Digital innovations have revolutionized almost every aspect of our day to day life from how we communicate with each other to the way we purchase new products and services. With a plethora of information pertaining to products and their ancillaries available at the touch of a button it is imperative for businesses to cut through all the noise and provide a stand out experience in order to make a lasting impression. The automobile industry is no exception and must to curate client interactions that are memorable and unique. (by any means necessary/
Employing Digital Technology to Get the Job Done
The advent of disruptive, innovative digital technology is driving a shift to online car shopping and legacy car sales dynamics are no longer sufficient to close a sale. Research shows that the average shopper spends nearly 14 hours researching before even stepping into an auto dealership. So essentially that is where your pitch begins and this requires adapting to online media and channels to keep messaging and information more concise while staying engaging. Creating pages that are deeply informative and efficient can help in this regard.
When it comes to leasing vehicles, flexibility is essential. This is why building a unique algorithm that gives an accurate value metric can help consumers with easily understanding what a good deal looks like. Customers are aware that the leasing market is highly volatile, therefore catering an algorithm that informs them of historical prices on lease deals over time can create a sense of context. This information can be provided to customers via a virtual garage that makes browsing for information user-friendly.
Curating Immersive Shopping Experiences with AR and VR
Virtual environments have been picking up speed during the pandemic-enforced lockdowns and automobile dealers have been finding unique ways to incorporate this tech into the car shopping experience. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) can help bridge the gap between online research and in store test drives at least not fully but up to a certain degree. With the help of either AR or VR the driver can get a feel of what the car looks and feels like without having to go into the dealership in person. While VR provides a completely simulated experience, AR blends a real environment with virtual elements.
VR is being used to ‘test view drive’ the vehicle giving customers a novel and engaging view of what using their new car would be like. VR can even play a role in vehicle customization by switching between a range of colors and features. Various combinations of car exterior preferences can be compared right in front of your customer’s eyes so they can make more informed decisions with zero regrets.
Dealers are even strategically placing themselves in areas such as shopping centers, airports or sporting events to provide pop-up VR-enabled experiences where customers can try out their dream cars without having to enter a showroom. The car purchasing experience is becoming much more accessible and user-friendly with innovative technologies bringing the car options closer to the consumer. Providing such options and eliminating the hassle of having to visit a showroom to explore car choices increases the likelihood of a sale.
Streamlining Finance Preapprovals and Data Aggregation
Customers turning to high volumes of online research doesn’t necessarily mean they want to be involved in it. In fact, studies show that researching incumbent financing options and other legal documents when finding a new car can create ‘decision fatigue.’ Reading and signing finance and insurance agreements and other legal documents when purchasing a new car can be time-consuming and taxing.
As a result of this customers are now demanding faster, more transparent and more convenient processes where digital tools can speed up and simplify the car-shopping experience. This can significantly boost customer satisfaction levels. Auto dealerships that leverage financing preapprovals and finance protection product explanation tools can streamline and expedite the car buying process. By implementing data aggregation capabilities, businesses can integrate information across dealer systems so there is minimal friction during the final purchasing stage.
When functioning in a highly competitive industry such as automobile sales it is imperative to take new digital innovations into account. In the aftermath of COVID-19, digitalization and adoption of innovative technology is imperative to meet customer expectations and drive sales. Cater to consumers and achieve greater agility with SalesCatcher’s Intelligent Offering (iO). Our AI orchestration platform – iOFlow, working in tandem with our intelligent RPA tool – iOBot can create a highly customized experience for each of your consumers. If you’d like to find out more our AI team at SalesCatcher would be happy to help.
