I have purchased several new cars over the years and all of them include seemingly hours of dread before you actually get the keys to drive away. There is so much negotiation, angst, paperwork, choices, decisions, etc. and it takes forever. By the time I get my car, I am usually just ready to get out of there…
…but this last experience was different. Most of the pre-work was accomplished in advance and when my vehicle was ready, I was escorted to the “delivery area” where my car was waiting with a giant bow like in the commercials. How much fun is that?
In addition, I had a “technology specialist” that sat with me in the car and programmed all the myriad choices to meet my preferences: whether I wanted auto-lock, seat settings, radio stations, which doors unlocked with the remote, etc. etc. By the time I left the lot, it felt like “mine” instead of a generic vehicle.
Think about the ways that you can add some personalization and pizzazz to your purchasing experiences. They took a photo of me-and-the-bow (which they could have/should have posted to social media) – could you do the same? How can you add a tutor to explain some of the nuances that are so easy for someone who does it every day but frustrating for those new to the process? Can you put forms online and handle some of the routine aspects of your transaction before people dedicate their valuable time to do them at your office?
Think of your purchasing process as an experience instead of a transaction and put a beautiful bow on the package.
