CitNOW is introducing a range of product enhancements that will enable retailers to expand the contactless customer experience.

The digital communications specialist is launching a new Desktop screen sharing facility, a video guidance portal to assist technicians when evaluating parts requirements and warranty claims, and a number of third-party systems integrations – all as part of an ongoing series of developments to help drive dealership profitability and improve the car buying experience for consumers.

The service enhancements are being introduced at a time when demand for personalised video-enabled capabilities in dealership operations is growing rapidly and consumer engagement with video is reaching record levels. The view rate for videos sent in response to sales leads averaged 85% in May and June 2020 reflecting how car buyers unable or unwilling to visit dealerships are embracing contactless interactions enabled by CitNOW’s digital communications.

The new Desktop screen sharing option, which complements CitNOW’s industry-leading Apple and Android-based mobile products, facilitates a live video call from a salesperson’s Desktop to enhance online customer interaction. The sharing platform allows sales staff to replicate the experience of discussing a purchase in a dealership, by seamlessly sharing their screen with customers via a secure web link, to present specification options or finance data in a clear and transparent way.

CitNOW’s new Video Vault service works alongside the company’s Workshop app and is designed to speed up repair and warranty claim processes. The new product is at an advanced stage in its development and is currently being piloted by dealerships within the Volkswagen Group retail network. More than 700 videos a week are currently being shared through the service, to support parts checks and deliver instant video footage to technical teams, allowing warranty claims being resolved faster and more reliably.

Carol Fairchild, Chief Customer Officer at CitNOW, commented:

“The current pandemic has been hugely challenging for motor retailers, but it’s also been one of the biggest triggers for change.”

“As a result, we are fully focused on developing service enhancements that re-imagine the sales process, benefiting all aspects of a dealership’s relationship with its customers. We want to help retailers using CitNOW Sales or Workshop to respond quickly to individual customer enquiries with a level of detail and emotional connection comparable to visiting a dealership.”

A number of further ecommerce developments and third-party integrations will also launch soon, to deliver additional flexibility and convenience for consumers. These enhancements will enable a range of flexible finance and payment options to be integrated in sales processes and workshop operations. Further details will be announced soon.

Prior to the most recent developments, CitNOW launched Live Video, to allow remote face-to-face interactions with customers from the existing Sales and Workshop apps. The company accelerated the development of the service to help retailers deliver a seamless yet contactless journey for consumers, through activities such as vehicle walkarounds, feature demonstrations and live handovers. It also enables workshop operatives to hold two-way conversations with customers to explain diagnostic reports and discuss any required work in real time, while adhering to social distancing protocols.

CitNOW is working in partnership with retailers and third-party suppliers to help the industry prepare for a ‘new normal’ in automotive retailing. Further third-party integrations will be released soon, each designed to enable greater flexibility when dealing with customers remotely.