Before you slough this off as being “years away”, take a look at where we are going with this already. AutoNation (AN) has teamed with Velocitude to give it the first smart phone friendly auto dealer website out there.
Currently users can search for a vehicle using several parameters (price, type, make etc.) and then located one at a nearby dealer. In the future users will be able to schedule a service appt. from their smart phones and, get notifications when a specific vehicle they want is available near them.
What will this do for AutoNation?
• Drive Transactions:
Allow customers to search for new and used vehicles anywhere, anytime. They will also enabled customers to schedule service appointments in real time from their mobile device. This will make Service Programs much more effective.
• Capitalize on Lost Sales Opportunities:
Consumers are frustrated from mobile web browsing because most websites are designed for desktop and laptop browsing. AN’s new Mobile Platform will make its business easily accessible and usable from almost any mobile device.
• Increase Effectiveness of Marketing Campaigns:
Expand reach of Promotions, Loyalty Programs and Coupons through a mobile device.
• Build Brand Awareness:
Create excitement around product introductions. Share product usage benefits.
• Deliver an Improved Customer Experience:
After deployment, AN will use our mobile analytics to constantly improve the relationship
between them and their customers.
So is this a panacea for AutoNation? No, but it does move the needle more towards them. Already gaining market share as thousands of dealers across the US shutter their doors, this is another move to help AutoNation to pull away from the pack. It is about branding.
Think of it this way. You are a car buyer looking for another Chevy Suburban for your family. There may be 4 or 5 dealers within 20 miles of you depending where you live. If you are out looking for cars, now at any location you can find a vehicle you may like at a price you want to pay on the road, at your leisure. What AutoNation is doing is giving potential buyers another reason to choose their dealers over the others. They are moving the auto dealership model into the comfort zone of a growing percentage of auto buyers. That can only help as we move forward from 2008-09.
As this site becomes more interactive with users, its benefits will grow. It will be interesting to watch that unfold.
What does Velocitude do?
VELOCITUDE puts your business in the hands of your customers by taking the content of your existing website and making it available in a format customized for a mobile device.
When browsing the web from a mobile device, such as an iPhone, Blackberry, Palm or Android,
today’s consumer wants an experience similar to that obtained on their computer. We meet that
need. Our Mobile Platform also enables updates to be made in real-time to your mobile site as
changes are made to your main website — with no strain on your internal IT resources.
Disclosure (“none” means no position):Long AN