The dealership experience is often the result of a system designed backward, with tools and processes dictating how customers are served. This approach prioritizes efficiency over customer satisfaction.
A typical dealership uses a DMS, OEM portals, vendor platforms, and supplier integrations, each requiring its own process to be followed. The software doesn't ask what the ideal customer experience looks like, but rather tells users how to operate, leading to an adaptation of processes around it.
The staffing model that results from these processes is built entirely around the tools, not around the customers who are standing at the counter. This leads to a breakdown in the customer experience as team members focus on processing transactions and managing data instead of providing service.
By prioritizing the customer first, dealerships can design an experience from scratch, working backward from what the customer needs to feel taken care of. This approach requires a complete reversal of how the industry has always operated, with tools and processes coming last.
The recent advancements in software development have made it possible to build new systems faster than ever before, allowing for processes that once took months to be automated in days. This shift in technology has opened up new possibilities for dealerships to redefine their experience.
With the barriers to building from scratch no longer in place, dealerships can now define the experience they want to deliver and then build the tools to match it. The traditional model where the customer is an afterthought is being replaced by one that prioritizes customer satisfaction.
At Ownex, researchers have spent four years studying what makes a dealership more profitable and what actually builds loyalty among customers. Their findings suggest that dealerships can now focus on creating experiences that drive repeat business and customer loyalty.
The new approach to dealership design requires a fundamental shift in how the industry operates, with a focus on people, process, and tools in a different order than before. By prioritizing the customer first, dealerships can create a more personalized and satisfying experience.
This change has significant implications for the automotive retail industry, as dealerships look to adapt to changing consumer expectations and preferences. By embracing this new approach, dealerships can differentiate themselves from competitors and build a loyal customer base.
The recent advancements in software development have made it possible to build new systems faster than ever before, allowing for processes that once took months to be automated in days. This shift in technology has opened up new possibilities for dealerships to redefine their experience.
