In every area of retail, consumer expectations are rising all the time, and the automotive sector is no exception. However people choose to shop and whatever they want to buy, they want the process to be quicker, easier, and more convenient than ever before.

This means that customer experience and quality of service are now much more highly valued by customers than they were previously. As a result, retailers are having to differentiate themselves in the service they offer, as well as in product and price. This has led to what has been called the ‘Uberisation’ of services, where customer experience is key.

In this blog, we’ll explore what this trend means from the perspective of the automotive sector. In particular, we’ll highlight three strategies you can use, in conjunction with a sales and lead management platform, to improve your customer experiences and ultimately boost both revenue and customer retention.

Respond to customers faster

If a customer gets in touch with your dealership to enquire about one of your vehicles, they expect you to get back to them quickly - even if that means receiving a response outside of conventional working hours.

Recent CitNOW Group research has found that 83% of customers expect a response to an initial enquiry the same day, and 24% go as far as wanting a response within half an hour. This may not always be practical for a sales team to adhere to, especially if enquiries are received at unsocial hours. And this is where a good sales and lead management platform can help, by sending automated responses often within five minutes of an enquiry being received, including real-time alerts sent to staff by email and/or push notifications.

Dealerweb React and Showroom can also help ensure that every customer gets the timely response they expect, even when high volumes of enquiries are being received. It can automatically collect and process every lead that’s captured, reducing the risk of leads slipping through the net to zero. Our consumer data has found that this can boost digital conversion rates by up to 7%.

Make it easy for everyone

All customers want a quick response, but they differ significantly in the points of contact they prefer: phonecall, email, web form or even through social media.

In any case, customers want to connect with sales staff through their first choice of channel, and get responses in kind. CitNOW Group research has found that three-quarters of customers expect an enquiry response through the same channel they used to submit their enquiry. Sales and lead management helps here by keeping detailed records of each lead, and the means of contact they’ve used, so that sales executives can use the right channel to get back to them, every time.

Customers also want to feel confident that they can easily access all the information they need, and can contact the right people to answer any questions that they might have. In a recent consumer survey, 42% said they value good customer service above anything else when buying a car, which means a workforce skilled in customer communications is vital.

Customer management helps in this regard through the recording and storing of phone conversations for training purposes, and the ability to personalise communications through innovations like integrated videos. It can also help bring lead capture and management processes together, so that the sales process can be managed from enquiry through to video-based engagement, all in one place.

Take a proactive approach

Customer demands and expectations will continue to change in the future, influenced by both industry and wider lifestyle trends. It’s the retailers who can respond to these changes the fastest that will be best-placed to maximise their sales and revenue potential.

In order to get there before your competitors, using technology to be more proactive in supporting customers can make a significant difference. For example, you could suggest suitable models that customers may be interested in before they even ask, stimulating their interest and standing out from the competition.

There are many technologies that can help with this: recent CitNOW Group research has highlighted that the three most valuable tools for dealerships are dealer management systems, video communications and lead management. But they aren’t just important on their own: they need to be able to integrate with each other so sales contact and customer journeys can be better coordinated.

For example, a good sales and lead management platform should be able to integrate with personalised video technology, such as CitNOW Sales, to maximise sales opportunities. At a time when almost 30% of dealerships say that delivering a seamless customer experience is the biggest challenge they’re facing, this platform can make a real difference to their success.

In summary

At a time of fast-changing consumer behaviours, and a highly competitive automotive marketplace, dealerships like yours must leave no stone unturned in responding to customer expectations. Advances in technology are a vital part of making this possible, and giving customers a retail journey that’s quicker, simpler and more personalised. A sales and lead management platform, rich in integration opportunities throughout the buying journey, should sit at the core of this strategy.

Dealerweb is the perfect platform to help you deliver the experiences your customers are looking for. Explore our technology and integration options in more detail here or contact us today.