HOW HAS COVID 19 IMPACTED THE FUTURE OF THE “SHOWROOM EXPERIENCE”?

The recent lifting of restrictions means dealerships are reopening, and manufacturers throughout Europe have adapted and introduced a “new normal” to their sales operations. But what is that “new normal”, and how has COVID 19 changed the future of the “showroom experience”?

It’s safe to say that the automotive industry has endured one of the toughest challenges in its history in the last twelve to eighteen months.

First, with the initial onset of the COVID 19 pandemic in late-2019. And then, as the subsequent lockdowns left dealerships across Europe reeling, with the tentative sales figures seen throughout the calendar year; sales figures which reflected the industry’s increasing uncertainty as to what another prolonged lockdown could mean.

How did the industry react to this uncertainty and the strange “new normal” they found themselves working within?

1. Adapting and reacting to the “new normal”

Industry experts long felt it was merely a matter of time before the “showroom experience” was digitalised. The pandemic, it seems, simply forced them to speed up existing plans.

So when showrooms across the continent were forced to close, the industry chose to react, adapt, and, ultimately, aim to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic by fast-tracking contingency plans which had long been in the pipeline.

2. Creating online alternatives

As a result of the multiple lockdowns, sales staff have undergone new, specialised training courses in how to deliver personable, smooth sales experiences to customers – potentially without ever meeting them in person!

Some manufacturers have even created new roles within dealerships. Lexus’ new Customer Preparation Consultants, for example, are now on-hand to contact customers and talk them through the ins and outs of the all-new digitalised showroom experience.

3. Implementing safe, simple procedures

At Ford, services such as the Ford Care Code have been implemented to keep customers and sales staff safe during visits to showrooms.

Simple steps ensure protocols, including the 2-metre minimum social distancing rule, are maintained, as well as the sanitisation of showrooms and vehicles after use.

4. Video tours and Click & Collect

Like other manufacturers, Ford also now offer bespoke demonstrations of vehicles to customers online with video tours and one-to-one video calls.

They also provide a Click & Collect service, enabling customers to purchase their new car online and have it delivered directly to their door without ever setting foot inside a showroom.

This approach, leading automotive ecommerce firm GForces believes, could well spell the beginning of a “new normal”, with online car sales rising by 1,228% on their platform in 2020.

So, what does all this mean for the future of the “showroom experience”?

Going forwards, greater flexibility will be required of dealerships and sales staff when it comes to interacting with customers, be that virtually or in a showroom.

Specialised training – much like the Virtual Classroom Training courses created by PHM for Ford teams across Europe – will enable sales staff to deliver a consistent “showroom experience” both in person and online.

Customers, too, will have to acclimatise to a “new normal” when it comes to buying their next car, as online alternatives diversify to more personalised virtual experiences with tours, and one-on-one video sessions.

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