Managing long distance relationships in automotive sales

As COVID-19 enforces social distancing between sales teams and their potential customers, manufacturers have accelerated the introduction of digital and remote selling models. But studies reveal that many customers who are buying cars continue to want one-to-one interactions with real people. For OEMs and dealerships, it’s more important than ever to win customer trust. Consumers want convenience and are comfortable with the online services they experience within other retail environments. But the automotive industry is far less known for its personalized, end-to-end digital experiences. So how do automotive businesses introduce new services to cautious consumers without losing the benefits of human interaction? In our latest podcast, Philip Junge, Head of Customer Engagement, MSX, is joined by Stefanie Senger, Executive Director at Autohaus-Gruppe Senger , one of the largest dealerships in Germany, and Fredrik Johnsson, Chief Strategy Office at Whisbi, global provider of a mobile conversational sales and marketing platform . They discuss the ways in which businesses can make better choices about the technologies they choose, the way they implement them and how they engage employees in digital processes to help win customer trust and encourage sales. “Take your employees with you on the journey. If they don't see any use in the new offerings and processes, they won't hold onto it and it's probably no good anyway.”Stefanie Senger, Executive Director at Autohaus-Gruppe Senger