Marketing automation is great, but use it properly!

My father called me recently with a story. He is still an entrepreneur and drives his van all over the country selling belts and textiles to small shop owners. Nice work: it keeps him busy and among people! My father therefore drives a van of brand X. He is very satisfied, has his maintenance done at the dealer, and has been driving it for four years already.

Own KCC

The dealer has a KCC that calls him to ask whether he is already in the market for a new van and whether the current one is satisfactory. The answer: Yes, it works perfectly, the service is excellent, but no, I am not in the market for a new van. Fine service, fine conversation. As a dealer, you could then follow up with a friendly email thanking him for having his maintenance done at the dealership and expressing appreciation that he does not go to a universal garage but remains loyal to the dealer.

However, the marketing department thought differently. Because yes, we have marketing automation, and every lead that we close as “not successful” — in this case because my father is not in the market — automatically receives an email. And this was that email:

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Subject: Unfortunately, we were unable to “shake hands”.

Dear Mr. De Vries, Unfortunately, we were unable to shake hands with each other, in other words, to conclude an agreement, and we find that very unfortunate.

We want to make our service even better We continuously strive to improve our service, and therefore I would like to ask for your help. Your feedback can help us tailor our services even better to your needs and expectations. Your experience and feedback are of invaluable importance to us.

I am extremely curious about the reason why. Within 1 minute you can share your opinion. We would greatly appreciate that!

Please indicate here why we were unable to “shake hands”. Multiple answers possible:

• I am still interested!
• I was not contacted (in time).
• The service of …… / the employee was not satisfactory.
• The vehicle did not meet my expectations.
• The lease and/or financing rate was not satisfactory.
• My financing or lease application was rejected.
• The offered trade-in value was too low.
• I found the same vehicle cheaper elsewhere.
• I purchased a van from another brand dealer.
• I purchased a (different) vehicle from another car company.
• I postponed the purchase altogether.
• Other and/or additional motivation, namely: …

[Submit my answers]

Thank you in advance, and hopefully see you again soon at …….

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My father then called me, and rightly so, with the remark: “Isn’t this a bit premature?” It now seems as if I was in the market, received a proposal and bought elsewhere. But there was only a phone call, which by the way was perfectly fine, and because of such a closing email it suddenly feels negative.

What kind of answers do you get from customers who are not in the market at all? If you send them such an email and survey, do you really get the insights you are looking for?

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How it could be done differently…

Subject: Thank you for our conversation

Dear Mr. De Vries,

Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us about your van. We are pleased to hear that you are satisfied with your vehicle and with our service.

Although you are currently not looking for a new van, we value staying in touch and keeping you informed about developments, offers, or service campaigns that may be of interest to you.

Should a moment arise in the future when you do consider a new van, we will of course be at your service. Until then, we are happy to ensure that your current van remains in top condition.

Kind regards,

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Conclusion

Marketing automation is wonderful — at least when you use it at the right moment and with the right message. In my father’s case, it worked counterproductively: he felt unjustly placed in the “wrong box”.

The automatic email was written for people who were in the market, had received a proposal, but did not buy. For someone who only had a service conversation and indicated that they are not looking, such an email feels misplaced and even a bit awkward. It sets a negative tone while the conversation was positive.

The alternative follow-up email above does exactly the opposite:

• It confirms that the conversation was positive.
• It shows appreciation for the customer relationship.
• It leaves the door open for future contact, without pressure.

And that is the essence: marketing automation is not a “one size fits all” instrument. Segment your customers, choose the right message for the right moment, and you will achieve the desired results.