If you are a customer oriented auto dealer, then it is obligatory for you to have a website. Having an online presence is the best way to make your dealership available to customers as they are turning to Internet to research about vehicles and are finding online shopping more comfortable than visiting local auto dealerships these days. Therefore, while creating your online presence, you should first know what actually a customer expects from your website. Analysis of customers’ expectations and needs is very crucial in designing a website, as your website acts as a substitute for your physical presence.

This article reveals critical insights useful for automotive dealers to convert a growing base of Internet online leads into vehicle buyers. Let us see what all are the things that an auto dealer has to consider while create a website.

Expectations about vehicles

Needless to say, a consumer when thinking about buying a vehicle will have a list of few basic questions, for which he expects the answers to be given by the dealership website. Therefore, you should primarily focus on attending these basic expectations. The basic things about vehicles which may ponder in the mind of consumer are:

• Brands: The moment a consumer visits your website, unconsciously will for sure look out for the brands you are offering. Looking for various brands will widen the knowledge of the consumer about the vehicles available and also helps him/her as to know to what extent your dealership is capable of meeting their tastes. Therefore, whatever you may be, a company owned dealer or a general auto dealer, missing out on information about the brands or services offered by your dealership can no way satisfy the customers that come to your website.

• Price & discounts: Finalizing on a purchase decision without getting to know the prices and the discounts offered is impossible for a consumer. A consumer expects a company to provide clear information about the monetary requirement, as this will help him to take further steps regarding the purchase.

• Specific vehicle features: Each brand of automobile is characterized by a unique feature. As online buying is characterized by the time saving feature, the customer expects the website to provide detailed and clear information of the vehicles and their specific features, alongside, minimizing his/her need to research about them.

• Geographical location: The most important feature which actually makes the customer feel secured is mentioning of the geographical location of your auto dealership in the website. The customer gives much importance to this, as this information makes him sure that the auto dealer is not bogus. It also makes it easy for potential customers to visit your dealership.

From response point of view

Lack of communication is something which a consumer can never compromise on. A customer certainly expects good timed response from the dealer for his queries or for his any purchase related action. The following are the features in regard to response which a customer expects that as an auto dealer you should consider.

• Method of communication: The way a business communicates with its potential buyers plays a vital role in converting the potential buyers into actual buyers. When a customer places an order or a query on the website, it is the responsibility of the auto dealer to respond to them and make the response easily reachable to the customer. The auto dealers can communicate with the consumer through e-mails, SMS, direct call, etc. A customer expects an easy and quick means of communication to be followed by the auto dealer, which eases the vehicle buying process.

• Quick response time: Customers generally prefer businesses which are active. Most of the auto dealerships today have websites but are not maintained properly. This leads to slow communication. On placing an order for the vehicle or a query, quick and immediate response from the auto dealer makes the customer feel important and satisfied. This also speeds up the buying process. Remember, the major factor that makes an auto dealer honest and trustworthy is the response time to information requests during the online shopping phase among the potential buyers.

From website

Online customers expect the website to be properly maintained and have all the advanced features, as it is only through the website that they contact an auto dealer. A website communicates with the customer on behalf of the business, hence proper presentation of information on website gives positive impression to the customer, enhancing the value of business in his mind.

• Quick access (Load time): Online shopping is time efficient. A customer might like to visit a local auto dealer's garage instead of waiting for a website to load. A smart online auto dealer makes sure that his website has quick access to the customers, as a customer will happily ignore a website which takes lots of time to load its features and will never be willing to purchase a vehicle from that auto dealer. Remember, there are many other auto dealership websites that your customer can go.

• Easy navigation: A customer finds 'easy navigation' the most attractive feature in a website. As an auto dealer's website provides information on a variety of brands, features, products, prices and so on, it becomes difficult for a customer to make note of everything and then go through it. In this instance, easy navigation through the required information makes the customer happy.

• Detailed information about vehicles: A customer expects a website to have all the basic and technical details concerning a vehicle. Even the information regarding the customer support, follow up, monthly services, discounts, offers, prices and so on should be provided by the auto dealer in his website. Traditional buying involves live demonstration of all the features and guarantees all the benefits, but it’s not the same case with websites. Therefore inadequate information may make the customer feel the decision as a risky one.

With all the traditional auto dealerships being replaced by the online stores, it has become a great necessity for an auto dealer to meet the expectations of online consumers, which ultimately aides a business in customer retention and acquisition.