Car buying has changed in the last twenty years. Today, the internet allows the majority of the car shopping process to happen online, which means many car buyers only step into the dealership once they have a firm idea of which vehicle they want and where they want to buy it. But when they arrive, they are often met with the high-pressure sales pitches and performative negotiation processes of yesteryear—the very parts of car shopping many customers dread.
The world of automotive sales has evolved, but not all automotive sales staff have realized it. Now more than ever before, customers have a broad range of options, and the internet has made sure they know it. Applying pressure drives them away, and dealership groups know this. However, poor sales training and inertia in sales team management often continue to carry twentieth-century sales tactics into the twenty-first century. Virtual reality automotive training, however, provides a solution for dealerships competing in the modern world to prep their sales team to complete more sales in an era of unmatched consumer choice.
How the Internet Has Transformed Auto Sales
The change the internet has wrought on the world of sales is twofold. The first is that consumers have a vast range of choices. In fact, they have so many choices that they can find themselves hard-pressed to know what is out there, let alone make a decision. The second change is that customers can shop for virtually any item from anywhere and simply pick it up at the store or have it delivered right to their home. This increasingly includes cars.
Many car salespeople have tried to deal with these changes by applying as much pressure as they can to any lead they get. These tactics are not only unpleasant, they are often ineffective and drive customers to deliberately choose another option. Sales staff are in effect interrupting the sales process when—to paraphrase former J. Walter Thompson creative director Craig Davis—“they need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in.” That is, in an environment that is so rich with consumer choices, the salesperson’s job must be finding what will make the customer happy instead of pressing them into taking what is available. This is key to building a long-term relationship built on trust, gaining repeat customers, and keeping precious leads from leaving the dealership.
The concept is simple, but the practice is difficult when so many sales managers started decades ago, and sales staff receive all of their training from these managers. Virtual reality automotive training can help automotive groups retrain their sales management and sales floor employees to provide what modern car shoppers want.
What Car Sales Staff Should Know
Sales staff are not mechanics, nor are they necessarily car enthusiasts. A vehicle manufacturer puts a great deal of effort and engineering into updating vehicles each year, but without training, sales staff may not know about these updates. Even if they are aware of the latest changes, they may not know exactly what they mean. Integrated sales training can keep salespersons on top of model changes year over year and provide insight on what these changes mean for car buyers. And in the new era of automotive sales, this is essential; helping customers better understand their options and connect with a vehicle that makes sense for them must be the new paradigm of car sales.
Virtual reality is ideal for the comprehensive sales training needed to make car sales staff valuable partners in the shopping experience. With VR, they can see clear, high-quality visual images that connect technical specifications to material reality. They are also able to engage with these visualizations in a meaningful way, making the training more engaging and effective. Indeed, researchers have found that virtual reality enhances information retention and believe virtual environments can be instrumental in “creating more memorable experiences that enhance productivity.” Additionally, VR training modules can create a standardized learning environment across locations—a boon for dealerships groups with multiple showrooms.
Significantly, virtual reality automotive training can be used to instruct sales staff on the features that customers want to know about, including:
Safety features. One of the most pressing concerns for car buyers is what happens if something goes wrong. Sales staff should be knowledgeable about the latest crash prevention and crash protection built into the vehicles they sell.
Engine and transmission specifications—and what they mean. Whether a shopper is a car enthusiast or a casual driver, understanding engine and transmission specifications can help them make smarter choices. For example, smaller 4 cylinder engines paired with Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) are becoming more common, and dealer sales staff should be able to knowledgeably and honestly inform customers why or why not upgrading to a larger or turbocharged engine is worthwhile.
Performance profiles, available upgrades, and aftermarket support. Different car shoppers have different expectations for performance, whether they’re looking for fast acceleration, control in snowy conditions, the ability to climb hills, or simply a comfortable ride on their daily commute. Likewise, the availability of upgrades and support options can be the details that make or break a sale. A salesperson should be able to confidently discuss all these aspects of a vehicle to help a customer find exactly what they are looking for.
Environmental friendly features. Technological advances are creating new opportunities for integrating environmentally friendly features in vehicles. However, while customers are increasingly interested in these features, many don’t know exactly what they do or they mean in a real-world environment. Being able to explain these features and answer any questions is invaluable.
The ability to provide information honestly and on demand is the key to enhanced car sales in the era of overwhelming choice. Virtual reality automotive training provides a unique opportunity for automotive groups and manufacturers to familiarize sales staff vehicles and gives them the chance to practice explaining these features to customers. With the right technology and support, they can perfect techniques to better meet the needs of car shoppers today.
Developing Virtual Reality Automotive Training for Sales Staff
While the potential of virtual reality automotive training is great, it will largely be up to individual makes, automotive groups, and dealerships to develop their own VR training applications for their sales staff. But this isn’t as big of a hurdle as it might first appear; computer programming and app development are becoming more common, and still premium, skills. Finding stereoscopic car images for use in VR applications, however, can be a barrier to implementing virtual reality automotive training, as producing these assets requires highly specialized skills and equipment.
Fortunately, automotive imaging and modeling specialists are out there and can provide the cutting-edge assets needed. EVOX Images, a leader in automotive stock images, offers a continuously updated virtual reality library ideal for use in virtual reality automotive training systems. With unmatched quality, breadth, and speed to market, this library opens up the door to compelling training experiences that leave a lasting impression on sales staff and allow dealerships to be what people are interested in.
The future is here, but standard operating procedures and training have yet to be written. Dealerships and automotive companies that lead the way in this new frontier can change the way cars are sold and forge lasting connections with car buyers.
DRIVING INNOVATION IN AUTOMOTIVE IMAGERY
The EVOX Images database features the most innovative packages of interior and exterior stills, 360º vehicle imagery, and VR experiences. At more than a million images strong, our team consistently raises the bar on industry standards, and offers an unmatched delivery schedule.
Complete. Easy. Powerful. EVOX.
SEARCH OUR BLOG
