 employees across nine dealerships. Like the cars it sells, Casabaca is a brand that sets the standard for others, constantly innovating and bringing change to an industry that’s remained mostly static in the region.
As a leader in Ecuadorian business, Casabaca was ready for a digital transformation that would not only push the envelope, but allow representatives to sell smarter, while serving its customers with better, more connected experiences.
Realizing ‘Manual’ Should Only Apply to The Cars They Sold
Just five years ago, Casabaca’s sales process relied on paper, phone calls, and manual workflows to create leads. In its first implementation of SugarCRM, the company was able to digitize these processes to conduct simple activities like collecting data and sending invoices.
But eventually, the Casabaca sales team wanted to know more analytics like how many times a buyer had visited a dealership, which products/services were offered to them, how long they were in the dealership, or if they scheduled a test drive or meeting. The team engaged in a readoption of the CRM, which they dubbed “Sugar 2.0,” using it to house all of the company’s important data, making it easy for sales reps to find what they need, and ultimately sell smarter, not harder.
But the pandemic changed that in 2020 as public places were closed and companies were forced to conduct business digitally. To stay afloat, Casabaca needed a way to interact with people online, especially when they couldn’t visit the dealership in-person. Using the data it already had, the company could build deeper customer relationships with better tracking, nurturing, personalized content, and lead scoring.
Putting Data in the Driver’s Seat
INSERT YOUTUBE VIDEO: SugarCRM Breakthrough Award Winner Casabaca Toyota: How Do You Let the Platform Do the Work?
Alison worked closely with the Casabaca marketing team to boost its online presence and traffic by connecting the website to the CRM and more closely tracking the data collected. The team also worked hard to implement a digital sales funnel of online leads at the beginning of 2021, combining it with the existing physical sales funnel to capture and monitor opportunities from all sources. Teams could now track where leads were coming from and gather better information about what the prospect was looking for. This took more of the guesswork out of selling and service.
“CRM is software, but it’s also strategic and cultural (…) It helps us create happy customers that are going to buy from us again. It helps us support our community and solve the problem of mobility.”
– Alison I., CRM manager, Casabaca Toyota
With its newfound ability to connect with customers virtually before meeting them in person, Casabaca was able to sell almost its entire inventory by the end of 2021. Because they were able to pivot traditional selling methods and adopt new strategies that reflected new customer needs, the dealership increased leads by more than 3%, all while creating loyalty among customers.
Because the process is digitized, Casabaca has also opened the door to further-reaching sales communications, allowing it to expand its market to outlying areas. The dealership can even drive test models to buyers’ homes, to help them get an insight into the vehicle firsthand.
Creating Success for The Present and Future
Digital transformation with SugarCRM has enabled far more than just great business results for Casabaca. The solution has also helped the company to better serve its community during times of need.
“Sugar is so flexible; it allows us to tailor to whatever strategy we have. It also allowed us to take ownership of the software and adapt it to the car industry and Casabaca’s needs.”
– Alison I., CRM manager, Casabaca Toyota
Because they decided to put data in the driver’s seat, Casabaca has opened doors to further-reaching sales communication, expanding its market to outlying areas like the Amazon and coastal region. Because their CRM solution allowed the team to take ownership of their software and tailor it to meet their own brand and industry needs, they were named 2022 Constellation Research SuperNova Awards Finalist. This award recognizes individuals and teams who are prioritizing disruptive technology and transforming their organizations with digital initiatives.
Want to hear the full story behind Casabaca Toyota’s CRM success? Download the full case study here.
