Capital One is offering car dealerships a game-changing tool with its new Muse tap-to-scan card, designed to enhance the connection between salespeople and potential customers. This digital business card goes beyond the standard name and contact information, linking customers directly to key dealership offerings, such as pre-qualification loan options and vehicle inventory, all through a simple smartphone tap.
“No product works if it doesn’t work for customers,” says Sanjiv Yajnik, president of Capital One’s Auto Finance unit, in an interview with WardsAuto. Muse, part of Capital One’s $1 billion investment in its Navigator Platform, provides salespeople and customers with a seamless digital experience that integrates with a dealership’s customer relationship management (CRM) system, avoiding disputes over customer ownership and ensuring sales tracking.
Here’s how Muse works:
Dealerships issue personalized, encrypted cards to staff members. With the customer’s permission, the salesperson taps their Muse card on the customer’s smartphone, which opens a landing page containing the salesperson’s contact details, loan pre-qualification options, and dealership inventory. Customers can then browse through detailed information on vehicles of interest and seamlessly start the car-buying process.
Yajnik stresses that all interactions are logged and linked to the correct salesperson, allowing dealership employees to claim customers without disputes and keep in touch with leads.
Early adopters of the Muse card, such as Dallas Lease Returns President Kris Gaerlan, have praised its effectiveness. Gaerlan notes that his entire sales team now uses Muse cards, allowing them to promote themselves and the dealership simultaneously. In the first 60 days of implementation, 300 customers interacted with the Muse card, boosting his closing sales rates by 12%.
“Cool is nice, but we’re here to make money,” says Gaerlan, emphasizing that while the card offers a unique and modern touch, its real value lies in how it drives sales performance.
Although Muse enhances digital engagement, Yajnik stresses that the salesperson’s role remains vital in buying. Even as customers explore loan options or vehicle details on their phones, salespeople still lead walkarounds, answer questions and guide test drives.
“It’s a digi-cal experience,” explains Yajnik, referring to the blend of digital and physical interactions. He adds that Muse simplifies loan qualification, giving customers an upfront understanding of their financing options. “The F&I manager sees the same information as the customer, so it’s transparent and streamlined.”
Crucially, Muse does not limit consumers to Capital One financing. While it helps pre-qualify buyers for Capital One loans, the dealership’s F&I manager can also explore other financing options if necessary. “I’m not trying to grab all the loans,” Yajnik notes, adding that if the Capital One offer makes sense, the dealership should take it, but if not, customers are free to pursue alternatives.
Beyond the showroom, Yajnik envisions dealership employees using the Muse card in everyday interactions. Whether a salesperson is meeting someone at a restaurant or encountering a potential lead outside the dealership, they can simply tap the card and start the conversation.
By streamlining the connection between customers and dealership services, Capital One’s Muse card is transforming how dealerships engage with prospects. It blends digital innovation with traditional sales tactics to drive results.
