In so many areas of business and commerce, the world has evolved and become a lot more digitally minded. In many ways, it certainly seemed like car-buying was an area that resisted these trends. However, this has obviously had to change since the events of 2020. So, let’s take a closer look at how car dealerships have evolved.
Digital Experience
In the physical world of car selling, the focus was very much on ensuring that the customers had a great in-person experience. This meant getting the lights and visuals right, serving up coffee and snacks, and treating customers well from a sales perspective. However, this has now changed to a digital service. This means still having the customer support available, but in a digital arena instead. It also means utilizing services like SnapCell that allow people to check out cars in detail before they make a purchase. With the increasing development of virtual reality software, it is more and more likely that people will even be able to take test drives from home. Savvy car dealerships have one eye always on how they can improve the digital experience of their customers at all times.
Solo Test Drives
Speaking of test drives, the pandemic rule changes meant that car salespeople could no longer ride in the passenger seat alongside their customers. This led to the rise of solo test drives, which obviously requires an awful lot more trust. Ultimately, car dealerships have to work out ways that they can make this both a safe and enjoyable experience. Obviously, this means driving the car thoroughly before each new customer gets inside. It may also mean using tech to track the car progress and ensuring that it stays on a clearly defined route at all times.
Changes in Showrooms
The fact that fewer people are visiting in person means that it is no longer as necessary to pack car showrooms with stock. This can certainly make a big difference from a financial perspective and having a car showroom in a highly visual location may no longer be as necessary as it once was. At the same time, you still want to try and get the balance right and not ditch your showroom altogether too early.
Reduced Selling Pressure
The world of car buying was stereotypically all about pushy salespeople who did not have the best reputations in the world. However, it may be the case that we are now moving to a soft sales approach in which people do not feel as pressurized as they did once upon a time. Instead, they are convinced to buy a car based on how well it is presented to them from a fully digital perspective.
Car dealerships have had to evolve like many other industries, and these are just a few of the ways in which this has taken place. If you run this type of business yourself, now may be the time to make the necessary changes as well.
