Automotive
Helping the automotive industry pull together through uncertain times
Currently, no one knows what’s around the corner or how long the Coronavirus pandemic is going to last. Everything is very uncertain. What we do know is that we all need to pull together. If you can work from home, work from home. If you can do your bit for society, do your bit for society. If you can do your bit to keep the economy spinning, do your bit. We do our bit by helping to take care of the automotive industry.
Your business doesn’t need to stop because of the lockdown, in fact, it can carry on seamlessly, remotely. We’ve put together a few ideas and ways that we can pull together through these certain times and make our comeback as an industry an impactful one. See what you think...
Do your homework
Now’s the time to really get stuck into researching what your customers need and want. As a vehicle retailer, are you always too busy with day-to-day tasks? Well now’s the time to take a look at things like your website analytics.
As most of us are sitting at home, it’s more than likely we are online. Are you seeing a surge of traffic on your website? If you are, what information are your customers looking at? Now’s the time to react to them. Create some enticing vehicle offers, add the ability to let them reserve a vehicle from your website or/and let them buy cars from your website. If you would like to do this, we can help and as we appreciate times are hard at the minute, we’re offering our Checkout solution that lets your customers buy your cars through your website for free for 3 months.
Take the time and monitor the drop off rate on your website. Where are your customers leaving your website? This type of information can really help you refine your website’s journey and understand how you’re losing customers.
Start building customer personas. Personas help you understand who your customers are, their likes, dislikes, demographics, how they like to be communicated to etc. This information can help you with your sales and marketing strategy and how you sell your vehicles effectively to these customers. If you haven’t a clue how to start building personas here’s a really nice site that’s got some useful resources to get you started - https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyer-persona-research
The industry coming together
It’s needed to happen for a long time and it’s happening. It’s a long term solution and if we work together there are more opportunities, and challenges can be overcome more easily. Can other companies in the industry help you sell online and effectively? Can they help you change your business direction now we are going through a pandemic?
Speak to your finance companies, speak to your DMS and CMS Providers, speak to your technology partners. Everyone has a role to play. We’ve seen many posts from companies offering help and support to retailers. Car Dealer Magazine kindly put together a post containing many suppliers who are offering retailer’ help - https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/suppliers-cutting-costs-offering-free-trials-help-car-dealers-now/188179.
At Codeweavers, we make sure all of our solutions work seamlessly together along with third party systems to save retailers time and hassle and automate a lot of processes. We had a webinar that took place on the 1st April for anyone wanting help selling vehicles and finance remotely, if you missed it get in touch and we can share the recording.
Work with your competitors. Share guidance and advice on how you are tackling these uncertain times. Share plans for the future and have each other's backs. Do you have a better way of selling cars through finance? Have they a simpler process for selling cars through their website? Shared knowledge is the key to success.
Take your time to plan your vision for the future
Since our Directors set the vision at Codeweavers, our communications have improved, our way of working and our solutions are set for the future. We simply want to help the automotive industry sell more cars, more efficiently. What’s your vision? If you haven’t got one take some time out to create one that's simple, feasible and will drive your business. It won’t only help you sell more cars now but it will make sure your place in the future is a solid one.
Before we go, we wanted to leave you with a few links to websites that we think are really resourceful in these uncertain times and will help you get through the lockdown.
Covid 19 Media Principles -
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/covid-19-media-principles/
A guide to managing your newly remote workers -
https://hbr.org/2020/03/a-guide-to-managing-your-newly-remote-workers?utm_source=pocket-newtab
Work from home video call strategy -
Help your small business manage through uncertainty -
Work from home tips -
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/organizational-culture/work-from-home-tips/
A range of resources to help you through remote working -
https://uk.godaddy.com/open-we-stand/resources
Remember, we’re in this together. Stay safe and let’s come out of this lockdown stronger than ever.
