The thing about cars is that from the very beginning, before someone has even bought one, every part of the experience is tied to relationships. These relationships, whether it is the seller’s or the buyer’s relationships, will impact the car ownership experience. 

The automotive industry is no different to any other industry when it comes to the importance of a great customer experience and its impact on revenue, profit and reputation. In the automotive industry, using AI to create a better customer experience requires a fully thought-out AI strategy that seamlessly spans the customer and employee experience, and should include the experience for the salesperson, technician/engineer and administrators.  

Creative Virtual’s conversational AI solutions for the automotive industry enable much better buyer and seller experiences positively impacting revenue, gaining customer advocacy and loyalty as well as improved employee satisfaction. Our solutions are also enabling better servicing experiences and delivering improved technician productivity and increased customer satisfaction. 

The buyer

The data shows that “blended” retail is prevalent in the automotive industry. Before visiting a physical dealership, 95% of car buyers are researching online according to Think Google, and research has found that 95% of purchases are still happening in a dealership, with 66% of people ready to buy when they visit a dealership. 

Ensuring potential customers have a great online research experience is critical and conversational AI can provide customers with a ‘human-like’ engagement with car dealerships from the comfort of their home, or anywhere for that matter, and at any time. 

Conversational AI solutions for automotive:

Improving the customer experience includes:

  • Virtual assistant sales-person available 24×7, and providing expertise on multiple topics: answer general questions, advise on financing, insurance and costs and process for vehicle registration, provide pricing for customisation of vehicles, share details on available cars in price range, colour options, mileage etc., advise on technical details
  • The virtual assistant sales-person can also book a test drive at closest dealership, or a dealership of the customer’s choosing
  • Car owners can chat with a virtual assistant to book a service at the date and time of their choosing, ask about how much it will cost and/or how long it will take or if they can get a replacement car – just a few examples of what a virtual assistant can help a customer with – at the convenience of the customer
  • Leverage real-time insights to understand customer preferences and appropriate pricing strategies for a conversation, through a personalised in-person experience at the dealership

Using conversational AI to improve the employee experience:

Inventory management and servicing:

  • Precision inventory management, enabling technicians to locate parts for fastest delivery, increasing productivity and improving customer satisfaction
  • Technicians can get instant recommendations on common and equivalent parts that can be across different models, enabling speedy job completion, and maximising use of in-stock parts 
  • Technicians/spare parts managers have access to precision stock location, volumes and delivery time enabling precise customer expectation setting
  • Access to real-time pricing for parts to enable accurate parts and serving quotes

Whether selling, serving or servicing, the automotive industry can benefit from adopting conversational AI solutions with tangible benefits:

  • Better, cost efficient operations through automated and streamlined tasks
  • Sales open 24×7 
  • Increased productivity
  • Enhanced servicing experience
  • Increased sales
  • Personalised experiences – at every touch-point

Contact us to see how Creative Virtual is helping the auto-retail industry adopt AI to transform the customer and employee experience.