SHOPSMART AUTOS – CUSTOMER INFORMATION – OCTOBER 18, 2020
Most people who bought new cars from a standard dealership in the past would not do so again in the future. Sixty-three percent of respondents in an eBay survey said they would likely buy online instead.
1. Growing numbers are actually leaving vehicle ownership behind, preferring instead to hail or share a vehicle for specific periods and purposes—mostly, moreover, online. And customers’ after-sales expectations are moving in the same direction. According to our research, nearly half of all drivers (45 percent) want service to be integrated seamlessly into their daily life: they don’t want to have to go in-person to a workshop or dealer service location.
2. Yet, people also still want the human touch: a place where they can get to physical grips with the vehicle they covet and receive expert advice about what it can do for them before they buy, hire or share it. The dealership experience, however, must be a frictionless, and digitally enhanced extension of the customer experience online. And because customers won’t wait, OEMs and dealers need to start enabling it now.
Take, for example, the rise of products-as a-service, which has been impacting the automotive industry for some time. Uber, which fuses car, driver and app to deliver a ride has been one of the leaders in this space; while constant advances in-vehicle technology, especially electric and autonomous capabilities, are reinforcing the trend to mobility-as-a-service. Accenture research suggests that by 2030, automotive industry profits from vehicle hireing, sharing, and similar mobility services are likely to surpass those from vehicle sales.
3. Consider too the influence of the “me” economy, which leverages data on individual customers to deliver personally relevant content and unique experiences, regardless of touchpoint. The France-based beauty business Sephora has become a global brand thanks to its successful, digitally-enabled blending of both online and in-store customer “communities”
4. Leading OEMs recognize, of course, that customers’ expectations are escalating—and that digitally disruptive competitors pose a threat to their traditional business model. What’s more, they’ve responded in kind to the digital challenge, investing in digital media, car configurators and their online presence. Case in point: the data-driven in-car digital assistants now being incorporated into models built by BMW, Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, Daimler, and others.
5. For the most part, however, the carmakers’ digital efforts remain partial and piecemeal. They still tend to see digital as an end in itself, rather than as an “invisible” enabler of the seamless, personalized, and engaging experience across all touchpoints that today’s customers expect. While incumbents in many other industries accelerate the shift to both smart marketplaces (which disrupt traditional business models to serve increasingly connected customers), and the digital enterprise (which uses digital to boost operations and sales)—the automotive industry lags behind. Neither OEMs nor dealers are currently doing enough to maintain a competitive advantage.
The role of the dealership, by contrast, will be highly visible—and increasingly critical. Indeed, the dealership of the future will be a networked mobility hub that not only embraces new vehicle technologies such as autonomous driving and connected cars but also profits from the new business models enabled by the “me” economy.
By taking a radically new strategic approach— holistic, integrated and collaborative—OEMs and dealers could reshape the future automotive retail landscape to their mutual advantage. The Accenture Customer Innovation Network provides a global ecosystem of physical spaces where clients can leverage customer-centric design thinking to launch and test real-world solutions and prototypes.
Make It A Champion Day!
Tags: 2019 Subaru Forester Touring, 2020 BMW iX3, 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, 2020 dodge charger, 2020 EQC, 2020 Ford Super Duty, 2020 Honda Pilot, 2020 Kia Optima, 2020 Kia Soul, 2020 Lincoln Aviator, 2020 Mazda 3, 2020 Mercedes Benz, 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC, 2020 Subaru WRX STI, 2020 Volkswagen suv, Acura Car, Acura TSX Car, Audi Car, Audi SUV, BMW SUV, Brandon K. Hardison, Chevrolet Sonic, Dodge charger, electric vehicles, Honda Pilot, Mercedes Benz, Nissan Car, Nissan Rogue, Porsche Car, sedan, Toyota Car, upcoming car, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line, Volvo Car
Trackback from your site.
