What Customers Want In a Car-Buying Experience Post-Covid
The past year-and-a-half have created a major shift in the automotive industry and how cars are sold. Quite frankly, many processes changed for the better and dealerships have come out the other side much stronger and more efficient. Consumers have come to expect a faster, more unique car-buying experience.
In the midst of the pandemic, people avoided public transportation to reduce concerns of catching the virus. In fact, 1-in-4 people stopped using ride-sharing and/or bus services, opting to purchase a personal vehicle. This created urgency in the market, but because people wanted to spend as little time in public as possible, consumers did a lot of online shopping to narrow down their choices before stepping foot in a dealership. If you thought people were doing a lot of research before, they’re doing even more now. Consumers now usually know what they want before they even come to the store or submit a lead, or they at least have it narrowed down to a very short list of options. Efficient BDCs have become extremely important, along with enhanced “business offices” that sell various products to their customers; meanwhile, sales staff, who were hard to find, have taken a backseat to the new sales methods.
In turn, we have seen the sales process change considerably over the past 18 months. Long gone are the 4-8 hour days spent looking for a vehicle and signing paperwork. In order to reduce prolonged contact, efficiency and an intensified focus on customer satisfaction has dramatically increased. Dealers bring vehicles to a customer’s home to test-drive or have it ready in the parking lot for them when they arrive. Once the test-drive is complete, all negotiations can be done online or over the phone. Customers can sign all paperwork digitally, and down payments are contact-free. Delivery can take place at the dealership or in the customer’s driveway. Not only is this process more efficient, but it’s more personalized to each person’s needs. And consumers have now become accustomed to this level of treatment.
Even though customers want the process to be digital and efficient, they still want direct help from a real person, especially during the finance and insurance processes. The changes to the car-buying process have allowed salespeople the opportunity to work with customers one-on-one throughout the entire sales journey. From phone calls, to test drives, to signing final documents and handing keys over, consumers have consistently dealt with one person - had one point of contact. This is great for brand loyalty and the ultimate customer experience at the dealership. This level of personalization and transparency helps foster trust between buyers and sellers, and, therefore, consumers have come to trust dealers and their process more since the beginning of the pandemic. The personal touch remains to be an important aspect of customer satisfaction.
This is the kind of change that dealers must embrace, as consumers are now expecting the efficiency and streamlined experience when they reach out. Not only is the buyer saving time, the dealership is saving time, which means making more money. Staying or getting digital, providing one-on-one attention to consumers, and making the car-buying process simple will be necessary for the modern dealer to be successful. As with everything dealers should constantly evaluate what is working and find ways to improve along the way.
