Why Does Automobile Industry Need Call Center Software For Its Value Chain
The automobile industry is unlike any other in many ways. However, operation and coordination at various levels are the biggest differentiators. Manufacturing depends on in-house production as well as procurement through OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Even though the operations are decentralized. Usually, sales do not take place directly through customers. Mostly it is the dealers, who are responsible for managing sales. Considering these factors, a dedicated and specially designed Call Center Software for the automobile industry is a need. A specialized call center system can assure the customers that they can avail of all the related services from the seller itself.
For the automobile industry, service and maintenance are crucial aspects that are addressed through dealers. It may take place through third-party service providers too. Then there is the wholesale and retail side of the spare parts segment for free replacement parts assurance. This calls for extreme coordination for better operational efficiencies. Particularly, in the light of the changing circumstances due to the pandemic. Another challenge comes from electric vehicles. A dedicated and focused automobile call center software can help educate customers and help them assess their options carefully.
Driving digital sales through automotive industry call center software
A McKinsey report found a 13 percentage point rise in the use of digital channels on account of the pandemic. There is a need for the automobile segment to engage across several channels online, from websites to social media. The report stated that 64 percent of automakers find digital channels to be more effective. The question arises here, how?
A typical example is that of a customer who searches online for a vehicle and lands at the company website. There, he can receive personalized care and attention, which can eventually lead to conversion. At this point, the customer is directed to their nearest automobile retailer who already has details of the customer from the carmaker.
The specialized automotive industry call center solution can be a valuable asset for many activities. By linking websites through IVR and chatbot as the first point of connection and subsequently migrating voice or video calls, even conference calls to deepen engagement, you can do much more. The WebRTC phone feature of the call center software permits seamless switching from audio to video chat and conference calls. You can engage the manufacturer’s representatives, target customers, and local dealers. Such calls are recorded for future analysis and follow-up.
A customer may follow a different path such as taking to Facebook to express his desire for a purchase and seeking advice. In this case, the omnichannel contact center software can notify the automakers to keep their fingers on the pulse, so to speak. They can then start a conversation which, later on, may be steered to more private channels such as phone and then draw in a local retailer to establish the sales process.
Main benefits of the call center software for the automobile industry
Increase efficiency
At another level, automakers cannot just sit back and wait for customers to walk by. They must be proactive and dial possible leads. This is easily achieved using the call center solution’s predictive dialer, progressive dialer, or preview dialer. One can, for instance, use outbound campaigns to exhort older customers to switch to newer models, giving incentives for doing so. And also target new customers through the campaign. In the normal circumstance, auto retailers manage only sales but today they need to initiate the process as well.
Taking it a step further, they can leave it to auto retailers to coordinate, control, and manage the process by the use of a multi-tenant contact center solution, in which the retailer uses the same software but with segregation of features such as contact lists and CRM. However, the main tenant, which is the automaker, and sub-tenants, consisting of distributors and dealers, enjoy all features such as a ticketing system, DID management, multi-user login, DNC, control, and dialers. In addition, they have access to barge-in, whispering, trunk management, real-time queue, and call routing.
In this type of scenario, even remote workers and field agents can be part of the communication setup through their mobiles. The software permits call forwarding and call bridging for easy connectivity within the loop.
Communicate with the manufacturing site staff and offices
Just as the call center solution is useful to acquire and manage customers, it can be an invaluable aid for manufacturers too. They can provide a secure and seamless connection between component suppliers, raw material suppliers, and OEM parts suppliers. In addition, to the production unit as well as the head office of the automaker. You can have just one contact center software or a multi-tenant version to stay updated on the status of all the important tasks. Moreover, you can address issues and resolve them through audio or video conferencing enabled by the contact center software for the automobile industry.
Read Also: Importance of Real-Time Reports & Analytics in Transforming Contact Centers
Better your customer service
As stated earlier, customer service is integral to auto sales. A call center software becomes an invaluable medium for customer service. For instance, a customer may wish to find the nearest service center, in which case he will probably dial a toll-free number that goes into an IVR. This will, in turn, present options for the caller to get what they need.
In the same way, the IVR is used to gather information on the nature of service required and thus gain insight into the performance of the vehicle as well as the quality of on-ground service support in various locations, possibly leading to improvements. The IVR is not the only channel. Encourage customers to use tweets and Facebook posts that can be more transparent, exhibiting your response not only to the complainant but also to other customers, enhancing your brand image in the process.
Easily announce changes
With millions of customers as well as thousands of dealers and vendors worldwide it can be quite a chore to announce changes. This, however, is easily accomplished using the SMS/voice broadcast module of the call center software.
Conclusion
There is a myriad of options that call center software presents to the automobile sector. By using the software you can revamp and improve communication channels in customer service, directly impinging production and sales. Moreover, you can influence your internal communication and collaboration. However, you need to take the first step towards it. Consult an experienced contact center service provider to know how and where you can begin with. A guided path is always better than groping in the dark.
