In this automotive website builder case study, we’ll have a look at how AS United Motors managed to ensure a strong online presence, whilst improving their stock management, trade-in processes, and much more by launching a new, multi-branded website. 

Quick facts

Client? AS United Motors

What they do? Sales of BMW, Peugeot, Maxus, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, and maintenance services for Rolls Royce.

Where? Estonia

Range? 3 dealerships: one in Tallinn, one in Peetri, and one in Kohtla-Järve.

Banking on experience

When AS United Motors decided it was time to revamp their website, choosing a partner to deliver their vision was a no-brainer. Having worked with Modera Software in the past, the company knew they could trust Modera with developing a website that would not only provide a great user experience, but also help the staff work more efficiently. 

While discussions regarding the new website were still ongoing, United Motors was already enjoying the fruits of implementing Modera’s Salesfront product a few years back. The company has benefited greatly from the innovative system, as it has helped them with lead management, resulting in less lost leads and improved sales. They’ve also taken their trade-in processes to the next level with the help of Modera’s trade-in app, which has allowed the team to easily give customers a precise and market-based value estimation for every vehicle. On top of that, since introducing Salesfront to their dealership, both new and used car sales have become a lot less time- and paperwork-consuming. United Motors has also been able to publish their stock on classified portals.

With that said, based on their previous experience, United Motors knew they were in safe hands when trusting Modera with the development of their new website.

Preparing for launch

Partially owned by the Swedish company Förenade Bil, AS United Motors has always been driven by innovation. So when it came to upgrading their website, the company’s objective was to make sure it satisfied the high expectations of modern customers, while simultaneously making various day-to-day processes at the dealership easier and more time-efficient. 

When Modera Software started building the new website for United Motors, they kept those goals in mind. After months of brainstorming, reviewing, developing, and tweaking, www.unitedmotors.ee was ready to launch.

The new, multi-branded website includes a full, real-time overview of both new and used car stock, making it easy for the staff to check which vehicles are available at any given time. By integrating a new Dealer Management System (DMS), service bookings can now conveniently be done online without any hassle or wasting time sitting on the phone. 

The new website also includes a trade-in widget, which allows to make the entire trade-in process much faster, more transparent and precise for both the customer as well as the sales staff. On top of that, with the help of the DMS integration, it is easy to make online inquiries for parts whenever necessary. 

Smooth ride from hereon 

Since launching their new website, AS United Motors now has their online and offline car buying journeys covered by Modera’s innovative solutions. Delivering a smooth and enjoyable car purchase experience for their customers both on- and offline, has helped United Motors to strengthen their online presence, whilst ensuring maximum efficiency of their dealership processes as well as staff. 

Keeping in line with industry best practices, implementing Modera’s IT systems has allowed the introduction of new capabilities and features, thus keeping United Motors at the forefront of technological advances in the automotive industry. The partnership demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a competitive edge and providing a modern, customer-centric experience. 

However, according to United Motors, they’re far from being done. “By partnering with Modera, we’ve set out to create new solutions to deliver the very best customer experience. Our innovative ideas need new IT applications. Based on our experience, we can trust Modera to bring these ideas to life.”

Main solutions implemented

As mentioned, United Motors has implemented several Modera’s solutions. Webfront has provided them with a beautiful, user-friendly and easily managed website, whilst, among other benefits,  Salesfront allows them to manage stock centrally and ensure an accurate, real-time overview of the inventory for all their dealerships. Both solutions have helped United Motors to increase their efficiency and productivity, while providing top-notch service for their customers.

The post United Motors — Switching Gears with a New, Multi-Brand Website appeared first on Modera.

The aftermath of the pandemic combined with the longstanding vehicle distribution inefficiencies was the perfect storm for the lowest slump in new vehicle sales in years. But these inefficiencies have always existed beneath the surface, the crisis simply thrust them into plain view.

Historically, the process of distributing vehicles from manufacturers to dealers and eventually customers has involved massive amounts of manual paperwork, which has been quite inefficient. However, the industry has now entered a new digital era of vehicle distribution. Attitudes are shifting within the sector. The technology promises more efficient distribution through improved organization, communication, and real-time tracking. This revolution makes managing vehicle supply chains easier than ever while increasing transparency for dealers and consumers.

Vehicle Distribution Has Been Lagging in Tech Adoption

The automotive industry has been facing a significant supply chain disruption for some time now. The combination of production delays and capacity constraints has led to a shortage of vehicles. What is more, the finished vehicle logistics sector has been under heavy criticism for quite some time now for lagging in adopting technologies that provide data accuracy and better process visibility. Functions like ordering inventory, tracking railcar shipments, and managing compliance documents still involve endless spreadsheets, printed forms, physical document mailing, and frequent phone calls.

With that kind of an approach, communication has to flow between factories, logistics providers, dealers, and beyond largely on paper. Unfortunately, this creates opportunities for details and vehicles to fall through the cracks. 

At the same time, supply chain visibility is low for dealers trying to manage growing businesses. For example, dealer inventory in the US is currently around over a million units, which is equivalent to a 25-day supply. This translates to a 70% decline from pre-pandemic levels.

What this has done is push some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as BMW and Ford to adopt a build-to-order model. All of the above, has increased the pressure on the sector to seek technological solutions for tasks such as vehicle inspection and yard management.

Digitization of OEMs

Now, digitization, as part of the disruption in the automotive industry, has streamlined these critical distribution activities for enhanced organization and efficiency. It promises the potential to remove human error.

Cloud-based transportation management systems (TMS) give complete real-time views of shipments via user-friendly dashboards. Order status, vehicle locations, and ETA updates are available instantly rather than playing “phone tag.” Digital document storage and automated workflows smooth processes like title work and registration compliance.

For dealers and customers, digitization translates to more reliable and transparent experiences. Meanwhile, precise inventory tracking means fewer vehicles get lost and delivery delays are minimized.

Benefits To the Entire Automotive Industry

As digital vehicle logistics innovation is in full force with importer and OEM specific automotive software being developed, the entire automotive ecosystem benefits. New solutions exemplify how technology can facilitate collaboration between factories, transporters, dealerships, and motorists for optimized outcomes.

While adapting to new systems involves a learning curve, digitization ultimately drives positive transformations in productivity, automation, and consumer satisfaction. What is even more important to the adoption of these new technologies is that they fit like a glove into your existing manufacturing and distribution environment. Systems like Modera’s tie into the existing structures, which reduces the learning curve and implementation time.

Where’s Waldo? Searches are ending as digitization launches vehicle logistics into the modern age. Ultimately these systems allow more focus on moving metal rather than chasing documents. The industry appears geared for growth thanks to shedding antiquated processes at last. The future has arrived, and it’s driven by data.

The post Welcoming the New, Digitized Era of Vehicle Distribution 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.

Created with Automotive in Mind

Looking to simplify the entire car sales process from start to finish, Modera has developed a system specifically meant for the automotive industry to make the mundane task of drafting offers as fast, easy and accurate as possible. The innovative approach connects all relevant information from various different channels into one unified system, whilst taking into consideration each important detail and aspect of the offer. 

Being the first module developed for the expansive system, Modera made sure the offer module served its purpose of making the process of creating offers as simple and fast as possible. The offers created with the help of Modera are extremely informative and detailed. They include a trade-in section, information about both the standard and all additional equipment, finance simulation, insurance information, technical data etc. Without the support of an all-inclusive system like Modera’s, most salespeople would simply omit most of the aforementioned information, as putting all of it together would be way too complicated and time-consuming. With Modera, all relevant information will be gathered straight from the system and drafted into one informative and easy-to-follow offer. 

Since putting an offer together this way takes barely any time, salespeople will be able to send out a lot more offers, which, in turn, will undoubtedly help increase both sales and conversions at the dealership. 

Personalized and Detailed Offers in no Time

Modera helps to make putting together an offer as easy as possible for the salesperson – choose the right car, select the client, et voilà – the offer has been created in the system. What sets this system apart from others, is also the fact that you can upload relevant images. This makes it easy to showcase the configured car to the customer exactly the way the end product would look. You can make an offer on a car that’s already available in stock or select the right one from the price list. In case a specific car is currently not in stock, the system will recommend a similar alternative (e.g. in a different color) that is available, so if the client wants to get their new set of wheels as soon as possible, they can go for the second option and not have to wait for the car to arrive from the factory. 

The process starts off with choosing the preferred brand and model from the system. Then, it’s time to start configuring a specific offer – pick the right colors for both the exterior and interior, add additional equipment, etc. Modera saves you from the tedious task of going through endless Excel files to see which parts have to go together. The system will show you all the parts that are connected to each other, so when choosing additional equipment you’ll know straight away all of the parts have to be selected. This way, all of the extras will come as a set and you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything. 

In case a client wants to swap their existing vehicle, you can add a trade-in section to the offer, letting the client know the exact amount they could get for their current vehicle. There’s also a financial simulator included in the system, making it easy to calculate the monthly fee the client would have to pay for financing. As insurance plays a big part in any car purchase process, Modera has made it quick and easy for salespeople to add an insurance offer as well. Just fill in your customer’s information and you’ll get an insurance offer right away. This saves the sales staff a lot of valuable time, as they don’t have to wait hours or even days to get an offer from an insurance provider. 

Easy Sending and Saving

Once the final offer has been put together, it can easily be sent to the client via email straight from the system. You can add additional notes and remarks before hitting “send”. The offers can be customized to fit your brand. You can add your logo, information about any ongoing deals and promotions etc.

All of the offers are saved and stored in the system, so it’s easy to access the entire offer history at any time. On top of that, the system will automatically create follow-up reminders, so sales people will know when to contact the customers to make sure they’re happy with everything. Once the customer has accepted the offer, the final contract will be drafted accordingly. 

Using Modera’s easy-to-use system to put together and send out offers will help you save valuable time for your dealership. And since the process is much faster compared to alternative ways, your salespeople will be able to send out a lot more offers every day, and thus increase your sales and revenue. 

The post How to Save Time and Avoid Errors When Drafting Offers? appeared first on Modera.

In our quest to make car sales simpler, faster and more convenient for all parties involved, Modera has eliminated unnecessary paperwork and redundant trips to the dealership by including the option of digital signing in the sales process. Not only does digital signing significantly help reduce the time customers spend on visiting dealerships only to sign contracts, but it’s also a huge step in making the entire process more sustainable by reducing excessive paperwork and carbon emissions related to closing a single sale. 

This time we’re taking a look at how you can incorporate digital signing to your sales process, what kind of e-signing options you can make use of, and how you can speed up and simplify car sales for your business.

Embracing digital

Although these past few years have pushed most industries to embrace the world of digital and consider their part in helping our planet, there are still some simple steps a lot of companies have not taken to reduce their carbon footprint. One of which comes in the form of a digital signature.

Modera Software provides all of its clients with the possibility to use digital signing when it comes to any kind of contracts related to the car sales process. Although digital signing is far from being considered a novelty in many digitally advanced countries, it is still a somewhat foreign concept in many markets. What is more, the entire automotive sector still has a long way to go and a lot to learn when it comes to digital signing. 

Making sales more sustainable

With our software, you give your customers the option to ditch unnecessary commutes to the dealership or showroom only to sign one of the many contracts involved in car sales. Modera allows various options for customers to sign contracts digitally without having to leave the comfort of their home. You can send all necessary paperwork and information to our customers via email and they can send it back once they’ve added their e-signature. 

Nowadays, there’s a number of options to sign documents digitally. Our customers can use Mobile-ID or Smart-ID to add their signature, or make use of one of the many digital signing platforms that allow users to add their signature on the dotted line.

When customers come to take a test drive, they can add their signature on all relevant documents simply by using their finger or a special digital pen on the screen of a tablet. This eliminates the need for your salespeople to print out all necessary paperwork and reduces the risk of losing contracts under a pile of physical papers. When it comes to our template-based contracts we’ve discussed previously, you can download the pre-filled contracts from the system and send them to your customers via email for signing. 

In summary

Implementing digital signing to your sales process will make the entire process a much faster, smoother and more enjoyable process for both you and your customers. Not to mention the significant decrease of carbon emissions and paper waste related to a single car purchase. If you want to make your car sales simpler and more environmentally friendly, give Modera software a go. 

The post Saving Time and the Environment with Digital Signing appeared first on Modera.

Modera Ltd was created with the intention to simplify the extremely complicated car sales process for both the dealer side as well as for the customer. Since the spark of the idea of turning automotive processes digital back in 2009 and introducing our Digital Sales Platform in 2014, the world has truly gone through a digital transformation pushing us to develop our solutions further. We are constantly striving to update and upgrade our services to deliver a seamless and enjoyable experience for both parties of a vehicle purchase process. 

On top of ensuring a better and more reliable customer experience, the past decade has seen the entire automotive industry take a green turn and come up with more sustainable and eco-friendly solutions. We, at Modera, take our commitment to sustainability very seriously and are driven by the goal of helping our clients reduce their carbon footprint, whilst making the entire industry more environmentally friendly. 

This time we’re looking at one of the easiest options Modera is offering its clients to make the entire car sales process faster, easier and more reliable for both parties, whilst setting the printer to the side and opting for a more sustainable approach.

Saving time with template-based contracts

When it comes to selling cars, it’s no secret there tends to be more paperwork involved than anyone could care to count. From presenting documents related to test drives to sending offers with payment options and insurance details – you could probably pull together an average book-worth of contracts just from selling a single car. However, a car sales process doesn’t actually have to include hours upon hours of tedious paperwork, trying to draft every single contract as though it needs to be a handcrafted and highly original DIY project. With Modera’s template-based contacts, clients can save valuable time, whilst significantly reducing the risk of any human errors and discrepancies resulting in the loss of customers’ trust.

Make your selection

Knowing that a car sales process includes a lot of staple contracts from initial offers to upsell etc., Modera offers a wide range of fully customizable template-based contracts that you can share with your customers without spending countless hours on pulling them together and going through endless complex systems and Excel sheets trying to make sure no mistakes have slipped in. Our clients have incorporated anywhere from four of their most basic contracts to 20 easy-to-use contract templates to their sales processes, allowing them to reduce the time it takes to pull together offers, handover and delivery documents etc.

Realizing your vision

As mentioned, Modera’s document templates are fully customizable. This means you can share all the information you want to include in a specific contract with us, and we will create a template which you can use for years to come. You can opt for a simple email giving your customers the most basic must-know information, or use each point of contact as an opportunity to increase your sales and customer retention. Why not showcase some accessories your customers might want to add to their vehicle, include helpful information about insurance options or details on your upcoming sales campaign? By using templates, you can ensure your sales team won’t forget to add important details and everything you’d like to communicate to your customers is shared in each communicational piece.

Reducing the risk for errors

On top of being able to rest assured all campaign, promotion and upsell information is included, one of the most important aspects of using our template-based contracts is the fact that you don’t have to worry about human errors. Once the templates are in our system, each template gets filled automatically, pulling all the necessary information from the system and thus ensuring there’s no room left for errors. As contract templates get filled in via the information available in the system, you don’t have to worry about any discrepancies in the information communicated to your customers. Another great part of these contracts is the fact that all contracts are saved in the system, allowing you to check the information you’ve sent to a specific customer at any point in time and follow up on the contractual history you have with them.

What is more, using template-based contracts allows you to make sure all of your documents and communications are professional and follow your brand guidelines and tone of voice. You can add logos, use your desired formats and much more. This will help ensure all of your contracts represent your company in the best and most professional way. And since all of your contract templates are easily available in our system, you can scrap the unnecessary paperwork, do your part for the environment by ditching that printer, and send contracts to your customers’ emails straight from the system. 

In conclusion

By opting for Modera’s template-based contracts, you are ensuring that your customers get to experience a truly seamless and enjoyable purchase process. In turn, you will increase your customer retention and brand recognition.

On top of that, your salespeople will save valuable time by using template-based contracts and won’t have to worry about any errors finding their way into any important documents. 

If you want to stay ahead of the game and make sure that your team, customers and environment are happy, it’s time to embrace digital.

The post How Modera Is Simplifying Car Sales with Template-Based Contracts appeared first on Modera.