Automotive dealerships must address customer pain points to retain business and drive new growth.
At Motify, we understand that dealerships face the crucial task of addressing these customer pain points, and if you ask any successful dealer principal, they will tell you that one critical factor sets their brand apart: customer experience.
Customers today experience a number of pain points that hinder their journey, including lack of transparency in pricing, overwhelming information, impersonal interactions, disjointed online and offline experiences, poor post-purchase support, and long service wait times.
To make it easier for dealerships, we are committed to exploring innovative solutions to enhance every touchpoint of their customer buying journey.
Simplifying Overwhelming Information and Options
When searching for a new car, customers are often overwhelmed with too many options and technical specifications, making it difficult to make informed decisions.
One of the most effective ways to simplify this process is by utilising engaging visual content and interactive features on your dealer website. Video tours and 360-degree views allow customers to explore cars virtually, offering a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle’s features and aesthetics, providing a sense of familiarity and confidence before stepping into the dealership.
AI-driven recommendation engines further simplify the decision-making process by tailoring suggestions to individual preferences and needs. These engines analyse the data that is provided by the customer and with their stated preferences, can provide personalised vehicle recommendations that reduce the time and effort required to find the right car.
Personalising Customer Interactions
Impersonal interactions with sales representatives can reduce customer satisfaction and loyalty. By leveraging customers CRM data, dealerships can personalise their interactions and leave the customer feeling heard and understood.
The customers CRM record within a dealership’s DMS stores valuable data on customers’ purchase histories, preferences, and past interactions. A sales representative can tailor their approach unique to the customer while utilising personalised video messages and follow-ups to further enhance the tailored experience.
Integrating Online and Offline Experiences Seamlessly
Customers desire a consistent experience between their online research and in-store visits.
One of the key strategies for achieving this is integrating customer data from online interactions into the dealership’s DMS. When customers make online enquiries with their detailed preferences from the dealership’s website, these activities generate valuable data. This information, including specific preferences and interactions, should be captured and stored in the DMS.
Equipping sales staff with tablets or mobile devices that have access to this integrated data is crucial. When a customer arrives at the dealership, sales representatives can quickly retrieve the customer’s profile and review their online activity. This allows the sales team to personalise the in-store experience, as they are already informed about the customer’s interests and preferences.
Strengthening Post-Purchase Support
Post-purchase support is often lacking, leaving customers feeling neglected after their purchase.
One effective strategy is to implement automated maintenance reminders via your DMS. These reminders can be sent via email, and SMS, notifying customers of upcoming service appointments. This not only helps customers keep their vehicles in optimal condition but also shows that the dealership cares about their long-term satisfaction and safety.
Following on from this, a personalised follow-up call after a service can significantly enhance the customer experience. A few days after the service, a service representative can call to check in with the customer, ensuring they are satisfied with their service and address any questions or concerns they might have. These calls should be more than just a courtesy; they should be genuine attempts to ensure the customer’s happiness and to provide additional support if needed.
Reducing Service Wait Times and Improving Scheduling Convenience
Customers often experience long wait times, which disrupts their schedules and causes unnecessary stress.
By effectively planning and organising daily technician operations and making adjustments throughout the day, dealerships can significantly improve workshop efficiency and reduce customer service wait times.
Additionally, implementing a real-time appointment booking system allows customers to schedule service appointments at their convenience, enabling customers to view available time slots, select their preferred service times, and receive instant confirmation. By offering real-time booking, customers can avoid long wait times at the dealership and plan their visits according to their schedules.
Revolutionise Your Dealership with Data-Driven Innovations
Dealerships can significantly enhance the overall customer experience by addressing these key pain points and by leveraging data-driven innovations, dealerships can transform how they operate and interact with customers.
Collecting and analysing customer data enables dealerships to gain valuable insights into customer preferences, behaviours, and needs. This information can then be used to personalise interactions, streamline processes, and improve overall service quality.
Customers who feel informed, valued, and supported throughout their journey are likelier to report higher satisfaction levels, boosting customer satisfaction scores, fostering loyalty, generating positive word-of-mouth, and encouraging repeat business.
To learn more about how Motify is working on advanced product offerings to solve more customer pain points and to revolutionise automotive dealerships, read up on our current solutions.
