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Tag: car configurator

The Year Automotive Events Went Digital

We absolutely love a motor show and are really excited to be back at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, which is allowed to go ahead at full capacity as part of the UK Government’s pilot Events Research Programme. In the run up, we look back at how successfully the automotive industry embraced digital events last year, and what the future of motor shows looks like now.

Last year, the events industry took a massive hit. It is a significant contributor to the global economy. As per the report published by Allied Market Research, the global events industry was valued at $1,135.4 billion in 2019, with corporate events & the seminar segment holding the highest market share.

That was before the pandemic. With a sudden lockdown, every physical event was thrown up into the air. Like many other industries, there was no consensus on how to handle this unfamiliar situation. Eventually, with the writing on the wall, the events industry had to make a choice: cancel outright or move to digital events. The automotive industry was no different.

But with digital events being the only alternative, did the automotive industry take advantage of everything they had to offer? And did those that took up the challenge succeed in providing a worthwhile experience? And what will happen in 2021 and beyond for motor shows? Read our brand-new E-Guide on the subject and let us know your thoughts!

Why your car configurator is a vital sales feature

Shopping around for a car online offers more choice and comfort than the in-person experience at a dealership. Online car shopping has only accelerated in the face of COVID-19 and is more important than ever to focus on. It’s part of a slow shift that’s been happening for years; in 2019, a Cox Automotive car buyer survey reported that 61% of car shoppers’ time was spent online and now 37% of people looking to buy a car imminently are likely to make their final purchase without ever visiting a dealership. 

In this increasingly digital world, we cannot overstate the value of imagery. A car configurator is a core feature of online car shopping and provide a valuable service to customers who utilise them. But a key component to making it a success is selling the dream of owning that car, something you can achieve by making it look as realistic and desirable as possible. This isn’t just a car, it’s their car. So what are the benefits of creating a car configurator with impressive visual fidelity?

 

It’s engaging

Interactive content gains twice the engagement of static content on websites. A car configurator, therefore, is an effective way of encouraging your customers to not just look at the car but engage with it. Interactive content also increases the number of return visits to your site, keeping your business and a customer’s dream car in their mind.

The more they interact with it, the higher the chances of them making the purchase are. By engaging with the car, it makes the idea of owning it more real. And the better it looks, the more real it feels, taking it from a dream purchase to an actual purchase.

 

It’s personal

Customising a car online makes the final product feel more personal. The end result is created by your customers themselves and reflects them directly. Making all the choices for a vehicle allows the customer to feel involved in the creation process; the final product becomes a collaboration between you and your customer.

When they create their dream car, every choice is intimate. What finish do they want on the dashboard? What colour do they want the seats? And what gadgets do they crave? This is their car and it’s a feeling you can’t recreate at the dealership.

 

It’s persuasive

One of the most simple benefits of a car configurator is how it allows customers to fully visualise their car. Picking a paint colour from a sheet is not the same as seeing the car in their chosen colour fully styled with all their customisation choices. This confirms for customers that what they see is what they want – it removes the guesswork or hesitation from the process. 

Seeing a finished product in a car configurator will make it more real for your customer. They can look at it and know that what they see is a car unique to them. This makes the product feel attainable and more tangible than words on a screen or a conversation in a dealership.

With the pandemic making it riskier to be in proximity to strangers, more people who previously didn’t have a need for a car are now looking to buy one. As they turn online, you want your customers to have all the tools they need at their fingertips to make the best choice for them. With an intricately detailed configurator, you can make their next car-buying experience a painless one.

At REALTIME, we have 20 years of experience making car configurators for the biggest names in the automotive sector. Work with us to ensure your car configurator offers the best experience to your customers. For more information on our car configuration options, get in contact with me at [email protected].

How an outsourced CGI partner can add to your in-house team

A great deal of talent exists in the world. Think how much untapped potential exists that we miss out on when we restrict our approach. Many businesses recognise this, leading to a rise in outsourcing as a way to benefit from the plethora of skilled professionals. When polled, people highlighted several reasons why they go that route. It may be to reduce costs (69%) or as a part of their transformation (64%). In a separate study, other reasons given included doing it for the improvement to their service (31%) or to focus on their own core functions (57%).

In this interconnected world, is there an excuse to miss out on the opportunity? It doesn’t have to replace what you already have, but the wealth of specialists out there can effortlessly complement your current automotive operations. Here are three simple qualities you can find in a CG visualisation specialist that could add to and improve your output.

 

Flexibility

An external company provides you with a great deal of flexibility. For one, they aren’t a constant expense and can be called upon only when you need them. You only pay for what you need and can dip in and out as you please, saving you from hiring any extra staff beyond your current in-house team. It means you can work with another company in the way you want to, taking as much of a lead as you want.

A good CGI partner will be malleable in their approach to your project. They can bring their own expertise to the table and weigh in on any decisions, ultimately providing you with all the information you need to make an educated choice.

You know it’s a great fit when this external specialist fits right into your current operations as if they were there all along. They’ll be in tune with your brand’s aims, goals, look, and feel, perfectly capable of replicating what makes you, you. With an understanding of your car brand, they can deliver something akin to your own in-house team.

 

A breadth of knowledge

If you find a CG specialist working in multiple fields, you might think they’re spreading themselves too thin. But take the time to look at the quality of their output and see how the different teams complement one another.

Their knowledge in other fields can perfectly transfer to the automotive industry. With this expertise, they can bring skills such as rigging, VFX, soundtrack editing, environment building, shoot management, and cinematography to the table. This can only benefit you, adding artistic value to what is being produced.

 

A depth of knowledge

Of course, you also want them to have a deep knowledge of the automotive industry. This goes without saying. But it ties into many of our points above. For a company to be flexible, receptive to your brand, and knowledgeable of skills outside of the industry, they need to first have a deep understanding of this sector. They need to be intimately familiar with cars and love them beyond their work.

Above all, they need to know what it means to be ahead of the curve; at the top of their game. Both artistically and technologically, they need to prove why they’re a good fit for you. A love of the industry will be what drives them to deliver their best work.

Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a dirty word, nor does it have to intrude on your current operations. Done right, it builds on what you already have, allowing you to focus your in-house team’s attention where you think it is needed and leave the visualisation work to other professionals. The best projects will draw from both resources, creating a final product that you can be proud of.

 

REALTIME is dedicated to being the sort of CGI partner that exemplifies all of the above. We work with you to deliver the best work, using our knowledge of the automotive industry – and that of the TV and video game industries – to create cutting-edge solutions. If you would like to find out more, get in touch with me at [email protected].

Is technology the future for car dealerships?

If you listen to the doom and gloom, you would think the traditional high street was dying. Look at big names like BHS and Toys R Us going under in recent years and the subsequent rise of online shopping. You can’t walk down your average high street without seeing boarded-up stores or newly emptied lots. Yet we’re still far from the collapse of the high street; online shopping only accounts for 17% of total sales, meaning the retail sector is still going strong.

So it’s hard not to look at the doom and gloom around car dealerships with the same scepticism. Articles titled ‘Why Car Dealerships Will be Extinct by 2025’ paint an ominous picture. But if the high street can survive, why can’t dealerships?

The new way of shopping

Of course, the two experiences are different. While retail has its fair share of pushy salespeople, it isn’t nearly as much of a pain point as it is for the automotive sector. According to Deloitte, less than 1% of people like the car buying experience. But they can learn a lesson from the retail sector; those that are thriving today know that they need to adapt. So it’s less ‘car dealerships will be extinct by 2025’, more ‘those who fail to change with the times will die out’.

All the information a consumer needs is at the touch of a button. Customers spend 10 hours on average researching their new car purchase, with 52% visiting the dealer’s website during the process. They are savvier and less likely to fall for sales patter. When they visit the dealership, it’s not necessarily advice they’re looking for.

So what are they looking for? Consumers crave convenience – they will want an easy time. Dealerships might not be the start of the car buying process, but they can still be a part of it. Allowing customers to choose their car at home – maybe even configuring it – before confirming their decision in-store is a good place to start. Adoption of technology like this will make customers feel less pressured, able to take it at their own pace.

They can learn a lot from the Apple store model. There, all of their expensive gadgets and toys are laid out to experiment with at your leisure. Salespeople approach you but don’t push you. SEAT has taken the idea and ran with it – they have two stores in the country that wear their convenience on their sleeve. Their website boasts their lack of ‘pushy salespeople’ and their ‘no haggle pricing’. They know what consumers want. They’ve adapted.

Take a SEAT

These SEAT stores aren’t dealerships but that doesn’t mean what they do can’t be integrated into them. They have less emphasis on the salespeople and more on their information kiosks. These are a fountain of information and adverts in the store make for a more natural pathway for consumers to experiment with the car configurators. It gives them something to ‘play’ with, opening up the door to conversions that weren’t there before.

The stores are also less about the cars, with only three on display. Counter-intuitive? Not quite; Green Room CCO Mike Roberts says it’s about ‘putting control in the hands of the customer’. If they want, they can even book a test drive nearby.

But there is pressure building from companies like Tesla, who let you buy directly, or ride-sharing apps like Uber. The next big trend might be car subscription services like Wagonex, who knows? We could see a trend of fewer, yet more robust, dealerships.

As we keep saying, the key is adoption. Make the journey from online to in-store a seamless one. Offer easily accessible options at your dealership. Understand that people want to feel in control. Give them the option to customise their car there and then, maybe even offer test drives in a VR environment.

Extinction isn’t likely to happen by 2025 but that doesn’t mean you’re invulnerable to any adverse effects. While the future looks bright for retail, companies like Debenhams still face problems. The same can be said for dealerships. The question is, what are you doing about it?

At RealtimeUK, we have extensive experience working with some of the biggest names in the automotive sector. If you need CGI solutions for your car configurator or app, get in touch with me at [email protected].