In a crowded and competitive marketplace where businesses are striving to deliver the very best for customers, it’s imperative to stand out – and the best way is to deliver an enhanced experience.
Customers are demanding. They expect immediate responses and exceptional levels of service, value for money and to be treated as individuals with highly personalised interactions.
We’ve undertaken plenty of consumer research to prove that video has a positive impact on a customer’s experience. Anecdotal evidence on the other hand may not provide the statistics and science, but it does provide some very powerful signposts.
Whilst on the road, one of our CitNOW regional product experts stopped on the motorway for some dinner and pondered a story a senior sales manager had shared from a meeting that afternoon.
The sales manager had been considering buying a motorbike and had narrowed his choice to two models. He arranged test drives for both at the same dealership, although one model was unavailable on arrival. He re-arranged to ride both back-to-back and fell in love with one particular model. He was eager to sign the deal that day, only to be told by the sales manager that the sales executive would call him the following Monday.
Exhibiting behaviour very typical of today’s time-strapped consumer, he had a look online and found the same bike 80 miles away, engaged in a conversation with the company’s online chat-bot and the next day he received a video of the bike in question. Impressed with the response, he showed the video to a few friends and family. He went on to buy the bike from the dealer located 80 miles away, which had sent him the video.
As a senior executive in automotive retail himself, he was experiencing a particularly stressful day when the bike dealer sent him a further follow-up video including a sneak peek of his bikes arrival in the dealership. The video really brightened up his day, and he went on to share it with his colleagues at his own dealership.
“This is what CitNOW is all about,” he told them. “The experience!”
Whilst we would love to share the videos which impressed our senior executive so much, we have instead recounted his anecdote as a powerful testament not only to video as a communication tool, but its ability to lift spirits, create anticipation, and touch people in a way words and phone calls simply can’t replicate.
As we know, the first motorbike dealer had the same bike in stock and they were in the prime position of having first shot of a customer who was ready and willing to sign on the dotted line there and then. So why did he decide to buy from the second dealer 80 miles away?
The second dealer put the customer first.
The dealer was quick to respond and provided a customer experience which exceeded expectations. They engaged immediately using their chat feature and enhanced the experience sending not just one video to entice the customer to buy, but a second one after they had secured his custom. Consequently, he felt valued.
Of course, it’s not just about sending the video – there are subliminal messages going on here too. If the first dealer wanted the deal done on their terms rather than that of the customer, what does that tell the customer about aftercare? We all lead busy lives, and if they are dealing with a business that goes out of its way to look after and appreciate a customer, they will return – even if they have to travel further afield.
Significantly, our senior exec was so impressed by the second dealer that he not only talked about his experience several months later, but also used it as a real example of how his own employees should both utilise video and deliver an exceptional experience to their customers.
As our senior exec explained, if you don’t look after the customer, someone else will – and video is a vital tool in delivering an experience which entices people to buy, recommend and return.
Not using video in your showroom? Talk to us today about how we can help you sell more cars, more profitably.
