Best Practices Supplement - November 2021 - 23_SUPP

BEST PRACTICES 2021
23
We do not have a young population in
Newfoundland, and most of the population
still watches the TV evening news.
MICHELLE MELENDY
Dealer principal, Western Kia
the sales staff's digital-content libraries
as new vehicles arrive and has
since incorporated videoconferencing
apps such as FaceTime, Skype or
Microsoft Teams.
AN INDUSTRY EDUCATION
Despite inventory shortages caused
in large part by the ongoing global
scarcity of microchips, Western
Kia preserved sales by educating clients
about industry trends and keeping
them up to date on their vehicle's
expected arrival, Cluney said. The
dealership will send customers articles
" we feel are relevant that give a
third-party perspective on what's happening
in the industry, so they feel
informed and have realistic expectations.
" These
vehicles are out of sight,
but it's important to not let them slip
out of mind, " Cluney said. Some customers
have had to wait as long as six
months for delivery, he said.
Typically, Western Kia will have 60
to 80 new vehicles on the lot, but that
fell to 30 or fewer during the pandemic.
In early August, the store had just
16 vehicles available.
In a bid to create a sense of ownership
" along with a little fun " throughout
the purchasing process, the dealership
recently began mailing a celebratory
" Congrats, it's a Kia " birth certificate
to the customer once the vehicle
is assigned an identification number,
Cluney said.
DIGITAL TOOLS ARE JUST TOOLS
Western Kia launched its digital
retailing platform in 2018, applying it
first to used-vehicle sales but ramping
it up during the pandemic.
" We had the right tools and
resources already in place, " Cluney
said. " So when the pandemic hit, it
was an easier transition to start leaning
even heavier into this direction. "
Dealership
consultant Dominic
Sigouin, president of Montrealbased
Noahvik Consultants, credits
Western Kia for recognizing that
effective digital efforts focus on the
" customer journey. "
" Digital retailing is not the solution;
it is just a tool, " Sigouin said.
" It is all about the process and what
you want it to do for the customer
journey. "
The dealership also produces
all of its online marketing videos
and commercials in-house - a move
that since 2018 has reduced advertising
costs on average by 54 per cent,
to $236 per unit sold. The ads are also
posted across the dealership's social
channels.
Cluney, the general manager,
acknowledged that being in a relatively
remote, rural area with little competition
nearby helps minimize the
need for ad spending.
As well as Kia vehicles, the ads
LAUREATES
CADA Laureates are awarded
in three categories from 15 finalists
whittled from 600 nominations
in 2020. Candidates are nominated
by other dealers or by the automaker.
The final judging is done by the
Ivey School of Business at Western
University in London, Ont.
The 2021 Ambassadorship
Laureate went to Mike Stollery of
AutoIQ in Barrie, Ont., and the
Business Innovation Laureate
to Michael Rawluk, president of
AutoCanada Inc. in Edmonton.
often feature the customers and
their families pursuing traditional
Newfoundland activities such as a
" boil-up " - food cooked over an open
fire on the beach.
" We try to use every option to
embed in the community, " said Dealer
Principal Melendy.
As of the first week of August, the
boil-up video had generated about
11,000 views on YouTube and 15,000 on
Western Kia's Facebook page.
This year, Western Kia produced
three Super Bowl ads, which were
broadcast across the Atlantic region.
While the dealership is emphasizing
online advertising, TV ads
remain part of its marketing strategy,
Melendy said.
" We do not have a young population
in Newfoundland, and most of the
population still watches the TV evening
news, " she said.
Cluney said he doesn't pretend that
he and his team have all the answers
during these unprecedented times.
" Although we found some things that
worked for us ... there were a lot of
failures as well. I think the biggest difference
was the fact that we weren't
afraid to make mistakes or get something
wrong.
" We failed fast, adapted and continued
forward. " - ANC
Best Practices Supplement - November 2021

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