Every day, we’re bowled over by how our CitNOW users are taking full advantage of the platform to take their digital communications to the next level. We feel it’s time that we gave due recognition to the star performers in this area, which is why we’ve created a new category in our recently-launched Digital Spotlight Awards: Outstanding Digital Communications.

Throughout this year, we’ll be on the lookout for success stories from OEMs and dealer Groups alike on how they have used video to ramp up their digital comms strategy. Whether it’s improved sales figures, better customer service or more efficient operations, we want to see where you’ve been able to use the platform to make a real difference over the course of the year.

In this blog, we’ll detail exactly what we’re looking for from the winning entry, the criteria we’ll be taking into consideration, and what you need to do to take part.

What we’re looking for

Digital communications are a vital part of any good dealership’s strategy, especially in the current climate where digital has had to take on many of the processes which might normally be physical. We want to see how these online comms have been embedded into everyday sales or workshop activity, especially in these three areas:

• Using video: demonstrate how video is used throughout the process to improve customer communications. This could include personalised digital tours, ‘delighter’ pre-collection videos, contactless handover videos, and recordings to explain the delivery process.
• Integrated experiences: how video and other online media, customer management systems, and digital finance and contracts all work together to create seamless experiences that are hassle-free and easy to understand for the customer.
• Measuring success: how digital comms have been tracked and analysed to identify areas for improvement, along with examples of how that improvement has been implemented.

What we’ll be considering

Rather than looking at individual videos, we’d like to understand your digital comms strategy more broadly – and all the nuts and bolts that are contributing to your success.

So when you submit your entry, along with the story behind your success, we also want to see the metrics that prove your digital comms have made a real difference: website analytics data, enquiry figures, video request rates, open rates, watch rates, and conversion rates for sales and workshop are all welcome.

In short: the path to success is just as important as the end product.

Examples of potential entries

Of course, we know that every OEM and Group is different and what success means to one will be very different to another, so there’s plenty of flexibility in how you put your entry together. But to give you a starting point as to what your entry could look like, these general ideas should hopefully give you some inspiration:

• Rolling out live video network-wide to provide contactless appointments for customers unable to visit a showroom
• Using CitNOW in the workshop to improve customer experience and CSI scores
• Streamlining your internal processes using CitNOW Web
• How training has been implemented to upskill the network and drive higher video quality

How you can enter

The first thing to know is: don’t panic! This is an award for the best efforts of 2021 and so we’re looking at what you’re doing now and in the future more than what you’ve already done. Entries are open now but will remain open until 31 December 2021, and we’ll be announcing the winner early in 2022. So if you’re planning a major uplift in your comms this year, or you want to set a target for your teams to work towards, then this award gives you all the motivation you need.

Bookmark this page and come back to it to submit your entry whenever you’re ready to place it, and get in touch with the CitNOW team if you’d like to know more about taking part.