Photo: Kia Motors Corporation
We have been turning our lives upside down these past few months and the disruption is certainly not over yet. Thus, we need to constantly adapt and find new and creative ways of performing everyday tasks – although even the simplest ones have been affected by the global health crisis. Automakers are among the interested parties to help us do just that.
For example, South Korean automaker Kia came up with a solution to the recent conundrum of not wanting to leave home isolation even for what were previously mundane tasks – such as visiting the local auto dealership. They call it the “Live Stream Showroom”.
As the name implies, we are dealing with a completely digital, online platform that allows anyone using a smartphone to have the dealership experience from anywhere – even the comfort of one’s home sofa. The application even includes live video sessions with assigned sales representatives which can show on the spot any feature and answer to the customer queries.
For now, the online platform is available at select dealership across the global Kia network – the personalized virtual sessions have been introduced only in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Now the company is broadening availability to new markets across the Middle East and Africa regions, such as Kuwait, Bahrain, and South Africa.
We have a feeling that once the Live Stream Showroom app proves successful enough it will not take long for Kia to follow up on the promise for a global implementation. After all, Kia is not the only carmaker facing the conundrum of dwindling sales because people are wary to give up the relative safety of their homes and come back into showrooms.
Automakers have been warned for years about the prospect of new-generation shoppers that abandon the classic showroom-visit format in favor of a more modern, digital experience. Now there is even more emphasis on alternative sales channels – and people are increasingly conducting their research from the comfort of their homes and even turning to online platform car buying for the safest possible experience.
As the name implies, we are dealing with a completely digital, online platform that allows anyone using a smartphone to have the dealership experience from anywhere – even the comfort of one’s home sofa. The application even includes live video sessions with assigned sales representatives which can show on the spot any feature and answer to the customer queries.
For now, the online platform is available at select dealership across the global Kia network – the personalized virtual sessions have been introduced only in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Now the company is broadening availability to new markets across the Middle East and Africa regions, such as Kuwait, Bahrain, and South Africa.
We have a feeling that once the Live Stream Showroom app proves successful enough it will not take long for Kia to follow up on the promise for a global implementation. After all, Kia is not the only carmaker facing the conundrum of dwindling sales because people are wary to give up the relative safety of their homes and come back into showrooms.
Automakers have been warned for years about the prospect of new-generation shoppers that abandon the classic showroom-visit format in favor of a more modern, digital experience. Now there is even more emphasis on alternative sales channels – and people are increasingly conducting their research from the comfort of their homes and even turning to online platform car buying for the safest possible experience.
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