Why bringing the forecourt experience online will save you time and money
The pandemic and the emergence of online only players is disrupting the retail landscape. It has accelerated consumer preferences towards transacting online, but also helped many retailers achieve new levels of efficiency after establishing online journeys.
Why do all retailers need to bring the forecourt experience online in today’s market?
There are three key reasons why retailers must bring the forecourt experience online in today’s market:
It will help you sell more cars
It’s far more time efficient
You will save money
How taking a digital-first approach will help you sell more cars
Taking a digital-first approach to retailing is becoming increasingly important for all retailers. As consumers become more familiar with the ease, simplicity and added protections of transacting online, we’ll see a greater shift towards more of the purchasing decision being made away from the forecourt.
This means that if your adverts don’t surface the necessary detail and information about the vehicle alongside the tools that enable a purchasing decision online, you’re going to lose ground to your competitors, and fast. To appeal to all buyer types in today’s market you must adopt a digital-first strategy. And if you do it right, you will take a bigger a share of sales.
Why is a digital-first strategy more efficient?
Pre-pandemic the vast majority of retailers had a just-in-time approach to sales, which enabled them to deliver a decent service to most buyers who walked onto the forecourt at any time. This was set-up to maximise conversion for the leads that presented themselves at the dealership but came at the expense of efficiency when the forecourt was quiet.
If you adopt a digital-first strategy and implement an appointment only policy, you’re shifting from a just-in-time sales approach to an on-time sales approach. This can help you deliver a good service to every customer and make more efficient use of the resources available to you, with less people ‘manning the fort’ and more time allocated to improving your digital presence and converting sales online.
How can I save money with a digital-first approach?
Investing in digital is now essential for every automotive retailer. If you choose to invest in digital alongside your traditional retail processes it’s likely you’ll need to increase your cost base, either through suppliers or additional resource. And the reality is, neither side will operate particularly effectively until you have a consistent process in place for both sides. If you adopt a digital-first approach you can establish one consistent process that enables the customer to complete as much or as little of their journey online. Taking this approach should be more cost-effective than managing multiple processes to cater to different buyer types. Think about it as blending the best of both worlds, without carrying over the worst of both worlds.
The fact is, taking a digital-first approach isn’t just about investing in digital, it’s a fundamental change in the way that you operate for all customers and all employees. It involves taking control of the sales process by surfacing all vehicles online with high quality adverts and requesting that any viewings or test drives are booked by appointment. This will give you a better view of where resource is needed and when, so rather than increasing your cost base for digital alongside your existing operation, you adapt your operation to be digital-first and reskill your existing resource to manage a new process.
How can I bring the forecourt experience online?
Bridging the gap between your physical and online forecourt is about giving customers the confidence they need to buy or reserve a vehicle online. Here’s 4 features that create great customer experiences whilst helping you sell online:
Pre-recorded vehicle videos
Adding a pre-recorded video to your adverts provides a more comprehensive view of the vehicle and its features, whilst adding that personal touch. Many customers find video helpful when making their purchasing decision as it can build trust in both the vehicle and the retailer. Including voice over also provides an additional opportunity to sell the key features of the vehicle and the deal, helping your adverts stand-out from the competition.
Live video viewings
Live video viewings are an easy way for customers to view a vehicle at their convenience from the comfort of their own home or chosen location. This feature gives the customer the chance to ask any questions about the vehicle or the purchase, whilst providing an opportunity for the retailer to showcase the vehicle specification. Providing this service will build trust and allow you to build a better relationship with the customer online.
Retailer Stores
Personalising your Retailer Store is a fantastic way to showcase your business and brand to buyers. Think about it as your digital forecourt, presenting your credentials alongside a full view of your live stock on Auto Trader. Not only does your Retailer Store explain more about your business, it also shows a carousel of your vehicles and highlights your awards. All of these elements are vital to building trust and transparency in the ever-competitive digital market. If you haven’t already customised your Retailer Store, you can do this through Portal to demonstrate why your customers should buy from you.
Reviews and Awards
Reviews play a key role in a consumer committing to a purchase online. They’re also a great way for you to identify how you can improve the process of selling online. You should request reviews from all of your customers, so work hard to get customers who have bought from you online to review their experience. It’s that experience that will convince others to do the same.
If you’re delivering a great service and generating a good volume of reviews, you’ll be in with a chance of being Highly Rated or winning awards on Auto Trader. There are 3 main criteria for being Highly Rated:
1. You must be rated 4-star or above
2. You must generate a certain volume of reviews in proportion to the stock you have listed
3. You must reply to your reviews
Highly Rated retailers receive physical and digital awards to showcase to their customers. If you have been Highly Rated on Auto Trader, this will appear in the ‘Awards’ section of your Retailer Store and your most recent award will appear on your full-page adverts.
Applying these features as part of your everyday service will help you bring more of the forecourt experience online and will have a key role to play in transitioning towards a digital-first strategy. However, applying these changes alongside a traditional retail operation won’t allow you to benefit from the operational efficiencies available. If you want more information on adopting a digital-first approach contact your Account Manager or call 0330 098 5874.