Car customers have questions—learn how Messenger can help your brand answer them

Facebook Business

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Whether it's by offering an automated chat service or an option to talk to experts online, Facebook can be a tool for auto brands to connect with customers and help them learn more about the different models available for purchase.

One of the biggest frictions in the purchase stage for car customers is that the ‘salesperson isn’t attuned to my needs’ (Europe Auto Consumer Journey Analysis, BCG, commissioned by FB)—though 80% of people agree that ‘interacting with a real person to ask questions’ is the most important part of the car buying process (Deloitte, Global Automotive Consumer Study).

There’s a conflict between desire and action here. But what if Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) allowed car buyers to connect with a real car expert in a less intimidating digital channel, rather than in person, to keep the customer in the driving seat and ease this friction?

No stupid questions

For customers who need more active guidance, an automated Messenger bot can guide someone closer to a decision or answer ‘stupid’ questions in a non-intimidating way.

One of the most interesting findings from our recent research into the electric car market was that buyers considering an electric car in the future simply “didn’t know what to Google.”

It’s important to give car buyers confidence while helping them navigate to a purchase.

If a transaction is to be facilitated online, it is natural that questions and answers should also be conducted digitally.

A personal connection

Facebook messaging platforms—Messenger and WhatsApp—operate in the sweet spot between ‘not now’ and ‘right now’; they neither require a conversation to be completed immediately in one go (these are often complicated and wide-ranging conversations spanning days, after all), nor do they leave a customer waiting days for a response.

OEMs are using campaigns with a call to ‘click to Messenger’ or WhatsApp to open a dialogue with future customers.

61% of people say that messaging makes them feel more personally connected to a brand (FB IQ) and when a chat lead is connected to a sales person, conversion to sale rate increases by 26% (RapidRTC).

An online messenger service can help customers ask the questions they may feel intimidated to raise in person.

Always ready

The benefit of a Messenger conversation is that it can be handled either by a central customer service team or sent to a dealer to manage and it can effectively extend the hours of business operation.

If flexible working hours are possible then colleagues can keep the e-commerce shop open to customers outside typical retail hours.

This is crucial when we consider that when chat leads are activated, 24% of leads will come in out of typical retail hours (RapidRTC).

If car buyers are already saying that they’d prefer to not always have to seek advice face to face, OEMs are missing chances to start deep and long-term relationships if they don’t allow these conversations to happen digitally.

Your Facebook team can help you navigate these routes to supporting an online car buying journey as well as sharing more insights that will help you develop your own e-commerce strategy.

Learn more about how auto brands and dealers can advertise on Facebook.

Four steps to facilitate conversations

1. Using messaging apps to give direct access to brand experts

2. Opening dialogue with a car buyer with human to human contact

3.Keeping the car buyer in control and the dealer involved all the way

4. Establishing a powerful new sales channel

Discover how auto brands and dealers like yours can make the most of advertising on Facebook with our dedicated hub.

Learn more now

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