Opening with a Boom

Automotive and Covid-19

With global business disruption happening and the Covid-19 virus continuing to loom ahead with uncertainty, most businesses are affected in many different industries, including automotive. With companies getting a plan together to handle the business situation, many have turned to a live engagement solution to help the business keep running and assist the customers online. Let’s have a look to see why live engagement solutions are beneficial and frankly imperative to conducting business in 2020 and beyond.

ChatBOT & Agent

As customers are browsing automotive websites doing their research, narrowing down their choice of OEM, sedan, or SUV and models that suit them, best they interact with a ChatBOT or live agent. This helps the customer with getting either a simple answer from the chatBOT or an in-depth answer from the agent. The chatBOT could also escalate to the agent to have the enquiry looked into further. With the current lockdown in place until further notice, customers are using their devices such as laptops or smartphones to browse the websites and do some research or shopping on what might be their dream vehicle. With the agent available to assist the customer at any point in their online journey,  the customer receives all the help they need and when they need it. The chatBOT or agent can help arrange a test drive at the dealership or curbside. Essentially the customer can be digitally hand-held providing a V.I.P level of online experience, similar to what you would do in the brick and mortar dealership. With customers still working from home on their 9-5 shift, they can still connect with an agent with the out of hours support they can offer, meaning after their busy day, they can put their feet up and browse some vehicles. This is also all very beneficial when the dealerships are open and back to normal, as the customer may not have time to visit the dealership itself, allowing for shopping and configuration from anywhere and at any time. 

Is Video Call Prime

When seeing an agent on video, the customer will get the experience of how it would be just like going into a dealership to speak to the specialists. The video call allows the agent to build trust and makes it far likelier to have an open conversation with the customer. For these reasons, it is why video calls have significantly higher conversion rates than text chat or chatBOT only engagement. Video chat brings a friendlier experience with the ability for the agent and customer to both turning their camera on to get a full face to face conversation – again as you would within a dealership directly. Live engagement solutions also have the option of ‘Online Showroom’ – where the agent within the showroom can give a tour around the car without the customer having to step into the dealership physically.

Back open with a boom!

With everyone being mobile and attached to the internet, browsing automotive websites during this period of the lockdown makes sense. We are all enamoured with our cars. With dealerships opening back up, some level of restrictions still in place and the industry trend indicating shoppers spend 30 days in the market, you as a dealer need to make a difference. Live engagement can be that difference for your business and can be even more positive from the experience the customer has had with an agent online.  The V.I.P. experience will give your dealership a leg up on loyalty and willingness for the customer to buy from you.