By Adam Swanson, OEM Director, FuzionZone

You’re not Amazon, Apple or Google, so why is everyone telling you that you should be?

“Hey Alexa, order me more shampoo. Also, can you get me a trade number on customer Smith, make sure that our inventory is up to date online, improve my service drive experience, skyrocket our profitability, and find out why John didn’t show up today? Thanks, Alexa!”

Anyone else tired of everyone looking to Amazon, Apple, and Google as the gold standard measuring stick for any business objective or industry? Just about everything – your dealership’s business model, corporate culture, customer experience, online presence, e-commerce strategy – is compared to the utopia that is the Amazon, Apple, and Google trifecta that has the answer to all business problems you could ever imagine? If you become just like them, you’ll win at everything, forever.

Forgive me for the snarky hyperbole, but let’s face some cold hard truths. Buying a car will never be like buying a pair of socks. We’re not in the business of competing to serve up the most relevant search results for “How do I make potato soup?” or get more likes than the Instagram egg. Our products have usage lifecycles that last about the length of six iPhone releases (and stay relevant long after your phone is a paperweight).

Yet, this myth persists. The idea that because customers can have Alexa buy them shampoo online, have Siri give them directions to a concert, or download the latest single with one click, that buying a car should be just like that or at least close. While we can certainly learn about consumer behavior from these interactions, dealerships should create a car buying experience that’s not the same, but better.

Before getting swayed into installing nap pods in your employee lunchroom or the customer self-serve Kombucha tap, stay tuned for part two of a continued dialogue that explores beyond tech-focused companies, and looks at three other industries to benchmark.

Here’s a look at three similar industries covered in part two:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Real Estate. For most, the two most expensive purchases ever made, include buying a home, and next under that, a car. People shop for a new home or apartment in the same fashion that they shop for a new car. They already have an idea of what they want, they research where to get it, and they study how much it will cost them. In the case of home purchases, the majority also need financing just like a car.And the parallels continue if you consider that there are inventory listings, display pages, search radiuses, quality photography, and how most have an “agent” to purchase something. The similarities to the auto industry are uncanny.But in part two, you’ll learn what this similar industry is doing differently, as well as what we can learn from companies like Zillow and Realtor.com.
            2. Hospitality. No industry knows how to better deal with the public than hospitality does. Companies like Disney, Montage Resorts, and Virgin are all pioneers in taking the customer experience to a more positive and fulfilling place that creates zealous brand advocates worldwide.Like it or not, most customers view buying their next car about as positively as getting their next root canal. We’ve got our work cut out for us. I will dive into what we, at the dealership level, can implement from customer service innovators like Richard Branson and Bob Iger, not necessarily the tech disruption stalwarts like Jeff Bezos or the late Steve Jobs.
            3. Grocery Retail. Another industry that is in the thick of disruption from tech, many retail grocery stores are suffering from tightening margins and online competition. The popularity of meal and grocery sites such as Blue Apron and Peapod.com have grown in popularity. However, there is still fight left in the retail sector, especially for those who can deliver a better customer experience and a unique approach. Some have not clung to tradition but have embraced the disruption of competition by one-upping them at their own game.

         If you have ideas of other industries or business examples (that are truly outside of the “tech” box) that I can include in part two, please email aswanson@fzautomotive.com. There are many more that I would have just included all in one great post, but I had to follow my own advice and take a page from another industry that suggests sequels are a guaranteed way to keep people coming back.

         About the Author

         Adam Swanson is a digital marketing executive who works within the automotive and power sports industries. His resourceful experience and innovative insight into complex marketing topics have put him in demand working directly for and consulting with companies such as Mazda, Harley-Davidson, Jaguar, Land Rover, Toyota, Porsche, and more. He currently serves as the OEM director for FusionZone Automotive, LLC.