If there is one thing we learned from the Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS), it’s that dealers can expect to see more electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and technology features that focus on comfort, safety and connectivity.
For this reason, Hyundai is developing tools to help their sales people walk through the entire car-buying process and ensure the vehicles are setup to meet the customer’s expectations, according to Don Romano, President and CEO of Hyundai Canada.
“I mean, they’re really space shuttles on wheels now,” said Romano, in an interview with Canadian auto dealer at MIAS. “These things are so sophisticated that the amount of time it takes to explain to a customer what they just invested in and everything that car is capable of doing, what used to take 10 minutes — here’s the key, have a good day — could take hours to take them through.”
That means explaining things like connectivity systems, such as Hyundai’s Blue Link (connected car service) system, which allows customers to remotely start the car, turn on the heater, unlock the doors, and find the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto too. And if the vehicle is an electric or hybrid plug-in, that adds another layer of depth to its complexity that dealers will need to understand and explain to the consumer.
Dealers also need to personalize the setup of the vehicle to make sure the customer receives the best possible experience. Or as Romano puts it, dealers need to ensure the vehicle is “custom-fitted like a suit,” which takes a lot more time.
To help dealers manage the situation, Romano said Hyundai is building online tools so that consumers can buy the vehicle online. This would allow them to negotiate the price and “get all the hard stuff done,” thus enabling the customer to walk into a Hyundai dealership and drive off the lot in a ready-to-go car already customized to meet their needs.
Furthermore, Hyundai is developing a tablet for their dealers to help tackle consumer issues around data and privacy. “It’s one of the reasons we have this tablet tool that we are developing, so that all the privacy issues are fully disclosed so you can choose, like when you sign up for Google or any other online service,” said Romano, who expects the tablet to launch later this year.
“This is something where, if someone doesn’t understand something, you can tap on it and show a quick video of what’s actually happening in the car,” said Romano. “There will be videos, diagrams, and it’s all in the hands of the delivery person or salesperson who is taking care of the customer.”
With new and younger people coming into the dealership for training, it can be difficult to pick up all the details and learn about the new systems — particularly if the employee is uncertain or uncomfortable with the technology. One of the tablet’s main goals will be to simplify things for dealers, making it easy for them to walk through all the points of the vehicle to ensure the customer is provided with an incredible experience.
“We don’t want them to go away just happy and pleased,” said Romano. “We want them to be advocates for the brand. And that comes from being happy with the experience.”
