Business Strategy

3 ways for auto dealers to leverage technology

As society changes and consumers move their buying habits to the digital space, businesses that rely on foot traffic, like auto dealerships, face ever-growing challenges. Great technology can be your ally instead of your enemy if implemented correctly. Read on for ways you can supercharge business with technology.

Pre-Owned Vehicle Online Inventory

Shopping for a new car online is fun. Buyers can customize appearance, there is tons of great photography, and it’s easy to get carried away with upgrades. Trying to find a used car online is not nearly as fun, but the majority of used car buyers start their searches online. A good online presence drives buyers to your dealership to check out a vehicle in person.

The best online solution involves little time on your end, increased sales on the buyer’s end, and data to track through the whole process. If your dealership has no numbers to measure the effectiveness of how your inventory is displayed and tracked online, you’re missing opportunities. Save staff time, as well, by delivering CarFax through your website instead of running queries manually with potential buyers impatiently waiting for answers.

Quantifying Traffic with Beacons

Nearly everything impacts sales on a dealership property: time of day, the weather, and even the score of the weekend’s big football game. The one thing that has been difficult to quantify is buyer behavior on a lot. Other than watching a buyer walk around, there is no data about what path they took, what vehicles they stopped to view, or how many times a buyer viewed one particular vehicle.

Beacons have the potential to unlock this data to supercharge your marketing efforts. Through these little pieces of hardware, you can gather information about the hot and cold spots on your lot, which vehicles require more views before a sale, and what features draw buyers to a vehicle. Because beacons are so portable, they can even move around the lot with a vehicle, allowing you to tie data directly to a vehicle instead of simply an area.

Service Records

Every vehicle needs routine maintenance, and every vehicle runs on a slightly different maintenance schedule. Especially with new vehicles, consumers need to know when to return to the dealership for proper care. Mobile applications that connect buyers with the service department at your dealership make keeping vehicles in tip-top shape easy for consumers. Promote service packages, extended warranties, and service sales to exactly the right audiences through an app to owners of exact vehicles.

Next Steps

Have questions about technology at your dealership? Drop us a note at info@motionmobs.com or reach out on Twitter.

By Emily Hart