Digital Transformation and CRM solutions for Automotive Industry
In recent years, industries of all types have seen major changes regarding the technologies offered to consumers. The automotive industry has always taken a step forward and offer its consumers new technological advantages regardless of the vehicle they choose, more possibilities in terms of mobility, and various sustainability strategies. All this has brought the automotive industry into a process of digital transformation, with more automation for business processes and with a more proactive communication strategy for its consumers.
When we talk about the automotive industry, we should consider both car manufacturers, car dealers, but also car-sharing companies. Ride-sharing companies have often been ignored in the automotive industry and the importance they will have in how people choose to travel on short distances in the future, has not been considered. According to a study conducted in 2016, car-sharing companies will see a major increase of 30% in revenues by 2030. This growth trend is due to the fact it always puts the customer first, giving him quickly the services he needs, more mobility and availability, time he can spend accessing various digital media channels and new high-performance technologies that respond fast to his needs and that gives him real-time connectivity.
Although the beginning of the Covid – 19 global pandemic paused the activity for the automotive factories, and it has also caused massive losses for car-sharing companies, this year the industry is slowly starting to recover. This return will take time, and the car-sharing sector is the one that can record a faster return due to the low costs in a short term, which a consumer is willing to pay. For original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and car dealers, the return and growth will be more difficult since now consumers are more vigilant regarding purchases that require a large budget. Consumers have become more conservative when it comes to high-cost spending and investment.
Challenges in the automotive industry
of the time consumers spend buying a car is for online research
of auto shoppers would purchase a vehicle sooner if there was an online option
consumers care more about the time spent negotiating, offering, and signing documents
Embrace a digital journey of customer engagement
and create personalized journeys from the first touchpoint of a client's journey.
Centralize all data about leads and customers in a single marketing automation platform and engage with them in a whole new way that will deepen relationships, drive innovation, and create a competitive differentiation for your business. Connect and interact with potential customers, create audiences based on communication channels and according to consumer preferences and lead them through a marketing funnel established by you, depending on each consumer.
Lead management and a single view of the customer
Build a holistic image of each consumer, from the moment he first interacts with you, until he is converted into a customer.
Generate documents and collaborate with all parties involved in the sales process in one single platform. Request offer approvals, create tasks, add customer feedback, and improve collaboration between teams using a single source of truth, from a single integrated platform.
Align marketing with Sales and eCommerce to drive business growth
New digital shopping experience
Build a new online shop on a smart platform that offers sales experiences connected to consumer preferences. Reshape each consumer experience from a simple search for a new car to scheduling a test drive, in a digital way. Offer potential customers the opportunity to schedule tests for their favourite car. Notify salespeople of the appointments they have and arm them with all the information they need to close the sales process quickly and efficiently.
Manage stocks, from dealers to OEM
Get a full image of your inventory for fast, efficient order fulfilment. Centralize car stocks, active orders, customer requests and synchronize them with the stock offered by the OEM. Automatically send orders to the manufacturer, request delivery times and provide the answers that your customers are looking for as quickly as possible. Automate order flows and build the supply need based on demand in the next period. Make sure you will always have available the cars your customers are looking for.
Create connected customer journeys
Collect customer data both online and offline and centralize them in a single integrated and standardized platform for more efficient management. Give your customers the opportunity to schedule online revisions, directly on the website, when they need it. Learn new ways to connect with your customer through virtual engagement with rich CRM insights. Organize customer journeys according to the customers' car age and offer them new services and products they need to keep their car in a good condition for as long as possible.
Analyse and make smart decisions based on data
The automotive industry urgently needs to adopt technologies that give consumers the opportunity to offer digital, shaped experiences tailored to their preferences and needs. To do this, companies in the industry must adopt technologies that allow them to collect, analyse and understand data. By adopting a data-driven culture, companies in the automotive industry can communicate in an informed way with consumers, in terms of marketing, sales, ecommerce and service. Also, industry leaders need to turn the physical experience of buying a car into a digital experience. And this can only be done by leveraging data to rich the right audience, with the right message in the right moment and location.