Hyundai ditches reps for web blitz

hyundai axes reps for web blitzHyundai is aiming to boost car sales by cutting out one of the big barriers to buying – the Arthur Daley-style sales reps – by launching a digital showroom where people can purchase a car within minutes.
The new platform, developed by online retailing firm Summit and car specialist Rockar, taps into research which found that almost 40% of Britons are more likely to buy a car if they can avoid talking to salesmen. Meanwhile, almost half say they would be more likely to buy a car if it was as easy as buying clothes, food and gadgets.
Quite where this leaves Hyundai dealerships is anyone’s guess, although the firm claims the new scheme is simply another route to purchase. The concept is based on a vision of making car buying less intimidating and more efficient using e-commerce technology.
The online platform – at rockar.com – covers every aspect of buying a new car, including researching, financing, evaluating, creating and purchasing a new Hyundai, in-store or at home, with no obligation to talk to anyone.
Rockar had the vision but turned to Summit to develop the concept into a working reality. Summit created a platform enabling consumers to input various factors including their current car – so the system can generate a part exchange value – their budget, intended mileage, financing options and over what time period they want to pay.
This provides a list of potential Hyundai models, the consumer then chooses specifications such as colour, fuel type and transmission. They can then adjust any of the variables to instantly see how that affects their choice of car and ultimate cost.
Summit head of digital strategy Ben Latham said: “The key technical challenge was integrating information from three key groups – car manufacturers, valuation companies and finance houses – and dynamically displaying the results in real-time as customers change the variables. It ended up being one of the most complex systems ever built on the Magento platform.”
Hyundai Motor UK president and chief executive Tony Whitehorn claimed traditional car dealerships will always have a vital role to play in the car buying and ownership experience. However, he added: “Rockar Hyundai is exciting and innovative. It utilises the latest technologies to make life easier for car buyers. This online and in-store option gives customers another choice to fit around their busy lives.”

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