SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (Feb. 2, 2007) – R. L. Polk & Co. today announced it will launch an Internet lead scoring product for the online automotive retailing industry in the summer of 2007. The new product will combine Polk’s predictive modeling and analytic capabilities with its rich automotive information to impartially determine which Internet leads are likely to result in a vehicle sale.
The lead scoring product is currently in a development pilot with an original equipment manufacturer and also a Top 10 dealer group. Polk expects the development phase to be concluded in the spring.
“Lead quality is one of the most important issues facing online automotive retailers and manufacturers today. Determining which leads come from prospects ready to buy and which leads come from tire kickers can significantly enhance the efficiency of Internet-based automotive retailing,” said Mike Spadafore, global product strategist for R. L. Polk & Co. “Automotive retailers and manufacturers can now focus on high priority leads and understand how best to pursue them. Beyond priority setting, the model will also provide insight on sales tactics.”
The lead scoring product will use Polk’s predictive modeling and analytic strengths to help automotive manufacturers and retailers predict who is currently in the market for a vehicle, what they are likely to purchase and how much they are likely to spend. This proven expertise is based on the same predictive modeling capabilities Polk has used to help nearly every automotive manufacturer in the world succeed during the past 30 years.
The lead scoring product will integrate Internet leads with Polk’s industry leading automotive information. Polk will enhance the lead with a wide variety of demographic, lifestyle and automotive information, ensuring the most sophisticated and robust lead scoring available to the industry.
Automotive retailers and manufacturers will be able to optimize their lead mix by determining the likelihood and timeliness of a lead converting to a sale. The product also will include reporting and analytic capabilities with particular emphasis on leveraging Polk’s ability to evaluate lead performance at the lead source, make and dealer level.
“R. L. Polk has a rich heritage for using predictive modeling to help automotive retailers know which customers are currently in market for a vehicle,” Spadafore said. “Carrying this expertise to the online world is a natural extension for the company. The automotive industry is clamoring for this type of solution and our expertise in automotive information, predictive modeling and marketing evaluation give us a strong foundation to fill this need.”
About R. L. Polk & Co.
R. L. Polk & Co. is the premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions. Polk collects and interprets global data, and provides extensive automotive business expertise to help customers understand their market position, identify trends, build brand loyalty, conquest new business and gain a competitive advantage. Polk helps automotive manufacturers and dealers, automotive aftermarket companies, finance and insurance companies, advertising agencies, consulting organizations, government agencies and market research firms make good business decisions. A privately held global firm, Polk is based in Southfield, Mich. with operations in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.