3 Ways to Humanize Your Dealership
Article Highlights:
- Bring your business to life, literally.
- People trust people, not brands.
A few months ago, I talked about Gen Z and whether or not you should be concerned just yet. One of the top needs I discussed for this generation is humanizing your dealership. So what exactly does this mean…
Bringing your business to life, literally.
Forbes states people trust people more than they trust brand, so start showing the people of your dealership.
Gen Z customers appreciate when they walk into a business and feel like they already know the people they are interacting with because they see them on Instagram (or wherever else). It sets the foundation for a relationship that can be built over time.
How do you humanize your dealership?
1. Engage on social media: Taking photos prompts real interactions online, which does great things for your dealership’s reputation. Try to avoid stock photos. Take photos of life within your dealership. While posting real photos is a huge part of humanizing your dealership, another part is interacting with people who comment on them online. Interacting with them will show you care and value their opinions.
2. Give your customers control: When I say humanize your dealership I don’t mean purge all your technology. Gen Z expects technology and knows how to use it well, which means you should allow them to take control. For example, when you are discussing accessories, give them control of the computer and let them personalize their vehicle themselves. In F&I, allow them to click and browse through items instead of reading them off a brochure. This creates trust and opens a pipeline for human interaction throughout the process, which builds a strong sales and customer relationship.
3. Personalize appointments: When a Gen Z customer comes in for a sales or service appointment, they don’t want to be just another number. They want to feel like you know them. For example, greet them by name when they walk in for a sales appointment or have their name on a welcome screen when they pull into service. Personalizing appointments will make them feel valued, further humanizing your dealership.
Conclusion
When humanizing your dealership, think about different ways you can show off and highlight the ‘real’ people behind your business. Even taking steps to ensure your customers feel comfortable helps, such as showing them you know who they are, humanizes yourself. Taking a few steps to prepare now will give you a competitive advantage in the future.
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Director, Brand Marketing, Reynolds and Reynolds
Ashley is Director of Marketing Communications for Reynolds and Reynolds. In her 10 years with Reynolds, she has managed the marketing strategy for several key Reynolds solutions and branding initiatives. Today, she leads the U.S. and Canadian marketing teams to drive brand awareness, product penetration, and content strategy for Reynolds and other key brands within the Reynolds Retail Management System.
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