Once only found in the gaming sector, virtual reality (VR) has been adopted by the automotive industry and is used to do amazing things. Dealerships and auto manufacturers use it extensively, and it’s easy to see why. VR simulation is helpful in employee training, collaborative design, and autonomous vehicle testing.
By 2025, the global automotive AR and VR market is expected to be worth $673 billion because of developments in connectivity. Change in consumer behavior has also caused more companies to adopt VR in the car-selling process. Here’s how you can use virtual reality to boost sales.
Connect with More Customers
The coronavirus pandemic heavily affected the automotive industry. Due to social distancing regulations, car buyers stopped visiting car showrooms and dealerships to purchase vehicles.
But VR enabled auto retailers to provide a virtual car-buying experience, letting potential customers examine and test drive their favorite cars via their smartphones and computers. Many car shoppers embraced VR auto showrooms and some even bought vehicles without leaving their homes.
Faster Designs
Car buyers are increasingly buying customized vehicles. VR makes the car designing process easier and faster because prototyping and testing can be done before fabrication begins. Some manufacturers report that they have reduced the designing period by 30% thanks to virtual reality.
Engineers creating virtual prototypes can collaborate while in different geographical locations and modify a car in real time. This allows them to design the vehicle a lot faster. The reduced time to market means car buyers can buy customized vehicles sooner than they could before. Because manufacturers can produce better vehicles faster, they can sell more units.
Online Auto Showrooms
92% of car buyers research their options online before choosing a specific model. Afterwards, some make a purchase online. To boost sales, you need to understand ever-changing consumer trends and behaviours and make the most of them.
Modern car buyers are tech-savvy and use technologies like virtual reality to carefully examine the models they’d like to buy. By offering an online showroom and virtual tours, you will stand out from the competition. This could serve as buyer bait and attract many prospective car buyers.
Virtual Sales Training
To sell more cars, you must have well-trained staff who enhance the customer experience. Most modern cars come with advanced safety, technology, and performance features. You can use VR to train your salespeople to understand each model better.
When salespeople are knowledgeable about cars, they can walk with customers in their buying journey and comfortably address any queries. By doing this, they can convert prospects into customers.
Gather Customer Feedback
You can also use VR to get customer feedback. Top car manufacturers conduct virtual car clinics, allowing customers to interact with the latest car models.
During such clinics, the manufacturers gather feedback on what features customers like and which ones they don’t. They get feedback in real-time and use the information to develop new car designs to boost sales.
VR technology has become a mainstay of the automotive sector. Automakers and dealerships now use the technology to capture a wider global market. Consumer behaviours are constantly changing, so if you want to attract more car buyers, start using VR.