AUTOMAKERS STEP UP DIGITAL PRESENCE TO OFFER SERVICES AMID COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
While the pandemic continues to weigh down vehicle sales, leading automakers are taking the digital route to offer customised solutions to existing and prospective customers
The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India has brought many new challenges for the automobile industry in terms of delay in launches, shutting down of production facilities and declining sales.
With most showrooms shut due to lockdown and restrictions across states, potential customers tend to put off their plans of buying a vehicle. Many may not be comfortable to physically venture out to showrooms to make purchases. But new challenges also make way for new solutions via innovation and use of technology.
In pandemic times, every auto company has had to either establish or improve their digital retail outlets in a bid to ensure that customers don’t delay their vehicle-buying plans. Many leading automakers are getting attuned to more and more digitisation and integrating it in almost every step of the purchasing process. Kia India has recently launched the industry-first video-based live sales consultation application — Kia Digi-Connect.
The company’s prospective customers can now opt to connect with dealerships nearest to their location and can get assistance via a video conferencing platform. They will be offered a complete walk-through of Kia cars by a sales consultant while the app will also offer 360-degree virtual experience through
IN PANDEMIC TIMES, EVERY AUTO COMPANY HAS HAD TO EITHER ESTABLISH OR IMPROVE THEIR DIGITAL RETAIL OUTLETS IN A BID TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS DON’T DELAY THEIR VEHICLE-BUYING PLANS
video call, screen and video sharing.
Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp joined the bandwagon of digital sales in the Covid-19 era with the launch of a virtual showroom.
Customers will be offered a 360-degree view of the product and will be able to browse through and explore all technical details of each model. They can request a callback and enquire about the vehicles, as well as can directly purchase from the portal.
Country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has also digitised 24 out of 26 touchpoints involved in its car-purchase journey, leaving out only the test drive and delivery. The company has already partnered with leading online platforms such as Google and Facebook, hence bringing their global digital expertise to the dealer teams.
“Digitalisation is the way forward. Given the unprecedented times, we have adopted a ‘Phygital’ approach for our sales initiatives at the dealerships,” Shashank Srivastava, company’s executive director previously said.
Auto majors such as Hyundai, Mahindra, Tata Motors, Honda, MG Motors, BMW, Audi and Toyota have also significantly invested in digitisation of their vehicle-buying and post sales processes since the beginning of the pandemic, last year.
Retail may also be seeing a change. Mercedes-Benz India has shifted its retail business structure to a Direct to Customer (D2C) model, terming it as ‘Retail of the Future’.
Under it, the company will own the entire stock of new vehicles and franchise partners will focus on enhancing brand image and customer relations. The carmaker claims that the first-inIndia move will help customers make informed decisions and provide a more seamless buying experience.
The advent of the digital buying and selling process will also bring in more ease and transparency for customers, and will reduce operational costs for the industry stakeholders. All this while keeping the consumers’ vehicle buying journey on the same track.