Technology has touched every aspect of our lives, and the automotive industry is no stranger to it. To stay in the game and be a step ahead of your competitors, it is vital to integrate the use of different technologies in automotive retail.

How is technology transforming the automotive industry?

The automotive industry is now leveraging digital tools and technologies to increase efficiency in operations and get more customer engagement. Automotive digital transformation has allowed car retailers to give customers an innovative and interactive experience. Here are some current automotive industry technological trends:

Online Presence

With a strong online presence, it becomes easier for automotive retailers to reach out to a wider audience. Customers usually start their car buying journey by researching makes and models online, so a fully functioning website that provides detailed inventory, car financing options, 360-views of cars, etc. is a must.

Virtual Showrooms

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, people had no choice but to stay at home. Even though restrictions have been long lifted, customers still prefer to buy cars online. That is why auto retailers are reaching out to customers virtually. Virtual showrooms have been a major application of technology in the auto industry as it unburdens infrastructural and overhead costs and enables retailers to offer competitive prices and lucrative deals. Thanks to these digital showrooms, customers can browse makes and models online, take virtual car tours, and so on.

Automotive Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one of the key aspects to focus on these days, in order to avoid breaches and attacks. Cybersecurity is being explored for more advancement across multiple segments to safeguard automotive businesses from malicious attacks, unauthorized access and unwanted manipulations. Now OEMs and their supply chains are integrating hardware and software for better cyber defenses. It involves the protection of electronic systems, communication networks, software, data, and users.

CRM or Customer Relationship Management

This refers to software that lets dealerships keep track of all communications with customers, while building relationships. An automotive CRM connects all the data from your sales leads and customers, all in one place, using tools like lead management, marketing campaigns management, and report management. The platform is used to support all sales and after-sales processes, which include revenue, expenses, product flow forecasting, and comprehensive vehicle accounting. An automotive CRM like Modera’s is exceptional when it comes to streamlining sales processes – it improves operational efficiency by ensuring you can connect with customers at every stage.

DMS or Dealer Management System

DMS systems are all-in-one solutions that offer diverse functionality from inventory and personnel management to customer management and monitoring operations across multiple dealership locations. They have a plethora of benefits such as centralization of data storage, generating sales forecasts based on inquiries and needs, providing data analysis and marketing management, capturing customer data, and simplifying workforce management. Most dealerships these days are using DMS to maximize service profitability and turn high volumes of industry information into actionable insights.

Vehicle as a Service

This is a relatively new trend on the automotive retail landscape. It is an improvement over the current leasing model of vehicles. In the conventional model of leasing a car, it is bound to the customer till the end of the lease period. With the “vehicle as a service” model, customers get to subscribe to their vehicle of choice for a short period of time and can upgrade the same at any point in time. The advantage is convenience, flexibility, and low subscription rates (cheaper than buying a new car). Vehicle manufacturers will soon implement this model on a large scale for customers.

The advent of technology in the automotive industry is happening at a rapid pace, so it is imperative that dealers and manufacturers keep up with current trends. If you want to retain and keep your customers engaged, you have to provide a unique experience, which is possible with various digital tools and technologies.

The post The Power of Technology in Revolutionizing Automotive Retail appeared first on Modera.

Emerging technology has drastically changed the automotive industry. For instance, the demand for e-commerce platforms for vehicles has shot up significantly, especially after the onset of the pandemic. Consumers are more inclined towards making car purchases online, rather than visiting a brick-and-mortar facility to do so – this is where automotive e-commerce comes into play.

What is automotive e-commerce? 

It basically means selling and purchasing vehicles, along with related accessories, parts, services, etc. via online channels. E-commerce provides the opportunity to shop as per convenience, by comparing various car models or parts, and paying for them directly online. Launching your business through a website or virtual store and promoting it online, is a vital aspect of e-commerce in the automotive industry.

Modera’s innovative approach

Modera has partnered with Incadea Norge AS, which offers premium automotive software solutions for the global automotive retail industry, to create an e-commerce platform that specifically caters to this sector. They have participated in the Norway Grants “Green ICT” program which is carried out by Enterprise Estonia.

The partnership has set out to create a car sales platform that will fully digitize the process of buying and selling cars. Customers can make purchase decisions with just a few clicks, while commuting to work, or lounging around at home. The aim is to create a user-friendly interface for buying and selling, which can comprehend the needs of customers. Be it vehicle dealers, banks, insurance providers, or any other parties – all aspects are to be integrated within the platform, thereby digitizing the entire customer journey.

Here is what we have accomplished till date:

• Phase 1 of the project kicked off in August 2020, which involved the first prototype with stock browsing and filtering functionality, core mockups for front end, and designing the Salesfront plugin.
• Phase 2 included integration of payment gateway, checkout flow UI design and implementation, responsive design of platform, insurance integration pre-study, API specification, etc.
• Phase 3 involved more refinements of UI implementation, insurance integration, order status tracking, and client authentication flow with personal account.
• Phase 4 was about live integration to test drive calendar, modern purchase process design, insurance integrations plotting, and more.
• Phase 5 showed even more progress with insurance integration development of LHV, EGO, IF, finance integration development, and service calendar & service booking.
• Phase 6 was client authentication flow, digital signing of sales documents, and order tracking status.
• Phase 7 was the automation of processes to make tasks seamless.

Once the project is finalized, customers gain access to an automotive software solution for their mobility needs, which, on top of being convenient, is also created with the wellbeing of our environment in mind. Every participant in any customer touchpoint has the opportunity to automate the process via AI/APIs. Alternatively, they can handle the process digitally by using other applications.

What does our automotive e-commerce platform offer?

Personalized experience

When it comes to an e-commerce business model, it is possible to boost the customer experience by creating personalized e-commerce sites or independent storefronts. Using digital and targeted ads, organizations can point shoppers in the right direction to find the vehicle of their choice or the automotive parts they need. Customers can view cars, compare brands, check product data, look at product pages, and order parts and accessories.

Expanding customer base

E-commerce breaks down limiting geographic barriers and expands sales across several markets. Instead of a customer having to drive to their local dealership, they can do their car shopping on various websites across the region, or even the whole country. An e-commerce platform can be used to expand into new markets and segments. Consumers are becoming more comfortable with digital payments in new arenas, including their vehicle. Future smart fleets’ connectivity, data and intelligence can generate incremental revenue streams and enable transactional capabilities across all digital touchpoints.

Cost-cutting

In a classic dealership model, cars sit on the lot until purchased, taking up valuable real estate. But with an online purchasing model, organizations can expand their inventory to include vehicles not available on the lot but in the factory itself. This means dealerships can save a significant amount of money, while giving customers a broader slew of options when car shopping.

What can we do for you?

Remember, customers are not just purchasing vehicles in new ways, but using them differently as well. Many consumers prefer to forgo owning a vehicle altogether, opting to lease a car or use a ridesharing service. They care about sustainability, so offering efficient and environment-friendly access to vehicles is the need of the hour, which is exactly what to expect from Modera AS.

Modera is a 100% digital car sales platform that provides the chance to shop for vehicles online, without having to step foot in the dealership. As mentioned, customers want to enjoy the benefits of digital car shopping due to comfort and convenience. The automotive market is being digitized – though there is still a long way to go – most of the customer journey takes place online these days. Moreover, shifting towards e-commerce also ensures a positive impact on the environment, as it comes under “green practices”. No more commuting to the dealership means reduction in the size of carbon footprint.

This platform boasts a number of benefits:

• Understanding consumer requirements in detail and using the available data of vehicles on the market to ensure a perfect match.
• View inventory online – customers can check which makes and models are available at present.
• Sync information between multiple platforms with the aid of machine learning techniques.
• Encourage customers to ask questions and clarify doubts – it connects them with sales personnel via phone, chat, or email.
• Ensure smooth sales flow, which includes payments, trade-in, contract management, accessories and services, and delivery options.

About project

You can find all the project info here and project updates here

Contact us!

The solution we are developing is ready for piloting.
If you are interested in piloting and testing of the solution or have other questions, please feel free to contact us.

Igor Linap
Project Manager
igor.linap@modera.com

The post Integration of E-commerce in the Automotive Industry appeared first on Modera.

Are you ready for a digital revolution?

In 2023, customers are expecting more from their dealership experience than ever before. They’re looking for a convenient and seamless online shopping journey that meets and exceeds their needs and requirements with quality products and services.

As a dealership, this shift in customer preferences is an opportunity for you to expand your reach and increase sales. But how exactly do you get there? Don’t worry – we’re here to help and find out what are the best e-commerce Practices for Dealerships in 2023.

In this article, we’ll share 7 best e-commerce practices that will help you keep up with the competition in the ever-evolving world of automotive retail in 2023. We’ll dive into the steps you can take now to prepare your dealership for success on the digital stage and make sure your customers have a great experience each time they shop. Let’s get started!

1. Setting Up an Easy and User-Friendly Online Shopping Experience

Creating a simple and convenient online shopping experience is a must in 2023. Customers want an e-commerce platform that is easy to use, provides helpful product information, and allows them to quickly and confidently purchase their car or other items. To meet customers’ expectations, dealerships should make sure they are streamlining their customer journey by ensuring their website is effectively optimized for mobile usage, facilitating payment options, and offering speedy delivery times.

To make sure your online store is up to par with rising customer demands, think about the user experience you’re providing. Investing in an e-commerce platform with well-crafted search options will help customers find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Additionally, consider adding features such as product recommendations and wish lists as subtle reminders to potential buyers that could drive more sales. Finally, prioritize creating a clear checkout process by eliminating unnecessary steps from the checkout process like requiring an account setup before purchasing anything. Taking the time to ensure that your online store meets the needs of your customers can greatly increase customer satisfaction—and ultimately your sales in 2023!

2.  Offering Comprehensive Product Information

In 2023, customers expect more comprehensive product information. Giving potential buyers access to detailed descriptions and features of the products you offer will allow them to make an informed decision during their purchase journey.

Your website should provide your customers with accurate product images, sizing charts, safety advice, installation instructions, warranty information and more. This comprehensive product information is key for customer satisfaction and helps to reduce the amount of returns your business receives as a result of inaccurate expectations.

In addition to offering detailed product descriptions for each item you sell, you can also include customer reviews or rating systems on your website so that new customers can garner insight from others who had previously purchased the same item.

3. Incorporating Automation and Artificial Intelligence

These days, customers expect an out-of-this-world service experience when it comes to their dealerships in 2023, and that means incorporating automation and artificial intelligence (AI). Automation can save time for you and your customers, as it will do mundane customer service tasks for them while they shop. AI can offer personalized recommendations or conversations with a chatbot.

Automation

Automation is a great way to free up your customer’s time. Not only can you make sure that processes like shipping, billing and returns run more efficiently and quickly, but you can also automate parts of customer service like reservations, bookings, messaging and more.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is becoming essential for any e-commerce dealership in 2023. AI gives your customers the opportunity to enjoy personalized experiences on your website by providing them with relevant recommendations related to their shopping needs. For example, if they’re looking for a new car based on a certain budget or feature set, an AI chatbot can ask questions about their preferences and then recommend the perfect vehicle for them. AI can also be used to process customer inquiries quickly and accurately.

If you want to succeed in 2023 with your dealership, you need to make sure that your e-commerce practices incorporate automation and AI. Doing so will ensure that your customers have the best possible experience when they shop with you — making them more likely to come back for more!

4. Creating Tailored and Targeted Digital Advertising

When you’re thinking about what to focus on at your dealership in 2023, digital advertising should be a top priority. Digital advertising accounts for a significant percentage of the marketing budget for most dealerships, and you should use it to your advantage.

Creating tailored and targeted digital advertising campaigns allows you to reach customers with more specific messages at the right time. By acknowledging the needs and preferences of your customers, you can provide them with a more personalized buying experience.

Here are some things to consider when creating digital advertising campaigns

• Who is your target audience?
• What types of ads do they respond best to?
• Where will you post your ads?
• What kind of messaging will resonate with them?
• How often should you run your ads?

Once you’ve identified the key elements of successful campaigns, you can use this knowledge to create campaigns that reach the right people—and help boost sales in 2023.

5. Utilizing Data to Personalize Shopping Experiences

Data is key when it comes to personalizing shopping experiences. In 2023, customers are going to expect a highly customized and personalized shopping journey. To do this, you can collect data from customers to get an idea of their preferences and needs and then use it to create a tailored experience.

Using data can help you better understand your customer’s buying habits and use that information to target them with relevant offers that drive sales. For instance, you can:

• Analyze customer reviews to understand what customers really think about your dealership
• Monitor social media for customer feedback
• Utilize customer segmentation to better target each individual’s preferences
• Use AI-driven chatbots for personalized assistance during their shopping experience

 By leveraging the data that you have at your disposal, you can create more targeted campaigns that will resonate better with your customers in 2023. This will boost customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as increase sales for your dealership.

6. Enhancing the Shipping Process with Logistics Solutions

Do you want to make sure your customers have a stellar e-commerce experience? Utilizing logistics solutions is the way to go.

Logistics solutions can help you in lots of ways—you can use them to track and monitor shipments, as well as get valuable data that can help you improve your overall customer experience. Plus, using a logistics solution helps ensure that orders arrive on time and intact, which is always a plus.

7. Logistics solutions can give you the edge over your competition in 2023 by:

• Giving customers visibility and control over their orders
• Automatically calculating the lowest shipping cost for each order
• Creating an easy-to-use return process
• Streamlining your entire order fulfilment process

• Incorporating third-party logistics services into your offering so that customers have more options for delivery
• Incorporating pick, pack and ship tools so you can quickly fulfil orders with minimal effort
• Implementing customer service channels for real-time support

7  Auto dealership car ideas to help your customers in 2023

So, what exactly do customers expect to see in 2023 when it comes to auto dealerships?

• Well, for starters, customers want convenience. To make their experience better, you need to offer a variety of services that make their lives easier. Here are seven ideas you should be implementing at your dealership in order to help your customers:
• Offer online vehicle research and buying. This means having a comprehensive online portal that allows customers to search for vehicles, compare prices and features, and buy the vehicle without ever stepping foot into the dealership.
• Give customers access to up-to-date inventory information. Customers want to be able to easily find the exact car they’re looking for without wasting time going from dealership to dealership. Online portals should include detailed information on each vehicle’s features and specifications.
• Allow customers to schedule service appointments online or through an app. This helps save time since they don’t need to call the dealership or show up in person in order to book an appointment.
• Offer financing options that are tailored specifically for each customer based on their credit history and other factors. This will give them more options and make it easier for them to find a loan that works best for their budget.
• Provide helpful resources like maintenance tips and owner’s manuals that are available online so customers can easily access them any time they want without having to come into the dealership or search through paper documents.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly so customers can access all of your services from their phone or tablet with ease wherever they are in the world!

Conclusion

The customers will be expecting dealerships to have a top-notch e-commerce presence. Take advantage of the seven best practices discussed here to make sure that you are providing the highest level of satisfaction for your customers. A well-rounded e-commerce presence will help you capitalize on the current shift towards online shopping and increase sales in 2023.

Whether you opt for an all-in-one package or customize your e-commerce platform to suit both your customers and your business, the key is to offer an experience that your customers can trust. So, make sure your website is optimized for mobile and keep an eye out for up-and-coming trends so that you can stay on top of the game. Take the extra steps and you’ll be sure to reach success in 2023 and beyond.

The post 7 Best E-commerce Practices for Dealerships that Customers Expect in 2023 appeared first on Modera.

In today’s extremely competitive industry, it is imperative that your car dealership has a cutting-edge dealership website that can attract customers and retain them as well. It could make the difference between a customer who is merely browsing and the one who wants to actually purchase a vehicle. So if your car dealership doesn’t have a website yet or its not meetind demands of todays customers expectations, it is time to start looking at various automotive website solutions.

Why is important to have automotive focused website system?

The ability to make a sale depends on how much of that time you capture online, and the experience you create for them, when customers visit your dealership website. It should be consistently updated to display the most up to date and accurate information about your dealership and your vehicle inventory. With so many consumers doing a large share of research on the Internet before they even walk into a dealership, an engaging automotive website can be the key to attract, engage, and convert your web visitors into buying customers. Most dealerships however, have some work to do in this category.

Apart from captivating visuals and clear, informative and high quality content, consumers will benefit from:

• Full vehicle detail pages with photos and videos that explain features and specs.
• Accurate pricing information.
• Comparison guides that explain the differences between similar models.
• Trade-in values and information so consumers can get an idea of their budget.

If your current dealership website is not marketing your business the way it should be, it might be time for a redesign. If you want your dealership to become a leader in sales and automobile marketing, an engaging automotive website is the best place to start.

The online experience in car buying process is more vital than ever!

Retail lessons from businesses’ adjustments to the Covid-19 pandemic and related shutdowns have been complex and varied. And have included a focus on making sales with little or no physical contact. A good automotive website solution allows easy communication between dealership representatives and customers. As well as serving as a virtual showroom to get the buying process started. When this happens, the path to purchase changes into a more modern, efficient, customer-friendly approach!

For many years, the all-online car sale was not an option for shoppers, due to the need for processes such as F&I and paperwork to take place in person. This is changing too. The rise of cirtual F&I, accomplished through video chat meetings, has empowered many dealerships that have a sufficient technology integration and staff knowledge.

While this focus on online retail has seen its importance and urgency increase due to the Covid-19 crisis, it should not be mistaken for an emergency measure that will be forgotten when people feel safe congregating in public again. When customers can accomplish dealer interactions online, they reduce the time spent in the showroom. This, in turn, makes those customers feel less pressure, which boosts their experience. People who have positive car-buying experiences enabled by strong online resources may not just become buyers, but satisfied long-term customers who are happy to deal with your dealership for service and future purchases.

What is the best solution for dealership website?

To really stand out you need a website building system that is specific to the automotive industry. To make sure that this is accessible from everywere and everyone on your team, you need cloud-based website content management system that can help to build an incredible automotive website to boost sales and revenue. You can’t function without an online presence these days. Even if you have a dealership website, it must have a proper structure and the correct tools and elements.

Customer experience is of prime importance today. To ensure your customers have the best experience, the website has to be attractive, easy-to-navigate, and have compelling content.

This is where Modera Webfront comes in. To build an automotive website for your company, the smart and most effective choice is the Modera Webfront solution. It has the following features:

• Editors can modify, add or remove content of pages directly while seeing the dealership website from the live site perspective.
• Comparison of several vehicles so the customer can decide which one perfectly fits their requirements.
• Clients can design and build their next car with the Car Configurator feature.
• Create a virtual showroom to present the vehicles down to the finest detail, such as prices, specifications, available options, visuals and marketing collateral.
• Publish inventory, keep it updated, and let visitors find their next vehicle with just a few clicks.
• Similarly, visitors can find accessories and even order them for their vehicle.
• Customers might want to get their vehicles valued for trade-ins, so this feature is available as well.
• Clients can book convenient slots for test drives.
• You can create and manage all type of promotional material – banners, special offers and campaigns. Keep customers updated about what is going on in the dealership with latest news.
• Let customers schedule their service sessions online via a booking form.
• Maintain all data in a centralized format.
• Last but not the least; ensure that your dealership website is visible more via SEO tools.

Dealerships striving to remain relevant among changing market forces can strengthen their position through digital transformation. Automotive website solutions are some of the elements in that transformation and deserve focus. If it has been too long since your dealership revamped its site, this should be a priority. You should emerge from this process with a secure, easy-to-use site that allows customers to browse comfortably from any device and collects data that will improve their experience in the future. Modera Webfront is exactly what you need to accomplish this purpose!

The post Why cutting-edge Automotive Website Solutions are necessary? appeared first on Modera.

Did you know that the average dealership retains less than 25% of their clients over the average buying cycle? The problem is, if you lose 20% of your clients in a year, you have to add 30% more new clients just to grow 10% in sales. This approach needs to be followed aggressively and consistently, to have effective retention and win back strategy for growth. Remember, it doesn’t matter how many awards your dealership has won for customer satisfaction. Every dealership has clients who decide to buy or service their vehicle elsewhere. It is imperative to stay on top of this problem, or your competitors will soon snag those customers permanently.

Why customers stop doing business with your dealership?

Every dealership has an attrition challenge – attrition is the number of customers who stop doing business with the dealership. Until you identify how many of your clients are no longer actively dealing with your service department or have stopped buying altogether, you can’t begin to improve on that figure.  Identifying the percentage and which clients no longer actively do business with you, is the first step to reducing your attrition rate.

Most people stop doing business with your dealership for the following reasons:

• They are dissatisfied.  Consumers don’t want to wait anymore at dealerships. Be it waiting for salespeople to attend to them, or paperwork to come through, they just don’t wish to waste time at dealerships. The problem is most unhappy customers will never say why they stopped buying or servicing from you – they just leave.
• The client’s situation has changed to the point they no longer can benefit from your dealership. They could have moved or their lifestyle has changed.
• They stop servicing temporarily because there could have been a time when it was more feasible to go to an independent shop or competing dealer. And they never got around to dealing with you again! Once a customer stops dealing with you, no matter how valuable the product or service, they tend to fall into a different buying pattern.

The good news is a chunk of all lost customers didn’t leave for an irreparable reason. You can instantly take action and get a good percentage of those people back. However, you can’t do it using the same old school marketing that hasn’t brought them back up to this point or did not retain them to begin with.

But remember this, when they do come back, they tend to come one of your best, most frequent and loyal customers. They can turn into one of the best sources of referrals. Here are some facts about “unhappy customers”:

• The average dealership will hear nothing from 96% of unhappy clients who had a bad experience.
• Unhappy clients tend to take about bad experiences to least 9 other people. 13% of those unhappy former clients will relate their stories to more than 20 people.
• For every complaint received, the average company has 26 clients with problems, six of which are “serious.”
• Of the clients who register a complaint, up to 70% will do business with your dealership again if their complaint is resolved. That figure goes up to 95% if the client feels the problem was resolved quickly.
• 68% of clients who stop doing business with you do so because of company indifference. They felt their needs weren’t being taken care of.

How to get back lost customers?

1. Ensure that customers “don’t waste time” in your dealership

Customers don’t want to visit keep visiting your dealership multiple times. Earlier, they did so, to check out vehicle makes and models, then scheduled appointments for test drives, completed paperwork, and finally collected the vehicle. But buying behavior and patterns have undergone a drastic change in the last couple of years.

It is time to make the car buying process hassle-free and smooth. Moving a major part of the car buying process online ensures that customers only have to come in during a certain part of the sales process. Modera Salesfront is the ideal CRM software you need to improve conversion rate, while automating processes.

You can monitor and respond to leads anytime, anywhere, while generating follow-up alerts at the same time. Offer customers a comprehensive inventory that is updated on a regular basis – operate price lists, standard and optional equipment, accessories, and technical data. You can even manage the test drive process expertly by updating cars in the fleet, allotting test drives for customers, securing test drive permits, collecting digital signatures, etc. This software lets you fine-tune the process of selling pre-owned cars as well.

When customers try to get in touch with you, they need to hear back quickly, so make use of the pre-configured chat solution. Ensure that customers don’t have to come in for clearing up some confusion that could have been easily resolved online.

2. Adopt a more customer-centric approach

Once you know that your dealership is losing customers, it is time to examine the reason. While there is a multitude of legitimate reasons, why a customer might leave such as relocation, changed automotive needs, etc. your self-evaluation should focus on your dealership’s overall relationship with the customer base.

For instance, do you connect with prospective car buyers online before they visit the dealership? Is the buying process simple and stress-free?  Does your dealership offer a vehicle maintenance plan with customized solutions that are attractive to customers? Enhance your customer experience and discerning car buyers will take notice. Here too, a robust CRM solution can be your savior.

3. Focus on “top lost customers”

When some segments of your dealership’s customer base are missing in action, it is time to sharpen your focus. Track long-term repurchase trends to determine your highest-grossing customers in the last few years. Modera Salesfront can be of great use, as it efficiently stores data, so you can access it, as and when required. It helps monitor buying behavior, so you can target prior car buyers for a customer retention campaign featuring exciting new product offerings, F&I upgrade options, timely service reminders, and other marketing materials. You can easily create personalized and eye-catching offers for customers – these offers can be emailed directly to customers from the CRM software.

4. Give customers an incentive to come back

If customers have strayed, don’t waste time blaming your staff. Instead, focus on a way to make them come back. Consider giving inactive customers a special discount – a lucrative deal goes a long way to entice people to buy.

You can send this campaign directly to inactive customers. Since you are segmenting your audience via a CRM software, you can personalize the message for this specific group. For example, send a promotion via text message or email that says – we haven’t seen you in a while. Do drop by for a special early bird offer or an extended warranty being offered for a limited period.

If you want customers to come back, make sure the promotion is worth their time. Personalize the campaign according to your target audience. Remember, you might not make as much money on the first return sale, but through marketing efforts you can hopefully turn inactive customers into repeat customers once again.

By getting in touch and communicating with the right targeted group, you can rest assured that a certain percentage will immediately start coming to your dealership once again. Regular communication is a must, so you can build a personal relationship. Don’t reach out to them only when you have to boost sales – keep in touch frequently, but refrain from bombarding them with texts and emails.

5. Change the way you do business

Another reason why customers want to spend less time in a dealership is because of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are apprehensive of spending too much time in closed spaces. In fact, the pandemic cause ecommerce industry to boom, as it became the only option to search, conduct research, and buy.

Your target market spends more time on websites and social networks. This is why it is essential that dealerships establish and enhance their presence there. A minimum investment of time and money in social networks can help you gain a larger market share. But you should also make the most of the information you already have about your customers (previous services, vehicle mileage, hours used in the case of equipment, etc.) to offer services they may not even know they need.

A dealer management system (DMS) is a must in this case. It comes with various service marketing features to offer scheduled or preventive services based on the mileage of your customers’ vehicles. You can even offer seasonal maintenance services before holidays. It is imperative that you take a look at your customer portfolio and use this information strategically. Offer these services before they migrate to your competition.

In fact, you can structure a complimentary maintenance plan as well. Remember, it has nothing to do with selling the first vehicle, but it matters when it comes to building relationships. It improves the chances of those first-timers becoming repeat customers. You may not be able to control your customers’ repurchase intentions, but you can certainly influence them. With a dealer-owned promotional maintenance plan, you can bring back customers to your dealership for service requirements.

6. Offer special advantages

For customers these days, it is all about benefits that save both time and money. To ask customers to call or visit the dealership to schedule a workshop appointment is to send them to the competition. It is time to take customer requirements into account, and act accordingly:

• Let customers’ book appointments from their home, office, or anywhere else. The scheduling feature of the CRM software comes in handy.
• If the customer who brought in their vehicle has to go elsewhere, offer alternate transportation in advance.
• The customer can’t come to the dealership for servicing their vehicle. So create a system to pick up, repair, and return the vehicle.
• Use the chat feature in your CRM to answer questions of customers. Provide customers with self-service access to their account information through a customer portal.
• When customers arrive at your dealership for service or repair work, offer a comprehensive vehicle inspection report, totally free of cost. You can use an electronic Vehicle Health Check system to help technicians identify more repair work and generate a report quickly. Provide customers with an informative, easy-to-understand and professionally presented vehicle inspection report. It allows them to better understand the recommended repair work

These strategies not only strengthen the relationship with your existing customers, but they are equally effective for attracting new ones.

7. Track and report sales metrics

If you can’t measure sales metrics, you can’t improve on sales tactics. An automotive CRM software helps the dealership to monitor service sales metrics. It keeps tabs on the number of vehicle inspections, dollars identified and sold per vehicle, sales and conversion rates. Make sure the reason for any loss in sales, is clearly identified. Having access to comprehensive real-time analytics gives you the key insights to increase staff performance, sales closure and profits.

You can use this data to train sales personnel on how to shorten car selling transaction time. They should be aware of this simple fact – don’t make customers wait when the sale has commenced. Customers should only be asked to come in, when a specific part of the buying process can’t be completed online. For instance, if a customer comes in for a test drive, they shouldn’t be made to wait. Or if they have come to pick up their vehicle, ensure the paperwork is in order, and the car is ready!

8. Create a “we fixed it” campaign online

Customers stop buying for a reason. To win customers back, you need to figure out why they left in the first place. As mentioned, a customer leaves most often because they were treated poorly or dissatisfied with the product or service. If you are unsure about what caused them to stop doing business, monitor review sites and social media closely. Consider asking customers to complete a survey for feedback. Try to spot common factors that caused customers to jump ship. Include questions like – did wait times make customers unhappy? Was the customer service lacking?

Once you identify the problem, work to correct it. Once corrected, spin it into a marketing campaign. When customers see that you have admitted to mistakes honestly, they are bound to appreciate it.

For example, maybe a customer didn’t feel important, appreciated, valued or acknowledged by your dealership. However, it is vital to emphasize that your team didn’t intentionally offend or dissatisfy that client. Let your marketing campaign talk about how wait times were too long, guide them how they can complete a major part of the car buying process online, etc.

9. Don’t forget about customers who have moved

If customers have stopped coming to your dealership because they have relocated, or their situation has changed so they no longer can benefit from what your dealership offers, don’t fret! You can still ask them for referrals. They obviously have a great deal of respect and goodwill for your dealership.

By merely contacting them and honestly expressing your concern about their well-being, you position yourself perfectly. If they tell you they no longer can use your product or service, say that is fine. Next, request them to recommend the dealership to friends, family members and associates who can benefit from what you do. Most of them will oblige your request.

10. Leverage expertise

Product quality has improved considerably across the board within the retail automotive industry. Now, it is more difficult than ever to utilize product offerings as a brand differentiator. Dealerships have to think outside the box and seek alternative sources to gain competitive advantage. 

Whether it is by offering a creative form of entertainment while customers wait or honor competitors’ coupons, make your dealership stand out from the crowd, enticing lost customers to reconsider. When you begin campaigns to retain customers and attract new ones, it is necessary to offer a proposal that competes with the offering of independent workshops – price and convenience. Focus on the benefits of being an official dealership; here are a few pointers:

• The OEM’s quality certification.
• Expertise of your technicians.
• Investment in training, speed, customer satisfaction campaigns, etc.

If you concentrate on these issues, it can tip the scales in your favor when the customer has to choose where to take their vehicle.

Don’t wait for customers to arrive at your dealership. Take the initiative, go find opportunities, and stay ahead of your competition. The more connected customers feel to your dealership, the more chances there are of them coming back. Many will start quickly buying and referring again because they never really wanted or intended to stop. So reward them for your lack of initiative in the past – do something special and preferential for them as a “welcome back” reward or gesture of appreciation. Use Modera Salesfront, as it is an incredible way to retain customers, because it reduces “wait time” and speed ups car selling transaction time. Moreover, it helps to customize offers and maintain regular communication with customers.

The post Make Your Dealership Great Again – How To Bring Back Customers? appeared first on Modera.

The Covid-19 pandemic appears to be nearing the end, with the automotive industry slowly recovering as well. Many automotive dealerships had resorted to conduct the entire process of car buying online, in order to maintain Covid-19 protocols of social distancing. But even with daily cases declining, it looks like contactless car buying is here to stay, as customers have got used to it.

Traditional vs. contactless car buying

Even though the basic aspects remain the same, such as researching car options, getting approved for financing, etc. there are some stark differences between the two methods.

Traditional buying

• The customer visits the dealership and talks to a salesperson.
• They look at the cars, take a peek at the prices, and then make an informed decision.
• Once they zero in on a specific make and model, they take a test drive, and if everything works out, the paperwork is initiated.
• The dealership helps out the customer with financing options.
• After the customer submits all necessary documents, makes the down payment, and completes any remaining paperwork, the deal is officially closed.
• The customer might wish to purchase additional services such as extended warranty, car insurance, add-on safety features, etc.
• Finally, they drive off in the car.

Contactless buying

• The customer visits the dealership website or opens an app that displays all the cars in the dealership.
• They research by comparing prices, looking up reviews regarding the dealership, etc.
• They narrow down options and take virtual walk-arounds, 3D tours, and virtual test drives.
• Once they are satisfied and choose a specific vehicle, they start to explore financing options. Here, they might ask for your help, in order to get pre-approved for a loan.
• After making the down payment and submitting proper documents online, the deal is officially closed.
• The dealership arranges for a safe way to deliver the car to the customer.

Thanks to digitization, it is possible for customers to finish every phase of the car buying experience, be it researching and finding the right car to negotiating, entirely online. They get to explore options for cars, financing and trade-ins, and then use those findings to negotiate for the best price possible. According to Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor of KelleyBlueBook.com, digitization has really empowered the buyer, as there is lots of information to help them make a smart decision. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced buyers to make “contactless purchases” for safety purposes. Even though the pandemic shows signs of decline now, experts warn that letting our guard down isn’t an option. That is why it looks like the contactless way of buying cars is here to stay.

How do you advertise contactless buying?

1.1. Use video to connect with customers

Consumers today are shopping online. They are searching for cars, viewing features, and comparing prices, entirely online. Everything is happening before they actually get in touch with the dealership. In several ways, it makes your work easier. Once a prospect arrives at the dealership, most of the groundwork is already done. All you need to do is encourage, inform, and finalize the sale. Video content can indeed work wonders here:

• Promote video walk-throughs and tutorials. Show the prospect the great experience he can expect from visiting the dealership and working with you.
• Record virtual presentations of inventory. If you are contacted about a particular car, record a quick video to showcase the features. You can add specially discounted vehicles and other current deals.
• Promote yourself in an “employee spotlight” interview. Show your personality and dedication to customer service. Connect with every lead before they meet you!

1.2. Guide customers to online tools

Selling vehicles online involves more than having a platform to select and purchase. It is necessary for customers to be aware that new, virtual purchasing channels are available. In the post-Covid business environment, the standard method to advertise is a website banner on the homepage and relevant service and help pages as well. Let your customers know in bold statements that both CDC-safe showroom buying and no-contact virtual buying are available for vehicles from your dealership.

1.3. Invite by email

Every dealership has several customers presently in-contact regarding purchasing a car. They must have initiated inquiries or maybe even chosen a vehicle to move forward through the buying process. Let your present customers know via a carefully worded email that no-contact online resources are now available to ensure their safety.

1.4. Start a social media campaign

Social media has a lot of reach these days, so a positive announcement or entertaining campaign goes a long way. Announce and showcase your new online selling platform and the ease with which online customers can now shop for vehicles. Take aesthetic screenshots of the new interface. Get the customer community talking about these new tools to explore vehicles online.

How does contactless car buying work?

2.1. Filtered search for vehicles

When customers look up vehicles online, the first thing they want to see is a selection to help find the right make, model, year, and so on. The ideal way to accomplish this is via an ecommerce style filtering search. Begin with featured vehicles and allow customers to quickly refine their search based on some of the most commonly used criteria. For instance, it could be number of doors, seats, and seatbelts, which can help non-specific shoppers to narrow their options.

Numerous customers looking to buy a car might know exactly the make and model they want, possibly even the color, trim, and optional details. The easier it is to reach that selection via an online interface, the happier those customers will be. The selection should reflect available inventory. For a single dealership location, offer only those vehicles that are available for sale. Demote the vehicles that have to be custom-ordered. For a network of dealerships, you can offer amore rounded selection of vehicles that could be made available for sale promptly.

2.2. Virtual walk-around

Whenever a customer selects a vehicle, give them the walk-around tour that every car sale includes. Let them feel the shape and size of the vehicle and how it reflects moving light. Thanks to modern digital technology, it is now possible to take a 360 degree video of each vehicle (or an example of the make, model, year, and color). Thus, customers can explore how they feel about the car’s exterior and design.

These 360-degree tours often allow the customer to spin a virtual rotating platform with their mouse or via touch. Advanced simulations can change how the light reflects off the simulated vehicle and show customers the difference between the available colors.

2.3. 3D tour of the car interior

The interior is equally important as the exterior. Use similar simulation technology to show customers how it will look (and almost how it feels) inside the vehicle. When customers see fascinating high-detail interior views, a great deal of your work is done then and there. Use the same methods as real estate is using for virtual home tours, giving customers the feeling of truly being inside the vehicle.

Let your customer look around from the driver’s seat or the view from the center of the back seat. Allow them to explore the console, feel the spaciousness, and check for personal favorite features. It helps customers visualize plans for a vehicle, even though they are shopping via an online platform.

2.4. Virtual test drives

If customers aren’t happy with their choice, it won’t look good for your dealership. Taking a car for a test drive is one of the crucial aspects of buying one. In fact, buying a car without first taking it for a spin seems is considered to be a risk. But contactless buying lets customers experience the same without ever stepping foot in the vehicle. As is evident from the name, a virtual test drive is when the dealership offers a virtual experience of what it is like to drive a particular vehicle, without actually driving it. Here are some kinds of test drives that you can opt for:

• Infomercials – The old standard for showing off a car, infomercials provide valuable information about cars. However, they aren’t really “test drives”.
• Virtual test drive apps – Customers get to download the app on your phone or laptop, and then take a virtual test drive.
• Virtual Reality (VR) headsets – VR is the most popular option. Audi has come up with VR headsets that let customers experience a virtual test drive by letting them see the car inside and out. The “Enter Sandbox” campaign by Audi gives them a real feel of the Q5 in a simulator and move virtually around a track they designed.
• Augmented reality (AR) – It can be achieved from any location. ŠKODA’s AR app, which uses AR tech, lets you place a car on the street and then give a closer look to customers, with just phones and no specialist equipment. Moreover, it could be done from home, something which has become even more appealing in the wake of Covid-19.

VR can work outside a showroom, with particularly with cheaper and more easily obtainable headsets like Google Cardboard. However, the value of equipment needed for the full experience means that customers have to visit dealership. Virtual experiences are bound to increase in the years to come. It lets customers experience more of the car, and interact less with a salesperson.

2.5. Build-your-own-car tool

It is an excellent idea when customers know just what they want. When it comes to vehicle purchasing, customer have a choice from whatever manufacturers selected to make available as a package.  Each year’s make and model has a certain set of color options, interior upholstery, special features, and trim packages. While you may only have some combinations on your lot, you could win more sales by allowing customers to choose exactly what they want.

If you have a “build your own car” section for new cars, it will be a stellar addition to any dealership website. Help customers put together their dream car, and then possibly a second design for practical purposes and affordability. You can even use this tool to show which model combinations are available and those that have to be specially ordered.

2.6. Integrated live chat with customers

Car dealerships have flourished due to direct human contact when selling. Customers meet with a salesperson who guides them through the whole process till the purchase is complete.  So when a customer comes in, someone sees and helps them personally. A similar level of personal attention can be offered via online channels. For example, live chat will make members of the sales team available whenever a customer has a query or requires information.

Live chat support can be provided in a number of ways. The floating chat bubble is very popular for chatting while customers continue to browse the website. You can also offer live chat through the help section, contact page, and a mobile app using the same communication platform.

2.7. Financing assistance online

In the past dealerships have helped customers explore financing options successfully. Auto loans are not always something that customers are ready to handle on their own. It is one thing to select a car and even make plans for future payments. But going through the whole loan application process is a huge deal. As a dealership, you can provide the same streamlined assistance for financing through online methods. It is imperative to talk to your financing partners about how you can help customers apply through a proxy or transition to the correct loan application page.

2.8. Pick-up and drop-off services

The last part of contactless buying involves helping customers acquire the vehicle without compromising safety. A multitude of no-contact services have been developed across the world as businesses gradually adjust to the new post-Covid safety practices. Consider how you can offer a contactless vehicle delivery. You could deliver the vehicle right to the doorstep of the customer, or arrange for a safe pick-up service, where the customer picks up the vehicle from the dealership with minimal contact.

2.9. It is necessary to stay engaged after closing the deal

One of the best ways to sell more cars is to keep in touch with every satisfied customer. As a digital age salesperson, you need to develop relationships and turn each customer into a referral source. You could send out hand-written letters to new customers, and thank them for their business. Make it short, genuine, and professional – it should communicate clearly that you appreciate their business. In fact, you should schedule reminders to send out quarterly emails. Ask customers how their vehicle is performing and if there is anything you can help with.

2.10. Invest in quality CRM software

With consumer behavior undergoing a swift change, dealerships have to adapt and modify techniques accordingly. An automotive CRM and dealer software like Modera, is a must, when it comes to streamlining the sales process. It does a brilliant job of consolidating teams, processes, and multiple channels, under a single unit. Operational efficiency and engagement improves greatly. This software makes the task of identifying and following up on leads, tabulating preferences, interacting with dealers, customers, and manufacturers, and maintaining post-sales rapport, much easier.  It has the following features:

• Filter leads, monitor interests, and keep tabs on browsing habits to understand consumer behavior.
• Distribute leads among sales team members, so there is no redundancy in follow-ups.
• Maintain a dashboard of leads that can be used to monitor status.
• Prioritize tasks for sales personnel so they follow up on leads, check up on customers, etc.
• Prevent lead leakages, as is common with the omni-channel approach, from website, social media, events, and exhibitions.
• Let your team connect with existing and potential customers in a more effective manner. Provide them with data so they can track sales conversations and generate reports – it helps to identify opportunities in future.
• Stay engaged even after the sale is complete – it helps develop a long-term relationship that can be beneficial. Send regular notifications, emails, and texts.
• Test drive requests (both virtual and offline) are meticulously processed. Customers initiate requests on the website or portal, and auto replies are sent to them with a time and date.
• If a customer doesn’t buy a car, even after a successful test drive, you can track test drives to better understand their behavior and the reason for refusal. Thus, you can improve and optimize processes.
• Evaluate the efficacy of your sales and marketing campaigns – understand how your business operates, its strengths, and areas of weakness that could be improved upon.

You have seen the rapid change in the auto industry – with digital technology transforming everything. Be it buying habits, marketing strategies, or ways to connect with customers, each aspect has undergone a drastic change. To stay ahead, you need to use every digital tool at your disposal.  Remember – the process of contactless buying hasn’t been perfected yet. The virtual test drive technology is also not available everywhere – it could take some years for it run smoothly. However, some parts of the car buying process can be successfully conducted online, which is beneficial for both the dealership and customers.

The post How does Contactless Car Buying Work? appeared first on Modera.

Digital retailing was merely an interesting topic of discussion a few years back. As consumer’s lives became more digital, dealerships and other retailers realized they need to keep up. Then the Covid-19 pandemic completely changed everything! With the onset of the pandemic, consumers wanted more transactions to be conducted in an online environment, with as little contact as possible.

Difference between online and digital retailing

Contrary to common misconception, online retailing and digital retailing aren’t the same. Digital retailing is about digitizing operations in your dealership. It is done to increase productivity, reduce bottlenecks, and meet consumers’ expectations. Online retailing is when a business transitions its brick and mortar operations into an online environment. Negotiating vehicle terms, signing documents, and paying for service invoices – all of these take place online. It involves taking standard day-to-day processes that have typically been done in-store and making them available to consumers from the comfort of their homes.

Welcome the hybrid model

However, it is easier said than done. You simply can’t forfeit everything you worked for in-store to go completely online. Some customers still want to do business with you – in-person – or conduct at least some part of the transaction by actually visiting the dealership.

So how do you decide between what you know as traditional in-store processes (digital retailing) versus the newer high-demand remote processes (online retailing)? Rest assured you don’t have to choose between the two. Amazon giants have it all figured out – a hybrid business model, or a retail anywhere approach. It combines both in-store and online experiences, so neither are disrupted by the other. If a customer starts online and ends the journey in-store, their experience, information, and expectations is carried through the entire purchasing journey.

So what are the benefits of a hybrid auto sales model?

More control and profitability

In an online environment, you simply can’t hand the reigns over to customers. For instance, if customers are browsing through auto F&I products online by themselves, chances of them making an additional purchase are low. The reasons are simple:

• Consumers are generally conditioned over time to say no to add-on products.
• Average consumer probably doesn’t understand the value in them to start with.

Therefore, when customers are shopping online, and with no guidance from an F&I manager, there is less opportunity for those products to be included in the deal. Thus, profits begin to shrink fast!

Your F&I managers were hired to sell because it is what they do and they are great at it. Sustaining long-term dealership profitability is what you can expect from the hybrid model. In this model, F&I managers are present, even if they aren’t physically in the same room. They act as a guiding force and wrap up a lucrative deal that keeps the profit margin on track.

Accuracy of transactions

Accuracy is what keeps transactions moving from point A to point B, or in this case, from online to in-store seamlessly. Think about the amount of information that goes into a customer profile or new car deal. There are several steps involved starting from lead submission to signing documents.

How many times does the customer and vehicle information appear throughout the process? This information by itself is critical. It has to be 100% correct, or else you might lose the deal. Throw in the possibility of a customer starting their shopping online and deciding to pick up in-store where they left off. You might run into more unwanted trouble. For example, does your system recognize this customer began the purchase process already? Does it know the customer received quoted rates and terms? Or they were comparing two vehicles? In fact, does it recognize the customer in the first place?

If a customer is given a quote online and then decides to finalize documents in-store, what they see online has to be the same as what they see in the store. If their payments suddenly go up $50, that is when they become suspicious! It is a breach of trust, and they perceive that doing business with you isn’t all that great. In a hybrid business model, consistency is maintained at all points, so the transaction is completed smoothly.

Efficiency of employees

If your employees aren’t that experienced, it will affect the overall experience of the customer. Despite what might seem like a complicated process at first, making the sales and F&I process consistent between online and in-store really is simple.

Variables that go into efficiency include keeping communications open so you can hold your staff accountable, accepting down payments in F&I so the experience is more transparent and secure, and even gaining faster lender approval so the entire transaction feels less stressful for the customer.

It is important to note that it is not just about going digital, because the days of adopting a linear purchase path are gone. In today’s fast-paced world, it is more like stop-and-go or bouncing between channels. If customers are everywhere such as in-store, online, or both, the experience has to be consistent and hassle-free across the entire transaction. You have to meet the customer on their terms, being able to retail anywhere. However, you also need to ensure that control and profitability of sale, accuracy of transaction, and efficiency of employees, isn’t compromised.  Consistency and ease of a hybrid model is possible only because a single system is built around a single, unique identifier for each customer, each vehicle, and each transaction. Thus, manual processes are eliminated, all departments become connected and business operations are more cohesive.

The post Benefits of a Hybrid Sales Model appeared first on Modera.

When it comes to buying cars, customers are now prioritizing convenience before everything else. Before they actually step into a dealership, they want to have all the necessary information about a vehicle on their fingertips. That is why a high quality automotive DMS (dealer management system) offering full functionality is a must, so you can offer the best of services and close sales successfully.

What is a DMS – Dealer Management System?

To put it in a nutshell, DMS allows a dealership to perform all daily functions in areas of sales, financial transactions, service operations and more, flawlessly from a centralized hub. The integration built into the software allows simplified information exchange between all the operational divisions of your dealership. It is a solution where everything is interconnected – be it the work of the sales department or the preferences of customers. Daily controls become smoother, especially when repetitive tasks are automated.

Benefits of implementing a high quality automotive DMS

1. All-in-one solution

Using a collection of products from multiple software vendors can turn into a nightmare scenario. Using a DMS means a single solution that eliminates these headaches. It makes it convenient for employees to cross-train as and when required. It is all the more helpful for smaller dealerships where headcount is at a premium.

One of the major benefits is that it lets you manage all functional areas of business with one solution, starting from sales to service and everything in between. It means data flows seamlessly from one functional area of the business to another, allowing for accurate and timely reporting for informed business decisions.

2. Improved customer service

The competition today is immensely tough. You aren’t just competing with other local dealerships, but also running the race with third-party websites and online car sellers. The latter category promise buyers the convenience of online shopping. As already mentioned, more customers are getting comfortable with the idea of buying cars online. Offering impeccable and personalized customer experience is a must to retain existing customers and get new ones. DMS can help you with this by tracking more lead data and making it available to your entire team. Dealerships now understand the importance of collecting lead data beyond basic information before getting in touch with buyers and establishing a connection.

3. Data and marketing

As mentioned, data is vital these days. Business owners and sales managers actively research their markets and have a good understanding of what customers want. Despite this, they may be missing key points that can significantly affect the bottom line. With that in mind, a DMS automatically generates massive amounts of data and displays it in easy-to-read reports. For instance, website analytics software can tell you how many people visit your website and request information. You can even know which pages are popular among them and for how long they view the pages. Using this data, the DMS helps you create campaigns, use social media, and track results. Data helps you better understand which marketing efforts work best, and if the message you put out there is getting a response.

4. Flexibility

A common misconception associated with DMS is that they are solely meant for big dealerships with multiple locations. However, any DMS can be tailored to suit your business requirements. Whether you have one dealership or 50, it can be scaled and customized accordingly. A high quality automotive DMS is easy to navigate, so you can work out a solution specific to your dealership’s needs.

A DMS comes with intuitive workflows and a modern, consistent screen interface. This feature makes it easier to learn and use. It allows employees to get up to speed faster and become more productive sooner. Having consistent screens throughout the system with same/similar tasks and buttons in the same location on every screen is one example of how an intuitive design can simplify the learning process.

Cloud-based solutions

It is no secret that cloud-based platforms are shaping the future for businesses of all sizes. Cloud-based architecture provided by a DMS lets you continue running your business even outside the dealership. Additional benefits include eliminating the problems of in-house servers and IT systems overload and the costs associated with them. It simplifies and streamlines the process of deploying system updates. It also cuts down lag time to access data, so you can pull reports and retrieve data in seconds.

Security

Remote working and transferring data outside the walls of the dealership has become the norm. That is why; dependence on security has increased too. When it comes to data security, cloud-based solutions built on industry-leading platforms, use secure encryption methods to protect data and prevent unauthorized access.

Disaster recovery is another aspect of security that needs to be considered. It is impossible to predict when and where outside influences like natural disasters, power outages, economic downturn, or health crisis may lead to downtime for your business. Regardless of its duration, downtime has a negative impact on your bottom line and reputation. DMS ensures quick data recovery for all kinds of emergency situations. It also allows off-premises data back-up that can be accessed by any internet-connected device.

Thanks to cutting edge technology, an automotive DMS offers a comprehensive solution to help car dealerships manage their entire business from a single hub. It ensures better marketing, customer service, communication, and inventory management, all of which have a positive impact on increasing vehicle sales and service requests. Efficiency is enhanced, as the DMS helps to cross-reference data for identifying trends, opportunities, and ways to reduce costs.

If you are looking for a dealer management system for your dealership(s) then take a look at Modera Importer (for dealer network management) and Modera Salesfront (Automotive specialized CRM) solutions.

_______________________________
Cover image from Pexels

The post 6 Benefits of a High Quality Automotive Dealer Management System appeared first on Modera.

The past couple of years have changed the way we operate businesses forever. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced auto retailers and dealers to think about digitizing their operations on a larger scale. It is clear how essential it is to establish a solid process to sell cars online. It is all about digital first-normal these days. Simply tweaking your automotive website won’t work – you have to truly adapt your business to maximize revenue and scale efficiently. That is why you need a customer-friendly online showroom and automotive ecommerce site to boost ROI, even in such tough times.

What is user-friendliness?

People miss the experience of visiting a dealership, so you need to offer something that makes them feel the same way. A user-friendly online showroom should be easy to understand and navigate. Even if you want it to be fancy, the layout needs to such that it is appealing to customers from the get-go. Don’t confuse customers with the features and functionalities offered. From visuals to the functionalities that you like to add to your showroom, be cautious about the selection and implementation strategies. The ultimate goal is to offer a seamless experience to users and end-customers.

How to set up a customer-friendly online showroom or automotive ecommerce site?

1. Enable searchability

Users don’t have time to flick through endless content and long descriptions. They want to get precise results for search queries. For instance, if they search for “Toyota 2021” models, they want to get exact results. If you don’t enable a proper product search option in your online showroom / automotive ecommerce site (different names in different areas of the world), you lose a significant number of customers. By enabling searchability, you make it convenient for visitors to look for the vehicles of their choice. This ensures conversion from the online dealership.

2. Easy navigation

As mentioned above, trouble-free navigation matters a lot. Your virtual dealership will have categories, sub-categories, and internal variations to list the vehicles. For quick organization of the vehicles, dealerships have to seek for a pattern of product division. It can be difficult for customers to find something among the loads of inventory. The addition of a “breadcrumb” on each of your product pages can be helpful for your customers to navigate through to the right product.

This feature helps customers memorize which category their products belong to. These breadcrumbs are mostly given above or below the title tag of that page. But then again, it isn’t compulsory to use a similar pattern. The design layout and placement of navigation tabs can be updated when you perform A/B testing. This analysis helps to drive better results.

3. Optimize speed

No one wants to explore an online showroom that takes ages to load. If customers notice even a few seconds of delay, they will leave instantly and shop around from your competitor’s automotive ecommerce site instead. Did you know the average load time of an online showroom should be less than two seconds? If it isn’t able to meet these requirements, you lose a massive chunk of visitors before they become customers. Various speed tracking tools are available to check the speed of your showroom. Once you find out the reasons behind the delay, you can optimize the loading speed. When it comes to optimization of your online store’s content, the image optimization and file size optimization can be the initial ideas to count on.

4. Update your call-to-action (CTA)

What happens when your customers want to buy a car but there are no buttons, tabs or directions to help start the purchase process? Customers get angry and leave! An online showroom is incomplete without CTA buttons. They help you guide customers to the final section of the website where conversion can take place.

Keep in mind that conversion isn’t always related to monetary benefits, but they are more like end-goals. CTAs are meant to take your traffic to those web pages that can lead to the attainment of the end goal. But for an online dealership, it is mostly about hitting monetary targets. CTA buttons should be placed in such a way that boosts rate of conversion. You can include banners and enable scroll to add multiple CTAs and news there. If you add a redirect link to the CTA button, don’t forget to mention if the following page has to be opened in the fresh tab or in a similar tab. If a customer has to refer to an existing page, there should be an option to open the webpage in the next tab.

5. Clear the path to begin the purchase process

If customers don’t see a clear path to start their journey and purchase process, then the entire effort of setting up the new online showroom goes for a toss. Shoppers will eventually give up and go elsewhere.

While CTA buttons are important, it is necessary not to have too many of them, or you risk customers getting lost in the maze. Not all buttons have the same value for you or the customer, so funnel your traffic to the buttons that drive the best outcomes. A convenient way to do this is by identifying buttons that are redundant or create dead-ends for the users. It includes links off-site and lead forms that ask for information but provide no immediate answers in return.

For instance, if a shopper has filled out an “Unlock Extra Savings” form to check how it has affected the overall price, they won’t be as valuable as the shopper who clicked on “Explore Payment Options”. The latter has followed it up by instantly personalizing their payment, valuing their trade, saving an account on your online forum, and starting to add accessories and insurance products. Clearly, the second shopper is more beneficial, so it is imperative to guide more visitors along the same path.

It might seem tempting to add more paths to generate more leads. In fact, removing buttons, could feel counter-productive – it seems like you are eradicating opportunities, but the opposite is true. It is about offering the best and most flawless shopping experience and then focusing the traffic on it. Dealers who follow this strategy are mostly likely to see increases in volume and quality of their leads.

6. Every lead is a walk-in

Remember this online showroom is the new normal – it is your primary storefront. Now that business has been drastically affected by the pandemic, it is important to remember that mere leads aren’t enough. For dealers to operate with lower labor and advertising costs, it is necessary to fundamentally shift their thinking around leads as an industry. You have to take the same level of service customers expect in-store, to your online showroom.

So imagine if a customer walks into your physical store with an interest to explore the inventory and talk about financing options. You give them a clipboard with a form, ask them to fill it out, and politely say someone will be in touch to answer their questions. The shopper would likely get dissatisfied and leave, but perhaps numerous leads (who could become shoppers) have the same experience in your online showroom each day.

Pair your digital retailing tool with an advanced messaging platform that can help you out with customer service like instant answers, helpful materials (vehicle details, brochures, videos) etc. Even live video chat is useful to talk face-to-face and show the customer around the vehicle.

Just like you would show a customer around the store, offer a virtual walk-around, and talk through specific financing options. These digital tools help out in the same way that actual personnel would during business hours. Even if you don’t catch the online shopper in the moment, you should still treat them like a walk-in. However, it doesn’t mean using the old lead form follow-up approach.

These shoppers have looked at, saved, customized specific vehicles, and explored payment options, so the follow-up should acknowledge that effort. The progress has to be recorded, so your team can quickly pick-up where they left off. It should be as if they had an appointment yesterday and now they are back in the showroom. Automated emails and uninformed phone calls are a strict no-no. They cause a complete disconnect in customer experience – it makes them feel they have to start over, so you have to treat them like walk-ins you are familiar with.

7. Allow social sharing

People love to buy from those they trust. If referrals come from their friends, family, relatives and social circle, they are more inclined to follow up. Enable social sharing buttons in your online store. Customers should be able to refer it to their near and dear ones, talk about their experience, share preferred vehicles options, and much more.

This feature is definitely beneficial for customers, but on the other hand, it is helpful from a business perspective as well. The more people get to know about the type of vehicles in your inventory, the better the chances of conversion. Integrate social channels with your customer-friendly online showroom. Customers can look you up across available platforms and trust your identity as a business. Further, you can market across your social handles and increase the chances of your reach in the market.

8. Showcase best sellers

While vehicle preferences differ from person to person, there is no harm in displaying which cars are currently in demand. Remember, simply updating the product catalog won’t be sufficient for conversion. Highlighting bestsellers at the store is what you should be aiming for. With the help of “Best Sellers”, “New Arrivals”, and “Featured Vehicles”, you can highlight the fast-moving and popular products in the catalog. It helps cross-sell and upsell products, accessories, insurance options, etc. in the inventory.

9. Ensure the contact page is updated

When customers shop directly from an online showroom, they are putting their faith into vehicles and associated services without actually checking them. It is imperative they are able to reach you immediately if they have questions. If your contact page isn’t updated, there is a high chance of customers leaving and never visiting again.

Keep the details simple and subtle. It is highly recommended to integrate Google maps so customers can locate you easily. This feature is necessary, in case they want to visit your brick-and-mortar establishment. For personalized customer inquiries, keep a distinct form that pops up when required. Add the link or pop-up to that form on the contact page as well. It is recommended to add an email address, phone number, alternative contact number, and the physical location of your store.

10. Upgrade customer service

The customer should be happy with the service they receive, so the customer service team has to be easily reachable. One way to ensure that is to enable live chat support on your online stores. It acts as a guide for your converting customers, and takes them to the proper checkout process. Enable mail and/or telephonic support to handle customer issues and concerns. The post-deployment services for the vehicles sold from your store are as crucial as the pre-order services. Providing good customer services ensures you can engage with them better and build a solid connection.

What happens when customers want to visit in person after checking out your online showroom / automotive ecommerce site?

Now that you have set up the perfect car buying experience, you have to ensure it doesn’t fall short when a customer walks into your brick-and-mortar establishment. Just like follow-ups, you have to ensure your dealership and team greets these customers as previous walk-ins who have already worked with you.

From the technology aspect, set up devices with welcome screens, or put up print signage, which immediately validates to your walk-ins that the progress they made online lets them “jump the line”. Rather than feeling they have to re-introduce themselves and start over, they can go right ahead to buying the vehicle of their choice. This is the kind of experience customers enjoy, while helping to build your review reputation and increase close rate too.

Your sales team should be familiar with the workings of the digital showroom. If a customer walks in and says they have struck the perfect deal based on their credit, trade, and preferences via your online showroom, the team has to be on top of this. If they don’t know the first thing about how someone can start their car buying process in the digital storefront, it could get really awkward and the customer might walk off in a huff. The team should be able to pull up the customer profile with their progress and begin without any delay.

1) Time to double up on your marketing efforts

Now that you have set up an customer-friendly online showroom, you have to ramp up marketing efforts. You need to incorporate the aspect of online car buying throughout the automotive ecommerce website, and tweak your marketing message. Thus, you can expect to boost high-intent traffic that you are driving to your platform.

2) Landing Page

Capture the attention of customers from the get-go. Add an attractive landing page to show visitors that your dealership offers online car buying, how they can get started, and why it makes their shopping experience better.

3) Change the Creative

Starting from homepage sliders and personalizers to VRP banners, ensure that your visitors know from the moment they hit your digital showroom that they can go the distance online. It makes all the difference between a bounce and buyer.

4) Search Advertising

Digital retailing works as both a strong USP and fresh CTA, so if you are running PPC campaigns as part of your search advertising strategy, it is time to give it a boost. Update your ad copy to highlight your online experience. The “Purchase Now” or “Buy Online” button should be a sitelink extension, while other campaign related keywords need to be included.

5) Video Advertising

People are stuck at home and streaming more videos than ever! Why not use this trend to create the ideal car buying experience for customers from the privacy of their homes? Use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and OTT advertising to drive more shoppers to your online showroom.

6) Don’t forget about growing your online reputation

It is imperative to update your marketing messaging for online car buying, but here is where it gets complicated. The message is no longer quite as unique as it was some months ago. Every competitor is offering online car purchases, because they have to, given the need of the hour. So you might offer seamless car purchasing, plethora of finance options, and other features. But your claims have to be backed up with the experience and most vital proof point – happy customers.

Reviews that mention online car purchases and home delivery along with general convenience and speed are going to make all the difference. Ask your customers to leave positive feedback of their amazing experience across platforms, to grow your most powerful differentiator in the market – your reputation.

Let your online showroom represent your brand and business – design it in such a way that it speaks about the amazing experience you offer. The message should be loud and clear – this is the place to be if they want to buy their next vehicle. Make the digital store easy to navigate and user-friendly, so people keep coming back and eventually start their customer journey.

If you really want to give your customers the best online car buying and customer serving experience take a look at Modera Webfront for your dealership website, Modera E-Commerce for you online automotive store and Modera Salesfront for your dealership CRM.

The post How to Set Up a Customer-Friendly Online Showroom? appeared first on Modera.

2020 has been a tough year for everyone, with every industry facing its own set of challenges. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the automotive industry wasn’t spared either. For example, closure of plants in China interrupted manufacturing, while purchase of new cars decreased drastically. Automotive retail was affected globally as most countries went into stringent lockdowns.

A long time in the offing…

Even though we can partly blame the pandemic for problems faced by the automotive industry, these issues were already underway. 2020 hasn’t fundamentally altered the trajectory of automotive retail or manufacturing. The industry was sitting at a crossroads anyway. As of now, it is imperative to accommodate changes in consumer behavior and expectations, in order to ensure continued success beyond 2021. In the post-Covid era, the automotive industry should look towards finding long-term solutions to both existing and new challenges. Reactive measures for immediate relief won’t work anymore. That is why automotive retail software is necessary to resolve some of the issues that are plaguing dealerships.

Here are the major challenges faced by automotive retail today:

1. Online sales

Even before social distancing, online sales had already become a crucial aspect in the industry. A whopping 80% of buyers were starting their purchasing journey online as early as 2018. Even though dealerships remain an important part of the purchasing process, Covid-19 restrictions have accelerated the need for 100% digital purchasing options.

But buying a car online isn’t as simple as most e-commerce purchases. For instance, you can’t “return” a vehicle if you don’t like it. The amount of money being transacted is also quite high. Things get complex when online sales conflict with conventional attribution structures. Purchasing a car is a multi-channel process. It involves visiting dealerships, taking test drives, researching reviews, and finally buying from any number of different touchpoints.

Brands should focus on using automotive retail software to establish a solid presence online. Information should be shared between online and in-person channels. The software makes it convenient for customers to engage with online resources and then visit a dealership. An omni-channel sales strategy is the need of the hour. Dealerships are an essential part of the online sales journey, because customers will still visit the facility after starting the purchase process. Using automotive retail software makes the transition from online to in-person, smooth and simple.

2. Network contractions and remote operations

Did you know network contractions were underway before Covid-19? For instance, Honda was working on plans to cut down on its 100+ dealerships in Australia due to low profitability. Even though Ford has the biggest dealership network in the UK and boasts of over 400 showrooms, it is looking to reduce the number in half by 2025. Many networks shut down completely during the pandemic, while others transitioned to remote operations. But managing employees remotely, while maintaining quality control is a huge hurdle for automotive retail.

An automotive retail software can help to assess the performance of each dealership. It is crucial for determining if the facility should be maintained or shut down. There are various data points to consider, like number of cars being sold at the dealership each year, along with losses. However, it isn’t as simple as looking at the sales total for each dealership. For example, one facility might critically contribute to a sale, but it ends up being closed online or at another dealership.

An automotive retail software can provide the necessary data and insight that makes these decisions easier. It can help with remote employee management too. For instance, integrating KPI tracking and communication tools within business intelligence, is being implemented everywhere. The right tools make the process seamless and hassle-free.

3. Technology and rights of ownership

Car dealers are racing to catch up to car-sharing and autonomous vehicle revolutions. Till now, they aren’t sure how it will impact their businesses. Few experts predict retail vehicle sales might drop further, while others have more optimistic views. It is all about reinventing businesses in order to discover new opportunities and revenue streams.

These factors need to be taken into account:

• Utilization rate of shared vehicles is high, so their replacement frequency is more too, which means extra business for dealerships.
• A majority of customers want to own and drive vehicles themselves. Many aren’t keen on shared-mobility rides even if they are free.
• There has been a significant increase in number of cars per household.

Dealerships have to accept the changes in the automotive industry and invest time to understand what customers prefer and need. If you notice that consumers are gradually shifting to self-driving cars, and steering away from traditional car manufacturers, you have to embrace the trend. The software is equipped with business intelligence tools to understand customer behavior analytics. This data can then be leveraged to give you a single view of the customer. The dealership can then create compelling offers exclusively based on their requirements, during the sale and ownership cycle. It helps provide a transformational experience, which includes innovative financing options and hassle-free drop-off/pick-up services.

Any business is bound to face challenges at the end of the day. The automotive industry has its own share of troubles with problems like environmental pressure, CO2 emissions, safety issues that lead to recalls, and vehicle weight reduction. Technology like an advanced automotive retail software is a must now, so businesses can understand customers better, make operations more streamlined, enhance efficiency, and boost performance.

If your dealership is looking for automotive CRM take a look at Modera Salesfront or if you are looking for ways to start or expand your dealership online presence, Modera Ecommerce is perfect for you!

_____________________
Cover image Pexels

The post Can Automotive Retail Software be a One-Stop Solution for Problems Faced by Dealerships? appeared first on Modera.