The auto industry has always been at the forefront of technological advancement. This has never been truer than at the current time. Self-driving cars, smart cities, and connected technologies are very exciting endeavors. At the same time, they can be overwhelming for consumers to understand and embrace. Dealerships are now more important than ever for helping consumers experience new technologies. A salesperson’s job description is evolving into that of educator, instructor, and ambassador for technological advancement. Some of these new technologies can be extremely abstract and will require a great deal of exposure before some consumers will accept them. Your dealership stands in an excellent position to guide consumers through the coming advancements and gain their lifelong trust. Let’s explore some ways to capitalize on this opportunity and sell some cars in the process.
Enhance the Customer Experience
When it comes to selling technology in a retail setting, no brand does it better than Apple. When you walk into an Apple Store, you are greeted by a self-proclaimed “genius”. These geniuses allegedly understand the product like no one else. They have the knowledge and expertise to walk a consumer through every feature and function of the product.
This method of customer experience was necessitated by the rapid advancement of hand-held technology. These advancements started coming so quickly that consumers had no idea what the new technology was, or how it could help them. Without understanding what the product could do, no one would buy it. This is where the auto industry is at the current time. Consumers need “genius” salespeople to walk them through the rapidly evolving world of auto tech. This is a huge opportunity to enhance the customer experience at the dealership level by providing means to experience technology and show consumers how it can change their lives.
Provide Hands-On Exposure
Showroom displays, product demonstrations, test drives, and new owner clinics are great ways to help customers experience all of the exciting new features on today’s vehicles. If a consumer has never used adaptive speed control or emergency braking, a test drive could change their life. Customers will have a hard time understanding how lane-departure, or self-parking systems work, until they are able to experience it first-hand. The more opportunities you can create for potential buyers to experience technology, the greater chance you will have to sell them a vehicle.
Sell Now and into the Future
From connectivity, to self-driving features, the technology coming out in cars today is only a small portion of what will be available in future years. Consumers need to understand how to use Apple CarPlay m and Android Auto, but they also need to understand where this technology is leading to in the near future. Adaptive speed control, emergency stopping, auto-parking, lane-departure and other self-driving features are nice, but buyers need to understand how this technology will soon come together in the world of tomorrow. If you can establish yourself as an expert on this technology today, people will trust you and look to you for answers as technology continues to unfold tomorrow.
