What Is a BDC Manager and How Do You Become One

Some of the largest car dealerships have a Business Development Center (BDC) to serve as the central hub for customer communication, lead management, and sales coordination. Leading that team is a BDC manager. He or she manages a team of BDC agents or business development representatives (BDR) whose job is to generate and nurture leads, enhance customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive sales growth for the dealership. Here are the critical responsibilities of BDC managers and the steps to becoming one.

What Is a Business Development Center?

The car dealership's BDC department oversees and organizes customer interaction and engagement. With a goal to expand lead generation and cultivation, the BDC department boosts customer satisfaction and focuses on sales growth for the dealership. The team adeptly manages incoming and outgoing calls, emails, and online inquiries from prospective customers.

What Does a BDC Manager Do?

Some of the primary responsibilities of a BDC manager include:

• Recruit, onboard, and train BDC agents/ representatives
• Create goals and set quotas for inbound and outbound calling and conversions
• Review sales data to identify areas that require support
• Schedule sales/service appointments and reschedule no-show customers
• Achieve sales and customer satisfaction goals set by the management
• Manage the day-to-day tasks of the business development center

What Does a BDC Manager's Typical Day Look Like?

The day-to-day of a BDC Manager ranges from one automotive dealership to another. However, it includes collaborating with other departments within the dealership and managing a team of BDC agents. Some tasks include:

• Reviewing reports and tracking results to understand what BDCs are performing better on their inbound and outbound contacts with customers
• Analyzing buying profiles and patterns of standard telephone prospects
• Recording and listening to customer calls to constantly work on improving the experience customers get
• Training BDC staff based on a review of recorded or live calls outcomes
• Reviewing performance and developing staff
• Determining the customers to contact based on existing marketing initiatives. For example, the marketing department might email a list of customers, and your team will follow up with a call to schedule service appointments

What Qualifications Do I Need To Become A BDC Manager?

BDR Managers can come from different backgrounds and qualifications, but they typically have some mix of experience managing teams, working in a call center environment and interacting with the inner workings of a car dealership. Here is how having experience in those areas can help you as a BDC Manager:

• Automotive Experience: Having a background in automotive sales provides valuable insights into the dealership's operations, customer needs, and sales processes. It helps the BDC Manager understand the sales cycle and customer expectations, and effectively manage the BDC team.
• Call Center Experience: Call center experience includes phone communication skills, such as clarity, tone, and effective handling of phone conversations. BDC Managers need to excel in phone-based interactions to handle inbound and outbound calls, follow up on leads, and schedule appointments.
• Experience in Training and Managing Teams: Since managers are responsible for overseeing and leading their respective teams, they develop skills that help them manage a BDC team, including setting expectations, providing guidance and support, and fostering a positive work environment.

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Sources

1. What Is a BDC Manager and How to Become One." ZipRecruiter, n.d. Accessed 17 May 2023. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/career/BDC-Manager/What-Is-How-to-Become