OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -

Auto dealers know that e-commerce offers big opportunities for boosting performance and profitability, but some, arguably, aren’t quite on the road to reach that destination and are missing out on potential growth.

That’s the premise behind a new NCM Associates program geared for those dealers looking to boost their Internet and e-commerce sales and savvy, with the goal of giving them a way to address the “digital dealer divide.”

NCM announced this week its sponsorship of a two-day class titled “Bridging the Internet Sales Gap.” The first course will be presented in August by training and service provider Automotive Internet Management.

“It is no surprise that the Internet has emerged as a key component of a car buyer’s process, and dealers who haven’t adjusted their paradigms and processes accordingly are missing significant growth and profit potential,” said Paul Faletti Jr., NCM Associates’ president and chief executive officer.

“’Bridging the Internet Sales Gap’ is designed to give them the structure, processes and accountability required to capitalize on the explosive opportunity in their e-commerce operations, and by sponsoring AIM’s program, we are offering them an opportunity to learn to be more successful in that critical area of their businesses.”

Garry House, director of the NCM Institute, also sees a need for dealer training in the area of e-commerce.

“The vast percentage of our target audience is on the wrong side of the ‘digital dealer divide’ in that they don’t know what they don’t know, and they would have difficulty answering the basic questions, ‘Do you know where you are today?’ and ‘Do you know what you’re missing?’” House said.

AIM president and founder William Phillips agreed, saying, “We find that our clients are at opposite ends of the spectrum — either they are the most dialed-in, process-oriented dealers, or they are totally lost in e-commerce.”

The companies said class topics for dealers will include proper CRM data organization, proper contact patterns with leads, manager involvement measurement, and best digital marketing practices for e-commerce environment that can improve sales immediately.

“AIM is excited about sharing our process with the NCM Institute to help them educate dealers and dealership management personnel on how to achieve sustained improvement in e-commerce,” said Greg Elam, AIM’s director of business development. “Our clients have always, as a guaranteed minimum, doubled their true Internet sales closing ratios, and many have seen sales and closing ratios quadruple using our process training with accountability.”

The first sponsored Bridging the Internet Sales Gap course will be conducted Aug. 21–22 in San Diego. For more information, visit www.ncminstitute.com.