DEARBORN, Mich. -

In an increasingly digitalized automotive environment,  one OEM, in particular, is busy ramping up its mobile offerings to help dealers turn more potential shoppers into loyal customers.

Ford revealed this week the new SHOWCASE app for the apple iPad, which it contends helps Ford sales associates find “just the right car for their customers faster than ever.”

The company also shared the app offers Ford sales consultants "anytime, anywhere" access to their inventory and product information.

"Waiting for the sales consultant to check the inventory or wandering the aisles of a car lot in search of just the right combination of colors and options can be a tedious and time-consuming process," says Michelle Moody, cross vehicle marketing manager for Ford.

"If the weather is bad or the sun has gone down early in the winter months, venturing outside is even less appealing,”  Moody continued. "In early 2011 we decided to take advantage of the portable technology that became available with the launch of the iPad to facilitate an improved purchase experience for our customers.”

How does it work?

The app works to provide quicker access to more information that could help dealers notch a sale.

For example, the SHOWCASE app provides “instant access” videos about the available features in Ford vehicles, such technology as SYNC and MyFord Touch, as well as driver assist features like adaptive cruise control and active park assist.

“Using the app, the salesperson can quickly demonstrate features like collision warning with brake support, Blind Spot Information System or Lane-Keeping System, which may not be easy to show off during a test drive,” officials shared.

Also, customers need no longer configure and compare vehicles on the OEM website, sometimes left to wonder if a dealership has the particular unit they want. 

“The new SHOWCASE app links this experience to the showroom,” officials noted, “giving sales associates new technology to determine what features a customer wants and to immediately check inventory to see which vehicles in stock most closely match those needs.”

Using the new app, a dealer or salesperson can sit with a customer to go through all the different features a shopper wants in a vehicle, and then the app will display all the vehicles in stock that match the customer’s criteria including a list of all the equipment installed on each vehicle.

Also, if the customer is not ready to make a decision, sales people can utilize the app to email the information on the specific vehicles in stock directly to the customer.

Offering the perspective of a shopper, Maxx Springman, a customer who recently bought a new Escape from All-American Ford in Old Bridge, N.J., said, "I have to say it has never been easier finding the right vehicle.

"I can’t believe we were able to build the exact Escape I was looking for right there at the salesman’s desk,” he added. "Then we actually found the right one on the lot without having to spend an hour walking around outside looking at different window stickers like I’ve done in the past. Thank goodness, too, because it was, like, 110 degrees out and ready to pour!"

The SHOWCASE app was developed by Ford and user interface design specialists Razorfish over a period of several months in 2011.

A pilot group of 14 Ford dealers participated in defining the app and then testing it beginning in November 2011, officials shared.

Open registration for all Ford dealers began on Aug. 1,  and nearly 200 dealers have already signed up to use the new app.

"Customers don’t like to wait while the salesperson walks away to check inventory," says Rich Savino, owner of All-American Ford, a participant in the pilot program.

"The SHOWCASE app helps to create a more intimate experience; it lets customers see what is available instantly and make adjustments if they don’t find what they are looking for,” he concluded.

Editor’s Note: For more information on latest mobile trends, as well as an in-depth look at how best to utilize social media at dealerships and more, see Auto Remarketing’s Sept. 1–14 issue, which focuses on digital trends and tools.