Pain Point 9 - Adherence to processes

We’re almost at the end of our series exploring dealer pain points as we delve into processes and how these are often ignored or circumnavigated out of necessity. The ninth in our series of blogs, processes are a double-edged sword in many cases but automation and training can offer a solution.

Processing change

Automotive retail is a process-driven business with the likes of manufacturer standards, compliance requirements, legal responsibilities and sales criteria (not an exhaustive list!). These will most likely be governed by various systems at work in the dealership with many of those incompatible for sharing information resulting in duplication and, inevitably, errors.

It’s not surprising then that dealership employees are tempted to circumnavigate the processes that dealer group leaders and manufacturers painstakingly put in place, especially when expectations from different factions causes friction, are incompatible or even conflict.

Processes are usually ignored for three basic reasons – they interfere with customer service, for example, if a simple task has become overly complex; they undermine staff morale, such as when a pressurised workforce is expected to meet unrealistic targets, corners are often be cut; and cost when it becomes too expensive to follow prescriptive processes and, once again, shortcuts are made often at the behest of management.

Solutions are straightforward – automation and staff training. However, both of which require investment at a time when budgets are under intense scrutiny and resource is finite - time poor employees cannot be spared. Thus, dealership group leaders can feel like they are constantly chasing tails or firefighting.

Whilst automation may feel like a ‘nice to have’ but ‘too expensive to contemplate’ solution, its effect is often far-reaching and cost saving.

Autofinity’s ViHUB platform keeps track of a vehicle’s journey from part exchange or auction through the prep process to the forecourt empowering interventions which improve efficiencies. Employees’ time is freed up and the journey from vehicle arrival in group stock to retail ready is smooth and expedient.

ViHUB also oversees a vehicle’s marketing journey including flagging vehicles without images, automating consumer-friendly accurate descriptions and feeding online marketplaces. Meanwhile, an update made in the ViHUB system feeds all other connected channels including marketplaces thereby saving time and less likely to create compliance issues. Features such as the ability to make amendments in line with Auto Trader’s desirability scale or uploading additional images in one place with automated feeds to all online marketplaces are an additional boost to efficiency.

Autofinity’s goal to create a system that enables all dealership insights to be actioned from its dashboard continues to gather pace.

Where to start?

Systems audit

Multiple and disparate systems force staff to undertake laborious, manual and repetitive tasks when their time and talents could be put to much better use. A lack of systems integration and multiple data silos limits a dealer group’s flexibility as information is not in one place or at the fingertips of employees. It also impedes the journey to smooth and expedient processes which are straightforward to implement and easy to follow.

Automation

Tasks which can be automated include flagging vehicle discrepancies online resulting in consistent, compliant and accurate vehicle information across all marketing channels whilst an edit made in ViHUB automatically updates all integrated websites. By setting its own vehicle ‘rules’ such as the age and type of used car not right for retailing to shift vehicles quickly without manual intervention, dealer managers do not need to make daily decisions on whether each vehicle should be retailed or traded. Automation implements consistency boosting process adherence.

Training & consultation

With ViHUB in place, Autofinity provides all the necessary training to maximise the system and its use will automatically ensure processes are followed consistently. Our customer services team is in continual communication with end users and there is always someone for dealership employees to consult. In addition, we continually enhance our system and develop new modules in consultation with our end users. ViHUB is currently undergoing a revamp following input from end users to ensure the dashboard is as user friendly as possible with all the relevant information contained in an accessible format.