Martin Jalbert
VP Sales Canada, Keyloop
Winning the relationship: the key to harnessing technology for future growth
The vast expanse of Canada and the juxtaposition between urban and rural needs make the Canadian automotive market a dynamic, but challenging one, where one size does not fit all. The new frontiers of technology, and Keyloop Canada’s Experience-First blueprint are unlocking the kind of transparency and hyperpersonalization that will drive automotive retail success and long-term customer loyalty across the nation.
Radical Transparency
One of core values at Keyloop Canada, and one critical to the success of the industry, is transparency. It is with that in mind, that I open this section of the whitepaper. As part of the world’s largest automotive technology company, we know we must scale as we look to the future. More importantly we know we must help our customers scale to help them meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The fact is, it is no longer sustainable to maintain a high level of personal, phone-based support if we are to reach every customer with equity; it cannot deliver the 24/7 access retailers need to deliver the always-on service 2024 consumers expect.
Our tech-orientated support system will evolve our customer service into the future, and over the past year we have doubled down on the tools and processes we need to deliver you the services you need when you need it. This will ensure we are best placed to deliver more innovative technologies and solutions to help your business make the transition to Experience-First.
Mass personalization: one country, multiple markets
Our country is huge, it is possible, as we all know, to drive for hours within the same province. It is also a place with differing realities to deal with, depending on where you are based. Consumers and consumer choice can vacillate from province to province. Quebec is highly sustainable, with clean hydroelectric power and a strong EV infrastructure, so electric vehicles are popular. Whilst in Alberta – where oil and gas drive the economy – the propensity for ICE vehicles remains high. Tech implementation also varies wildly. In some areas, it is still a case of “I know what my customers want” rather than dealers asking them. Whereas in others, the customer experience and tech implementation abounds. But wherever they are across our vast and differing landscape, the truth is, all customers want the best experience available.
Which is where we come in, with the best Experience- First tools for automotive dealerships across Canada. Consumer facing tools like personalized text messaging, online appointments, or tablet check-in for the service department for example. Or infrastructural advancements – like a single customer database, with a 360-degree view across the entire whole dealership – which is fundamental in delivering an exceptional, personalized, CX. And this is not just about winning the customer.
The key today is to win the relationship and to retain that customer through every lifecycle of every vehicle they own from now on. It is that experience that earns loyalty for the long term.
Now we are in a mobile-first era, personalization is a key part of the consumer experience. That is not just doing what the customer wants but doing it in the way that suits them. For example, I do not want my dealership to call me: I want them to text me or e-mail me. Then I can reply on the go, while I am in a meeting, or whenever I am not able to pick up the phone. Experience-First is about meeting individual customer needs and preferences, regardless of who they are, where they are located, what device they are on, or how technically advanced they are.
Experience-First is about meeting individual customer needs and preferences, regardless of who they are, where they are located, what device they are on, or how technically advanced they are.
Look, but do not touch
Even though we are a tech-savvy, mobile-first nation, Canada’s consumers are not ready to buy 100% online – yet.
Currently, Canada’s consumers expect online presence, but they also still want to physically see a vehicle. See it, but not necessarily drive it. An interesting evolution we are seeing across the country.
Of course, traditionally the test drive has been crucial in closing a sale. But increasingly younger generations care more about a vehicle’s features, technology and design than how it drives. In fact, modern cars all drive well, so drivability is increasingly less of a decision-making factor. Incidentally, even though I am not longer part of the ‘younger generation,’ I pre-ordered my last five cars entirely online. I did not test-drive the car I am driving now. Yes, I would have loved to see it in person, but it was not practical. And it certainly was not a problem.
It is easy to see how technology is enabling the desires of new buyers. Shifting the experience from performance to features, and providing the platform, feedback loops and online support to drive sales. And in a country like Canada, where the dealership and the consumer can be hundreds of miles apart, the ability to deliver unified experiences on and offline is critical.
Transparency, building trust, and growing loyalty
If leads from online or text enquiries are not managed correctly, you can lose a customer’s trust before they ever set foot in your dealership. It is about rapidity of response. Consumers expect a call within minutes, not hours or days, otherwise they will go elsewhere.
The customer needs to trust you from the get-go – to know that you will be there for them, and that you mean what you say. That is not just selling them a car: you need to nurture the relationship with the customer by following up with them, by servicing them the right way, by keeping them informed, and by being transparent. It all builds that trust.
For me transparency is fundamental in building trust. It is a two-way street where the consumer and the retailer have total clarity at every step of the relationship. It is exemplified by Apple and Amazon pioneering the delivery of a seamless customer experience. You buy something, you get it the next day or within the same day.
If you do not like it, you return it. There are no pain points: everything is easy, and they do not make you jump through hoops. It is that kind of level of service and relationship that consumers want from their car-buying and ownership journey today.
We are currently working with OEMS to integrate service with connected vehicles, to be proactive with the onboard technology that most vehicles have today. So, if a customer gets a diagnostic warning or code, like ‘check engine,’ the dealership is simultaneously advised. They can then trigger a text message to the customer, reassuring them that they have all the necessary information and offering them an appointment to get it fixed. Seamless, transparent, and totally focused on customer experience.
Embracing technology for a better future
Right now, there is a lot of focus on EVs in Canada, although I do not think they are going to be right for every consumer.
Where you live, where you travel to and what you use your vehicle for are all significant factors in a country as disparate as this one. A charging network like the one in Quebec just is not the reality everywhere, particularly in more remote areas, such as the prairies.
In the meantime, dealerships need to look the future to anticipate what consumers will want if they are to adopt the right technologies to meet expectations. First, this means understanding what those expectations are. Like online appointments, which we have been providing for five or six years now. Incredibly, there are still dealers saying: “We don’t need online appointments.” They may not need them, but their customers do. If customer needs are not listened to, they will go elsewhere. Interestingly, OEMs are noticing this expectation/delivery gap, and many now make it a requirement that their network dealers have an online appointment solution. Dealers are not afraid of digital transformation.
Resistance is usually because they see innovative technology as an expense. This is why it is so important to recognise the value of Experience-First tools in establishing trust, delivering transparency, and building relationships. By giving customers what they need (even before they know they need it), you can drive revenue and sustain long-term loyalty. Not pushing forward in business means slipping backwards – and the dealerships adopting the right technology for the future now are already pulling ahead.
Key Takeaways
