Steven Walker

Bring Modern Convenience to the Showroom Floor

gaillardc — Thu, 09 May 2024 20:23:29 +0000

Bring Modern Convenience to the Showroom Floor gaillardc Thu, 05/09/2024 - 15:23

In our technology-driven world, we’ve taken modern convenience to a whole-new level. Consumers expect to order what they need online and have it delivered at warp speed. The expectation of convenience carries over to car shopping. Consumers expect to do more steps online and spend minimal time in the dealership. While it used to be that modern retail capabilities online and in store were a competitive advantage, now they’re a must to earn business and maintain your dealership’s profitability.

Convenience to Customers

Time is a valuable commodity, and all customers want a faster car-buying experience. Yet, the automotive industry lags other industries when it comes to meeting this demand. For example, many dealers implement digital retail tools on their websites but view the work a customer does online as a lead instead of a sale in progress. This lead perspective forces consumers to repeat steps in the showroom that they’ve already completed online, lengthening the process and sparking frustration.

Today’s consumers want better options. As inventories rise, the experience at the dealership is fluctuating. In the most recent CDK Ease of Purchase Scorecard, 29% of buyers spent more time than they expected at the dealership, up from 26% the month before.

Anything that makes the process easier for consumers just makes good business sense for dealers. That’s why leading dealers are bringing modern convenience to the showroom floor by having salespeople use the same digital retail platform in store that customers use at home.

Salespeople use a tablet to pull up the work a customer has done online and then work side by side to build a first pencil (with dealership-set guardrails). This is a streamlined approach that also builds collaboration as the customer feels the salesperson is working with them to find the best deal.

This approach can also help improve the vehicle delivery experience. Deals flow automatically to the desking platform and F&I without having to re-key information, speeding deal finalization.

Convenience for Your Dealership

Consumers aren’t the only ones to benefit from more modern shopping tools in the showroom. Above and beyond the benefits that come with giving consumers the experience they expect, salespeople benefit by being able to work faster and smarter, and close more deals in less time.

According to the 2022 NADA Academy Study, unit sales per salesperson jump from 10.8 to 16 when they use a digital retail tool all the way through the showroom. This is due to being able to work multiple deals at one time and to honoring the work customers do at home to limit inefficiencies and pave the way for faster in-store experiences.

An Efficient Showroom Workflow

As your dealership looks for ways to go the extra mile for customers, it means leveraging technology solutions to make the buying process fast, easy and customer-friendly. Speedier deals through modern conveniences in the showroom floor will become an expected part of your business in the minds of consumers and a key part of your dealership’s profitability.

Bringing convenience to your showroom doesn’t have to be a major undertaking. It can be as simple as equipping a top salesperson with a tablet loaded with a digital retail tool. That’s a safe starting point to work out any kinks before rolling it out to the rest of the Sales team.

If you update your showroom processes, you can offer a modern experience and take full advantage of the many benefits (to your dealership and consumers) that a seamless online-to-in-store digital shopping solution affords.

Steven Walker

Product/Topics

Front Office

The Evolution of Automotive E-Commerce and Digital Retail

gaillardc — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 21:15:31 +0000

The Evolution of Automotive E-Commerce and Digital Retail gaillardc Thu, 06/22/2023 - 16:15

The automotive industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years with the widespread adoption of digital retail. This technology has modernized automotive retail, enabling consumers to browse, compare, purchase, or finalize their vehicle purchase in the dealership and online.

One of the primary drivers of digital retail growth in the automotive industry is convenience. With the increasing popularity of e-commerce, consumers have come to expect the ease of purchasing nearly anything online. This trend has extended to the automotive industry, with auto and parts sales making up 4.8% of online retail in the U.S. in 2021. A year later, one marked by massive supply chain shortages, auto and parts sales experienced a 30.1% year-over-year spike according to e-marketer. This sped up the adoption of digital retail in the automotive industry and a slowdown doesn’t appear imminent.

Deloitte Study Shows 48% of Consumers Prefer an Authorized Dealer

Even with the growing popularity of digital retail in the automotive industry, many consumers are hesitating to buy a car entirely online. Dealerships have long been the primary source of vehicles for consumers, and many of them feel more comfortable purchasing from a physical location where they can see the vehicle and speak to someone who can answer questions and help them directly.

The Auto Industry Has Seen a Significant Shift in Recent Years

Online marketplaces provide several benefits to consumers, including the ability to browse and buy vehicles from home. They can compare prices, estimate payments, and explore features across multiple brands and models. Additionally, many online marketplaces offer home delivery of a purchased vehicle, which further adds to the convenience of the online purchase.

Lack of Trust Remains a Key Issue Despite Popularity

Just 44% of car owners report trusting online automotive retailers only somewhat, with 15% claiming to trust them very much (CarMax study, 2022). One of the primary concerns for consumers is the inability to physically inspect the vehicle before making a purchase. Consumers are also concerned about the accuracy of online vehicle descriptions and the potential for fraudulent activity.

Dealers Have Developed Strategies to Build Trust

The most effective stores have adopted fully integrated omnichannel retail processes between their website, showroom and financing. Many retailers also offer virtual vehicle tours so consumers can inspect the vehicle in detail from their home or device. A transparent online experience allows the consumer to complete the same deal in-store without repeating any steps, builds trust with shoppers, and increases their overall satisfaction.

Digital Retail Has Been a Game-Changer

Digital retail offers consumers the convenience of browsing and purchasing vehicles online, while retailers benefit from increased efficiency and lower overhead costs. However, despite the rapid growth of digital retail, many consumers still prefer to buy their vehicles through a dealer. To continue driving growth in the digital retail space, automotive retailers need to build trust with consumers through a seamless online-platform-to-showroom purchasing experience that meets the needs and expectations of today's digital-savvy consumers.

CDK Roadster: The Only Complete Digital Sales Platform

This seamless omnichannel platform comes with everything dealers need to transact online and in the showroom. CDK Roadster is compatible with dealers’ preferred Customer Relationship Management systems (CRMs), lending solutions, website providers and more.

If you have questions or want a free demonstration, contact us to talk with an industry expert.

Steven Walker

With 2X the Consumer Engagement, CDK Roadster Keeps the Excitement Going

ScottCarlson — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:49:55 +0000

With 2X the Consumer Engagement, CDK Roadster Keeps the Excitement Going ScottCarlson Wed, 04/05/2023 - 10:49

The key to success in today’s world of automotive retail is rooted in the ability to provide consumers with an efficient and personalized buying experience. Do that, and you keep them engaged. Don't, and they could make their purchase somewhere else.

Engaging By Design

To engage consumers, dealers need to anticipate what consumers want from their buying experience — and deliver it at every step of the process. And research shows that while consumers want to complete some of the purchasing process online, they also still want to go into the dealership: According to a recent CDK Global shopper study, 93% of consumers visit a dealership at some point in the buying process. When they move from online to dealership, they want the experience to be seamless, with none of the frustration of information being lost along the way.

Engagement also means not being left alone while their salesperson goes in search of answers. Consumers left alone three or more times reported a drop in satisfaction of 30%. That's why dealers are moving to CDK Roadster.

Two Ways to Improve Sales

One essential takeaway from the above studies is that the customer's information must follow them without fail. The CDK Roadster digital sales platform meets customers where they are — online, in store, and back again. Their information is always along for the ride, to help you deliver a personalized experience at every turn.

Equally important is providing a buying experience that moves at the customer's pace without delay. Roadster, as the industry's only complete omnichannel solution, stands alone in reducing the redundancies that lead to long wait times.

Results Everyone Will Appreciate

What happens when you give customers what they want? Research shows that dealers using Roadster double their level of consumer engagement compared with the industry average: they report an average NPS of +85, more than twice the automotive industry average of +39. They even see engagement continue after the order for a new car is received.

The Good News Keeps Coming

Any time a consumer is excited about the process — from the minute they start looking at cars to that moment they drive their new purchase off the lot — is a great day for everyone.

You know what else is exciting? With Roadster, dealers can fully control the pricing in their digital showroom to avoid any pricing surprises, as well as market in-transit and built-to-order vehicles. So, even when inventory supply is low, demand doesn’t have to be.

Learn how CDK Roadster can help you keep the excitement going. If you have questions, or would like a free demo, give us a call today.

Steven Walker

Consumer Relationships Feel the Excitement of CDK Roadster

ScottCarlson — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 16:28:07 +0000

Consumer Relationships Feel the Excitement of CDK Roadster ScottCarlson Sun, 03/19/2023 - 11:28

Over the past decade, retailers from every industry have undergone an end-to-end digital transformation, providing simplicity, convenience and frictionless shopping experiences. Consumers have only grown in their love of digital shopping. And automotive dealers who follow this trend and embrace online interactions are now reaping the benefits.

The rite of passage moves online

Cars are still the second largest purchase people make, but some of this rite of passage is happening online. According to a survey performed by CarMax, 49% of customers have stated that they would be comfortable buying from a direct-to-consumer model, and 44% are open to buying online and picking up at the dealership. The dealers who make it easy for them are the ones who become most desirable.

Today’s Customers Are Courted Through Technology

One example of a brand that's doing it right is Apple and its tightly controlled customer experience. Every time a customer interacts with an Apple device or its software, they’re interacting with a meticulously devised, thoughtful, unified experience.

The same can be said for dealerships that meet their customers online using CDK Roadster. The numbers back it up: Dealers who use CDK Roadster report twice as much online engagement as the industry average.

Whether it’s through marketing websites, manufacturer applications or the in-store dealership experience, it’s imperative that dealers work seamlessly across all touchpoints and excel in their delivery. This omnichannel approach is quickly becoming the only way to ensure a memorable customer experience and turn a customer into a loyal partner.

Happiness Is Spending Quality Time Together

Another important part of relationship-building is time. Gen Z, which will represent 27% of the workforce by 2025, wants a balance: while their biggest qualm is time spent in the dealership, only 19% want to get through the car purchase quickly. 81% state that they want to take their time to understand their options during a purchase.

This is reflected by consumers overall, who like shopping side by side with their salesperson when they come into the dealership. What they don’t like is being left alone. Every time an agent leaves a customer alone, satisfaction declines.

CDK Roadster Keeps the Romance Alive

As the industry’s only complete digital platform, Roadster gives consumers the freedom to take care of a lot of the details online, which reduces their time left alone at the dealership. That’s because Roadster comes with everything you need to connect online as well as in the showroom — creating a seamless, omnichannel relationship. A relationship that makes the experience much more exciting.

Through it all, customers begin to build a connection with both the brand and the dealership from the beginning. When dealership staff greets the customer and resumes the customer-initiated deal wherever it left off, whether on the web or in the showroom, the connection gets stronger and deals progress quicker. The experience becomes focused on the customer and their questions instead of on potentially draining negotiations.

This online transparency translates to increased trust, greater customer satisfaction and higher sales. What’s not to love about that?

Click here to learn more about how CDK Roadster can enhance your dealership’s buying and selling experience.

Steven Walker