According to this report by Deloitte digital technologies are starting to fundamentally change the way people buy cars. Today, personalized experience is the name of the game for car buyers. Thankfully, digital technologies adapted to car buying behavior have woken up the automakers and dealerships across the U.S.
Car buyers are already accustomed to digital technologies and are at home using smartphones, smart TV, virtual and augmented reality, voice search, multiple devices, social media and real time updates. For them everything is now measured in digital terms. They get put off if dealerships and auto makers don’t use digital technologies. Thus, dealerships and automakers have no choice but to use digital technologies in marketing activities to enhance customer experience before, during and after the actual buying of a car.
How is digital marketing transforming the car buying experience? Here are several ways in which it does.
Prior to dealership visit
Car buyers can be reached by automakers and dealerships through various digital marketing methods to provide relevant information. Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can track people who are intending to buy a car. They can be reached through a variety of means such as email, SMS, voice and other traditional means. Digital marketing has enabled newer ways of communication. Now car buyers can be reached through voice mail, video call, chat, notification and social media channels. The car buyer can make an informed choice to shortlist a few cars and then proceed to the next step.
Several ways to research
Car buyers can now conduct their research at home or wherever they are or on whatever device they may be using all because of digital marketing techniques. Their first search begins elsewhere and not at dealership points. Car buyers can start their research when they get a stimulus from automakers or dealerships. They can also start their research on their own by entering their questions on search engines or asking questions by voice search. The search engines will throw up results and car buyers can then enlarge their research by clicking on various websites.
Immersive websites
Digital technology has created a revolution in the way websites are designed and presented. The information available on the websites is so extensive and exhaustive that car buyers will be overwhelmed at the immersive nature of the websites. They will be swamped with features that will hook them. The websites are easy to navigate and whatever information is relevant to their decision making is made available at the click of a mouse or command of their voice. Almost all doubts can be cleared to a large extent.
Experiential research
Digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) have created a storm in the car buying process. Today, smartphones can be upgraded to accommodate a VR viewer. With the VR viewer car buyers can change parameters of the car they want to buy and view how the car would look with the changed parameters. In fact, they can view all the variants made available by the dealership and choose the one they like.
Peer review
Digital marketing has changed the way car buyers behave. Millions of customers are using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp and Messenger. They post their updates, messages, videos, locations, reviews and other information for the benefit of their peers. These posts would include their car buying experiences. Social media can be a great source of information for car buyers. They can see their peers’ posts and learn about their experience with their cars. Since the social media friends belong to the same peer group the car buyers tend to respect their views. Thus, online reviews can play an important role in the car buying process.
Car dealerships are advised to get in touch with experienced digital marketing for car sales by ClickHereDigital.com to understand how digital marketing can help them to be one up on competition in wooing the car buyers. Besides, they can learn how to improve their customer service by leaps and bounds through digital marketing solutions.
Digital marketing is transforming the car buying experience to a totally new level. Digital marketing encourages more openness and transparency and car buyers cannot be shortchanged by glib car salespersons. Every piece of information given out by dealerships can be confirmed through information provided on websites of automakers. The car buyers can then make a well researched decision on which car to buy.
