CARY, N.C. -

Many dealers have become used to the mobile marketing mantra, with new developments and studies coming out every day, it seems.

Beyond serving as a marketing tool, there are many other roles mobile devices can play in the auto industry. In fact, Tave Della Porta, co-founder and chief executive officer of XLane Holdings Inc., explained to Auto Remarketing Canada that mobile can prove particularly helpful to dealers at auction. Here’s what he had to say:

ARC: Many see mobile as just another add-on to the ever expanding world of digital marketing. Why should dealers get involved; what’s in it for them in the wholesale space?

Della Porta: Mobile technology offers a better Internet experience for dealers who want to thrive in this fast-paced wireless world.

Since the rise of e-commerce, the entire wholesale remarketing realm has changed. The Internet has made vehicle transacting more transparent and efficient.

Dealers who shifted from exclusively attending physical auctions to adopting online platforms, were the first dealers to take advantage of what was on the horizon. They were the dealers able to adapt and prosper when sourcing vehicles became more difficult.

Mobile is about closing the time gap.

For sellers, this means inspecting and posting online faster than ever before. For buyers this means discovering and buying vehicles in real-time across the nation.
 
Those early majority dealers who embraced the virtual marketplace are the same dealers who are at auction with their iPads buying and selling.

ARC: It is easy to see mobile as a more complex aspect of the digital world. Do you really have to be educated in the mobile realm to get involved?

Della Porta:  Smartphones have already become a life tool for so many of us, including dealers.

Once you get over the learning curve as a first-time user, you have a pretty powerful tool in your hand.

There are dealers out there using FaceTime on their iPhone to share vehicle details with colleagues, and others who text message a bunch of contacts to get an offer on a trade-in, while the client is sitting in the showroom.

I guess we can say most dealers have already identified and exploited the social features of mobile.

But combining those devices with utility apps and complex underlining infrastructures such as auction platforms, or inventory management systems, is another story.

Dealers who wish to incorporate a mobile strategy must be ready to invest time and training.
I have learned that dealers, like a lot of professionals, want technology that works for them, not the other way around.  

ARC: Can mobile help dealers buy and sell at auction?

Della Porta: Absolutely.

In fact, recently I was speaking with a general manager from a major auction who told me that, “You cannot help but notice the number of dealers who walk around the auction yard, scanning vehicle VINs and scrolling through their smartphones on auction day.”

Those dealers are using mobile technology to access data and services such as history reports, pricing, book values and inventory management systems.  

Mobile services help dealers to make better buying decisions while at auction.

For example, XLane users can even sell vehicles before they buy them — by capturing and sharing complete vehicle inspects with their contacts, who can immediately respond with live offers.

ARC: When/ how should dealers make the move into mobile?

Della Porta: ASAP.

Thanks to the growth of smartphones the investment is minimal, so there is really no reason not to get in the game as soon as possible.

In fact, according to Google, more people now access the Internet from a mobile device than anything else.

ARC: Specifically, how can dealers use mobile tools for inspecting, sharing, selling and sourcing vehicles?

Della Porta: Mobile simplifies the inspection process and gets vehicles online faster.

Mobile gives the ability to “share” vehicles from the anywhere anytime, which improves communication speed between the buyers.

Mobile offers a rich media experience that increases buyer engagement and links the entire selling team on multi-user system that keeps everyone current and connected.

Being connected as a buyer allows a user to receive instant alerts to their mobile device when new vehicles enter the system. They can also make offers and confirm purchases on the go with the selling team.

Editor's Note: For more on the latest advances in technology and digital marketing, see the Auto Remarketing Canada Digital Magazine here.

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