Throughout the dealership industry, customer experience is evolving. With this adjustment in the market of customer satisfaction, dealerships have been put in a position of choice; adapt or be left behind. There are certain factors that have led to this, and these have dealt a major blow to many stores that refuse to take the steps necessary for customer experience survival. Whether it be the Millennial Generation, or the digital abilities that lay at the fingertips of anyone at any time, a trend pattern begins to appear, one in which the dealership can utilize to connect on a greater scale with the consumer. Using these patterns can help to create a step-by-step guide that can help the dealership increase the customers’ experience.

A customers’ experience within the dealership walls should be exciting and imaginative. No longer are dealerships allowed to forcefully place vehicles sporadically on the floor, with little or no disregard as to how the layout will affect customers. This can be seen throughout the market, with a very large percentage of stores redesigning their showrooms to better suit the customer’s needs. Within these new showrooms the vehicles become part of a story, some of which may include some sort of “scene” to provide depth to the vehicle and its interestingness. This creates just enough, but not too much, comfort. This allows the consumer to put down their guard enough and think more clearly, and less defensively, as is the case with so many customers in shopping for a vehicle.

Digital abilities should drive the customers experience from A to Z. Obviously the digital aspect is at the consumer’s fingertips in researching vehicles, however, this trend should continue during the customer’s time inside the showroom, right through until the point of sale. Using a tablet, the salesperson must be able to reference rates, monthly payments, and even paperwork. Whether it’s the accessing of the dealerships’ CRM, or having the customer sign documents, having a mobile ability from start to finish of the transaction, provides an essential experience that will make the dealership consistently popular and bring in more leads. In turn, selling more cars.

Using a transparent approach to selling cars will always increase the satisfaction that the customer feels. An authentic behavior towards the customer gives an allowance of gratitude. This applies to every aspect of the customer’s time spent on the lot. Pricing can be the most important approach in this subject, and sales staff MUST adhere to a single price approach. When the customer is given a number, and that number continually gets worked, it creates a feeling of dishonestly about what the actual price “should” be. A simple method to successful price providing, again simple, is to offer the best price first and upfront. It may scare some away, with no haggling involved, but with generations such as Millennials it will close more deals than many would think possible.

As with a single price approach, a single salesperson selling method is crucial in the customer’s experience with the dealership. This may seem odd to many staff, but when multiple people become involved in the sale it creates a gap filled with discomfort for the consumer. By the time the customer has reached the desk, they have most likely created some sort of relationship with the salesperson, through test drives and/or multiple contacts in the decision process. This relationship should be utilized to push the sale through. However, when the salesperson brings in a manager, and a finance staff member, the customer can become overwhelmed and even patronized. With the proper dealership tools in the hands of sales personnel, these staff members can function entirely without the need to involve anyone else; increasing the customer service for many customers.

These are four points of reference in what customer experience can become, but it doesn’t end with these. There are a multitude of references and changes that a dealership can make to better the consumer’s experience before, during, and after the sale. As mentioned above, with so many Millennials changing the way cars are being sold, they are a target market that has created a need for customer experience to be as high priority as possible. When the dealership succeeds in providing the best experience for a consumer it will pay off in a multitude of positive reactions. The evolution of “experience” being a necessity in purchasing a car is evolving, and those who adhere to this change will see results, but it’s the dealerships who stay stagnant that are worrisome. As with everything in this industry, change or be left behind. Customer Experience is no difference.

Aubrey Hankins serves as Social Media Marketing Director for CRMSuite, a software company providing dealerships with industry leading, technologically advanced CRM Software. With almost 10 years of marketing and social media experience, he brings a wealth of informative automotive discussion and debate, all in order to help dealers sell more cars.