CLEARWATER, Fla. — CIQ/Voisys, an 800 and Internet-based lead generation system serving the automotive non-prime, prime and lease markets, recently announced the release of a Virtual BDC to enhance its Internet Finance Leads Program.

According to officials, the new tool guarantees immediate follow-up of all Voisys Internet finance leads.

Virtual BDC is designed to help auto dealers quickly establish contact with an Internet shopper before they move on and shop elsewhere, said Michael Snider, national sales manager for CIQ/VOISYS, the

"Once the consumer has submitted a finance application, they tend to get antsy and if they do not hear back immediately will move onto another site and ‘shotgun' their application," he explained.

"If they get an immediate e-mail and a call from the Virtual BDC, they know that someone at ABC Ford has their application and will contact them shortly. They are thus more inclined to wait," he continued.

Basically, Virtual BDC sends out immediate e-mails, in addition to attempting to call consumers in an effort to capture all leads. This program is designed to help build customer trust in the dealership.

The new program was also designed to ensure that no lead is delivered with a non-working number. The message left by the Virtual BDC is not generic, but allows for customized scripts and branding of the message for each dealership, officials pointed out.

The service also allows for live transfer to a dedicated line at the dealership. Moreover, executives said extensive online reporting is provided to track success.

According to Google, the Internet has greatly reduced the amount of time it takes a consumer to buy a car. In the past, the process was three to six months, but it has now been reduced to less than a month.

Google also found that the number of "just looking" visits a consumer makes to a dealership has also been reduced from six to just one or two visits.

In response advertisers, finance companies and auto dealerships are shifting their efforts to the Internet to capture this new breed of automobile shopper, officials explained.

"Because consumers are relying more heavily on the Internet, they are also expecting quicker responses. We have found from our studies that 40 percent of consumers expect a dealer to answer their request with a quote via e-mail or the Web within four hours," Snider indicated.

"Proper and timely follow-up of Voisys Internet Leads results in more sales," he concluded.

For more information on the company, visit www.voisys.com.