The easier you make it for consumers to understand what you’ll offer to buy their current car, the more acquisition opportunities you will generate.

Said another way: requiring in-person appraisals to get the conversation started or to hone-in on an “estimated range” will stifle your opportunities, because it’s asking for a time commitment without giving value upfront. 


With the Driveway Appraisal feature included in AccuTrade, you can quickly empower customers to appraise their own vehicle in their driveway to generate an exact and transparent offer at their convenience. That way, they know exactly how much it’s worth to them to move forward with a final inspection and complete the transaction with your team. 

The convenience of this approach — for both your customers and your team — scales your acquisition opportunities from website leads, phone-ups, showroom prospects, service drive customers, and more. Check out how easy it is to get started.

How to send Driveway Appraisals

1 Login to AccuTrade and click the blue “Driveway” tab on the left navigation menu

2 Enter your customer’s name, cell phone number (or email), and include a short message.

3 (Optional) Require your customer to include photos in their appraisal, and click send.

4 The customer receives the personalized Driveway Appraisal, which guides them through the entire process step-by-step and transparently shows them how each detail impacts the value of their car.

5 You are notified when the customer is done, and can find the appraisal in your queue
of appraisal opportunities.

6 Review their Driveway Appraisal, make adjustments as needed, and follow-up with the customer to schedule/confirm their appointment for final inspection.   

Yep, it’s that simple — and really no different than any other type of appraisal through AccuTrade. You’re just allowing the customer to get started from home, which builds trust by proving the transparency and convenience they can expect from your dealership throughout the rest of the process. 

When to send Driveway Appraisals

Empowering your team to send AccuTrade Driveway Appraisals as part of their everyday sales and service activities will maximize your acquisition opportunities. Here are just a few examples.

Phone-ups

One of the most challenging phone calls a salesperson can get is one where the customer calling is asking for a value of their current vehicle, sight unseen. You don’t want to give a value out unless you can see the car in person, and they don’t want to come in unless they know they’re going to get a fair offer. 

So instead of using old school talk-tracks to overcome the objection, or trying to get them to a landing page on your website – just say “sure!” and get their contact information to send them a Driveway Appraisal right away.

How to appraise vehicles 
over the phone

with

The trade-in is often one of the most complex and time-consuming sticking points in the sales process, causing doubt and frustration with customers. Sending a Driveway Appraisal as part of your appointment confirmation process can solve that objection before it starts. Let your customer know that if they want to save time in the showroom, they can appraise their vehicle and at home to determine its value (pending inspection). Not only is this a great way to provide proactive customer service that shows the transparency and convenience they can expect from your store, but it also sets up your team to provide a faster and easier sales experience built on trust.

Unlocking acquisitions from the service drive is one of the biggest areas of opportunity for dealers to scale their pre-owned inventory. 24 hours before their scheduled appointment, text your service customers a Driveway Appraisal link and give them the option to find out how much their car is worth. Then once they arrive, you can personally continue the conversation about their vehicle’s value and complete the inspection as part of their appointment.

How to source cars
from your service drive

with

Start sending Driveway Appraisals
to scale your acquisitions

As used vehicle inventory levels continue to fluctuate, there’s no better time to make the most 
of AccuTrade’s Driveway Appraisal technology. This approach streamlines your trade/sell process in-store and scales the volume of opportunities your team can generate.

If you don’t have AccuTrade and want to see it in action, reach out to our team today for a demo!