Putting People First | CX Auto Summit 2022 Recap

The moment we stepped out of our Uber at the Ritz Carlton Marina Del Ray was indicative of the experience to come. Smiling faces, thorough communication, and a staff that wanted to make sure you felt valued was the baseline for the rest of our three-day conference. I knew I’d come to the right place.

In the days that followed, a theme began to emerge that cascaded across all of the speakers’ presentations. Putting people first must be the focus for our businesses to succeed and stay relevant in today’s customer experience. Our technology, immersive experiences, dealership processes, and sales strategies must include customer satisfaction at the core. Technology for the sake of creating something new will not deliver great customer experiences. We have to examine what customers want, how they want it, and ensure we find solutions to adapt. The leaders that were in attendance asked though provoking questions. Data, best practices, and case studies were shared. It was clear that everyone in the room had the same goal in mind: We can prepare for the future of retail automotive today.

What does the future of automotive customer satisfaction hold? What is our role in shaping this experience? It all depends on where you’d like to get started.

Today’s customer has shifted into a doorstep delivery mentality, but what really drives that experience is the transparency of seeing the steps in the process and communication of what to expect. Automotive dealerships must analyze their businesses and ask the question, “If we’re advertising this service, do we really provide it?”. Communication breakdown, logistical pitfalls, and technology that doesn’t connect the customer experience back to the true dealership processes are areas we must address to meet customer expectations and exceed them.

What dealership personnel are ultimately responsible for may require new investments, new departments, and new accountability. To get started, you have to start with a baseline. Take note of processes, skills, and technology. Identify gaps and begin to plan what results you intend to measure. From there, implement training and on-going accountability to measure and adjust.

Putting the customer experience at the top of your business strategy was one of the highlights of the CX Auto Summit. There are many different customer expectations for shopping, service, and experience, but focusing on strategies that meet the customer in their journey with measurable results is key to success.