Today on CBT News, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Aaron Bickart, Executive Vice President and General Manager of OfferLogix. Bickart’s company focuses on lease and loan payment advertising for dealers, OEMs and online portals. Bickart joins the show to discuss the state of the industry and how online car-buying continues to grow in popularity.
Bickart begins the conversation by reflecting on results from the first quarter of 2021. Dealers across the country experienced strong sales and gross profits during the first three months of the year. If dealers can avoid the chip shortage, the rest of 2021 could prove to be even stronger than record-breaking sales from a year ago.
The conversation then shifts to the mass migration taking place on the digital front of retail automotive. Bickart reminds the audience that we are only a few years removed from a time when dealers wouldn’t post leasing or finance payments. Modern retailing has changed this, leading to complete transparency in the online car-buying process.
The customer experience is changing in automotive dealerships. In the past, lack of transparency has made customers fearful to walk into the dealership because they didn’t feel like they had any control of the situation. Consumers showed signs they were worried about being coerced into buying a vehicle in which they couldn’t afford the monthly payments.
Dealers are now utilizing tools, such as OfferLogix, to eliminate complexities and customer anxiety. With upfront pricing and finance options, customers feel like they are in control of the buying experience. This builds trust with the dealership and is leading to higher vehicle sales and gross profits.
Bickart concludes the conversation by talking about the importance of accuracy in online sales. Any form of disconnect between digital retailing and instore shopping will begin to break a customer’s trust. Salespeople must be more familiar with online listings than the customers to ensure a smooth transition.
To learn more about the solutions offered by OfferLogix, visit offerlogix.com.
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