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With over 1,000 BMW Geniuses across the U.S., the BMW Genius program has had an extensive and positive impact on the BMW customer journey since its launch in 2014. Unlike a traditional sales role, a BMW Genius is a product expert and customer service-oriented position. Given the complexity of today’s cars, BMW Geniuses are BMW customers’ go-to advisors for product understanding before, during, and after each purchase.
If you’re looking to improve customer service and increase sales at your dealership locations, take a look at the following advantages BMW Geniuses have provided to their dealerships.
Adapt to the Evolving Sales Process
Since the emergence of digital retailing, many customers walk into dealerships with extensive knowledge about makes, models and competitive pricing – and in many cases, have already made a buying decision. This shift means your sales team doesn’t have as much of an opportunity to sell customers on specific features or negotiate the final price. Instead, the transaction focuses more on fulfillment than the sale itself. During the test drive and sale, and even after the sale is complete – before customers drive off the lot – you can provide customers with the hands-on training they need to fully understand all technology in the car.
Keep Customers Engaged Post-Sale
In addition to BMW Geniuses offering hands-on technology training, customers continue to have access to BMW Genius resources long after the sale is closed and they’ve left the dealership. One option is what BMW calls the BMW Encore session, a follow-up session that addresses any questions the customer may have about the car or its technology, as it might take time for customers to become acquainted with various features.
BMW also created a BMW Genius Hotline, which customers can call and talk to a dedicated team member about product-related issues and questions. A third option is the BMW Genius App, which contains how-to videos and key benefits about BMW features, information about BMW functionalities, model specific product information, product specs, and more. By keeping customers engaged post-sale, it will lead to long-term customer satisfaction – and potentially even customer referrals.
Build Customer Loyalty
Keeping customers engaged will also increase the chance of customers returning to your dealership next time they’re looking to buy a car. In the past – prior to digital retailing – auto brand loyalty was assumed for many dealership GMs. For example, someone who bought a BMW would buy a BMW the next time he or she needed a new car and so on. But given the vast amount of information online today, auto customers aren’t necessarily as brand loyal as they used to be. Instead, each time they’re looking to buy a car, consumers complete thorough research online, taking auto reviews, consumer ratings, social media feedback, fuel economy, and technological features into consideration.
Today, your customers might consider buying from a different dealership if they find a lower price or better features through their online research. But by hiring BMW Geniuses to keep customers engaged during and post-sale, you can offer top-notch customer service and keep your dealership top-of-mind when it comes time for a customer to buy a new car – ultimately encouraging long term customer loyalty.
