Pub. 12 2013-2014 Issue 1

N e w J e r s e y C o a l i t i o n O f A u t o m o t i v e R e t a i l e r s 29 new jersey auto retailer w w w . n j c a r . o r g 6 Reasons Your Car Dealership Should Consider a Mobile App By Dr. Sanjay Gowda I n the hypercompetitive automotive mar- ketplace, every sale matters. Every car sold is revenue that adds to your bottom line and the relationship you build with that customer is paramount. Mobility is king, not just on the road, but in your customer’s pocket. The revolution of smartphones continues to heat up and prom- ises tobe one of themost disruptive sales shifts inhumanhistory. Smartphonesgoeverywhere with you and your customers. In the last 10years, thebattle for customers has moved frombrick&mortar to the Internet. In theNEXT10 years, the fight for the consumer will happen on the battlefield of the smart- phone and smartphone apps for the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry. It’s time for your dealership to get prepared by investing smart. If you are thinking your business is doing just fine and you don’t need to invest in technol- ogy, well, times are changing. Those who use technology will win. Themobile revolution is just starting. Don’t get left behind. So how will your dealership benefit from a Smart App? 1 Reach your customers and your com- petitors’ customers: Your customers are transitioning to mobile at an unprecedented pace. Over 55% have smartphones and in the next 5 years nearly all will. 2 Real-time research: Mobile phones have revolutionized the way we do product re- search.Data shows thatmobile phones are be- ing increasinglyused for research. Thatmeans evenwhenconsumers are at your competitor’s dealership, they still want to know what cars you have. Make sure all your cars are online and can be accessed via a smartphone. Cars with pictures sell. 3 Do it smart, win their heart: People have an emotional experience with their phones. Research shows that people use their phonesmore thananyother computingdevice. Whywouldn’t youwant your dealership to be at the forefrontwhen they search for their next car on their mobile phone? 4 Customer Satisfaction: Your customers are on the go, so is your sales staff. Your customers will appreciate quick answers to their questions, whether they are sales or ser- vice-related. Mobile applications can provide adirect linkbetweenyour staff andcustomers. UseMobile appupdates toprovide service and product offerings, specials, and coupons. All of this leads to improvedcustomer satisfaction. 5 “Smart” Dealership: Don’t just look smart, be smart.Analyze your customers’ spendinghabits and interests andbuildabetter long-term relationship. Send them an instant message when their next oil appointment is due. Integrate yourmobile appwith your Ser- viceDepartment toenable scheduling. “Push” special deals tovaluedcustomerswhopromote youonsocialmedia likeFacebookandTwitter. 6 Customerfeedback: Whetheryouarepro- moting your company with testimonials ormaking every last effort to improve service, mobileapplications canprovideauser friendly way to provide customer feedback. Customer surveys can be quick and painless, and re- warding the customer for feedback is di- rect and simple. So how much does this technol- ogy cost and where can you buy it? Mo- bile apps and mobile websites can start at about $1,000. Fullycus- tomized dealership plat- forms can cost between $5,000 - $10,000+. Consid- ering this technologywill be a key to your business in the near future, it makes sense to invest now. Many companies provide Information Technol- ogy (IT) and custom mobile ap- plications; the key is to make sure you choose a trusted firm, with proven history and credentials. Start small, and consider this an investment in your core business. Adapting your business to changing technol- ogy paradigms is critical. To enable success, your focus shouldnot be onwhether youneed a mobile application, rather on what your mobile application should look like. In the decades to come, technology will be the fuel that drives your sales engine. Dr. Sanjay Gowda is the Chief Innovation Officer at Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc., the company that created NJ CAR’s own Mobile App. Dr. Gowda can be reached at mobile@ama-inc.com.