Why Your Brand Matters
You have spent years, or decades, building your business. You have pride in what you have built. Some franchised dealerships are on their third or fourth generation of family ownership, putting the family name on their building next to the familiar OEM brand. In your town, your name is your brand, forging a bond with the people you serve.
The automaker you have a franchise with doesn’t do that kind of work. They’re building the cars, but you’re building relationships within your community. Why cede that work you’ve put into growing your brand by handing over your customers to the automaker or a third party?
That’s what can happen when you don’t use Ikon’s custom-branded smartphone application with your customers. You might make the sale, but you’re letting your customers drive away without the tools to bring them right back through your doors.
Custom, Dealer Branded App
People can’t seem to look away from their phones. Data shows that 70% of all digital interactions occur on phone apps. That’s why states have created laws keeping people from using their handheld devices while driving – that’s how difficult it is to pry the device from their hands.
Why not put your business name in your customers’ hands every day? When you partner with Ikon, your customers stay connected to their car through your branded app. Once they see that it only takes three clicks on the app to set a service appointment, your customers will know that they have a tool in their pocket that helps them keep their car running trouble-free for years.
And when your customer has that tool in their hand, they have your trust. They know you are working to ensure the best possible customer service interaction. Customers with a dealer-branded Ikon app use their app up to fifteen times per month. That’s fifteen interactions your customer has with your brand every month that didn’t require local television advertising or a billboard to generate.
Value-Added Features Bring Your Customers Back To You
Telematic-driven service alerts are a big part of the Ikon solution. When your customer’s vehicle is due for regular service based on mileage or other service intervals, they’ll get a notification from your branded app. They’ll be just three clicks away from an appointment, or they can call our dedicated, branded customer service team if they’d rather talk than tap.
An OEM-branded app might also send your customer service alerts. But it could also direct them to another dealership based on geo-location. If their workplace is closer to another dealership, for example, they might be directed to another franchised dealership. You’ve done the hard part of getting your customer through your door on the initial sale. Don’t let a competitor that sells and services the same brand of vehicle luck into a lucrative service call.
Beyond service, Ikon’s solutions give your customer additional tools at their fingertips. Since their brand-new car is always connected via the dealer-branded smartphone app, they have easy geo-location tools. Maybe they’re in an unfamiliar place and have forgotten where they’ve parked — they can easily retrace their steps. Perhaps they have a younger driver who shouldn’t be taking the car too far from home or school. They can easily set a geo-fence that will alert mom or dad if they’re headed to the mall when they should be in class.
The dealer-branded app even gives you a KeyFinder function because there’s always someone who misplaces their keys. It’s easier to do these days with transponder keys since the driver doesn’t have to put a key in the dashboard. You know those keys are expensive, too, so Ikon gives your customer key replacement insurance.
Further, Ikon backs each customer with a $10k buyer-stolen car warranty to give them peace of mind should the unthinkable happen. Since Ikon can help track the car, recovery is easy with 24/7 vehicle recovery via the app.
Work for Your Business, Not Someone Else
Your customer bought a vehicle from you, not from the automaker. They trust you. They know you are going to be their partner on the road ahead.
So, instead of putting an app with the automaker’s logo on their home screen, put your app with your logo on their phone. They’ll see that logo every day as they scroll through their feed.
Your Brand Needs To Be In Your Customer’s Hands
You’ve done the work. You’ve built your business and become a part of the community. Don’t hand over your sweat to the OEM. Ikon is built by dealers for dealers. We know what it takes to make your business work, and we know how expensive each advertising impression costs.
Now that you’ve sold the car, put your brand on your customer’s home screen. They’ll remember you when it’s time for service, their next car, or a referral to a trusted friend. You are that trusted friend now.
