Convenience – the ultimate marketing tool in the auto-industry

Putting the customer first pays off, as these examples from the auto industry show.

It is often said that the second most expensive purchase made is one’s car. The proliferation of dealerships and second-hand merchants, and the relentless barrage of advertising for the newest models can make this a daunting and stressful experience. The challenge for the industry is to find innovative ways to cut through this information overload.

We’ve seen several car companies offering convenient and customer-friendly solutions over the past year. Nissan teamed up with house-hunting site Dubizzle to offer members of the public relocating to the United Arab Emirates the opportunity to test drive their range of vehicles. By considering the type of house the customer was looking at Nissan was able to provide cars suited to the prospective buyer. Combining the dual difficulties of purchasing a house and a car made this an elegant consumer solution for the company and the buyer.

Other examples of strategies aimed at reducing the stress inherent in the buying process include a Brazilian-based dealership teaming up with a local tow company to offer stranded potential buyers a test drive to take them to their destination, and a rental company in Texas removing the stress of choice by providing a single make and model of car.

In eliminating the most stressful aspects of their customer experience, these companies established a consumer friendly approach designed to encourage brand loyalty and customer buy-in. Essentially, by focusing on the negative aspects of their business, these companies were able to create an innovative solution to lend them the edge in a competitive market place. Inspiration here for anyone who wants to turn a negative into an asset.