It’s increasingly clear that a dealership’s website is no longer just an extension of its showroom; instead, the showroom is now an extension of the website. The point of sale is moving to where the customer is, even in the middle of the night.

It’s easy to make assumptions about the consumer journey when analyzing it in aggregate, but the real insights come from examining REAL customer journeys, individually. Here’s a real-life example of a customer shopping on a dealership website that uses the AutoFi platform.

A shopper named Gregory in the market for a used Ford Fusion lands on the website of a Connecticut-based dealer after 1 o’clock in the morning, on his mobile phone. Here’s what happened next:

So there you have it. In a total of 18 minutes, Gregory created his own deal down to the exact penny, applied for—and received—financing, finalized the deal, and set up delivery of the vehicle. All from his phone, several hours after the physical showroom was locked for the night.

Not every customer will do this. In fact, most won’t go through the entire buying process online, but your dealership must have tools to help them do as much as they want—at home or on the go. 

Important takeaways:

-Firm offers of credit in real time make closing a real deal while you sleep possible

-Some customers will become distracted and disengage from shopping once they start. Your dealership can re-engage customers 24/7 with Quick Quote, a tool that sends automated remote deals, allowing them to pick up exactly where they left off

– Lender financing must be easy for a consumer to understand – without an interpreter from the dealership involved, so they can select a credit offer that is right for them

Is your dealership ready to meet the customer where they are? To learn more about how AutoFi can help you offer real deals in real time, reach out to us today to schedule a demo.