Hyundai makes online car buying easier with Live Chat Video feature
- From online information research to online consultation, new digital tools make it easier than ever for Hyundai customers to be in touch with dealers
- New Live Chat Video function will be launched this summer in nine European countries, after the success of online showroom for German customers which started in February 2020
- The new solution allows Hyundai customers to connect to dealers face-to-face using their browser and webcam
- This comes in addition to other digital sales initiatives, including Click to Buy, Click2Drive, and a new online showroom
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This represents another step forward in the digitisation of car buying, making it easier than ever for consumers to get personalized information from the comfort of their own homes.
Following a successful start in Germany earlier this year, Hyundai Live Chat Video will launch from next month onwards in Italy, UK, France, Spain, Poland, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Netherlands. Other markets may follow later.
This new technology comes after success for other Hyundai digital sales tools, including the UK’s Click to Buy and Click2Drive in Spain. The recently-launched online showroom on the website of Hyundai’s German subsidiary allows prospective customers to sign leasing contracts for Hyundai vehicles – an innovative and progressive step for the company in the digitalisation of the sales and distribution processes for its products.
Live Chat Video is the latest innovation to underline our customer centricity. By offering attractive online consultancy for our models, we are making it even easier and more convenient to buy our cars. We had already taken significant steps to digitalise the car-buying process, and the COVID-19 crisis has further enforced the importance of online interaction. The newly-implemented tools show that Hyundai is not just producing progressive products, but also developing progressive methods of sales and distribution to existing and prospective customers.
Hyundai launches Live Chat Video across Europe
Hyundai’s new Live Chat Video technology works entirely within the customer’s web browser. It requires no installation of additional software. All the customer needs to do is visit the national or dealer’s website and click a button to request a video chat. The showroom staff answer requests using a video camera on their PC.
Staff can discuss the customer’s needs, but also have the capability to deliver a virtual walk around of vehicles in the showroom to show features and to highlight the benefits of the Hyundai vehicle that the visitor is interested in.
Through the screen-sharing feature, the dealer can work collaboratively with the customer to find and configure the vehicle they are considering, work through their finance options, and arrange a dealer visit or test drive.
The system allows the dealer to share documents such as brochures or quotations and to complete all necessary transactions through to the final purchase if the customer wishes to do so.
Live Chat Video can be used on any device with a browser, including tablets and smartphones. Customers can book a slot at a time that is convenient to them. The service will launch this summer and will be available in most other European markets by autumn.
The Live Chat Video technology is provided by Sophus3, a leading supplier to the automotive industry of analytics and competitive benchmarking services as well as a suite of online engagement tools.
More online car-buying options: Click to Buy and Click2Drive
In 2016, Hyundai Spain launched Click2Drive, a digital dealership supported by a physical store in Majadahonda, Madrid.
Meanwhile, Click to Buy has been a big success for Hyundai since it launched in the UK in 2017. It was the first time a car manufacturer in the UK had offered customers the opportunity to purchase a new car completely online.
Hyundai Germany’s new digital showroom now offers online leasing
Launched in February of this year, Hyundai Germany’s new online showroom is another step in Hyundai’s digitalisation of its sales and distribution as it reacts to changing consumer purchasing behaviour. As of June, customers can lease selected Hyundai models, including the i20, Kona and Tucson through a simple four-step process.
Contacts
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Florian Büngener
Head of Department PR & Communications
fbuengener@hyundai-europe.com LinkedIn ProfileAdriana Cerami
Head of Section Corporate & Brand PR
acerami@hyundai-europe.comKatharina Kupper
Hyundai Newsroom Lead
kkupper@hyundai-europe.comAnja Wente
Product PR & Communications Expert
awente@hyundai-europe.comElvira Herrera
Corporate Communications Expert
eherrera@hyundai-europe.comÁngel Pino Pérez
Product Communications Professional
apinoperez@hyundai-europe.comMaria Bricio
Corporate & Brand Communications Expert
