In a market where trade-in leads are harder to come by, the team at Marthaler Honda Toyota of Ashland is still seeing strong results with TradePending. Internet Sales and Social Media Manager Malari Frantz shared that 9 of their first 16 deals this month came through the trade-in tool. That kind of consistency is exactly why we’re excited to highlight Mal and her team this month.
Can you give us a quick introduction? Tell us about your store, your career in automotive, and your role at the dealership.
I’ve been with Marthaler Honda Toyota of Ashland since 2019. I started out in the office in a BDC role, then transitioned into internet sales. Now, I handle a bit of everything: internet sales, BDC, scheduling, and social media. We’ve been using TradePending for about two years now, and it’s been a great experience.
How has your experience been working with TradePending?
It’s been really great. My Customer Success Manager is amazing. She’s super knowledgeable, always quick to respond, and really helpful. Anytime something comes up, I don’t have to wait around for answers. They even told me if we ever notice the market shifting and values looking off, they can adjust things quickly, which is super helpful.
What were you doing or using before partnering with TradePending?
Honestly, we didn’t have anything online before TradePending. People would just come into the dealership for appraisals, or if I was working an internet lead, I’d get their VIN and do a sight-unseen appraisal. TradePending has been huge in helping us generate more leads. It’s convenient for customers who prefer not to be called or emailed constantly, they can use the tool on their own time. And even if they don’t respond directly to me, we’ve had customers show up saying, “Hey, I used your online tool,” which is a great foot in the door.
How has TradePending helped your dealership?
I’ve seen it make a big difference. It’s especially helpful that the online tool includes disclaimers and sets expectations that it’s a sight-unseen offer. I always tell people to bring their car in—we don’t charge for appraisals, and we can give them the most accurate number. Even if the vehicle ends up needing repairs, it gets them in the door.
What metrics do you use to measure success?
My TradePending Customer Success Manager shares reports with me, and I also keep my own tracking for internet leads and sales. Over 50% of my sold leads are coming from TradePending. For example, if I sell 20 cars in a month, at least 10 are typically from TradePending leads. Right now, halfway through the month, I’ve got 16 cars out and probably 9 of those are directly from TradePending. That’s huge.
How do those results compare to what you were seeing before?
It’s hard to compare directly, because we didn’t have any similar tool before. Managers used Kelley Blue Book for appraisals when people came in, but there wasn’t anything online for customers to use. From my perspective, TradePending has absolutely increased both lead volume and overall engagement.
What does the future look like for your dealership?
We want to keep using TradePending the way we are now. I meet with the TradePending about once every three months to stay updated on anything new or changing. On my end, I just want to make sure the tool always aligns with what customers are seeing and experiencing when they visit the dealership. With the market constantly shifting, it’s important to stay on top of that.
Keep up the great work, Mal and Marthaler!