In a world racing towards digitalization and automation, fewer buyers are walking into physical showrooms and dealerships. Manufacturers are missing out by delivering an experience that is far below satisfactory. Below, you will find a few useful things to tackle if you’re in the business of selling cars.

Previous Insights

In my previous article, Are we really connecting with online buyers? UAE, KSA, and Kuwait auto shopper habits revealed, I addressed my points of view on a recent Google study conducted in the region. I also mentioned a little about my experience after visiting dealers across the region.

Personal Experiences

First, I would like to highlight that this is based purely on personal experience, hence there is no data to support my findings. This article covers my opinion and how I felt after paying many visits to showrooms across the region.

Over the last six months, I've visited between 140 and 160 dealers (a combination of used car dealers and new car dealers) across the GCC and Egypt. YallaMotor is the largest vertical automotive portal in the region. I believe that developing relationships from behind a computer screen is a dead-end. Meeting with people is key to maintaining a company in a leading position.

Understanding Customer Experience

You might be thinking that I was at the showrooms for meetings and that is why I wasn’t treated the same way as buyers. However, I have a few findings to share:

When someone walks into a showroom, the salesperson or receptionist doesn't really know if they are going to a meeting, buying a car, or buying multiple cars.
Many times, I walked in as a regular customer without meetings scheduled, engaging with the staff.
I was keen to see how our monthly 1.4 million (and growing) users experience the offline showroom visit after online interactions.

Client Perspective

From my point of view, I need to understand the client’s perspective to:

Enhance and better connect with the overall car research/buying experience.
See if they are meeting the expectations of YallaMotor users since we promise to aid users in making better informed and cost-effective decisions.

Key Challenges Faced by Customers

Below are my opinions on things that no customer should ever face when walking into a showroom. If you own a showroom, these are a few key things that may turn customers away.

1. Feeling Ignored

Cast Away: I felt like Tom Hanks on a deserted island while visiting several showrooms. I was there alone, checking cars, yet there was no acknowledgment from the salespeople.

2. Lack of Attention

Don't pay attention to your phone: There is a clear "always on the phone” phenomenon that keeps salespeople away from engaging with customers who walk into the showroom.

3. Informed Buyers

Buyers know a lot more nowadays: Online portals empower buyers with tools and information during their research phase. By the time a potential buyer walks into the showroom, they’ve typically gathered much information about the vehicle.

4. Test Drive Denied

You can't test drive the car you are planning to buy: This has happened multiple times across different brands. Despite being ready for a test drive, I was told there were no available cars for a test drive, or that the vehicle was booked for another customer.

Conclusion

I expect this to be taken as constructive feedback to enhance the car-buying journey. It is imperative to prioritize customer engagement and ensure that potential buyers feel valued and supported throughout their experience.