Teach Customers to Use Tech

By Ted Ings, Executive Director

Connected navigation, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are just a few examples of tech features now commonly found in new cars. 

It’s no surprise some customers are having trouble figuring it all out, and it’s not just the grannies that are struggling. 

A recent Kantar study found that of 8,500 car owners surveyed, 25 percent don’t know how to use their vehicle’s tech features. Of those surveyed, 11 percent weren’t even aware their car was equipped with some tech options!

The most alarming statistic is that 68 percent of car buyers weren’t shown how to use their car’s technology. It’s a coachable problem, though, and one that can lead to increased brand loyalty. It’s possible with a Technology Clinic in your dealership.

Why a Dealership Technology Clinic?

You might as well throw away the owner’s manual because no one reads it anyway. If tech isn’t intuitive, it isn’t learned and isn’t used. Provide your clientele the opportunity to learn how to use their car’s features in a hands-on environment. 

Here’s how it’s done well:

•    Set aside an evening in your store and advertise it to your sales and service customers. Focus on those who bought their car in the past 12 months. Staff it with service and sales employees and managers who are up to date on training, and pay them for it!

•    Have your customers bring their vehicles into the shop or service drive if the weather isn’t cooperating. Staff members can walk them through features and program functions with the customer that aren’t being used. 

•    Set up tech stations and mini-seminars. Explain the benefits of each feature and what it can do for the customer. 

•    Encourage attendance with door prizes and coffee and snacks.

A Technology Clinic tells your customers that they aren’t the only one still figuring out how to use their car. There’s no shame in attendance – rather, it’s a benefit to both the customer and the dealership!