On a small lot in metro Detroit, the owner is the salesperson, the finance desk and the BDC. Internet leads get answered between customers, which usually means late.
Sunday in Michigan's big counties
Michigan's Act 66 of 1953 makes it unlawful to engage in the business of buying, selling or trading motor vehicles on Sunday. It applies only in counties with 130,000 or more residents, which covers Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. A violation is a misdemeanor and can cost a dealer the license. The act exempts people who keep Saturday as their Sabbath and close that day instead.
So in metro Detroit there is one day every week when you can't sell and your leads keep coming.
What late costs
In a Digital Air Strike mystery shop of more than 1,500 dealerships, the average response to an online lead took more than 24 hours. Shoppers who heard back within 10 minutes were 3 times more likely to visit. Read the coverage. A small lot can't out-spend the big stores, but it can out-answer them.
What to hand off first
- The first reply. A text and an email in under a minute, confirming the car is still there.
- The basic questions. Miles, features and the history report, from the details you give him.
- The trade-in question. Year, model and miles, collected before they arrive.
- The appointment. Two times offered, one confirmed, a reminder the day before.
- The follow-up. Timed check-ins with shoppers who go quiet.
That is what Jason, our AI sales agent, does. An example, not a real customer:
Hi Dana, this is Jason with Brightline Motors. The 2018 Malibu LT is still available: 74k miles, clean history report. Do you have a trade-in? I can set up a test drive Monday at noon or Tuesday at 5.
What stays with you
Price negotiation, monthly payments, credit approvals and anyone who is upset. Jason never quotes a payment or promises an approval. He hands those conversations to you with the full chat attached, and you decide what he is allowed to say on Sundays and every other day. For the Sunday rules, check with your attorney or your dealer association.
A sales CRM without the setup project
Jason comes with his own sales CRM, so a small lot gets one screen with every lead, every conversation and every booked test drive. No spreadsheet, and no separate system to buy.
The math against hiring
Plans start at $399 a month for 75 new leads, with no setup fee and no contract. Our cost comparison walks through what it costs to have a person cover the same job. Try the demo and Jason will text you like a shopper, or sign up and let him take this week's leads.