Research from Edmunds shared in a 2014 Autoblog article suggests that one in three people surveyed said they'd rather do taxes, go to the DMV or sit in an airplane's middle seat than go through the purchasing hassle of buying a car. 

Twenty-nine percent of consumers would readily give up their cell phones for a weekend rather than shop for a car, according to the same study. 

Negative consumer attitudes paired with slumping auto sales suggests that now is the time for U.S. dealerships to look at reinventing the car buying experience.

Dealerships, particularly those in the U.S., are approaching a crossroads based on changing consumer expectations. This means working both harder and smarter to give more control to consumers weary of forced salesperson interactions and who’ve become increasingly accustomed to being in the driver’s seat when evaluating options based on individual preferences.

So, what are some ways that dealerships can improve the customer experience? It starts with providing customers with more control and creating a sense of exploration.

Faltering dealerships can now embrace interactive experiences brought to life by forward-thinking technologies. Think: redefining the dealership as a destination for exploration rather than a place where sales transactions are conducted.

Giving customers more control of their dealership experience and providing them with the tools they want and need will encourage potential buyers to turn to dealerships as a destination for information and brand interaction. Customers are bound to become more engaged with the brand and more comfortable eventually dealing with a sales associate. 

We’re already seeing examples of successful, next-generation dealership models sprout up overseas. Citroen's and Peugeot’s Paris Flagship stores are doing things differently, opening dealerships inside city-center malls and invigorating their presence with car-sharing apps.

The Rockar Land Rover store in the Westfield Stratford City shopping center has also proven successful, offering customers access to their Rockar.com application via large touch screens to directly peruse all sorts of car details and options. On London’s Regent Street, we’re seeing “store-within-a-store” concepts. More broadly in Europe, the trend is toward smaller city-center locations that feature one to two cars with a greater digital screen presence, compared to the standard six to seven vehicles of traditional U.S. dealerships.

Essentially, the confines of limited space faced by major European cities have been a blessing in disguise. Dealerships are taking more adventurous attempts, emerging where consumers already are, rather than expecting consumers to come to them. Dealers have been forced to get creative, increasing the number of screens, tablets and touch applications on-site.

These tactics also serve to limit swarming sales people and deliver better margins per square meter due to more digital signage and interactive screens. We’re seeing flagships pop up featuring multiple digital screens as well as augmented reality applications, proving that innovation is on the rise and will no doubt continue to climb.

Yes, there may be a bumpy road ahead for domestic dealers. But, the good news?  Dealers who switch gears and embrace the bevy of engaging technologies available have a great opportunity to rise above the competition and be a beacon for how U.S. dealerships are adapting with the times and expectations of today's consumers.

The auto dealerships that prioritize the customer experience, dialing up interactive digital signage experiences and keeping customer engagement and personalized attention top of mind, will take the lead in helping to change the current mindset of consumers. This means redefining the dealership as a destination for exploration and enticing potential buyers with something new that breathes life into their shopping experience.

Trey Courtney is the chief product officer at Mood Media.

He recently appeared on the Auto Remarketing Podcast. That episode can be found below.