5. 5
• 7,000 consumers responded to our
Trends Study Survey
• Data gathered Q323 – January 2024
• Comparing the past ten years of gathered
stats, some of which have changed, and
others have become even more important
DAS Technology’s 10th Annual Automotive
Customer Experience Trends Study
6. 6
Trends Study Focus
• Before the Purchase:
Dealership Research – Online Reviews & Website, Using
Chat for Questions, Scheduling Via / any Question Chat,
Inventory, Lead Follow-Up
• During the Purchase - Trust in Salesperson, Experience
at Dealership
• After the Purchase – Service, Asking for Reviews,
Customer Lifetime Value (Referring Friends & Family,
Returning for Future Purchases)
Online and In-Person Interactions Drive the Consumer Journey
7. 7
The Social Media Landscape Has Changed!
Ten years ago…
• 79% of dealers that used a social
media partner had a Google+ page,
but now that social network is
obsolete.
• Only 69% of car shoppers said that
dealership reviews impacted which
dealership they visited when
shopping for a vehicle. Now, that
number is closer to 95%.
8. 8
Remove Friction With an Improved
Shopping Experience
While many customers start their
purchases online, it still takes
work to deliver a top-notch buying
experience 100% online.
The dealerships that focus on
providing a fantastic car buying
experience will take their
business to the next level.
Only 2.4% of vehicle buyers report
completing their entire purchase
transaction online (negotiation,
financing or leasing, selecting
warranties, and signing paperwork) and
22% say they would like to be able to
complete more of their purchase online
in the future.
9. 9
Pay Attention to your Online Presence!
84% of vehicle shoppers say review
sites like Google are the most
helpful in making their dealership
selection.
TAKEAWAY: Online review sites remain a driving
force in predicting consumer behavior. Ensure
your online presence creates the best first
impression possible with fully updated online
profiles. Establish you are curating positive
reviews from happy customers.
10. 10
Monitor Your Review Site Profiles for
Accuracy & Improvement
• Review ratings
• Number of reviews
• Newer reviews
• Responses to reviews
• Business listing accuracy
11% report they did not visit a dealership they
saw online because the dealership had bad
online reviews. Yet only 41% of vehicle buyers
report their dealership asked them to leave a
review.
11. 11
Respond to ALL Positive and Negative Reviews
PROTECT your brand & BUILD customer loyalty
• Every business should continually monitor top
social and online review sites and provide prompt
and professional review responses to ALL
positive and negative reviews.
Ensure engagement with more customers by
utilizing secondary languages like Spanish.
• Dispute reviews that violate review site terms and
conditions.
12. 12
Ensure Your AI-Powered Chat is Monitored
TAKEAWAY: Dealers need to add AI-
powered live chat to their website but
ensure that it is monitored to guarantee a
good customer experience.
41% of vehicle buyers under 65 list online
communication (chat, email, or text) as their
preferred method of initial dealership contact. 25% of
the people who prefer chat prefer to start with a bot
and then transfer to a live person when they’re ready.
13. 13
Provide Car Buyers with Useful Information
88% of vehicle buyers report that
their dealership followed up with
them consistently until a purchase
was made but ONLY…
TAKEAWAY: Dealers need a
standardized process that
includes other vehicle options
in inventory, special offers and
payment options, etc. Mirror
the Amazon experience "you
may also be interested in..."
• 35% reported that the information contained
special offers
• 24% reported that the information contained
videos (of walkarounds or anything at all)
• 28% reported that the information contained links
to review sites
14. 14
Educate Consumers About EVs!
TAKEAWAY: Dealers should leverage the data
inside their CRM and invest in deploying
content that educates consumers on the reality
of owning and charging EVs.
Only 20% of EV owners regularly charge their
vehicles someplace other than their home,
yet 32% of vehicle shoppers say they will not
consider an EV due to the lack of convenient
charging stations. 31% of EV owners report
the cost of owning an all-electric vehicle is
less than they expected.
15. 15
Be in Tune With Messaging That Consumers Want
• Share how easy your online buying experience is
• Offer at-home test drives and deliveries
• Service Pick-up and drop-off
• Online trade valuations, even if they don’t buy from you
• Online service appointment scheduling
• Communicate with consumers in their preferred
method: texting vs. email or phone call
• Ensure your Why Buy is prominently displayed in all
messaging
• Empower your consumers do start the journey on your
website
16. 16
Use the Data to Bring Consumers Back!
TAKEAWAY: Dealers need to leverage the data in
their DMS to deploy email campaigns to bring their
customers back for vehicle service, including
consumers who complete their shopping experience
within the Digital Retailing platform.
Only 27% of vehicle owners who took their
car in for service did so because it was due
for service based on the manufacturer’s
recommended schedule, and 84% report that
email reminders for service are most effective
in reminding them to set their service
appointment.
19. 19
Streamline Your
Digital Presence
and Consumer
Experience
• Reviews, Reviews, and
more Reviews!
• Auto still is and will
always be a relationship
business.
• Pursue the right tech
solutions to provide a
seamless customer
experience to ensure
you win the race to the
relationship.
22. 22
10th Annual Automotive Customer Experience
(CX) Trends Study Results Unveiled
SCOTT PECHSTEIN
SVP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, DAS TECHNOLOGY
scott@digitalairstrike.com
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