RICHARD COOPER POSES THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TABLETS WILL SERVE TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO DEALERSHIP SHOWROOMS Last year, I wrote about the “digital face” of dealerships and the divide between the digital world consumers …
UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PRESENT AND FUTURE AUTO RETAILING Social media has certainly had a big impact on the retail world, influencing consumer choices, buying patterns and behaviour. The true impact on auto retailing, I believe, has …
WHY WE’VE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO INTEGRATING THE VIRTUAL AND ACTUAL DEALERSHIP In a recent column, I spoke about the “two solitudes” of the auto retailing world in the context of an increasingly digital environment. This …
DO THE SEPARATE WORLDS OF SALES AND SERVICE IN THE DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY WORK AGAINST BETTER CUSTOMER RETENTION AND LOYALTY? Over many years of studying consumer behaviour in the auto industry, there are probably five key things I have seen that …
AS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES, IS THERE A RISK OF THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE NOT LIVING UP TO CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS FOSTERED ONLINE? In a number of articles over the past year, I have addressed the rapidly changing purchase funnel and what this means …
ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF AVAILABLE DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS? We live in an age where information truly is power. Much has been written recently about “Big Data” and how that is changing the way we do …
The advent of online shopping tools hasn’t necessarily changed consumer shopping habits As recently as 10 years ago, many were predicting that the advance of the digital age would have two possible effects on the auto retailing business: first, it …
The Canadian auto dealer / Harris Decima Research series has a look at vehicle purchasing trends for 2013, which could present both significant challenges and opportunities What will 2013 bring? Apart from the obvious fact that a lot will …
The Canadian auto dealer / Harris Decima Research series continues with a look at the technology consumers want powering their vehicles When it comes to what’s under the hood, gasoline is still king, hybrids are gaining broader acceptance, and headwinds …
In this installment of the Canadian auto dealer and Harris/Decima Research project, we asked Canadians about their experiences in the business office with finance and insurance products Whether you call it the business office, F&I (or even still “the box”) …
Brands and price trump dealership experience for Canadian car buyers With this installment in Canadian auto dealer, Harris/Decima research project, we asked customers about what most influences their purchase decision. When a customer walks into your showroom, more than ever …
In our next installment in the Canadian auto dealer and Harris/Decima Research project, we asked Canadians if they are cutting back on spending to compensate for higher gas prices The rising cost of gasoline is a popular topic of conversation …
