Enhance Your Customer Experience to Realize a Competitive Advantage

It's Not Just Price, It's the Customer's Total Experience

If you know your automobile prices are competitively priced, are your customer relations and support services the best they can be? It's not just the price of an automobile that brings business into an automobile dealership, as reported on V12.

A Problem with the Process

The studies, from Autotrader and DrivingSales, show that the process keeps potential customers from visiting dealerships or even wanting to buy a car. It's almost comparable to how people are viewing buying today's phones. The process is driving, no pun intended, people to keep their phones longer. It's pretty astounding to learn that "99 of 100 automotive shoppers begin their purchase journey expecting it to be a "hassle" driven in large part by their experience, and that of friends/family, with retailers seeking to control the buying process to the retailer's objectives."

Reported by Capgemini, a significant opportunity for dealerships to increase car sales is to strategize the best way to provide "a seamless and personalized experience across channels."

Invest in Your Online Presence

The percentages are well-above 50% when it comes to consumers interested in buying a car entirely online, as revealed in an Accenture study. The tech-savvy population should be your prime focus. Now is the time to devote time and money to improving your dealership's online presence. It's time to get social and use all the channels that are grabbing the attention of potential customers.

Make Your Brick-and-Mortar Experience Even Better

As reported, most people still want that face-to-face, personal buying experience when buying a car. It's a lot of money on a tangible asset that doesn't appreciate. Customers want their money's worth, and they want to believe they have made the best choice. 

The Sales Experience is the First Key

How a customer perceives the salesperson is important. Learn the best ways to engage with a customer ready to buy a car or one who is "just looking." We're in the digital age, so it makes sense to use, impress and connect with your potential customers, as found on BombBomb.

• What's in a name? A way to make your customers feel valued. Remember, always have a smile. 
• Try more exciting engagement with video e-mail.
• Know more than the customer. The internet offers it all.
• Be interested in your customer and ask what they want.
• Have the patience to let a customer feel in charge. 
• Consider a full-time, online marketing employee to increase online presence.

Service Department's Customer Service

According to Inc., there are simple things a business can do to keep customers coming back. One area where you hope customers will be returning is to your Service Department.

Automotive News makes a valid point. Customers should be introduced to the service department before they leave the lot with their newly purchased vehicle. A quick tutorial on how your service department works is an excellent suggestion. 

• Do you offer maintenance plans?
• Do you offer specials at the holidays?
• Do you have a maintenance coupon book to hand out?

When your customers do need to bring their cars in for service? What kind of experience do you offer? 

• Do you offer shuttle service?
• Do you offer a place to set up shop?
• Do you have WIFI?
• Do you offer refreshments, free or for purchase?

To summarize, an online presence is vital in today's tech-savvy world to help drive customers to your dealership. Once there, engage with your customers. Learn about them and be ready to teach them more than they may already know. To help make a sale, or once a sale is final, introduce them to your service department for a brief tutorial on how the department works. Learn more ways to give your dealership more presence, online and off, with our team at Dealership Development.