Prodigy and Del Grande Dealer Group (DGDG) are collaborating to get vehicles delivered in the smoothest way possible by leveraging technology.
The San Francisco-based digital retailing company focused on streamlining the online and onsite sales experience for vehicle buyers and one of the Bay Area’s largest family owned automotive groups recently launched the No Brainer Checkout; what they say is a complete and transparent online vehicle-buying experience.
“No Brainer Checkout takes digital retailing to the next level, seamlessly combining an online and in-store car-buying process that provides potential buyers with a world-class guest experience,” they said in a news release.
No Brainer Checkout is designed to be a personal concierge to help users through their entire vehicle-buying journey. Users can tailor the buying experience to completely fit their needs. They can complete their transaction online, in-store or a combination of the two. Product specialists use an in-store tablet system to help walk guests through the process wherever they left off.
“DGDG is excited to continue to lead in the future of automotive retailing with the launch of No Brainer Checkout,” Del Grande Dealer Group president Jeremy Beaver said. “Our team and guests will now have a retail experience like they have come to expect from top non-automotive retailers in the country, like Nike, Amazon or Apple. Our customers will have the options to purchase online or complete as much of the process up front from anywhere they choose.”
The dealer group comprises 15 brands and 13 dealerships in the Bay Area; a region accustomed to cultivating technology.
“With our further technology integrations in our dealerships supported by our team of tech-savvy product specialists, the DGDG business continues to thrive while improving on our already world-class guest experience,” Beaver said. “Our team who has a high utilization of technology daily, is now empowered to provide the most transparent automotive retail transaction from A to Z with our guests.”
DGDG’s innovative new platform was designed in partnership with Prodigy.
“We are very excited to be partnering with DGDG as their digital retailing solution. At Prodigy we strive to create an entirely new, streamlined retail experience for dealers to provide to their customers,” Prodigy co-founder and chief executive officer Michia Rohrssen said. “DGDG shares our vision for the future of automotive retail so our partnership has been a perfect fit.”
The online marketplace for consumers to find and finance their next vehicle digitally gained another participant this week, highlighting access to an inventory of more than 100,000 used vehicles for sale nationwide.
Shop.com, Market America's primary global e-commerce website, introduced a way to buy, lease or finance a new or used vehicle online in partnership with the automotive e-commerce website CarSaver.
The CarSaver automotive e-commerce platform and its network of certified dealers, banks and insurance companies all are looking to provide transparent, upfront pricing and the highest level of customer service to Shop.com customers.
“In today’s times, when shopping online has undoubtedly become part of our daily lives, we are excited to partner with CarSaver to allow our UnFranchise Owners and all online shoppers across the U.S. the opportunity to find the best deals to buy or lease a vehicle — all from the comfort of their own home. Even more, SHOP.COM customers will receive a lifetime powertrain warranty at no cost,” said Marc Ashley, president and chief operating officer of Market America Worldwide.
CarSaver’s digital platform allows vehicle shoppers to select, finance and insure a vehicle online and have the vehicle delivered to their door — and the vehicles comes with a lifetime warranty on the engine and transmission.
CarSaver insisted that customers can save $3,811 on average when buying and an average of $3,900 in repair costs with a no-cost lifetime warranty.
“You can buy practically anything online these days, and a car shouldn’t be any different,” CarSaver co-founder and chief executive officer Chad Collier said. “Shop.com helps consumers save time and money when buying everything they need for their home, and now they can do the same for their car.”
Consumers can access the CarSaver auto buying program at http://www.shop.com/CarSaver.
No doubt vehicle shoppers are scouring dealership inventory more than ever nowadays.
V12, a provider of purchase intent insight and marketing services, wants all segments of the automotive industry to gain more insight about that online activity — even down to the brand and model level.
This week, the firm launched V12 Signals Online for Automotive, described as a new and advanced solution that can capture online auto browsing and shopping behavior data collected in real-time. Using this intelligence, V12 explained that it can creates cookie-less audience clusters of consumers who are in market to buy a vehicle,
This innovative solution is both the next generation of digital targeting and a complement to V12’s Mobile Signals, which tracks lot visits and has been proven to convert to sale at 19%, according to a company news release.
V12 Signals Online for Auto uses an innovative cookie-less targeting system, the next generation of digital marketing. V12 indicated cookie-less intent audiences are created based on browsing behavior, and name, address, demographics and VIN data are appended utilizing V12’s ConsumerPlus and AutoID VIN databases.
Using this intelligence, omnichannel campaigns are deployed across channels and results are measured by matching the audience to sales at the dealership.
“As the automotive industry gears up to return to a new normal, identifying in-market vehicle shoppers will be key for automotive brands and dealers to push business momentum and growth forward,” V12 chief executive officer Andy Frawley said.
“With consumers increasingly utilizing digital channels for shopping and research, Signals Online captures this active purchase intent and allows brand to market to consumers across channels,” Frawley continued. “Our clients are seeing much higher engagement and increased conversions, especially when used in tandem with our other Signals products.”
V12 Signals Online is part of the V12 Signals family of in-market products.
Signals WebID can allow brands to identify up to 50% of unknown website visitors for omnichannel marketing. Using Signals Mobile, brands can market to consumers who have recently visiting their dealership or a competitive lot.
Signals Events can identify behavioral and lifestyle triggers, which often can indicate intent to purchase.
“V12 Signals Online provides visibility into the crucial stages when consumers are beginning their purchase journey online,” V12 president Anders Ekman said. “Brands can actively market to consumers from the initial phase of interest and throughout key moments across the entire customer journey.
“We are thrilled to offer this solution to brands at a time when brands need every competitive advantage to thrive in today’s economic climate,” Ekman went on to say.
To learn more about V12 Signals Online for Automotive, the firm is hosting a free, 30-minute webinar at 1 p.m. ET on July 9. Registration can be completed on this website.
Oftentimes when realtors show a property, they know a combination to a lockbox that contains a key to enter the dwelling or office to show their clients the premise.
Biig has developed technology for a similar scenario. But in this case, it’s to help dealerships facilitate contactless test drives and deliveries.
The company explained what it’s calling the BiigVault is smart lockbox technology that can provide remote access to vehicles, enabling contactless delivery and automotive services among consumers, businesses and service providers. With the after-effects of COVID-19 certainly changing consumer behavior, Biig believes consumers will prefer less contact with other people to reduce the risk of virus’ spread.
The company sees that the BiigVault not only could propel Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) that immediately unlocks several opportunities for OEMs, dealerships and businesses to serve customers in ways that have never been done before, but it will also provide a unique and timely solution to the emerging contactless economy.
With the BiigVault, the company explained pre-approved customers will have the ability to simply go to a dealership’s lot, get an access code to the BiigVault’s smart lockbox and take the vehicle for a test drive without having to interact with a store representative. Removing the sales’ agent from the car buying and rental experience not only improves customer experience, but also enables car dealerships to adhere to the CDC guidelines of social distancing, limiting exposure for the safety of employees and car buyers.
With data on driving history, activities, time-stamped location and access logs provided by the BiigVault, the company insisted security is maximized allowing for alternative shopping models and vehicle-sharing businesses to rapidly grow in a post-COVID-19 world.
“As the stay-at-home order is gradually being lifted, car dealerships and other businesses need to build consumer confidence. It won’t be enough for carmakers to blast advertisements and incentives,” Biig co-founder and chief executive officer Charlene Consolacion said in a news release. “Dealers, carmakers and other automotive companies that will prioritize consumer confidence will earn the trust, loyalty and business of post-pandemic consumers.
“This is the time to rethink and reboot our industry and look from the lens of people and the new reality,” Consolacion added.
For more information, visit www.biig.co.
On Tuesday, Carzato, a leading automotive online services provider, announced its integration with RouteOne, a leading F&I technology provider, in an effort to furnish an optimal experience for consumers and dealers in North America.
With the collaboration, Carzato explained its online retailing experience (ORE) platform integrates with RouteOne’s credit aggregation system to present indirect auto-financing quotes to consumers and enable full online credit application and e-signing. The firms believe the integration enhances the automotive digital retailing product offering and empowers consumers with financing quotes that are fully transactable at the dealership.
“Carzato’s integration with RouteOne allows us to provide an industry first cross-tier and brand-customizable car-buying tool that routes high-intent shoppers directly to dealer online retailing tools,” Carzato chief executive officer Javier Ruiz said. “Regardless of where people are shopping — brand website, dealer website, social media, email, search and the like — ORE provides a consistent and efficient experience for the car-buyer, while generating incremental, high-closing leads for dealers.”
Carzato emphasized that it works closely with automakers to provide a fully modular digital retail experience that is white-label ready — offering a unique platform with advanced customization to meet highly-specific needs — currently servicing more than 2,600 dealerships across six automotive brands.
“RouteOne remains committed to delivering innovative solutions to enhance both the dealer and consumer experience,” RouteOne chief executive officer Justin Oesterle said. “RouteOne is pleased to integrate with Carzato to solve for current market challenges and support the launch of this online retailing experience that delivers quality leads from OEM and dealer digital retail platforms.”
Carzato reiterated that its ORE platform was built to be agile, allowing OEMs and dealers to integrate existing retail tools into the platform. The company contends the result is a high-performing retailing experience that does not require dealers to replace their existing sales processes.
“Creative delivery can also be tailored to the specific needs of each brand with messaging that is both relevant and targeted to the intended audience,” Carzato said.
Digital Motors and eLEND Solutions recognized how vehicle retailing is changing rapidly nowadays so they formed a strategic partnership with the intention of facilitating an integrated buying and financing experience — one that can result in buyers taking delivery in as little as an hour.
The companies explained in a news release distributed this week that the integration is intended to ensure that dealers can get precise information about each customer’s credit qualifications and, therefore, can transact on the quoted vehicle payments. Digital Motors and eLEND Solutions pointed out this development actively moves customers down the sales funnel, transitioning them from shoppers into buyers – all from the convenience and safety of their homes.
Through this integration, buyers of new or used vehicles of all major brands can configure purchases directly from the dealership’s website and instantly apply for leasing or financing online.
One early adopter highlighted in the news release was Jon Gray, president of Orange Coast Auto Group, a major Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT dealer.
“The integration of digital financing seamlessly extends online browsing into online car buying, significantly speeding up the sales and F&I process,” Gray said. “This platform is key to our mission to get customers through the entire process in under an hour.”
Digital Motors can provide online stores for dealerships as an extension to their existing websites. Potential buyers are presented with transactable lease and finance offers on VIN-specific vehicles in inventory.
With the help of eLEND Solutions, consumers instantly can apply for credit online and get access to the same lease and finance options presented at the dealership.
With more and more customers conducting their purchases remotely, Digital Motors and eLEND Solutions emphasized that dealerships need robust online stores that allow dealers to transact with customers rather than merely capturing leads.
“The partnership with eLEND Solutions provides our dealer clients with additional online store capabilities,” Digital Motors chief executive officer Andy Hinrichs said. “A fully integrated digital purchase and finance experience increases online sales conversion and drives efficiencies for the retailer.”
eLEND Solutions offers the retail auto industry a certified secured platform that can enable consumers and dealers to exchange PII information such as credit application, credit report and compliance data, empowering dealers to structure and finalize all the details of a sale before heading out for the remote delivery.
“We are excited to partner with Digital Motors to help power their frictionless, digital path-to-purchase experience,” eLEND Solutions CEO Pete MacInnis said. “The integration of our digital credit and finance platform with Digital Motors’ digital retailing platform enables auto dealerships to quote qualified deal structure terms in a secure, contactless online environment, facilitating remote, fundable contract negotiations.”
In an effort to provide dealerships with all the tools they need to streamline and complete customer vehicle sales online. digital sales platforms AutoAlert and AutoFi teamed up this week to create an integrated software solution.
AutoAlert and AutoFi highlighted their new remote selling solution designed to strengthen the capabilities of dealerships challenged by the unpredictable sales environment of the COVID-19 pandemic is set to launch in June
AutoAlert’s CXM (Customer Experience Management) has an artificial intelligence engine that can optimize complex customer journey data from a myriad of sources to send more than 5 million personalized key to key offers every month to qualified buyers from the dealership’s database. CXM can provide dealers with the opportunity to positively engage and communicate with their sales and service customers while creating the best customer experiences.
A previous honoree among the Emerging 8 highlighted in Auto Fin Journal, AutoFi and its e-commerce platform can integrate with a dealer’s existing systems through its API and allow vehicle buyers to apply for financing, receive real-time offers from finance companies and select vehicle protection products to finalize a deal digitally, providing almost entirely touchless vehicle sales.
In the new collaborative solution, the companies explained AutoAlert will integrate AutoFi financing capabilities into its outgoing customer offers so vehicle shoppers can complete the purchase from the safety of their homes — or anywhere else they feel comfortable.
The companies said multiple dealers have asked for the AutoAlert and AutoFi integration. One is Brian Huth, general manager of Sam Pack’s Five Star Ford in Dallas, one of the Blue Oval’s 2019 Top 100 Volume dealers.
During the state-mandated showroom closure in March, Huth and his team used both platforms in tandem to beat their April 2019 new-vehicle sales by 47%, according to AutoAlert and AutoFi.
Based on April 2020 performance data, Five Star Ford Dallas is now 49th in the Top 100 Volume dealers for 2020.
“AutoAlert and AutoFi’s platforms work so well together,” Huth said in a news release. “This integration takes the next step and will help us move beyond the boundaries of our dealership by identifying more customers, deliver timely offers, and sell more cars.”
Huth and his sales staff use AutoAlert CXM to identify prospective buyers who might be interested in a better deal.
For example, AutoAlert can pinpoints previous customers without perfect credit ratings who have since taken action to improve their credit. With the lower terms and delayed payments currently offered by manufacturers, the companies pointed out more eligible consumers could potentially enter the market.
Despite the April closure of the Dallas showroom floor, Huth’s sales staff was able to safely close deals from their homes by using AutoAlert and leveraging AutoFi’s purchase flow to arrange attractive customer terms.
AutoAlert executives believe these enhanced online sales capabilities may accelerate buying cycles, leading to a faster recovery in dealership jobs and revenue.
“We are committed to continuing to innovate and help our dealers recover as quickly as possible while providing customers with the best vehicle purchase experience on their terms,” AutoAlert chief executive officer Mike Dullea said. “AutoAlert CXM provides our dealers’ customers with over five million personalized offers each month and adding the AutoFi technology enables the customer to move at their own pace allowing dealership personnel to respond with the exact information the customer wants.
“Our dealers are really energized by our integration with AutoFi as we further enable a seamless digital retailing experience from any location, including the customer’s home,” Dullea continued.
AutoFi executives, who have seen monthly submitted credit apps increase 80% since March, believe remote sales will remain a crucial component of total sales as dealers strive to abide by any continued social distancing guidelines and assuage ongoing consumer anxiety.
“This crisis is pulling forward the adoption of digital purchase experiences much faster than the industry anticipated,” AutoFi chief executive officer and co-founder Kevin Singerman said. “Our partnership with AutoAlert creates a powerful customer experience, giving vehicle buyers personalized offers that for the first time can be transacted remotely.
“We are thrilled to bring this type of innovation to our dealers across the country,” Singerman went on to say.
Both AutoAlert and AutoFi reiterated that they offer comprehensive dealership training, a satisfaction guarantee and full integration management so dealers can stay focused on their daily business of fulfilling customer needs.
Bob Tasca, vice president of Tasca Automotive Group, which has nine dealerships in several states, applauded the integration of AutoAlert and AutoFi.
“Technology that makes it easier for our customers to do business with us and get what they want is always welcome, and that’s what AutoAlert and AutoFi have accomplished,” Tasca said in a news release. “The customers have more choices and they have an even better purchase experience with our dealerships.”
Dealers can learn more about driving increased sales through the integrated AutoAlert and AutoFi solution by registering for an informational webinar scheduled for noon ET on May 27. Registration can be completed at go.autoalert.com/remote-selling-webinar.
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, smoothing the digital retailing and financing processes was a priority for Jennifer Reid at Equifax.
For this podcast episode recorded during the Vehicle Finance Conference hosted by the American Financial Services Association back in February, Nick Zulovich shared another conversation with Reid, who offered personal anecdotes about how she responds when family and friends ask why purchasing a vehicle sometimes takes hours.
To listen to the episode, click on the link available below or visit the Auto Remarketing Podcast page.
Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast on iTunes or on Google Play.
And stay tuned for more podcasts from AFSA's Vehicle Finance Conference.
Former Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and AutoGravity executives Andy Hinrichs and Nick Stellman founded Digital Motors last year, striving to become an innovation leader in automotive retail and financial technology.
Now Digital Motors is leveraging the expertise of Hinrich Woebcken, who is the former president and chief executive officer of Volkswagen Group of America. According to a news release distributed this week, Woebcken is serving Digital Motors as a senior adviser.
“In our quest to transform automotive retailing, we partner with the best in the business,” said Hinrichs, who is the CEO of Digital Motors. “With his extensive experience and deep industry insights, Hinrich strengthens our ability to create value for car dealerships and their customers who want to increasingly transact online.”
Digital Motors operates a proprietary digital retailing platform that is designed to enable dealers to provide a “revolutionary” car-buying experience. With its emphasis on providing penny-perfect, transactable lease and finance payments, Digital Motors says its platform powers a consistent user experience online and offline — allowing customers to seamlessly transition between a dealership’s online store and its brick and mortar presence.
Woebcken is a board member, investor and advisor to companies in the automotive and related tech industries. He also advises private equity funds on large M&A transactions.
Most recently, Woebcken was president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, which included a family of worldwide brands: Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Electrify America, as well as VW Credit in the United States.
Previously, Woebcken has spent 30 years in the automotive and manufacturing industries, as well as nearly 10 years with BMW in senior executive positions.
Why did Woebcken decide to become involved with Digital Motors?
“Digital Motors is an exceptional auto tech company and I’m excited to be part of this team of digital game changers,” Woebcken said in the news release. “This flexible digital retailing solution lets car dealers easily expand their physical stores into the digital world, driving efficiency, increasing conversion, and improving customer satisfaction.”
