Designing the future of customer experience: A customer-centric approach

There are many words one can use to sum up the year 2020, but none are as powerful as “change”. Amidst a complete upheaval of our “normal”, we have undertaken several changes, as brands and as individuals. For Nissan and the automotive industry, this has led to a review and evolution of how we currently engage with consumers and partners, showcase our brand and drive sales.

A digital transformation has no doubt swept the industry, with brands adopting new and interesting ways to connect with consumers across various touchpoints. Debates continue about the efficacy of a digital approach v/s the value retained by in-person experience. However, in the pursuit of high clickthrough rates and sale conversions, we should not lose sight of the true endgame for any brand, to keep your customer happy.

While fluctuating spending patterns do impact sales, particularly in the automotive industry, consumers are increasingly appreciative of brands that add value and provide solutions to ease their everyday lives.  It is important to also realise that the role and power of the consumer continues to grow, with more information and choice, as well as numerous ways to share their experiences, driving both their needs and expectations. Brands that recognise and swiftly respond to these changing demands can build trust with their customers, and in turn build brand equity.

While spurring digital innovation is critical, physical touchpoints cannot be ignored, creating a need for omnichannel strategies steeped in regional insights to reach and connect with target audiences throughout the customer journey.

This hybrid approach to automotive experiences needs to begin right at the stage of discovery. Since the advent of COVID-19, there has been a fundamental shift in the way consumers identify the right car for them, making it even more essential to grab their attention as quickly as possible. Typical car launches are a thing of the past, virtual car launch events have made a firm entrance into our calendars and lives, expanding our target audience across geographies and time zones.

Nissan has conducted a number of virtual launch events over the past few months, with the most notable event for the Middle East being the regional launch of the all-new Nissan X-Terra 2021. When planning this launch, it was imperative for us to not just replicate a physical event in a digital format, but leverage the ‘virtual’ element to truly explore our creativity beyond physical limitations.

Driving engagement during the consideration phase is the next step. The car browsing has seen large levels of digitisation, with vehicle dealers now hosting virtual showrooms and online options to view various car models. We recently took our digital offering to the next level with a web-based Augmented Reality experience on mobiles and tablets that enables users to view cars, choose exterior colours and read about the car’s key features via interactive hotspots at different locations on the car.

However, physically driving a car is essential to provide a true first-hand experience, which is why test drives will continue to be a large part of the car purchase process. While home test drive options offered by car brands and dealers will remain a viable option, buyers who want to make their purchase in-store also need to be catered to, by implementing the highest health and safety precautions across showrooms, service centres and the cars themselves.

Customer service will always remain a top factor for car purchase decisions. Whether online or in-person, great customer service seals the deal, and helps establish brand loyalty. At Nissan, while we have accelerated out digital offering to include an online finance calculator and online ordering, this is balanced by video assistance calls and phone callbacks from our sales personnel to provide customers with confidence and peace of mind to make informed decisions about their purchase.

A constant research and analytics element is also essential to maintaining top-quality customer service. All staff need to be trained on an ongoing basis to better understand key insights, needs, behaviour and purchase drivers for various target audiences, and identify their sales strategy accordingly. 

And finally, optimise the aftersales process. Customer service does not stop at the sale, and car brands that go the extra mile to keep customers happy will see it pay off in the long run. While in-person and digital options to book vehicle service and maintenance, warranty and other value-added services will no doubt attract consumers; a personalised approach to this stage will be instrumental to remain relevant to audiences. By using insights mined during the buying process, brands need to be proactive and targeted in their engagement, identifying pain and passion points as well as preferred modes of communications for maximum impact.

Placing customers at the centre of the automotive experience has never been as important as it is today, while building trust needs to be a key goal for car brands as they look to sustain their business for the coming years. Establishing consumer trust has been key to Nissan’s heritage and reputation, and has helped us garner consumer loyalty over decades in the region, and we aim to continue the evolution of our customer-centric automotive experience to unlock more opportunities for the brand in the future.

Thierry Sabbagh is the managing director of Nissan Middle East