Consumer expectations in the car showroom

WITH the showroom car buying experience continually evolving, a new poll by Cooper Solutions reveals just what are today’s consumer expectations.

46% of consumers surveyed said that dealers who use the same smart technology that they use in their own homes on a daily basis, such as touchscreen TVs and tablets, offer a far more ‘positive customer experience’.

Over half (56%) of those surveyed believe that dealers who use smart technology offer a more ‘efficient’ car buying process, while 73% said that those dealers who don’t use technology for the benefit of the customer are not being as ‘professional’ as they could be. Therefore, those dealers that are embracing the latest innovations available to them today, are benefiting from a perceived higher degree of professionalism compared to those who don’t.

The ‘swapper’ – the customer who part exchanges their car – has particular expectations when it comes to getting a vehicle valuation. Over a third (33%) of consumers surveyed revealed they would be more ‘confident’ if a dealer provided an electronic valuation; 67% of all those surveyed believed a more traditional type of valuation wouldn’t be as accurate. Barry Cooper, Managing Director of Cooper Solutions said: ‘Our research shows that as many as 68% of car buyers believe that dealers who are not using smart technology in the showroom are not being as transparent about the sales and services they offer as they could be.

‘Take for example the vehicle appraisal process; it’s crucial the way this is conducted, calculated and communicated to the prospective customer in securing a sale.

‘Those dealers who take a ‘Wizard of Oz’ approach to appraisals – disappearing behind closed doors to produce a quote - seriously underestimate the impression this leaves with the customer. One properly appraised vehicle will return the cost of an iPad, and offer greater reassurance to the buyer that they are getting the best market price for their part exchange, plus it could engender a greater level of trust.

‘Today’s tech savvy car buyers expect a seamless experience, from initial research using a dealer website through to the visit to the showroom itself. As our research demonstrates, those dealerships utilising the latest smart technology such as tablets, TVs and smartphones to assist with the customer journey, are one very large step ahead of the competition,’ he said.