As 2023 gets underway, we’ve had a chance to look back on what was a remarkable 2022 for CitNOW. It’s been a year where we’ve significantly expanded our video solutions, and delivered even more complete and integrated capabilities to our customers. It was a record period in terms of video performance, and it has set the foundation for what should be another exciting 12-months in 2023.

2022 shaped up to be a year where the power of video really took hold for all our customers. A CitNOW Group survey found that 43% of car owners are more likely to buy a vehicle if they receive a personalised video in response to their enquiry. Additionally, 41% are more willing to approve repair work if they receive a video detailing the work needed. The CitNOW solution is playing an increasingly pivotal role in helping automotive retailers take full advantage of these trends.

In this blog, we’ll revisit the biggest highlights from 2022, celebrate the innovation and creativity that our customers have displayed throughout the year, and look ahead to new developments on the horizon.

2022 numbers

In 2022, the CitNOW solutions for Sales and Workshop broke several records in terms of the number of videos created, and how well they performed.

Over 12 million videos were created across the calendar year, over 160,000 more than 2021: and as you may expect, the new registration month in March was the peak period for video creation. Perhaps even more impressive is that 70% of videos sent were viewed by customers, underlining their appeal to buyers and owners.

Indeed, when customers receive these videos, it’s also clear that they respond to them extremely positively. Analysis from the RTV (Rate this Video) scores that can be provided at the end of the customers’ video, highlighted an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for Sales videos, and 4.8 for those created in the Workshop. And in the case of workshop videos, 68% of videos that were accompanied by a quote had the work authorised by the customers within half an hour.

A fantastic effort from you, our video creators!

The Video Stars

We never fail to be impressed by the creativity and ingenuity of the videos created within CitNOW Sales and Workshop. Amid so many standout videos, our Sales and Workshop Video Star of the Month Awards highlight the very best. These are just some of our favourites winners from 2022:

• Brook Oram at Epsom Audi, with a fun sales video that gives the customer a taste of the Top Gear experience
• Josh Mander at Sytner Solihull BMW, who used a colleague to help him record the intro for a slick, professional approach
• Jamie Trigg at Mercedes-Benz of Weston-super-Mare, with a workshop video that combines clear visuals with a voice of authority
• Tom Clee of Dick Lovett Bristol MINI, who wrote out key vehicle health check findings on paper to help a customer who is hard of hearing

We’ll be continuing to run our Sales and Workshop Star of the Month awards throughout 2023. If you’re especially proud of a video that you or a colleague has created, make sure you put it forward via the ‘Nominate Video’ button in your Dashboard or directly here!

Expansion and integration

The CitNOW solution now plays a core role within the rapidly expanding CitNOW Group. Over the course of 2022, there were many different exciting developments across CitNOW Group, as new solutions and integrations came on board to deliver ever more interconnected experiences:

• Group expansion: new brands that joined the CitNOW Group family in 2023 include Auto Imaging, AutoSLM, dealerdesk, REALtime Communications (RTC) and Web1on1
• Dealerweb integration: closer connectivity between CitNOW and the Dealerweb lead management platform is helping streamline how customer data is used, enhancing customer experiences and maximising conversion rates
• Salesforce collaboration: CitNOW has become one of the first official Independent Software Vendors listed on Salesforce’s App Exchange, opening CitNOW functionality to users of the new Salesforce Automotive Cloud, Sales Cloud and Marketing Cloud
• Customer expectation report: in November, CitNOW Group released its incisive report, ‘Uniting Customers and Retailers Through Technology’, exclusively exploring the views of more than 1000 car owners, industry experts and digital research on today’s automotive retail, and how dealerships can meet these expectations by harnessing technology

What’s next in 2023?

Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, there’s plenty to get excited about from a customer experience perspective, and across the CitNOW Group as a whole.

Firstly, our efforts to add more integrations between Group solutions will advance, with the aim of providing seamless customer experiences in the showroom and workshop alike. As the automotive retail industry continues to evolve, and many manufacturers increasingly transition to an agency model, developments like our Salesforce integration mean that we can enable experience transformation rather than just digital transformation.

As part of our commitment to technical leadership, we’ll soon be releasing an upgraded reporting dashboard that delivers easier date filtering, customer comment display, and brand filtering for multi-brand dealerships. These are just three of the innovations being developed with more intuitive experiences in mind.

All in all, while 2022 was a fantastic year for all of us at CitNOW – and for you, our customers – you can be sure that the year ahead promises to be just as exciting.

To find out more on how CitNOW’s solutions can power your sales and workshop success in 2023, talk to our friendly team today.