Next to consumer products such as cell phone providers, computer brands, and financial institutions, the automotive industry has historically experienced some of the most loyal customers in the world. In fact, since the pandemic, loyalty among automotive brands has seen an additional increase due to the unavailability of inventory, the nationwide chip shortage, and the inability to “try before you buy” in person. This meant that sticking with a brand that you’re familiar with was less risky than exploring other options. A study conducted by “The Morning Consult” in 2021 found that 52 percent of those who plan to purchase a vehicle in the next year said they would prefer to purchase from a manufacturer they have purchased from before, compared to only a quarter (25 percent) who said they would prefer to purchase from a manufacturer that’s new to them.
As an automotive marketer, your focus should be to drive desired results for the clients that you serve, whether it be a dealership, mechanic shop, or any other automotive profession. These results start right on the websites that you provide for them. The only way that your clients will encourage repeat business is through personalized and emotional connections with their customers. Keep in mind that customers want to be heard. The average car buyer finds value in live and personal relationships. A relationship that can only be nurtured through live chat.
The Emotional Connection
We can’t discuss brand loyalty without mentioning a business’s emotional connection with their customer. Emotion-driven engagement strongly influences buyer behavior to a level that goes well beyond the capability of any marketing efforts. Brand loyalty is all about the trust between buyer and seller. Based on recent Deloitte research, there are three different motives driving a person to engage with a brand:
- Emotional Responses
- Rational Considerations
- Shared Values
It takes a lot of hard work to build the emotional connection needed to successfully sell to a new customer, let alone encourage repeat business. You must sell your company’s brand, not the manufacturer’s name.
Consumers Are Typically Manufacturer Loyal, Not Dealership Loyal
The automotive industry is unique as there is a big difference between manufacturer loyalty and dealership loyalty. Brand loyalty in automotive usually refers to a manufacturer, not a dealership. This can be seen in the classic Ford versus Chevy debate. When thinking of automotive loyalty most people think of the symbol on the front of the vehicles, not the dealership that they’re purchased from.
Your marketing agency can change the way consumers view the dealerships that you work with. While aligning your promotional strategies towards driving traffic to their lots, the simple implementation of web chat can offer lead generation benefits as well as the capability to build relationships through live conversation. This is something that the manufacturer can’t do.
Botsplash Live Chat For Automotive Marketing Agencies
Great work! Your new dealership customer is seeing an increase in traffic and vehicle sales, but the agency up the street is providing the same solutions. Your main goal should be to drive optimal results for your automotive clients, all while providing unique value. As already mentioned, live chat offers excellent lead generation solutions along with a personalized experience that drives loyalty between the dealership and customer, but you’re offering even more than that. Found below are a few of the many features that can be used through web chat:
Video Calling
The current vehicle market is much different than it was just a few years ago. The need for virtual conversations between a customer and a dealership is at an all-time high. Tasks such as virtual vehicle walkarounds, virtual inventory/lot tours, and virtual face-to-face conversations add value to the buyer experience. This can all be accomplished through the video calling feature.
Screen Sharing
If video calling is not your customers preference, the ability to screen share can help lead them to the sale. Tasks such as collaborative vehicle browsing, providing instructions, or F&I review can be done with the click of a button. On demand your team can visually assist their customers using the screen share feature.
Integrations
Chances are, your clients will already be using one or more management software(s) to run their dealership. Botsplash live chat offers integration options to enhance the customer and dealership experience. From pricing engines, inventory management, payment portals, appointment scheduling tools and more, it can be integrated into the conversation. Botsplash also offers solutions for proprietary platforms, as long as they offer an open API.
Conclusion
Automotive brand loyalty is at an all-time high, but that is soon going to change. With the market returning to normal and inventory starting to flow on to dealership lots, it’s important to keep your client’s customers coming back to them. By offering live chat as a combative tactic, your marketing agency will not only provide a better product offering than the competitor up the street, but will also drive results beyond what’s typical. A dealership looking for a marketing company looks for differentiators. A live chat offering could be that differentiator that sets you apart from the rest.
If your automotive business is in need of an effective consumer engagement platform, reach out to us or learn more by visiting our automotive page! It’s important for your company to stay modern in an outdated industry. Doing so will give you the competitive advantage required to succeed.
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