Top questions & answers from this webinar
Q: What are some of the things that you think consumers miss that they can actually ask for during the car buying experience?
Answer: Dave: Well, I think there is too much of information during the car buying experience. There is so much to learn about the features available for a vehicle if you don't have one picked out yet. There's too much financial information that people never care if they do apply for loans more than they ever have to. There's usually a part of the experience, where there are dealers trying to sell you their extra services or a little more insurance, like wheels and tires and things like that. I think when the dealers hand over the keys and walks you through the vehicle, they should really condense the six or 10 features that you absolutely need to know. One of the dealers I know conducts Saturday classes for some of the features of the vehicle.
Ken: I love the idea of having a sort of core feature classes. It also ingrains loyalty as it brings people back together. On the flip side, you're talking too much of data.
Q: What's one thing you would like to either keep or get rid of the process as we emerge to the normal?
Answer: Dave: The timeliness of the service and the timeliness of the whole sales process is paramount to the customer. Some of it can't be tied down like the financial part with with loans and so forth, as they do require some handshakes between the dealerships, the customers and the banks, but the rest of it should be, in my opinion, a little more efficient than it is so. If I was to change one thing that's to listen to the customer if you're going to ask them a question. Be cognizant that you should be responding to the feedback with a countermeasure of some kind, and it doesn't matter if it's a product or process.
Q: what are the one or two things that you see that have changed that will probably never go back?
Answer: Dave: This industry historically has moved slowly and been resistant to change so. That includes both the OEM and customers, so there will always be an alignment for dealerships to continue. They have proven processes for sales and services and there will always be customers who wants to touch and feel products and look someone in the eye. I came to a large degree it's not going to change too much, but I do think there's a good portion of the general public, where car buying experience will change forever. I think even the traditional automotive companies will create a path of catering to that customer who just simply doesn't want to be there. For many it's a stressful and uncomfortable situation and they would rather avoid it so that customer will choose a vehicle online, feel comfortable enough to have it delivered and pass all the paperwork electronically. Many dealers are likely to continue to retrieve and drop off vehicles, and many of the premium brands already do that. So perhaps dealerships will take the opportunity and reduce the floor space as well and save on that expensive real estate.