Recently I introduced some of my delegates to some of the elements contained in ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhardt Tolle, and about focusing on what we can do now in the present rather than things that have already happened in the past. It appears I don’t apply this principle to my music collection as there is very little contained within it that is contemporary or ‘now’!
In light of this, whilst on shuffle in the training room, The Buggles started playing and in particular their 1979 hit ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’. The lyrical gist is about technology taking over from people and the fear that children of the current generation would not appreciate the past.
This got me thinking about the current state of the retail motor industry; more and more technology is not only being introduced into the cars themselves but into the retail experience itself. Augmented reality and online configurators etc. are now ‘old hat’ and the march towards an even more advanced purchasing experience continues at a breath-taking pace.
For some, this technology is not accessible, viable or cost effective so does this mean that they are disadvantaged in any way? Perhaps, but reading a post on LinkedIn recently brought into sharp focus the thing that still hasn’t changed in my 32 years of industry experience – and that is the huge inconsistencies still apparent in the customer buying experience.
My connection was looking to buy a new vehicle and experienced the same old problems of complacency, poor process and a lack of management control and involvement in the guest’s experience. Which leads me back to the technology issue – it’s irrelevant if the customer isn’t at the centre of it and the dealership isn’t providing a world-class guest experience.
I love technology when its easy to use, practical and relevant but it strikes me that the primary aim of any profitable and volume-driven sales department should be a maniacal focus on the customer experience and treating every single one as a valued prospect and not an inconvenient suspect – and technology won’t help with attitude, enthusiasm and mind-set.
As a post script, its interesting that 40 years on from The Buggles hit, more and more people are returning to listening to vinyl. It may be old technology, but the listener is rewarded with an experience that is real and authentic. The world of automotive could learn a thing or two from this.